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Post by Luke on Jun 7, 2010 16:27:41 GMT -6
Takashi rolled his eyes. "I'll do my best to try not to." he said. "Though, hard telling with me, huh?" he asked after a few moments.
Naruto smiled as well, "I'm sure he can." he replied.
"That's a damn lie and you know it, Keiji. They care about you. They're just too wrapped up in your attitude that they might not show it properly." Kazuo said, heaving a large sigh. "If your parents didn't care about you...they wouldn't make you eat. They wouldn't put a roof over your head....and they wouldn't care about your grades at the academy." he added after a long pause. Taking his gaze off the water, he looked over at his friend. "As I said before, you'll get the recognition you deserve...you just gotta stop letting that crap get to you."
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Post by foxx on Jun 7, 2010 16:43:20 GMT -6
Ashitaka thought for a second, glancing from his food to Kushina. The girl looked up slowly, an odd being-watched sense coming over her. Grinning, Ashitaka swiftly attempted to flick a wad of rice toward her. She yelped and ducked, and the food went zooming toward Kakashi instead.
Akane had been silent for some time, playing with her food rather than eating it. Finally, she looked toward Sasuke, sighing lightly. "...Should I go after him?" she asked in a very low tone; "He's never really gotten up and completely left like that before..."
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Keiji fell silent, unable to argue. He tossed another rock into the stream, exhaling a sigh. "...When's that gonna be?" he asked finally, his voice a bit calmer now; "It's been like this for years; I'm just now starting to realize it and defend myself..." His eyebrows furrowed again. "It's like people keep telling me to just deal with it, let them keep doing me like they're doing..." He looked up briefly. "I can't sit back and take this forever. I don't feel like I'll ever amount to Ashitaka. You can't possibly understand how I feel, Kazuo. Your dad is proud of everything you and your sister do." His face softened into a somber expression, releasing his irritation. "How can you complain...?"
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Post by Luke on Jun 7, 2010 16:53:08 GMT -6
Kakashi much to the surprise of everyone watching, swatted the rice out of the air. "I wasn't aware we were having a food fight." he said, looking around at everyone.
Sasuke shrugged slightly. "I don't know. Kazuo went after him. That's probably enough.." he replied, sighing slightly.
"I'm not saying that you need to put up with it. What I'm saying is that you shouldn't get angry. Explain to them how you feel, Keiji." replied the Uzumaki. He sighed yet again. "I can't complain." he said simply. "And I don't suppose I know how you feel. But I do know that things are going to change." he added.
He stood up, "I'm gonna go back to the Akisaka's. Come with me...."
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Post by foxx on Jun 7, 2010 17:25:12 GMT -6
"We weren't..." Ashitaka said, scratching the back of his head nervously; "I thought I could hit Kushina's big head, but I guess not. He snickered, and she gave him a look. Before Ashitaka could blink, she'd flung rice toward him this time; with a split second to think, Ashitaka leaned back, and the rice went flying toward Takashi this time.
"Should I be worried, then...?" Akane continued questioning, looking toward the trees where she knew the boys to be talking; "...I don't know why this is bothering me so badly."
---
"If they'd listen..." Keiji said with a hefty sigh, tossing yet another rock; "We wouldn't even be in this mess if they'd do that." He fell silent, sighing once more before lifting his gaze from the stream. "You're right, I guess..." he said finally; "Anger doesn't... I guess it doesn't help..."
As Kazuo stood up, suggesting they go back, Keiji shook his head placidly. "...Not right now," he said; "I'll...catch up sometime later. I can't show my face after that right now."
Keiji took a long pause, then looked up toward Kazuo, offering a small but sincere smile. "Kazuo-san... Thanks..." he said quietly; "For...for putting up with me for so long..."
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Post by Luke on Jun 7, 2010 17:30:30 GMT -6
Takashi, who had been too busy enjoying his wonderful meal, got hit in the face with the rice. He sat there for a moment as if nothing happened...until his eye started twitching. "OH....it's on." he said eyeing them both.
Sasuke shook his head. "He'll be back soon anyway. It's fine." he replied.
Kazuo smiled slightly. "Don't mention it, Keiji. We're friends.....it's what I'm here for." he replied. Giving him the thumbs up, he turned around and headed back towards the Akisaka's. "Oh! Hurry back! I don't wanna have to come back here and drag you!"
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Post by foxx on Jun 7, 2010 17:50:22 GMT -6
Kushina's jaw dropped in shock. "I didn't do anything!" she protested, pointing a finger at Ashitaka; "It was him that flung the rice at you!" In a moment of playrage, Kushina took a roll of bread in her hand and slung it at the Uchiha, pegging him square in the nose.
Akane fell silent, her attention gradually settling on the premature food fight at hand.
---
Keiji smiled again, waving Kazuo on jokingly. "I'll catch you later, Kazuo..." he called after him; "You won't be dragging me anywhere, heh." He turned his attention away from his friend, allowing the sudden peace to envelop him. He shut his dark eyes, leaning his head back against the tree and listening to the birdsong and water trickle down the stream. His anger from earlier had almost completely subsided, for he'd begun already attempting to follow Kazuo's advice; maybe anger wasn't the right answer... Would his parents actually listen to him if it came down to it? He considered the outcome, but the moment his father's face came into his mind's view, Keiji felt a small pang of annoyance stab at him.
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Post by Luke on Jun 7, 2010 18:06:50 GMT -6
Takashi started flinging food randomly across the table, hitting anything and everything that he could think of. "Taste my wrath!" he exclaimed. Naruto, Sasuke, and Toshiro were being pegged with bits of food, each of them looking on in horror at the waste.
"He doesn't care about you, Keiji-kun." called a voice from behind him. "They don't understand you....they couldn't possibly begin to." he added. A man stood behind the boy, his skin ghostly white and his eyes resembled that of a snake. He had an eerily smooth voice that could chill a person to their bones.
He stood there for a moment, his arms folded. Looking down at the boy, giving him a small smile.
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Post by foxx on Jun 7, 2010 18:51:18 GMT -6
The women at the table had scooted back in their seats, avoiding the food that was pegging their husbands from different directions. Sayuri was laughing hysterically, finding amusment in the young adults flinging food. She made to join in, but Sakura grabbed her hand and shook her head quickly. "Don't get in that mess," she said, smiling half-heartedly; "It's already bad enough."
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Keiji's eyebrows furrowed, but his eyes remained shut for a few moments still. At first, he'd almost believed the voice to be madeup part of his mind, like his annoyance with life was getting the best of him and leaked into his subconscious. His senses fought against such a theory, and his dark eyes snapped open. His gaze immediately landed upon the shadowy figure standing nearby, and his body reacted by moving swiftly away, scooting back in the grass almost clumsily. "Who the hell are you?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed in suspiscion. He'd never seen such a person around the village, and for him to say such things...
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Post by Luke on Jun 7, 2010 19:06:41 GMT -6
Naruto and Kakashi had ducked under the table to finish their meals in peace, not wanting to get pegged in the face with food. Takashi laughed slightly, "I told you it was on!" he said.
The man's smle only grew. "I am a friend, Keiji-kun." he replied simply. He took a few steps forward, closing in on him. "I want to help you. I can make you stronger, Keiji. You could be better than your brother. Then your parents would give you the recognition you deserve." he added. Orochimaru grinned. "All you need to do...is come with me."
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Post by foxx on Jun 7, 2010 19:17:10 GMT -6
Kushina picked up a rather large handful of beans, chunking them in Takashi's direction. "Oh, shut your mouth," she said with a smirk; "Or I'll fill it with sweet beans!"
Sayuri snuck from her mother's side, ducking under the table as well and settling on the grass between Kakashi and Naruto, hugging her knees and grinning from ear to ear. She looked back and forth between them for a few minutes before settling her gaze on Kakashi. "Kakashi, why do you wear that all the time?"
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Keiji scooted back even farther, sense enough hitting him to stand up, taking another step back from the strange man. "...H-how do you know about my family?" he asked, managing an average grip on his voice. This man, whoever he was, was highly intimidating; just his presence was enough to give the boy chills. Briefly he debated on turning and making a run back to the group at the house, but something stayed his feet without his notice.
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Post by Luke on Jun 7, 2010 19:24:27 GMT -6
Takashi ducked before popping back up and sticking his tongue out at the woman. "Bleeeeeh!" he said, making another face at her. Toshiro rolled his eyes, "You see? I figured this is how it would be!" he said.
Kakashi looked over at her and smiled, "To cover this part of my face." he said, giving her the most vague answer he could think of.
"I've known your father since he was around your age, Keiji-kun." said Orochimaru, still smiling. "And I mean what I say. I can make you stronger." he added. He thought for a moment, stepping towards him again. "...that's what you want...isn't it?" he asked.
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Post by foxx on Jun 7, 2010 20:08:42 GMT -6
"Enjoy yourself, it's fun!" Ashitaka called to Toshiro, laughing and holding his arms up as Kushina chucked more food toward him.
Sayuri frowned, tilting her head. "That's not what I meant," she retorted, her arms folding; "I wanna see!"
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Keiji opened his mouth to reply, but paused, the words finally registering in his mind. All the man had been saying so far hit him all at once, for his anxiety and surprise had overwhelmed his sense of logic. "...Sorry," he said, stepping back again, a sudden feeling of dread overcoming him as he felt a tree against his back; "I'm not interested... You don't look too promising..."
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Post by Luke on Jun 7, 2010 20:23:35 GMT -6
"Nooooo! This isn't fun!" said Toshiro, waving his arms wildely. Takashi patted his father on the shoulder and laughed slightly. "Chill out dad. Don't flip out on me." he said. Toshiro rolled his eyes and sighed, "Oh it's no use." he said.
Kakashi shook his head. "Sorry kid. Can't do it." he said.
Kazuo suddenly made his way back. "Well....I guess I made a difference." he said. "Though, I thought he wouldn't be that far behind me...." he added.
Orochimaru frowned slightly. "Well...that's no good." he said. "Because if you aren't coming with me...I can't let you go back and tell everyone about this." he added, taking a few more steps toward him. "I can make you undeniably strong, Keiji-kun. I can give you more power than anyone could possibly imagine." he said.
Orochimaru paused. "All you have to do...is come with me. I'm giving you one more chance."
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Post by foxx on Jun 7, 2010 20:33:23 GMT -6
"You're telling me..." Sakura said, standing up from the table now. Hinata and Akane had done the same, all sighing at the wasted food between the young ones.
Sayuri pouted, looking to Naruto. "Have you seen it?" she asked, pointing at Kakashi's masked face; "He won't show me!"
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Keiji swallowed, attempting to down the knot that had developed in his throat. He made to move farther back from the advancing man, but remembered the tree was there; he had no way to escape, and even if he could, how powerful was this man? Could he escape?
He glanced to the right, but slowly he turned his gaze back to the man's face. "...What is it you want exactly?" he asked; "You said something about my recognition... I don't quite understand what you're offering me..."
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Post by Luke on Jun 7, 2010 20:47:00 GMT -6
Takashi sighed slightly, "Well...now that I have that out of my system...I feel a lot better now!" he said with a small grin on his face. Toshiro rolled his eyes again, "I'll bet you do." he said.
Naruto looked over at Sayuri, "...I asked him that same question years ago. He still hasn't told me." replied Naruto, smiling. Kakashi looked over at him, "It's a secret." he said.
Kazuo looked back over his shoulder and sighed. "...I hope he decides to come back." he said.
"Isn't it obvious, Keiji-kun? No one notices anything you do. They're all too busy paying attention to your brother." replied Orochimaru. He smirked, "I can make sure that you get that attention. I can make you strong." he added.
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