[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

She was obviously irritated. Whether they had been Nobuo and Fumiko in their previous lives didn't matter that much to her. Her partner was living in the past, and what she was concerned with was the present and future. And they had spent far too much time into the project to just let them go back to living their old lifestyles, "They were born as experiments and will be used as such. I doubt you can convince the other elders to hand them over to you so easily since they had invested so much into making them." Obviously she had talked about herself as well. She was certain that the others would back her up as well.

-------------

"Birthright or not, I just don't think it's best to continue doing this. We need people there who are qualified for the job, and not just because that they had inherited through their blood," though, he stood and watched her touch the sword. Her reaction intrigued him since he believed that none of the tainted would have the sensory abilities, but clearly Fumiko did and proved him wrong, "What is the branch family's sword doing here then?" Though that answer didn't put him at ease. The sword, he knew, was special at least, but something that was better than the any of the swords that he had been into contact with, "Then maybe we should return it to its rightful owner."

[Kaguya]

Knew she would be irritated, knew it would bring a lot of stress coming this way and also knew if he wasn’t careful he could be manipulated by the others. None the less be it in a new form or their old ones they where back and would risk everything to keep them safe. His eye grew cold at the mention of the experiments “I never liked them to begin with... my idea’s where manipulated” his voice growled “His form this life time might have been that of an experiment... but she was born outside the race and thus isn’t an experiment now get such foolish thoughts out of your mind...”

He stood and walked to her “While Nobuo’s consciousness is there... He will be respected and treated as such...” his voice showing an authority it never had before. “Do not forget I hold a lot of knowledge that has been missing for millennia...” his voice grew lower “So don’t fuck with my family or I will make you pay” his words showed this wasn’t a threat but a promise.
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“Don’t think it best to continue what Lord Nobuo” she showed confusion at what he was saying, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh ‘You have no idea how easy you have it... Try being tainted for a day’ she thought to herself but smiled brightly believing perhaps that would change his mind on being an elder “Lord Nobuo...” she began moving to the window “Perhaps being tainted for a day... Pretending something you are not” she giggled it was unheard of and could easily taken as an insult

Shrugged “Do I look like a higher born... I’m just tainted” she smiled, though she was classed as lower than cattle she seemed happy in her role in life, her blood ruby eyes glistening in the morning sun “You are it’s owner... At least that’s what the spirits within it say” her voice was warm as she spoke “There are twenty four before you ask how many” she had no idea how she knew that she just did

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

"You just wait until the other elders hear of this! You won't be able to get what you want, you fool!" and with that, she stormed out of the room. After all of this time that they waited for the experiments to blossom, he just had to step in and try to ruin all of their work just because his son and Fumiko had been reincarnated. If worse comes to worse, she would end up taking matters into her own hands despite what he had said.

--------------

"I would far rather be tainted than a noble. At least you don't have to worry about tons of people always staring at you, you don't have as many tutors, and.." he raised a brow when he heard Fumiko talking about the sword. How was it possible for him to own a sword that he never once laid eyes on before? Unless it was meant as a gift from the branch family or from his father, and he just wasn't presented the gift yet. And how was Fumiko even able to tell how many spirits were inside of the blade? Were tainted allowed to learn such abilities? "That's horrible! I wouldn't want to carry something like that around!" he quickly covered the sword with the cloth so that it would no longer be visible. He didn't like the idea of having so many people..or so many spirits always keeping a watch on whatever he does. It just made doing things he wanted to do that much harder, because they would probably prevent him from doing them, "That sounds like my father though..wanting to give me something that would keep an eye on me and prevent me from doing..things.." He didn't want to elaborate those 'things', in fear that Fumiko would report it to his father. He walked away from the sword and then sat down in a chair, upset at knowing that sword was his, and also that it was in the same room, "I wonder how much money I can get from selling it.."

[Kaguya]

He grabbed her wrist quickly and with enough force that he could break it as if it was nothing more than a mear twig “You can go tell the others I don't mind that, because as our traditions state, we MUST treat each others family with respect MEANING while his memory s are Nobuo's he is my son and can not be harmed” he smiled sipping his tea.

“So just on that one you are in fact the fool but let me continue with this lesson shall I” he placed his cup down and started placing some fruit onto his plate “The two were powerful with their memories and we had no idea of their abilities...” he stopped to eat a piece of fruit “refeashing” he saw with a smile on his face, taking a second to enjoy the delicate flavor “Anyway as I was saying... we didn't know enough about their abilities before this... they have no memories of who they are meaning they could become unstable” he sighed a little and took another sip of his cup

“The only way what you are suggesting could be done safly is removing all memories and that can't be done to the boy as he has Nobuo's memories and is protected by the previously mentioned tradition” his voice was that of stating facts, he then let go of her hand yawned a little “And before you do something stupid ad try and go against laws and traditions... just bare in mind that I have a son and daughter that love to rip things apart” he smiled slightly knowing that they would be awake soon and causing the havoc they normally did


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Fumiko's eyes went wide hearing what he said, he had no idea what it was like to be tainted and as it stood he wouldn't live long enough to see lunchtime “You wouldn't want to be tainted Lord Nobuo... take it from one who knows” her words where gentle as she spoke “We might not have the tutors and people staring at us, but we are always the first awake and the last to sleep, if we break laws or traditions we can be seriously harmed if not killed” she continued her voice showed that non of this truly concerned her as she watched the clouds float by

“All tainted usually have all laws and traditions memorised by the age of five as if we don't we usually don't live to see six” she continued with a small yawn “We have to scavenge for our food, and most of it isn't nice... you should see the other side before saying you would rather be something” her eyes closed as she spoke. Hearing his voice she looked around to him “That's just plainly disrespectful to those within the weapon, apologise” she say moving over the to the cloth she uncovered the sword and bowed her head slightly “Please forgive lord Nobuo, his manners went on vacation it seems” her voice was respectful as she spoke only to see a white glow she giggled

On hearing his next words she moved around the sword and hugged it protectively, she didn't know why she had done it but it hurt her heart to hear such words tears began to fall from her eyes “The swords spirits are there to guide you and protect you...” she yell at him, picking up on of his scrolls and flinging it at his head, she was to upset and angry to even think of how many laws she just broke “This weapon was given to you by a descendent of their line a young girl who no longer lives...” she picked up another scroll and flung it at him, always keeping the sword close to him “She gave it to you to protect and guide you... THERE IS NO WAY IN THE BLESSED SPIRIT'S RADIENCE YOU ARE GOING TO SELL THIS!!!” She yelled at him

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

"He is no longer related to you by blood, and you still call this creature your son?" she knew there was a loophole, and she wasn't going to have him scare her. His actions were just as well punishable for sending out people to attack an elder without the counsel of the other elders. Then he would just be shooting himself in his own foot, "Good heavens.." She rubbed her temples, the stress was getting to her and he was the cause of it.

--------------

The first scroll caught him by surprise and hit him square in the forehead, and when he raised his hands to rub the now-red spot, he found that there were other scrolls thrown right at him and then he stood up to dodge them. And when it stopped, he had his hand covering his forehead and he was staring at her with cold eyes. "Just because we were exposed to each other for the past few doesn't mean you can just go on as you just did. I know for a fact that attacking a noble would bare a high cost," he moved forward swiftly, grabbed her shoulders, and flung her onto the bed. One of the few things he tolerated was having someone physically attack him, unless it was something like an agreed fight or spar. He growled, reaching down for his sword, but was surprised to find that it was not where it was. It upset him more to find that his own sword was missing more than the fact that Fumiko had just physically hurt him, and he ended up walking out of the room in frustration. He was going to head outside for a breather before returning to find the misplaced sword.

[Kaguya]

“You are correct, the physical form is no longer related to me, but you forget this tribe works a little different from all of yours... it isn't physical relation that matters to up but the spiritual relation and all elders have accepted that since this tribe was created” he poured her some tea “Or have you forgotten this?” he moved a hand forwards to gesture for her to join him

He sighed hearing the yelling from his chambers “Yes I can still call him my son, he will forever be my Nobuo no matter what form he is in” He was curious to see what was going on but knew if he did one of them would end up hurt and the other in lessons they didn't want to be in “Besides as you can here their relationship is having to start from the beginning once more, meaning again they are not balanced against one another and their bond must happen naturally, if we wish it to be strong” he didn't like the idea that he was speaking like this but if it was to keep them safe he would play along for now

--------------

Fumiko calmed after a moment, and brought her hand to her mouth her ruby eyes showing fear as she lowered her head, she had no idea why she got so upset over the weapon it was instinctive. She could feel his cold gaze on her, it didn't make her feel to safe “I-I-I...” she tried to to apologise but her mind was running over time to what she had just done

Feeling her shoulder grabbed and been flung as if she was little more than a rag doll she let out a small scream and whimper as she backed away from him, as the was thrown she dropped the sword, seeing him this angry made her breathing shallow she was petrified, she had never done such a thing before and was wondering why she done it without even thinking on it.

Seeing him move out of the room she took a moment to calm herself before picking up the weapon she almost lost her life to protect, the one he seemed to hate so much and followed. Seeing the two elders having tea together didn't make her feel any safer considering she was walking to the temple's entrance with the blade of a noble, bowing to both she dashed off again “L-l-lord N-Nobuo” she called out

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

"Another delay..always with the delays!" she complained. They had it so well before and now they're starting from scratch again. The outcome could very well be different this time around and might go in the opposite direction from what they wanted. Of course, the yelling almost confirmed her suspicions that whatever he had done to them, they were no longer as close to each other as before, "A quarrel?"

-------------

Nobuo sat down on the front steps of the temple, with his head tilted to gaze at the clouds passing in the sky. There was anger, for sure, but there was also something else that bothered him and he couldn't place his finger on it. He tried hard to figure out what it was, until Fumiko had called out for him and appeared as he turned around to look at the temple entrance, "What? Now you're trying to make me take the sword?"

[Kaguya]

“Yes another delay... I didn't ask her to do this, she couldn't accept her tengu heritage and so erased both their memories” he say taking a sip on his drink “And she managed to do that while sealed... then there is the fact she broke the seal that someone placed on Fumiko, with that same seal she had on herself” he let out a gentle sigh and nodded back to Fumiko as she bowed to them

“They have bonded twice so far without any help, think of this as another trial... if they are able to bond again it means that no matter what happens in the future they will be perfect for whatever these experiments where designed for” his voice was gentle as he spoke but nodded to what his companion had said “She hit him with his scrolls on the race's laws, after he said something about selling the sword she's carrying” though he should be angry he chuckled a little “The spirits work in mysterious ways, we just have to trust their guidance” even she must have known since they where of two different casts their relationship would be a troublesome one but more likely to bare fruit than if they tried to force it

-------------

Seeing him she bowed low in front of him, they where in public now and knew that everything would be watched if not by the elders then the others walking around. Hearing his words she shook her head and raised so she was on her knees, though looking up her eyes never made eye contact with his. “No I am not here to make you take it...” she began though her tone was respectful her eyes showed anger and defiance “You are not worthy to carry such a weapon” her words where cold as she stood up

“The blade is meant to be carried by someone kind, can see things without the tunnel vision you so openly show” her words though quiet where bold as she looked down “A girl was worried enough about you to give you this weapon... and you treat it and her with disrespect. Have you no shame?” she didn't even wait for a reply she just turned around and walked off towards the training hall where the branch family trained

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

"Your son is greedy for trying to sell a precious item. What does he intend on using that money for? Doesn't he already have enough?" she insinuated that he didn't raise his son well, and was the source of the trouble. She leaned against a door frame and crossed her arms, "Certainly not a suitable behavior for one who is the heir of an elder. You should start teaching him." She made it seem as though he were way too lax, and that Nobuo was just the same as every other normal tengu rather than one raised within nobility.

---------

"Maybe you're right, what you said back then..I should learn the laws and traditions, and live in the shoes of an elder. Then I would be just like the other nobility, who punish others without a second thought. And then, when I am like that, we can do this properly!" he wouldn't have kindness if he lived like the others, and that was something Fumiko was trying to help get through his head by teaching him the ways of the tribe. As far as he knew, the laws and traditions allowed no kindness, which was one of the few reasons he initially avoided it for, but later on was more like he avoided it just for the sake of trying to get around something that was boring and tedious. All in all, it would have been inevitable for him to be cruel, it was just the timing of the event that would have been different.

He had followed her far enough to make her hear his words, but then went into a different direction to retrieve his own sword. Nobuo went into the direction his room was at, hoping that the blade had been left in a proper place within the quarters. Once he had that, he could show more authority over the matter.

[Kaguya]

“Hmm?”he say finishing of a piece of fruit before standing and walking to her “That blade is Ken'ichi's family sword” he say pointing to the blade, he dropped his head back “Toshi, who fumiko was reborn into is the daughter of Ken'ichi and the priestess of the moon Misha” he say gently, “she will protect that blade even if it means her death... Her parents seem to have brought her up in traditions much like the ones of the race” he smiled, that alone showed that Ken'ichi couldn't have fully changed, that he required the structure

“Nobuo isn't like the others, but then again I am far dffrent from you all” he say smiling his eyes twinkling showing he was proud of his child “This life time he was born as a boy named yuu and is the son of the elder of shadows Nakil and the priestess of shadows Lunia... pure blood line once again” he smiled “Nakil put him into a house to be raised by tainted, to protect him from being killed like the others...” he say his voice grew cold at the thought of a high born raised in such away even for their own protection

“Even though he is Nobuo the instincts of Yuu are still there and though he doesn't understand why, it's like he has never experienced some of these things and it scares him...” he sighed closing his eyes “It's got nothing to do with his upbringing” his eyes shot wide as he then remembered something that had been said earlier “Fumiko had a good idea... letting our heirs be elders for a day to let them see what it's like” he thought it was a good idea he just wasn't to sure on his comanion


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Fumiko stopped hearing his words and sighed, shaking her head she turned and looked to him “I have been to every tribe, and this one by far is the gentlest and most understanding of tainted... The shadow clan would kill a tainted for the smallest infraction of the laws” her voice was low as she spoke “That was the tribe I was born into... but was traded into the family I have now” her voice was hurt as she talked about herself as if she was nothing more than an object

“The elder, your father has shown me nothing but kindness... you on the other hand are a bit of an air head” she giggled quietly as she was still trying to be mad with him “The elders set tribe rules, unfortunatly the racial laws and traditions are always kept in place but the way things are done within a tribe is the elders decision” her words where gentle

Sighing she followed him to his room “You have no idea what power you hold and to make matters worse you don't even care” her voice was slightly raised as she spoke “BECAUSE YOU ARE A SPOILT HIGH BORN!” she yelled she hugged the sword she was carrying close almost as if for safety, she had no idea what was going on she normally didn't act like this and it was scaring her deeply

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

"Absurd! Even if it is just elder for a day, he clearly doesn't have the qualities for it yet. He needs restraint and maturity, neither of which he has at the moment," she was trying to convince him that the whole thing was a bad idea, putting someone who wasn't qualified for the position into that place. Then she took a step forward, "The other children are much more suitable candidates for that plan. Nobuo would be the last one I would nominate for the position."

---------------

He stopped after reaching for his sword, his back was facing her. At first, he was going to lash out at her for continuing her verbal assaults at him, but then a grin slowly formed on his face, having just hit a potential opportunity. His fingers touched the blade, as though he hadn't laid a single finger on it for a long time, and then he lifted it up and turned around, drawing the sword out of its sheath and pointing it to Fumiko, "You have quite a tongue there. Perhaps I should cut it off." Of course he didn't mean to go that far, but he wanted to get the ball rolling, "If you don't take me outside and show me around this village, you'll find that you can no longer speak."

((magic carpet ride and song cue here ~ with a threat following close behind Fumiko x'D *is bad*))

[Kaguya]

“We will see” he smiled contently, hearing another yell he sighed “She's going to be the next priestess... I can see it” he chuckled, the thought of a tainted getting such a position was unheard of but then again, he had given her the right to where white and to wear silk “It wouldn't just be Nobuo, but all the heir's taking over there respective tribes's for the day” he say smiling

A deep sigh came from his lips hearing nobuo's words, he shook his head and looked to his companion “More to your liking?” he closed his eyes and sighed almost in disappointment but this was the way their race was “You think my father would be proud of me?” he asked her, he had very few memories of his father and she being one of the eldest would hope had the answer a question that was constantly on his mind

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Instinctively seeing the blade drawn at her she drew the sword that she was carrying and pointed it back to him, he was now a threat to her, it was almost as if her form was acting on it's own to try and protect itself her ruby eyes showing pure panic considering what her form had just done “I-I-I...” her voice seemingly panicked at tears fell from her eyes

Ken'ichi walked into the room after feeling the spike in power and looked to them both “Yuu... Toshi... Are you both feeling alright?” his words showed confusion, though his jade eyes fell to his family's blade “We can not be used against family!” he snapped and watched as the red glow left as he walked to fumiko

Taking the blade from her he opened his hand and cut the blade across it quickly flicking the blood off before sheathing it “Never draw a weapon unless you are going to use it... either of you!” he say moving over to Nobuo and doing the same thing “what has gotten into you both” he seemed somewhat confused, this whole ordeal had just made him late for his class but he didn't care

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

"That's..." she almost wavered in disbelief after hearing Nobuo. She had always thought he was frivolous, but hearing him threatening someone after an order, and a heavy threat at that, just shocked her to the point where she couldn't bring words out to express it. Even she wouldn't go as far as trying to punish someone to the point it disables them or harms them beyond fixing. To her, he now resembled a person who would be a potential dictator. "Your father was a man filled with much pride, and also highly respected by all. You don't match up to him, but...I think he would be proud of you for being so protective of your family."

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"What has gotten into us? I should be saying, what's gotten into you?" looking at Ken'ichi, he realized just how much older he appeared and wondered why Ken'ichi had age so much faster than him when they were supposed to be the same age. It was twice today that someone from the lower class would speak up to him as though they were his superiors. A very odd day, something he had yet to experience to such a degree, "Pardon? And who gave you the authority to tell me what to do, and who gave you permission to touch my sword? ...And there is no one here named Yuu or Toshi.."

[Kaguya]

“People of the spirit are not normal... even after all these years, none of you understand this” he say listening to the goings on but hearing how he didn't match up to his father seemed to make his heart sink 'from bad to worse... Nobuo be true to yourself no matter what is expected of you, remember yourself' he thought to himself, he was disappointed in himself for not measuring up to his father, but was somewhat happy that his father would still be proud of him for wanting to protect his family in the manner he did

“I am glad I do not measure to my father” he said proudly, lifting his head up “It means I am my own person and I hope my son is the same” his words showed he wasn't at all worried about how Nobuo was, he was proud of his son and his eyes proved such things “How did my father meet the spirits?” he asked, his eyes showing a childish curiosity as he couldn't find any record of it which was unusual especially for the clan he was the ruling body of

–

Ken'ichi looked surprised hearing the words that came from Nobuo's mouth it had been over eight hundred years and was caught off guard once more, which was something he didn't like when he was in service but even more when he became an independent person free of his race and chains “Nothing has gotten into me Young lord Nobuo” for the moment he would play it off as a training injury until he could speak to his cousin “I must have trained a little to hard and didn't block properly one of the strikes of my teachers” he smiled a little, now wanting to kill his cousin for doing this

“It is the code of the warrior, Young lord Nobuo...” he moved to his knees and bowed slightly “You do not draw a weapon unless you intend to use it, as a blade will never be happy when drawn and hasn't tasted blood” it was the truth, and though he didn't like the code of the warrior inside the race or outside it he still followed it as an honourable man “Besides I wasn't telling you what to do, though I might bring it to your father's attention that you need a tutor in warrior code” he grinned evilly remembering how much Nobuo detested tutors in anyway shape or form

“My apologise for touching your sword, but I very much doubt you wish to stain your room floor with the blood of a tainted” his heart cringed as he said that sentence, having to call his own daughter tainted he was ready to fly off the handle 'what is going on cousin... cause if you don't have a good reason, traditions or not you'll find my sword through your heart' he was seething underneath the service but was calm on top

“Sorry, I was thinking of two other youths that look like yourselves” he say smiling a little as he rose, bowing once more he turned and started heading for the door, he knew his daughter had many things to ask him even as fumiko but he didn't want to answer any of them as it could and would just make things uneasy

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

"There was nothing special in your father's death. He wanted to go in a way where people would be able to cope with his loss, slowly closing himself off to most of the world over the course of several months to make sure that things remained stable before he passed away in his sleep. It was a peaceful death. I'm sure you can at least remember how he had stopped talking much to his own family..it was during that time," it wasn't her ideal death, but his father was wise and only wanted his tribe to continue on successfully without him. What she didn't mention was that the very thing that killed him was the same thing that Nobuo had been inflicted with, except Nobuo was unfortunate to develop it when he was young, "The medicines..have you prepared those for your son? His illness may be carried through spirit."

--------------

"Eh?! Wait!" Nobuo rushed up to Ken'ichi and pulled him close, whispering so that no other ears could pick up what he was saying, "Seriously..you don't really intend on telling my father about any of this, right?" A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. It was bad enough that he had earned one tutor for the day, but it would be a huge blow to earn another one, "If I ordered you not to do it, you won't tell him, right?"

[Kaguya]

Listened to everything she had to say and nodded, he did remember a time where his father started closing himself off, he was still very young at the time no older than nine or ten years old, he wasn't trained enough to be elder but there he was thrust into such a position.

He knew he wasn't ready and even how he still lived with the fear that he wasn't ready or good enough top be the head of the tribe, he wanted to ask for help as he was growing but he knew it would be looked upon as a weakness and would have the other tribes swarming his own like vultures ready for the kill, it was one of the reason's he raised Nobuo as he did to understand joy but responsibility, but he knew he was getting old and he now had to prepare Nobuo for taking over the tribe and that was one of the many reason's he protected his son

hearing the next question made him quirk a brow as he wondered where her concern came from all of a sudden when it came to her son's health considering she talked with such distane for him nor a few minutes before hand “Yes, the illness can be carried within the spirit... it is a unique illness to this tribe... luckily he doesn't have it and if he does it is dormant” his words showed relief as he spoke on the matter “Your eldest s are twins so is it your son or daughter that will be taking over your tribe when you pass on to the spirits?” he was genuinely curios it wasn't often that elders had pleasant chats with one another so he was enjoying the fact that he could

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Ken'ichi's eyes narrowed as he was touched, his hand moving to his sword ready to draw it, he didn't like being touched unexpectedly and Nobuo would have known that “Careful young lord, next time I will not show such restraint” his hand came from the hit of his weapon as he was drawn close to hear the whisper

“I fully intend to tell your father that you do not know the warrior code, it is the basics that all high born must know” his voice though respectful, scowled him for not knowing this, but then he sighed a little hearing his next words “If you do not know, I am not saying... though it seems that the warrior code isn't the only thing you are needing a tutor in” he say standing tall once more and walking off, though stopped for a moment

“Without these knowledges you are no more than a disappointment to your ancestors, the race, your family and your tribe” with that he continued, but sighed seeing his won tutor knowing that seeing his cousin would have to wait until later, it wasn't his goal to hurt his pride but sometimes the harsh truth had to come out and he wasn't ever one for sugar coating things

Fumiko had walked behind them the whole way, she heard what ken'ichi said and she believe to it be true, but she also believed it could have been put in a nicer way “Don't worry about what he said master nobuo... you are still young and have plenty of time left to learn” she smiled weakly she wanted to try and keep his spirits up but she had no idea how she would do it