A Happier Visit

A distant breeze blowing through the tree’s, their leaves meshing with others as they waved to each other, leaves falling and blowing with the wind. Hanabi sat next to a distant Grave, near a open valley but put off from the rest. Her hand laid gently on the stone that laid on the ground, her hair up in a bun with a golden hair pin that had a butterfly at the end that stuck out. The hairs that stuck out from the sides of her face moved softly with each blow from the wind. Her attired was a black kimono with cherry blossoms, their flowers blowing off while accompanied by a Sakura colored belt with a silver lining in the middle that held the kimono tight to her. A formal attire for this visit. She didn’t look sad, nor did she look angry. In fact, she had a smile on her face, joy written over her saddest thoughts.


Her hands moved when she spoke, her eyes would light up, almost as if she were a child, explaining her day from school to a parent, explaining the good things that happened while smiling their worries away. Her necklace shined with a bright glow as the sun hit against it, her white hair giving off a faint aura like glow. “It’s been great. Mom is back, she’s been trying to work with me on some things..” Her smile would shortly fade after bringing her mother up, her eyes lowering and becoming softer. “She still feels guilty you know.” Hanabi’s hands would lower to her thighs before fiddling with the excess skin around her nails. She had been chewing on them recently, some having dried blood stains.

Peragus, now that he was back in the village, had a few things he needed to take care of. Namely, he had a slew of shiny new toys he needed to distribute, lest they collect dust. Which would more or less be a waste of perfectly good equipment that could in fact be used by people that could and would do great things with them. Now he needed to distribute them and one set of the equipment, a particular pair of dual swords, would fit a certain woman he knew intimately well. Using his Byakugan he moved through the village from the clan compound of the Hyuuga toward that of the Uchiha. Masae staying close to him, or as close to him as she could at any rate. In her usual black dress, black heels, and golden ornamentation within her hair.

Peragus himself wore his usual attire, blue hoodie and pants, black boots, and his Konoha headband was wrapped snugly around his eyes. Effectively blinding his unaided vision to all around him. Of course, given he was a Hyuuga, he had certain unfair advantages. He found the woman and moved toward her location, noting it was at the cemetery. Frowning slightly he and Masae would arrive in fairly short order and would move through the cemetery toward the section she was in. The cemetery was sectioned off with stone walls and the entryways into each section was a large stone archway with no door. Arriving at Hanabi’s section he would lean his shoulder against one of the archways and Masae would lean her back against the other.

There he would wait, giving Hanabi space until she was ready. She would notice him eventually, as he was not putting forth any effort into trying to be sneaky and the doorway was the closest one to the exit of the cemetery. So she would turn around first. Idly he took a scroll out of a pocket and idly maneuvered it around in his hands a bit.

[1]

Hanabi’s eyes would remain on the stone until she would feel a familiar presence, rather feeling like someone would be looking her way. She’d wipe her eyes of any tears, cleaning her face and placing her hand on the stone once more while using her other hand to pray, making her hand flat and pointing to the sky with the thumb inward. “I’ll come by another time.” She would say softly before standing up and dusting her kimono off before turning her head to see Peragus and a woman she hadn’t seen before. Her heart would tug a bit yet Hanabi would remain stoic in a cemetery. She would approach Peragus who had been standing there for quite some time, fiddling with a scroll in his hand, which made Hanabi raise an eyebrow.


She cleared her throat, closing her eyes for a brief moment and finally placing her lips together to make the P sound. “Peragus.” She gave a small smile and glanced to Masae who has been leaning on the opposite pole. She bent over just a bit to eye the scrolls he had been messing with. “You brought something..?” She would straighten her posture again and glance up to Peragus, her necklace moving a bit while a ring settled next to the golden flowers that were made with the chain. It had been her engagement ring. Hanabi’s hands would be placed in the opposite sleeves, covering her hands to hide her picking. Even then, she would be picking at her thumbs, a tic she had picked up at an early age yet she grew out of it. However it came back during the time Peragus was away due to the drama that had passed even before he left. She would await his answer yet a sinking feeling would develop in her stomach, anxiety.

She took her time and that was fine with Peragus. He was patient, and frankly did not really have anywhere else to go at the moment. Besides, it would be disrespectful to interrupt what one wanted to say to their dearly departed. When Hanabi finally stood and turned toward them she would approach and clear her throat. She would say his name in greeting and glance over to Masae before leaning over the scroll he had been messing with. Questioning that he had brought something. Of course the Hyuuga would nod before standing straight, no longer leaning on the pillar. Then he would sketch a small bow with his trademark jovial little smirk as he spoke. “Indeed I did, first though my manners.” He would say as he gestured toward Masae.

“Allow me to introduce Masae. She’s somewhat of a bodyguard of sorts. We met in the Land of Tea shortly before I bought the place out for the Hyuuga Clan. She was trying to track down the kidnappers of some children. Most of which she had helped to raise. Naturally I assisted, and when all of the forthcoming tracking, and fighting of course, was said and done she swore a life debt to me. Much to my chagrin, however it would be rude for me to refuse the offer and she really is quite talented with the sword. Part of why I came was to introduce her to you. Because I want the one who intends to guard me to know who I am comfortable with being around me.” He would say before turning to Masae and gesturing toward Hanabi. “And this is Hanabi, she has a standing welcome in my home with a room if she should need it. Whether I am home or not, I care a great deal for her.” He would say, gaining a nod from the woman.

Masae for her part would give Hanabi ‘the look’. It wasn’t rude or anything, it was simply a look many women gave one another to form some sort of judgment. A quick up and down of the eyes upon the form. Nodding once more in acceptance and silent approval Masae would finally speak. “My pleasure, please forgive me if there are awkward interactions between us while I get used to the boundaries of my new position.” She would apologize in advance, then with that she would turn and begin to scan around looking for potential threats. Peragus for his part would sigh sufferingly. “You know I’ll see them well before you will right?” He would ask, prompting her to shrug. “It’s the principle of the thing master.” She would say, prompting a grimace from him. “Good grief please don’t call me that. It makes me feel like an old man.” He would say, prompting her to smirk a bit as if in amusement as she continued to keep watch.

With that he would turn his head toward Hanabi and tilt his head as if to say ‘See what I have to deal with?’. Although the air of amusement in his manner would not change or diminish in any way. Then he would begin to toy with the scroll in his hands, flipping it into the air and catching it then tossing it, spinning and catching it behind his back before twirling it around on one finger. All the while he smiled like the cat that got the cream. Then finally he would speak, a chuckle in his tone. “So I found something, and figured it would make an absolutely wonderful gift for you. Would you like to take a guess at what it is and where I found it?” He would ask his teeth showing in an almost vulpine grin.

[2]

Hanabi’s arms would remain in front of her, her hands tucked away within her sleeves. “I see. But I never thought the great Peragus would need a body guard. You’re strong on your own already.” Her eyes would slowly blink as her iris’ would move to look Peragus in the eyes, warmth and cold meeting. Her face would become flushed with Peragus’ words of caring deeply for Hanabi, looking away, a gesture mainly woman would pick up on between each other. Woman had a secret language, mainly through gestures and eyes that said everything. Hanabi’s eyes would look to masae as she glared at her and then approved of hanabi, making her exhale with relief. “I see you haven’t told her the extent of how we know each other.” That’s when Masae would speak and Hanabi would now in agreement. “No worries. If your duty is to protect Peragus, I see no harm in your actions even to me. I too care for him so please…” A subtle weak smile would appear on her face to Masae. “Make sure he doesn’t do anything too stupid.” A chuckle would escape her mouth before her head turned back to Peragus.


Her eyes would soften with the interaction between Masae and Peragus as he would glance to Hanabi, giving her a hidden message with only looks, making Hanabi raise her hands to her mouth, still covered, giggling at his reaction. Her love was still deep for this man and she didn’t think she would ever get over him. A true love for her indeed, which made it harder to see him with anyone else but it was easier to see him happy. “You didn’t say anything about that name when I said it..” Her eyes would roll as she spoke under her breath, followed by a cough to hide her comment. With a quickie whistle, her gaze would come back to Peragus as he continued to mess with the scroll, tossing it in the air and throwing it around like it was a toy. When he suggested her to take a guess, she would raise an eyebrow. “A wild guess? Maybe in the land of tea? As for what it is, I couldn’t say.”

Peragus’ eyebrows would rise in mild surprise at Hanabi’s comment on just what he might or might not have told Masae in regards to just how well Hanabi and he knew each other. Along with a small frown marring his features. “Such things are personal business, between you and I. I don’t make it a habit to talk about such things.” He would say, before Hanabi and Masae had their interaction together. Masae would make no comment on Hanabi’s request to keep him from doing something stupid. To which Peragus wondered if that was possibly a statement all it’s own.

At her comment about the name ‘master’ he would raise his eyebrows again. The blindfolded Hyuuga wasn’t much one for discussing such things in front of others. To be sure it made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. However he moved along swiftly as she tried to guess what his gift might be. Her guess as to where he got it would be incorrect and he would shake his head in that regard. “Well, have you heard about the mission to the Land of Wolf between myself, Ren, and one ‘Kimiko Uchiha’?” He would ask, waiting for her response before continuing. “Well before we left Kimiko approached me and asked me about Raijin. That man that came to the gates on the back of a dragon. She asked about a certain knife and I described the one she had been looking for. Then she teleported to it, both of us at my request because I wanted to help fight him. When we arrived we struck instantly and removed the man as a threat. Not only that, but we got the ‘spoils of war’ as it were. The man had a ton of techniques and artifacts squirreled away, including these.” He would say as he finally opened the scroll and unsealed a pair of shortswords. The blades were about a foot and a half long, qualifying them as short swords and had a bluish cast to them. The guard was gold in color and one held a green gem in its center. The edges seemed to be wicked sharp and he offered the pair of weapons to Hanabi hilt first the scroll safely tucked away in a pocket. “I don’t know their capabilities, but the edges seem sharp and given you’re the only swordsman I know besides Masae and she already has an incredible sword I wanted to give them to you.” He would say. Before following up “Maybe we can hit the training grounds and see about working out what they can do?” He would ask his tone curious.

[3]

Hanabi would nod, not really thinking about how Peragus would want to keep that part unsaid considering it was personal matters. However when Peragus gave a soft frown, Hanabi’s eyes would widen a bit and she’d look away before revealing one of her hands nudging him to loosen him up. “It was a joke. Don’t take it personal.” Her eyes showed a bit of guilt from making him uncomfortable but she would quickly place her hand back into the sleeves of her Kimono. When Peragus would bring up the mission to the land of wolves, she would nod, already aware. “Yes, I was aware of it. The Uchiha had a meeting, in which Kimiko was placed as clan leader. Tengoku had spoke to us about the land of wolves, wanting to completely move the Uchiha to the area.” Hanabi’s eyes would form a sharper look and she’d glance up to Peragus with a more frustrated demeanor. “I was against the Uchiha leaving Konoha. It didn’t feel safe or right.” Unaware of Peragus had known about the trivial matter, she would ask that he not speak of it to anyone, including Kimiko.


Hanabi’s eyes widened a bit when he mentioned Raijin, hearing of what they did and that raijin had a mass amount of treasure with him. Peragus and Kimiko had slain one of the most renown villains as far as she knew of and yet he still felt like he needed someone to watch him. A quick a deep breath of an exhale escaped her mouth as she stumbled back, quite relieved that he was standing here still. “That’s… a relief..”


However once she said that, Peragus held out the scroll which had two short swords, her eyes glistening to the shape and look of these swords. Without thinking, her hands left their home of sleeves and she slowly went to grab them, her messed up fingers touching the blade itself before feeling a pulse of energy come from her. She gasped, blinking fairly quickly before picking the swords up, a gust of wind blowing through, her kimono lifting a bit to reveal Hanabi’s ankles (spicy). Her eyes glowed a bright hue ish green before it calmed down, the wind settling as well, her hair falling out of her neat bun, her hair falling down slowly, laying over her shoulders and back. Her chest would fall up and down, breathing heavily as a surge of energy went through her, holding both swords in her hands before looking into Peragus’ eyes, the faint green fully diminishing from her amber eyes. Peragus’ comment before didn’t really go through Hanabi’s head until his last comment in which he’d ask if she wanted to test them out. She would give a determined smile, holding the swords tightly and nodding. “Yeah. Let me just go get changed and I’ll meet you at the training grounds..” Hanabi would smile before stepping close to Peragus but halting and remembering. Her eyes would soften just a bit but return back to that sharp look she had before moving around Peragus and leaving the cemetery.


Only for Hanabi to come back a few moments later to return to pick up the pin that would have fallen out of her hair and heading to her fathers grave. She’d come to a halt and place the pin on his stone, smiling brightly before saying a few things and leaving for good to head back to her home and switch into her outfit.

---

Hanabi has accepted the scroll of the Weaknessless Soaring Short Swords and has attuned to them in this thread.

[attempt exit thread]

She would accept the gift, and the offer for a visit to the training grounds. He considered her as she left, considering how things had happened between them. Masae of course was quiet as she waited, patiently and quietly for him to gather his thoughts on matters. A lot had happened between Peragus and Hanabi, and the platinum haired woman obviously wanted, on some subconscious level at least, for things to be back to what they were. He considered what he had done. They had met, on that street corner awhile back, when he could not keep his eyes activated for so long. They had run into each other, literally, and he had bought her lunch as an apology. They had spoken, and a fire sparked between faster than anything he had ever felt before.

It was passion, pure and simple.

However he was convinced that it had not been love. But when she had called him ‘love’ he panicked, and broke off their relationship. Later on they had discussed a potential political marriage. She had obviously been willing, for her feelings had not changed. He simply felt it was a good match. However he had broken it off shortly after they had agreed. Mostly because of something he felt stirring for a white haired Senju, named Ayame. He considered his emotions, considered his actions. He had not been fair to Hanabi, not in the least. However the heart wanted what the heart wanted. But did his heart want Ayame? Or was it simply an infatuation because of how cute the girl was?

With his return he had brought things for Hanabi, Ayame, and Airi. Gifts for the three people in his life he considered important. Airi he spoke to less, but she was quite literally family. His own personal values for a clan made his very being consider her close even if she might not. There was quite literally nothing he would not do for the red haired woman if she needed help or if he simply had the means. Because that’s how he thought of family, especially those like Airi, who were ostracized as he was.

Ayame he had seen less of too recently. They’re last run of missions had been cut short because of a call to return. However he still considered her a close friend, part of him wanted her to be more but was that really what he fully wanted? What he truly wanted? He brought her a gift because it seemed appropriate given where he had obtained it. The ‘Land of Wood’ sort of seemed to go hand in hand with the Senju Clan in his eyes but did his desire to give her the artifact he had obtained there, and even the nation itself, run deeper than that?

To answer that question he needed to ask himself why he had brought Hanabi a gift. Someone whom he was close to, closer than any other in fact. Even if it was not romantically at the moment. He brought her a gift because..well because..He frowned in thought as he considered. The Hokage had bought the Uchiha Clan a nation for them to build up. So there wasn’t anything there. They weren’t kin, so that wasn’t the reason. He was close to her, but that simply did not seem right.

He wanted her to have the means to fight and protect herself. The means to take down any opponent so that she could be safe. He knew that much, but he could not put his finger on why. His brow furrowed to match his frown as he considered before shaking his head out of it. He needed to get to the training ground. Hanabi was only heading home to change so he did not have that much time. Turning he would move toward the facility, Masae with him. “Time to show you one of the greatest training facilities in the world Masae.” He would say in his usual jovial tone as he left the cemetery.

[4]

Exit