Alone. Again

[Uchiha Kumori]

Keiteki could remember to the the time when he first found out about his biological mother and father's fate. He had overheard a conversation between the clan elder, and his foster parents, who were aruging about Keiteki, and whether or not to reveal the dark secret to him. When he found out, he also found out that they had lied to him all this time, trying to hide the truth, and keep his life perfect, and without a worry. However, by keeping the truth from him, and making an already fatal lie ever bigger, they had nearly condemned their adopted son. Once he had found out, he had left his home, and ran away from the Village Hidden in the Clouds to try and escape the lies, and the truths as well, and in the end, he nearly fell to the darkness. The darkness nearly swallowed him. He almost lost himself to the lack of light, but only when the radiant shine pierced the darkness could he have known pain.

That was when he had met Yoshimo Izoto. Keiteki was brought back to his home in the dead of night, after nearly starving to death, and having been gone from his home for at least two months. Keiteki couldn't bare the truth, and was stuck in the darkness, until the light came. He met Yoshimo, who turned out to be one of the best friends he could've ever asked for. Yoshimo helped him through his darkness, and served as the radiant light. That was the daybreak. The darkness before the dawn, and the daybreak had saved him from the darkness. And now, he found himself where he started some time ago. He had fled, and the darkness had came, and the darkness had found it's way into him.

And now, Keiteki had nowhere to go. He was all alone once again. And now, with nowhere to turn, he had finally escaped pursuit from Yoshimo, and had fled. However, he had came back, on a whim. Keiteki did not know why, but there were two conflicting views in his head. One wanted to stay as far from Yoshimo as possible, and stay isolated, and forget him. The other wanted to find him. Keiteki, however, did not know what would happen if he did find Yoshimo. Now that he had recovered, he had returned to the Lightning Country, unknowing of what to do anymore, and with nowhere to turn, he returned to his origin land. He did not know why he was here. Was it his one side telling him to come closer to Yoshimo? Or was it something else? Keiteki did not know why he was here.

However, instinct had brought him here, and now that he was here, he didn't know what to do. He thought he knew how to get rid of the pain, but he didn't anymore. It was time to end the pain, and face his fears, and face him once again. This time, he needed to, somehow, some way, bring the light back to his world. He knew that if he brought back the light, maybe he could see once again.

Keiteki got up, brushed himself off, and began stepping forward.

[Kenshi]

A hand reached around Keiteki's shoulder and the familiar weight of a friend could be felt holding his body down. He would know who it was it was no one else but Yoshimo. After all of the battle and all of the hard times they'd been through together, Yoshimo still thought of Keiteki as his only and best friend. No matter what Keiteki would do, or what he would say, Yoshimo still cared for him. He was a great friend, and the bond between Yoshimo and Keiteki was one that couldn't be separated though anything. It was stronger than steel and couldn't be broken. Yoshimo wouldn't lose such a good friendship. He couldn't let Keiteki go.

He'd been in town for a while up to nothing, just walking around and handling business for Akatsuki. Akatsuki was a baby to the ninja world, still growing, and they still didn't even manage to find the cloaks. Yoshimo was still wearing his shinobi uniform from Kumogakure, and oddly on his back there was only one katana. Sadly even though he'd like the seven katana he'd given them back to Nami. They weren't for him, and Yoshimo was just letting his eyes get to him, not realizing what was for him and what wasn't for him.

Yoshimo leaned on Keiteki, his arm around his shoulder, and they kept walking for an odd minute before he decided to speak.

"Hey, I know we've been through thick and thin, but I just want you to know that I'm here. I'm getting lonely in Akatsuki, and Kyouken-san's always up to something and I never have time to talk that much, so I was wondering, if you weren't busy, would you mind joining...?"

Yoshimo removed his arm, no doubt Keiteki was getting annoyed of the too friendly gesture and he would probably kick Yoshimo away if he didn't remove it soon. He hoped that Keiteki would say yes.

He hoped.

[Uchiha Kumori]

Keiteki felt a familiar hand grasp his shoulder, and hold him back, keeping him from going any further, and halting him, keeping him there. Keiteki knew who it was, as he could recognize Yoshimo anywhere. Keiteki did not make any attempt to brush Yoshimo off, and it looked as if the longer his hand remained on him, the life seemed to drain out of his body. Keiteki didn't know what to do, but was still amazed Yoshimo managed to find him so quickly. He probably wasn't too stealthy either way, or maybe he stumbled upon Keiteki on luck. Keiteki did not know what to say, or what to do, but he did not move, savoring his friend's company. The bond that was forged long ago would not be broken. Not here, and not now. Until the day he died, the bond would remain tall, and withstand all punishment.

Keiteki then heard Yoshimo say something else, which provided a multitude of answers to Keiteki, and it all raced through his heart in a few seconds, hearing the name of Kyouken, a ninja that Keiteki had only heard of from his former sensei. Keiteki realized just how strong this gathering must be. And Yoshimo was in it, too. Keiteki was then shocked to hear the word Akatsuki. The Akatsuki, the once powerful organization? The one that was destroyed nearly 25 years ago? It was after hearing that name that he knew what was going on. The Akatsuki was rising once again, and the Daybreak of Akatsuki had arrived. And now, Yoshimo wanted Keiteki to join it, and become a member of their ranks. The last Akatsuki made an attempt to capture the Tailed Beasts, and use their power to control the world. He did not yet know what they were up to this time. Keiteki did not know of what to make about this. He looked at Yoshimo.

"So, you came back for me? How can you forgive me so easily?" Keiteki said softly.

Keiteki did not know what to do. He was without direction, and was a man without a purpose. He no longer had a reason to live, or a reason to fight. And now, the chance to make his dream a reality presented himself. Keiteki wanted to die knowing he made a difference in the world, and he thought this was the best way to do it.

"Akatsuki...Why are you in Akatsuki?" Keiteki asked him. Keiteki did not know anything about Yoshimo being in Akatsuki before, and this came as a surprise to him.

[Kenshi]

Yoshimo listened to Keiteki's quite silly response. Why would he ask such a thing? Yoshimo didn't hold grudges with people and if he did he was more prone to forget than fight. Yoshimo didn't like to keep bonds of hatred and anger, they were nothing but thin hot wires between people that could cause so much trouble. Hatred and anger were the ingredients in chaos, and Yoshimo was too lazy for anything along those lines. He loved a simple life, plain, realistic, and ordinary.

"Heh, how could I forgive you so quickly? I guess it's because I still don't see you as doing anything wrong. Keiteki, you know me, I don't like to look at problems and focus on what's wrong with people."

Yoshimo looked up to the sun and the clouds. Evening was beginning its creep into the skies, and the sun seemed to hang low in the sky, welcoming streaks of orange light which seemed to dance around the clouds. Mountains in the distance curved the landscape giving the world a picture-like appearance.

"It's hot out, too hot. But why focus on one bad thing when we can marvel at all the beauty around us? It's just how I think. Akatsuki is a group of individuals with a driven purpose to change the world in the way they see fit. We aren't evil or bad, and we aren't what you would call "good". Some of these so called "good" countries today aren't all that perfect. They carry out deadly assassinations that we wouldn't event think about. Someone has to bring peace to the ninja world. Someone has to do something. We need power. We need people with abilities. Don;t think I'm here for your power...but we need someone like you in Akatsuki."

[Uchiha Kumori]

Keiteki looked at his friend, with a pure look, and knew who his friends were. Keiteki listened to Yoshimo, and his heart was touched on the inside as he heard Yoshimo's words, feeling comforted, and feeling the same way when he first met Yoshimo, who helped him out of the darkness he was trapped in when he was much younger. Keiteki had always been friends with Yoshimo, and now he knew that he had made a mistake, leaving the village and travelling off on his own, and drifting into the darkness. Keiteki needed to correct his mitakes now, and correct them here, but not alone. A mistake Keiteki made was leaving his friends behind, and when he returned, he thought he had broken those bonds. However, he underestimated the power of bonds, and how durable they can be.

Keiteki then heard Yoshimo next explain the Akatsuki, and it's motives. Keiteki seemed to be inspired by his words, and it fit him perfectly. Keiteki wanted to make a difference, and now it seems like the perfect way to do it. Keiteki looked at Yoshimo, and got ready to speak. Keiteki knew where his place was now, and it was his mutual duty to take this job, and redeem himself to the Dragons. Keiteki closed his eyes, thinking about what to say, and smiled, finding himself.

"Then, I guess you're right. And, as a Shinobi, and as your friend, it is my duty to change the world with you."

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