Godmother Meets Godchild

[Tsedas]

The wind rustled through the leaves, bringing the soft music of nature into the air as a cloudless sky shone brilliant and blue beyond the canopy of trees. Overhead it was a green umbrella of leaves, hoisted and held aloft by the sturdy brown limbs of tall trees, daylight dancing through the shifting leaves as a pair of sparkling pale blue eyes took in the sights before them. The air was crisp yet warm, warm enough that one needn't worry of their own comfort in the shade of the trees. Underbrush flourished and thrived, stretching out across the forest floor, the game trail the only thing that left any kind of path for a pair of individuals to follow.

Those blue eyes fell upon the other person, a taller man standing about six feet in height. His body garbed in a sleeveless trench coat with a black and green infinity scarf around his neck. The man's pale blond hair pulled back into a ponytail as he led the way. Their walk was silent but brimming with confidence, almost teetering on the verge of excited as they moved and struggled to maintain their walking pace. The man? Takamori Saigo, Bannin and medical shinobi of Konoha. The person behind them, lost in the wonders of the natural world? Takamori Kanako, Genin and daughter to the great Doctor.

She was instructed to wear her duty attire for this trip, the purpose of which still eluded her. Simple leggings, a halter top, and a poncho like mantle around her upper body in the same pattern as her father's scarf. Her hair was pulled up into a similar ponytail as she followed behind her father, not once questioning where they were going as they made their way out of the village and into the Forests that surrounded their home. This was a first for her, being outside the village that is, her being a Genin made it difficult to go out on her own.

With her father as acting escort, they moved off the main path and onto a game trail some time back, following the winding path until it led them down along the side of a cliff towards the base of a waterfall. Upon arriving, Saigo sat on a rock and looked to his daughter with a smile. "There is someone I want you to meet. They should either be here or arriving soon."

Kanako tilted her head to one side, a quizzical expression upon her features as she looked at her father. "Who would that be?" To this question, Saigo merely chuckled before raising a hand and waving it off. His youthful appearance making him look more like her oldest brother than her father. " All in due time. Once they arrive, I plan to take off for a little bit so the two of you can get to know each other. Just... try to keep an open mind, yeah?"

This last statement left Kanako with more questions than answers, if not a little concerned. While she wasn't afraid, she was stumped as to who her father could possibly want her to meet out in the middle of the wood. Wandering over to the water, Kanako squatted down and looked down into it. There she could see a number of fish swimming about and she smiled at the sight of them.

[Das Kirb]

"Ookami, there's something we should talk about." A feral woman sat at a ramshackle desk that had been destroyed and rebuilt many times over. The splintered wood bore the scars of many nights fits. It was request the desk wasn't mended via the magics of the land. It was learned that those here could have easily remade it without a scar nor blemish. Such was their work they could fashion such a thing as almost a perfect incarnation of itself. Sturdy and built to withstand all but the strongest of a goddess' wrath. But this desk was a history of failure and rebuilding. Hand glued and sanded time and again via the lessons of a warrior poet once ignored and now heeded like gospel.

From around a corner came a man in black robe and red mask. His stature shorter than most and breathing slightly agitated, betraying the emotion beneath. Though he spoke naught the intention was clear and thus heeded. Katsu spoke through the door from her trophy. "There's someone I made a promise too. The doc who came before. In Aroma he and I made a pact I can't just ignore. I've kept my word to Tengu and have made one of yours into mine. I've trained your genin in my way and I'm doing my fucking best to keep my shit together in this cage. But I made a promise and I need to keep it. I need to go to the forest and meet Saigo. He's bringing my pup."

Ookami took the information and absorbed every word, recording it for later documentation. A head tilt, a whispered word, and many many seconds of listening. The beast didn't listen in. She knew the conversation if not the words spoken. She knew the weight that was being balanced by those who held the leash. The weight of the choice was light in theory, but heavy in consideration. A weight that Katsu had come to consider herself in these long months within a dark cage. It settled in her chest like a stone upon her lungs to catch the breath still. For now in nightmares had she found the power of a single word. She dreaded rejection.

"Tengu has given you leave for recreation as a means of testing your resolve and sanity. You've had your outing today, Katsu. You've been granted requests and pulled your chain in the recent month. Burning down a forest, harming Tengu's family, and turning one of our Jounin without consultation or consent of our own." The ANBU went silent for a moment and muffled chatter could be heard coming from within his mask. The weight sank lower and the titan dipped her head, fearing the outcome more. "You've found the mercenary king and begun piecing your family back together. You've regained a portion of your strength and begun rebuilding. All of this we've paid you and there is no oath from your lips to us or ours. Your only promise was aid against a mutual enemy. We've helped you many fold now and yet you've given us a few broken noses and promises. Tell me, not Tengu or the Kage, why I should help you grant this promise?"

Anger flared in the woman's chest that was mixing with the dread. The agitation of accusation against her for faults she didn't commit. Instinct baulked at the notion. The fire had been set by theirs and the girl had dealt far more damage than Katsu ever did. Hanayo had not only consented but asked for the shard and thus no damage had come. But the dread was there, demanding caution in response. And so her mind reeled for answer. Confusion came. "I don't know." were her only words for the time. The response was met with a scoff of derision.

"What do you want? What. . . what pound of flesh will you take?" The mixing emotions came out in her voice. Instinct demanded retribution for the insult but it was squelched. She wanted to fire back in his face and baulk. Already hands clenched against bleeding palms yet she remained seated, staring at her desk. Points of heat could almost be felt as his eyes burned into her behind that damned mask. When he spoke she visibly winced. "You and the good doctor aren't from around here and that causes problems. Thing is, Saigo-san has adapted and come to call Konoha home. Man has mended many wounds and fought many battles for his new home. You stubbornly hold yourself away yet demand we capitulate. What I want is an answer."

The ANBU removed his mask, depositing it into a bag along with the robes. Where once stood an arbiter of another's will now stood an aging man. The lines across his face told many stories of hardship and joy. His long yellow hair had faded into silvery strands and grown as whisps in the wind. What struck most though were the brilliant blue eyes that shown with an anger seeded deep. Beneath the mask a man seethed with hatred and rage contained only by oath and code. Age had tempered it now where it smoldered and was wielded as sharply as any blade. The word told where the anger came from. "You to me, Katsu. I want to know what makes you think you've earned trust in MY village. What happens when you're off your leash? Cause Tengu has been far too lenient with you and made your leash far too long. A bitch who's bitten so many without care should be put down, not merely caged."

Doubt and confusion subsumed entirely by rage welled in the creature's chest as Katsu gripped the edges of her poor desk. Wood began to splinter again and the demon raged for dominion with eyes of burning embers darting towards her jailer. Bloodlust shot through to be a weapon and she rose slowly with a growl low and rumbling. It was now the wills clashed as a tidal wave of struggle between waring armies and she took a single step forward towards Ookami. The man met her gaze, her wrath and passion with his own. A raging inferno against a roaring blaze. Darkness in a dungeon bore witness to an unspoken battle.

"Nothing. . . Your whelps are weak and know nothing of anything outside these fucking walls. They beg and plead rather than fight and take. Your home is a pack of rats and snakes feasting on each other when the wolves and monsters watch them for FUN! Most of them would sooner abandon you to a wave of beetles that feast on your wrinkled old ass than bite back. Those will NEVER be MY people!" The woman had advanced more as her voice rumbled with unnatural base, splitting the venom laced words in his face. "MY people take their hammer, their spear, their fang and claw and rip at the throats of anyone who fucking dares stand against them. Every single one of them has shed their blood just to see the land grow more fertile for food. You've spoken to the Bear and heard him talk his fucking ass off about treaties and negotiations. HE is trying to play YOUR fucking game. I have tried endlessly to earn your trust cause believe me when I say NOTHING would give me more carnal joy than to rip your fucking throat out and feel your blood down my throat. Nothing would give me more strength. NOTHING WOULD GIVE ME MORE PLEASURE BUT ONE FUCKING THING!" The demon was summoned forth in all it's fury and now she towered over the man. Her wicked blade had manifest and the wings enveloping all light to leave nothing but shadow. "Shinjiro in my teeth instead."

The great woman loomed over the aged shinobi. Ookami stood his ground though his fingers twitched to form the kai that'd suppress her. When he spoke it was cold, every word freezing the air. "Is this your oath to me? Shinjiro dead before my home is in your sights?" Katsu growled and loomed, her malice dripping from her now predatory teeth. "Shinjiro before anything else." Ookami's hand twitched as Katsu leered at him. She was salivating now, her entire mass twitching with anticipation. As the seconds wore on though neither backed down until a buzzing came from the transponder in the discarded mask. It broke the violence building between them and reminded the two of their greater part to play here. Each different ends, but mutual goals for now.

Katsu was the first to back down, forcing herself away from the brink by violently shaking her head. "One of these days you won't hold my leash anymore, mother fucker. When that day comes I will break your damn neck." It was spoken with a growl but much less venom than before, proof of her already growing control. Ookami responded simply. "I look forward to you trying. Truth told I've hated you from day one and will relish shoving my fist up your undead ass and calling down heaven's lightning on your head. Now get the fuck out of my sight and go meet the good doctor. I need to get back to headquarters. Make no mistake though, I'm still watching you." Ookami claimed his robe and mask before vanishing all together, leaving Katsu alone to navigate to the meeting and bring her rage back in line.

A few hours had passed at the great beast had managed to leave her cell, simply walk past the guards and officers to walk through the front doors. Every single one of them gave her sideways glances but none tried to stop her. The front door opened for her and Katsu, wings and demonic tail flexing in the fresh wind, simply walked out of prison towards a good man and her godchild.

She walked without escort on a path she'd been taken many times before till the trees began to close in where buildings had once been. It wasn't long until a familiar scent filled the air and the tension that had built dissipated almost instantly. With a deep and heavy breath the woman strolled forward and spotted the pair. Heart skipping a beat the titan took a few more bounding steps while shouting out. "OI DOC! WHO'S THE CUTE LITTLE SHIT! THAT MY PUP TOO!!!!!"

[Tsedas]

The waiting was always the worst thing in the older Takamori's mind. It always left a pit in his stomach that something had gone wrong. But as he looked over at his daughter who was busily trying to perform basic kata she'd learned at the academy, he smiled to himself. The world could be on fire this very moment, but as long as his family was safe he felt a sense of ease deep down that smothered the flames of worry with ease. Still, that brought to mind the person they were waiting on. She too was apart of his family so while the worry was being smothered, some spiteful cinders still burned.

Shifting his legs, Saigo across them as he sat atop the rock and waited, his hands resting listlessly in his lap as he watched Kanako work through some basically hand to hand skills. Her talent for fighting up close was definitely going to be a struggle but he felt that if things went well, she might walk away from this meeting with a new way to approach things. Of course, part of the Doctor was curious to see how the Godmother to his child would handle the ball of positivity that she was.

As if on cue, a voice boomed through the air like a sudden crash of thunder and Kanako seemed to jump before whirling around. Her pale blue eyes growing wide before a tinge of pink hit her cheeks. Turning to her dad, she pointed at the approaching woman. "Sh-she's naked!" She blurted out, the presence of wings and a tail seemingly not the most startlingly thing about Katsu's appearance which made her father break into raucous laughter before nodding.

"That she is, Kanako." Saigo laughed before raising a hand in greeting to Katsu as she approached. "Finally got a chance to bring her around. I'll be here for a moment longer but then I'll probably take a walk and let you two get to know each other. Go on, introduce yourself." Saigo said, gesturing to both of the women. Kanako looked back and forth between the two people before she realized that the woman had called her a 'cute little shit' which just threw her through a loop as she'd never been called that before. She'd been told not to be a 'little shit', so she wasn't sure if what the woman said was a compliment or an insult.

"I'm Takamori Kanako, it's a pleasure to meet you." Kanako said with a brief bow before not knowing where to look at the woman and focused on her face. Katsu would see no trace of fear in those eyes, but a deep sense of confusion and curiosity in equal measure. Anxious wideness to the eyes as this was clearly a new thing for her, encountering a massive naked woman with wings and a tail in the wild. It was then that a brief splash of color caught her eyes and Kanako's gaze drifted to Katsu's palms. "Your hands are bleeding!"

Kanako strode over to the woman, her anxiety seemingly vanishing as she focused herself on something completely. Without waiting for Katsu to present a hand, Kanako was quick to take hold of the bloodied hand and shift it to examine the palm. Wood splinters and marks where her nails had dug in were still evident and Kanako shifted a hand to hover of Katsu's palm. A green light both of the adults would be familiar with enveloped the girls hand as she was quick to set about healing the damage. As the fingernail inflicted wounds closed, the splinters slipped out from the Titan's palm and scattered in the breeze.

Saigo propped his cheek up on his hand, that arm's elbow resting atop his knee. "I should probably mention, she has a knack for the healing arts and a kind soul." Saigo mused to Katsu, wondering what the massive woman would have to say about her godchild.

[Das Kirb]

Fear had become evident so the great creature would halt her now dead sprint to come forward more slowly. It was needless though. The first remark spoken had easily broken the tension of first meetings. The beast hadn't even considered her nudity before making an exit and now it caught her with the barest hint of sheer joy at the response. A wry smile crept across her face to make a strange mix between danger and peace. The smile was amplified more as this small girl bounded up to a demon in full predator shape to take it's hand. The pain was so constant she hadn't noticed her hands hadn't mended yet, but the relief of her magical touch was welcome all the same.

"Well fuck me running. The whelp is definitely yours. Arsa would have faffed about for hours with ritual and spirits to achieve the same thing." She rose and flexed her hand to test. Even the scars that woulda been were gone, the scars that had been seemed slightly less too. "Skilled and fearless, expect not a damn thing less from you two. Now, believe I've forgotten something." Her gaze turned towards the little one.

The next part caused hesitation in the great woman. "Let's see how the meeting goes before you run off." Squatting on the balls of her feet, hands on her knees, Katsu looked towards Saigo. There was hesitation in her voice and unrestrained anxiety in her eyes. The girl was just a pup, doubtlessly unblooded and would need a soft hand. But lies hurt everyone involved. Katsu had to show the girl just who the titan was, at least to a small degree. Hiding it would cause greater damage later and she had made a vow to protect the girl. That extended even to an undead goddess. "Look at me small one. I'm Artemisu, Katsu and I made a promise to your dad over there. I hope you can trust him and me in that." As she spoke she kept her voice even and light. Slightly higher pitched and welcoming. However, she didn't hide her true nature behind emerald eyes. Willingly, slowly, and deliberately the titan allowed the monster to seep forward. In that gaze she allowed her predatory instinct to show, yet her movements promised no harm. As the great beast did so, she swallowed the sinking pit in her gut that it'd be too much or go very VERY poorly.

[Tsedas]

Watching the exchange between Katsu and Kanako brought a smile to the man's face. A feeling of pride in his little girl for standing in the face of such a strange new sight and her first thought being the well being of it rather than to truly fear it. The shocked comment from Katsu made Saigo snort as he saw them flexing their hand. "She took a liking to watching me ply my trade, wanted to follow in my foot steps a little." There was almost a heavy sense of pride in those words as he spoke, clearly it did make papa proud that his little girl had taken to learning the ways of a medic. But still, as he looked at her, he simply hoped that someday she would be just as talented as him and capable of doing more good than harm in her career as a ninja.

Kanako beamed happily at those words, trying to ignore that her father hadn't admonished the women for speaking in such a vulgar way. Then again, her father wasn't the kind to be uptight about that. Her mother, Isane? She would have definitely chastised Katsu for such language and probably have given her a hug too. Her family was a little strange, she started to realize. Words told her to focus and she did just that, her head turning to point those blue peepers in Katsu's direction. Watching them descend into a squat, her eyes met with the woman's and stayed there as they introduced themselves as Artemisu Katsu. The mention of a promise made put out for her to look puzzled over before her eyes flitted to the lounging Doctor.

Sitting himself back into an upright position, the man motioned to Katsu. "Katsu is your godmother. Should anything ever befall your mother and me, she has been entrusted to protect you. While she might have her quirks, she's a good egg. To her enemies, she's a scary lady." Saigo stated simply before Kanako blinked and looked at Katsu. "Godmother?" She said in a soft, hushed voice before it sank in that meant she was part of the family. Those eyes grew wide and sparkled a bit as her smile did about the same. "So you're like an Auntie?!" She blurted out which made Saigo gag a noise that tried to escape him, one that was clearly him stifling what would have been a tremendously loud guffaw. "So that means you're family, right?!"

Clearly Kanako was excited at the prospect of having a new member of the family, predatory nature and nudity be damned. This girl could point out even the slimmest chance of silver lining in any scenario it felt like.