The Sad Reunion (PRIVATE)

Kimi Shimazu, a woman who was brought back to life through the usage of a dark Ninjutsu and was much paler then she was in life, stood out in the middle of a field somewhere in the forest of Hi no Kuni. A group of blue snakes flew around her, holding bluish orbs that they placed into her body, the blue orbs being souls of those who were already dead. Her thoughts were a swirling vortex of hate, sorrow and rage, the hate and rage directed at Orochimaru while her sorrow was directed at her son Ryuu. The spear-wielder clutched her spear tightly in her hands as thoughts of revenge and other malicious thoughts swirled in her head. As the soul collectors gathered souls for her, one of the bluish flying snakes happened to have slithered by Kurai and her wolf companion Shia with a soul orb in it's clutches, both of which Kimi helped raise after Kurai's real mother died. Her scent was downwind, consisting of bones, graveyard soil and a distinctive smell of death, all of which Shia would easily catch, though her scent still had a slight familiarity of her old one back when she was alive, consisting that of lilacs and honey. If Kimi were not so intensely focused on her dark and regretful thoughts, she would have noticed the two.

Kurai and Shia were taking their usual route through the forest as it's guardians, walking in sync with one another, identical in their purpose. The Queen of the Snow, Kurai Niwa, had been taken away from civilisation for at least 2 months now by the spirits of her ancestors to hone her abilities. She had become a true Niwa in the sense that her duty was part of her, and her fear of death had been extinguished. A bandage lingered over her left eye, behind it glistening a constant Kekkei Genkai in her eye. The other was her usual emerald green, clear as fresh water and pure as untouched snow. Her silver silk kimono fluttered gently in the breeze, clinging to Kurai as she stopped, her eye catching the view of the snake. Her eyes narrowed and she held out a hand, a strong burst of spiritual energy leaving the palm and disintegrating it into a small pile of spirit dust. "We have a thief in our midst, friend," She told her wolf companion, the sleek black pelt bristling in anger as it approached the pile and sniffed while Kurai tended to the kidnapped soul which was pulsating in distress. "It smells like an intruder alright...Hold on," The shewolf lifted her muzzle, sniffing the air and snarling viciously, her tail tucked between her legs in confusion before she bolted off without a word in Kimi's direction. Kurai was quick to follow, despite the protest of her demons. This intruder needed to be dealt with.

Kimi's head snapped up when she heard a scream from one of her soul collectors. The former S-Class Konoha shinobi narrowed her orange eyes, her eyes consumed with hatred and rage over someone having the audacity to destroy one of her soul collectors. She sensed two people approaching and decided to cut them off by using a Shunshin Jutsu and appeared in a swirl of earth and water in front of Shia and Kurai with her spear aimed directly at Kurai's heart. However, her cold and borderline emotionless gaze turned to shock as she realized who was standing in front of her. "Kurai, Shia" she said in a soft tone of voice, recognizing the two she took in after the Niwa Clan Massacre, the two others she took care care of before she succumbed to her Tuberculosis and left her son Ryuu, Kurai and Shia with no one but themselves.

Kurai's head curled backwards in rage, her visible eye burning with rage. The wind swirled and cascaded around her, whispering venemously as balls of pure spiritual energy gathered about her hands and wrists. A glittering mass of blueish silver gathered behind her and took the form of several people, souls of those who had passed. "Begone, heathen," She growled, the bandage on her left eye becoming damp with tears. "If you'd dare imitate someone so close to me, it was not wise to choose someone who is dead," Her voice was shaking and cracking, the rage and pain seeping through and letting her composure slip. Shia stood in front of her human companion just as she went to charge, shaking her head. "Stop, Kurai. Trust me, it's...Her. The scent is faint, but it's there. Something's brought her back for whatever reason. She's been feeding on the souls to maintain her presence here. I can smell it," Kurai's expression changed then. The young woman's eye locked onto Kimi's, hurt mixing with shock. "You would...You would deprive these poor beings of their salvation so you can stay here and wallow in your hatred?! How could you?! Why!?"

Kimi looked away from Kurai, shame etched onto her face. She didn't like doing this, she would have preferred to just stay dead but she wanted to stay until she could kill Orochimaru. That man had betrayed her and betrayed her son and she wanted him to pay for it with his life. "I would rather not deprive these people of their salvation but I must do so until Orochimaru dies. That is the only reason I was even brought back, to kill him" she said with a soft shake of her head as she placed a pale hand on Kurai's head and caressed it softly. She didn't like doing this, knowing how much her surrogate daughter felt about her doing such a thing and she didn't like it either, to be honest.

"That is no excuse! D-Don't touch me!" Kurai interjected, her right eye now leaking tears as she brushed them away angrily with the sleeve of her kimono and took a step back. "You do not think that I can kill him? Look at where I've gotten! You do not think that Ryuu and I could take on that monstrosity?!" She wiped furiously at her eye and bandage, her breath coming out in uneven sobs as it frosted over in the air. Shia whimpered and nuzzled at Kurai's free hand, giving Kimi and empathetic glance. "Your son is safe," She reassured the ressurected woman. "We haven't seen him in months, but trust me. Kurai has...Gone through much trauma. It may take her a while to accept your purpose," The afformentioned Snow Queen shook her head rapidly, tears dripping off her chin. "I understand perfectly fine! Do NOT coddle me, I am no child!"

Kimi frowned softly as her hand was batted away by Kurai. She sighed softly in regret, recognizing the grief and pain she has caused Kurai by her appearance. She looked down at Shia and smiled in a grateful manner, feeling better knowing that her son is safe. She turned back to Kurai and went to address her. "There is a reason why I am after Orochimaru. When I was brought back from the Shinigami's clutches, the condition was as soon as I killed Orochimaru, he and I would suffer an eternity in the Shinigami's stomach, along with the Yondaime. I have to do this because if I'm going to suffer, I want that bastard to suffer with me" she said with a frown on her face, which was a huge contrast from the usual smiling angel of a woman she used to be.

That was the last straw for Kurai. She sank to her knees, the kimono pooling out around her as she let her face sink into her hands. And then, she cried. Tears seeped through the gaps in her fingers and trickled down her arms, her dark mess of hair obscuring her face from view. The spirits dispersed after an authorative bark from Shia, who licked Kurai's cheek and whispered something to her about answering Kimi out of respect."Shia," She finally spoke, sobs racking her body. "Find Ryuu. I want him to be here...It gives me time to talk to Kimi on my own," Shia hesitated for a moment then nodded, darting off into the darkness of the forest. "I...I don't want you to suffer," She sobbed, the damp bandage falling into her awaiting hands. She chucked it aside in frustration with a quivering bottom lip as she finally let her face be seen. Her left eye was hideously marked with a scar that reached from her eyebrow to just below her eye, the blue of her left iris pulsing with silver orbs. "You..Kimi, you don't deserve it..Please, tell me this is all just a bad dream.."

Kimi looked down at her with a softened expression and knelt down to wrap her arms around Kurai in a hug, trying to comfort her. She wasn't scared of her fate, to suffer eternity in the stomach of the Shinigami, so long as she got Orochimaru to suffer as well. The only thing that scared her was not being able to comfort her surrogate daughter. She caressed her black hair softly as she whispered soothingly into Kurai's ear. "It's OK Rai-Chan, things will work out in the end" she whispered softly, using her own personal little nickname she used to call Kurai when she was younger.

Kurai froze for a moment as Kimi knelt down in front of her and embraced her. She inhaled and detected the familiar scent of home, what she had grown to know after Kimi had taken her in. She let her heart rule over her head and clung to the front of Kimi's kimono, burying her face in the fabric and letting the tears flow freely. "You wouldn't have to do this if I had finished my training sooner...I could've been stronger, I could've killed him already!" She whimpered, becoming far too angry with herself to substitute for the hoplessness she felt. At the use of her nickname, her shoulders relaxed slightly, the sounds and smell of home appeasing her troubled spirit slightly.

Shia bounded up to Ryuu's door, scraping at it with her paws urgently. "Ryuu, you there?! It's Shia! I know it's been months but you'll want to see this!" She whined and sat in front of the door, her forepaws shuffling impatiently.

Kimi hugged her softly, dropping her spear to the ground as she clutched Kurai tightly. She felt for the girl she was holding in her arms, wishing she could take the girl's pain away. She didn't like that her presence upset Kurai and she wished she didn't have to do this. "I know, I know. It's not your fault. Orochimaru needs to be destroyed, no matter what the cost. If I have to drown myself in the eternal darkness that is the Shinigami's stomach, then so be it. I am not afraid of sacrificing myself" she said softly, no fear whatsoever in her voice.

Ryuu blinked when he heard a familiar scraping of the door, indicating Shia was trying to get him out. He clutched at his neck and winced in pain, the place where Orochimaru marked him with his Cursed Seal and stood up, wearing a purple and white kimono, the typical colors of the Shimazu. He opened the door and looked down at Shia. "What is it? I was in the middle of making my new weapon" he said with a frown on his face. He wondered what could be so important that Shia needed him to come right away, though he was starting to become concerned when he noticed that Kurai wasn't with her.

"T-There must be something I can do! I work with spirits all the time..Maybe I can help you, bargain with something!" She knew that it wasn't something that was possible, the Shinigami's word was always final, but she was desperate. "Y-You just got here..I can help, there must be a way!" She'd reverted back to little more than a child, the tough exterior being melted in less than a minute by the only happy memories she had of her past. She clung to her adoptive mother, her eyes wide with the fear of losing Kimi to such a grim fate.

"Your weapon will have to wait," The wolf's tone was grave, and she turned in the direction of the forest, her yellow eyes watching him as she glanced over her shoulder. "This is...Important for both you and Kurai. She lives, don't worry,"

A few tears made their way down Kimi's face as Kurai desperately tried to cling to some hope of being able to help her escape such a fate. She knew the Shinigami did this because he loved to see mortals go through grief and agony, because it was entertaining for him. "I'm afraid there's nothing that can be done. Shinigami-Sama will always give mortals the worst fate possible because he is cruel and loves grief. He said I must be the one to bring the killing blow to Orochimaru so we both suffer together" she said with a slight scowl, not knowing that she gave Kurai a potential way out of herself suffering such a fate.

Ryuu looked down at her in concern when he heard the grave tone of voice. He wondered what could cause her to be put into such a mood. He knew whatever it was, it must have been something if it usually put the usual upbeat and peppy wolf. "Very well, lead on" he said with an indication for her to leave the way.

Kurai's body froze upon Kimi's words, a plan already formulating in her mind as she sniffed and raised her head with years still freely trickling down her cheeks. "I...I see," She hiccuped, raising a delicate hand and wiping the tears from her adoptive mothers cheeks. "Don't cry. For as long as you're here you should be happy," She sniffled, her lips curving into a wavering smile but a smile nontheless. Peacock was wailing like a child within her at the emotional display and even the Spirit Form was strained since she had been a part of Kurai since birth. Every single part of Kurai's being -including the naturally empathetic Gobi- was aching at Kimi's bittersweet existance.

Shia nodded and loped off, making sure he followed. She weaved through the trees, using Kurai and Kimi's scent to guide her. Sure enough, she reached the clearing after only a few minutes of travel. Her ears pressed themselves flat back against her head, her heart twisting in pain at the sight of Kurai crying for the first time in years with her scar unbandaged for all to see.

Kimi smiled a bit when Kurai wiped the eyes away before she frowned a bit again. She shook her head and sighed when Kurai said she should be happy. "My soul is incomplete. I can't feel much happiness, it's mostly just sorrow, hatred and rage" she said with a soft sigh as she picked up her spear and helped Kurai back to her feet. She swung her spear expertly over her head and wrapped her free arm around Kurai. "Do you feel better now Rai-Chan?" she asked her with a soft smile, a small bit of relief making it's way to her bitter and hateful soul.

Ryuu was lead by Shia, wondering what could be happening to Kurai that he needed to see. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed someone that looked like his mother holding Kurai in an embrace. "W-What is the meaning of this?!" he hissed under his breath as rage etched it's way onto his face as the Cursed Seal flared to life for a second, black flame marks making it's way across his face and body before aggressively pushed back by Ryuu's fiery spirit.

She shook her head, not bothering to wipe the tears even now. "I can't really feel 'better', but I've at least found acceptance.." She lied through her teeth. She was going to save Kimi if it killed her. She head the padding of paws and spun around to see Ryuu and Shia. A thankful smile flickered across Kurai's face for but a second as she went over and scratched her wolf companion behind the ears. She didn't dare look at Ryuu after leaving without saying goodbye and disappearing for months, but instead stepped to one side with her gaze focused on the ground as she spoke. "It's really her...If you don't believe my judgement, believe my Kekkei Genkai,"

Kimi looked at her and frowned before turning it into a smile, believing that it was the best she was going to get. She looked a little relieved before tensing up, feeling a small pulse of vile, evil chakra coming from across the field before it disappeared. She turned to charge at whatever had the vile chakra before stopping in her tracks in shock, seeing her son for the first time in years.

Ryuu stared at his mother in shock before breaking eye contact and holding his head down, his shoulders shaking as tears started to drip down his face. His mother was alive again. He looked back up at her and ran towards her, tackling her to the ground and wrapping his arms around her and crying into her shoulder.

Kurai smiled sadly and turned, moving just a little ways off to give them some privacy. She sat down beneath a tree and leaned back against its trunk with her head tilted skywards. She couldn't stem the tears and sobbing but Shia close at hand. The gigantic mass of black fur curled up at her side, the shewolfs head resting on her lap and looking up at her with pleading eyes. A hand rested on the wolfs neck and stroked it absent-mindedly, the young womans mind working at breakneck speeds as she began to polish off the plan that could save Kimi from an eternity of suffering at the hands of the Shinigami.

Kimi hit the ground as she was tackled by her son and let out a small 'oomph' as she hit the ground. She wrapped her arms around her son and let him cry into her shoulder as she dropped her spear. She didn't offer him any words of comfort, she just let him cry.

Ryuu's happy memories as a child came rushing back to him, the same memories he had actively tried to suppress when his mother died, now that she was alive again. He couldn't believe it, the entire purpose for which he based his revenge upon was amongst the living again. He felt the Cursed Seal flare up again in an attempt to magnify the negative emotions he felt, Orochimaru's voice whispering in his head that she was nothing more then a shell of her former self but the emotional pain he was going through easily surpassed the pain the Cursed Seal brought him and suppressed it again.

"Kurai, are you--" "Yes, I'm fine," "You just..Well, you haven't stopped crying," "I'm aware. There's just so much to do and so...Very little time," The wolf asked no further questions and only padded back to look at mother and son, her head tilted curiously to one side to see Ryuu cry so openly. Then again, it was hardly surprising given the circumstances. Torn between her loyalty and curiousity, Shia lingered for a moment. She was in complete control of her emotions, knowing that Kimi would not be able to stay no matter how much Kurai and Ryuu would want her too. She had come to accept it before the time had even come. 'If only life could be just a tad easier on them...Maybe then..' She thought to herself as she turned and returned to Kurai's side.

Kimi patted Ryuu's hair softly as she felt his tears start coming to an end. When he stopped crying, she was pulled up to her feet by Ryuu and he handed her the trust spear of hers. He then dragged Kimi over to Kurai and embraced the both of them, feeling much happier now that he had both his secret love and his mother together again. It brought back many happy memories from when he was a child to him once more.

Kurai jumped slightly when she was forced together with Ryuu under Kimi's embrace and found it to be oddly comforting. She sniffed and gave Kimi an appreciative hug in return, shaking her head to let some hair fall into her face to cover the scar. It wasn't because she was ashamed of it, it was because she didn't have the scar when she was younger and something in her wanted it to be the same as it was all those years ago. That meant hiding whatever had changed. She mouthed a 'thank you' but no words came from her mouth. She thanked Kimi for all those years of happiness, for giving her a purpose, for helping her start her life and pulling a young girl traumatised by grief out of the gutter to help her ascend to greatness. She owed Kimi everything.

Kimi smiled and nodded her head to show acceptance to Kurai for thanking her. As she hugged both Ryuu and Kurai, she could feel pride well up from deep within her bitter and hateful soul as she looked upon the two of them. She couldn't believe she had a hand in raising these two wonderful teenagers. "Now, why don't you three lead me home?" she suggested to Shia, Kurai and Ryuu as she waited for them to lead her.

Ryuu looked up at her and nodded his head. He took Kurai and Kimi by the hand and lead them away.

Kurai actually flinched when Ryuu took her by the hand but followed nonetheless. She wasn't used to the spirits actually shying away from her but it was only a natural reaction for a presence such as Kimi's. Kurai cast her one last smile before looking ahead to the village. It wasn't quite home, she'd never really considered anywhere to be home except her clans compound and the home she'd had with Kimi and Ryuu when she was young. Perhaps now something could change, she thought, as she followed behind Ryuu with his mother and her best friend in tow.