From one Taiga to the next

Director · Post by **Director** » Mon Feb 28, 2022 8:50 pm

Fanho tugged at his face mask loosening it as he approached the village. He was fresh off a journey from Kumo, a cold place, but with warm welcoming people. The two villages had closely became friends, and that worked well for Fanho who had been able to train in both places. As he breathed in deep letting the air of his homelands fill his lungs before slowly exhaling. The scent of fresh grass, blooming flowers, and earthy green. It filled his lungs with a warmth not found else where, not even in his homes far away in Suna and Kumo. He let it fill him as he happily trotted down the road excited to be home. For one to sleep in his bed which would most likely be dusty, and to be among his friends.

As he approached the gate a few eye brows were raised among the guards, they had hardly noticed the notable Bannin returning to the village. Fanho gave out a light wave as he reached in his bag retrieving his forehead protector before holding it out to the guards. "Don't shoot! I'm just making my way down town. Walking fast, faces pass and I'm home bound." The guards squinted before stopping Fanho. "You look familiar, do we know you?" Fanho gave a hearty laugh before he stopped and looked at the two guards in disbelief. "I know its been a while, but you do recognize me right? I haven't been taken off the village whitelist have I?" Fanho groaned as he dug in his bag looking for his ninja card. It was right there, he just had it in that pocket right? No the left pocket? Fanho wrestled his fingers through his hair as he nervously laughed looking all throughout his satchel

"Well I had to have known how to get here right? And I haven't had the alarms sound on me. So that counts for something right? Guys? Guys..."

The guards furrowed their eyebrows at Fanho quizzically as he did have a point. "Call the Sarutobi, he'll probably know who this guy is."

Taiga · Post by **Taiga** » Tue Mar 01, 2022 12:58 am

Taiga was in the middle of an extremely important business meeting when along came a knockin' on his door. At first, he attempted to ignore it as he had been enjoying himself far too much and had hoped the sweet symphony of nature finding a way would drown out the noise and whoever had come to interrupt him on his day off would go away, but eventually, that knocking became a rattlin' and the rattlin' became a pounding, followed by shouts that it was the village guards. Taiga pulled himself from the bed and put on some clothes. Reaching into his back pocket he took out his wallet and checked that everything was around including his ninja card, then placed some Ryo on the nightstand, winking to his previous night's conquest. "Duty calls. Take that and get yourself a nice breakfast and maybe.... later?" he said with a childish grin and overemphasis on the word duty as his "conquest" angrily pulled the covers onto himself, rolled over, and stared in the other direction.

Man, it was so damn hard to have relationships when you were a ninja. Well, it was just for fun anyways.

Sticking his head through the door, not opening it, he craned his neck until he made uncomfortably close eye contact with the guard. Two of them actually. But he couldn't chameleon his eyes or anything like that to really drive up the discomfort for them.

"Look I was kind of in the middle of something- why the he-?" "A visitor who claims to be a village Bannin showed up. Sensory scans him as being pretty powerful- easily an SS level thread sir." the first guard said cutting off Taiga. He stepped through the door fully, wearing everything but his shirt.

"Sorry one second." he said disappearing back through the door only to phase through it again, a robe haphazardly tied on, no shirt underneath. He was scruffy looking and had a slight stubble. "Who did they claim to be?" he said as he began to stretch in the hallway, walking past the other guard and towards the exit of his apartment unit.

"Awai Fanho, sir. He had no identification however and was acting quite strange."

Taiga groaned audibly at the thought that the idiot had managed to ruin his morning.

"Strange? That's probably him then. Couldn't you just have him do some light jutsu or something, you know? Prove it's him?" Taiga said as he shoved his hands into his pockets and the group hit the stairs. As he went to take a step down, he instead disappeared into the stairs completely dropping through the ground and speeding off for the village gates. The guards looked at each other.

"I hate it when he does that.""Ditto."

Director · Post by **Director** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 10:58 pm

Fanho was in deep regaling the training he had committed across the sands and the mountain tops of the lands. He explained the insane altitude training he and the Raikage had participated, and the sharing of Hiton jutsu and theorizing he had done with the Kazekage. As Fanho was reliving his past journey in life the Konoha guard stopped him. "You ever think of writing a book? Some of this shit is just crazy. I mean you don't look no Bannin you know?" Fanho sighed as he shook the headband in his hand. "I mean I have a headband though?" The guard chuckled as he looked over his shoulder to his friend, "Yeah and I bought my kid the same thing from the gift shop in the Fire Country capital. You ain't fooling me with your insane stories."

Fanho groaned as he raised an eye brow. He could sense a Bannin level chakra coming his way. No, not just one. In-fact it was two heading his way, and in... the... ground? A grin grew across his face as he sighed and nodded his head towards the gate guard. "No, no. You're right, I could very well be an imposter. The greatest in-fact. Some say my ability to tell stories is neigh omnipotent. Lets make a bet, five-hundred ryo lets say."

The guard laughed as he eyed the unbeknownst to him bannin. "Alright, whats the bet?'

Fanho rubbed his chin as he began to fabricate the best claim one could make, one that to the guard would be wild. How could this outsider be privy to such information? "I bet you five-hundred ryo that your genma host Taiga Sarutobi is gonna pop-up here and greet me like I haven't been to the village in the longest time. I'll also bet you another five-hundred your guys caught him banging someone to come respond to this." Fanho held his hand out to shake on it with the guard. To add another wild bet Fanho really laid it on thick.

"And to top it off, I bet the person he was sleeping with was a...." Fanho thought hard, this really was the only thing he was winging. "It was a guy..." He said unsure of himself, but for Taiga's impulsive behavior it was entirely plausible he did it just to feel something... in his butt.

Taiga · Post by **Taiga** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 11:55 pm

Taiga smoothly sailed through the earth as if he was swimming, the massive spike of chakra emanating forth in waves from the gates. Whoever was there, if it was not Fanho, it was a powerful individual. The earth could feel that much. Biting his lip to suppress a sigh in one fluid motion, just moments after Fanho's wild predictions Taiga would pop out of the ground, revealing just his head at first as he looked up to Fanho and the guards. "You guards need to learn to be more creative- I was in the middle of something." he said in a sharp tone, scolding the guards as his eyes tightened to look Fanho up and down before the rest of his shirtless self emerged out of the ground, revealing an outstretched hand with black opaque energy built up around his hand.

It'd been a few years since they'd last met and both had matured physically and mentally. Still, Taiga was certain that visually this man was Fanho. His mind flashed back to where they had last been, in the broader sense, when Fanho left the village for his journey. At that time Taiga was just a troublesome and rebellious junior. Now, he was one of the heroes of the village, even having brought home an international tournament victory for Konoha and defeating the Jinchuuriki of Kirigakure. The same one that liked taking the arms of their comrades. If this was indeed Fanho there was a lot to say. Their village had been sacked, Gene had passed away and there was a new contender for the role of Hokage.

"Figured you were dead, ya bastard." he'd say with a slightly venomous tone that was only reserved for someone you had known a long time.

The first thing to do was to make sure their eyes weren't being deceived. Taiga circled Fanho, and then placed his hand on his shoulder releasing negative chakra. It would probably burn and temporarily interrupt any chakra Fanho had on him, but it wouldn't harm him. When nothing happened, it would mean that there was no jutsu going on here to deceive their eyes. He would gesture with his hands to show that visually, Fanho checked out.

"Now now, I'm serious. Give the boys a little light show to show them you're an Awai. Between the headband, my observations, and proof of your heritage that oughta convince them enough that you're Awai Fanho, and then I can give you a nice good punch for dragging me out here on my day out." Taiga said with a sigh.

Why was he shirtless again? Eventually, the other guards would catch up. They'd probably gossip about why once the Fanho and Taiga were gone... but it was unlikely Fanho would get his last bet confirmed while he was there.

Director · Post by **Director** » Sun Mar 13, 2022 10:57 pm

Fanho looked eerily at Taiga's hand after his elaborate guess on what he had been caught doing. However Taiga's annoyance at being called seemed to confirm his suspicions. With great caution Fanho coated his hand in chakra as he shook Taiga's hand before using his other hand to remove the chakra like a glove and fling it miles away into the deep forest to dissipate.

"Look don't be offended, I don't wanna know where that's been." Fanho shrugged as he threw his hands up with a sincere apologetic smile.

Fanho nodded at the comment of being dead. Not yet, he had to become Hokage first. At least he hoped the universe had granted him that long. However it was true. He'd come close to it several times as he honed his skills, almost being entombed in sand like a great Kazekage, to being unceremoniously flung off the cliffs in Kumo. Even though the villages were allies, it was kinda hard to believe considering what they had put him through.

However when Taiga placed his hand on Fanho's shoulder, Fanho's cheeks swelled resisting the urge to visibly recoil. However the swollen cheeks were evident enough of Fanho's current turmoil. However it quickly faded as Taiga suggested for Fanho to do a laser light show.

"True, I guess that might've been easier than arguing back and forth. Although I was really getting into my life journey here with them. I feel like we're connecting on a deep friend level right?" Fanho gestured to the guard nodding.

The guard returned a quizzical look raising one eyebrow.

Fanho sighed before nodding. "Alright, maybe one jutsu." Fanho held his hand up as a swirling ball of Hiton light began to form glowing brightly. He tamed to light as to not brutally and permanently harm the guards vision, but enough to show he was the real deal. "Convinced, no?"

Fanho slung his Rasengan like a fast ball towards the sky as it reached a safe range of 100 meters in the sky before bursting into a beautiful display that even the sun couldn't outshine. The explosion glimmering brightly, and strong as the shockwave came back rocking their hair back. While also blowing the expressions off the guards faces as they realized Fanho was the real deal.

"I figured if I did that without someone approving, one of you would try to kill me." Fanho shrugged as he said. It really would've been bad if they had tried to kill him. How would he explain beating up the gate guards?

Jutsu UsedShow

Hiton • Volatile Rasengan
A-Rank Ninjutsu
After Fanho has begun channeling chakra to his hand he will form a ball of swirling grey blinding light that billows with smoke from the cool air making contact with the hot ball of light. The ball is 0.5m in diameter. The hot swirling light when struck with someone explodes with a range of 65 meters at [Control] strength causing a burning blinding light to be produced outwards.

Taiga · Post by **Taiga** » Fri Mar 18, 2022 11:40 am

Taiga was honestly confused at what Fanho was talking about. He'd always been weird but... well, he'd always been weird, Completely ignoring his antics with the chakra glove and his cheeks swelling and his hesitation Taiga rolled his eyes as he pointed to his wrist, making the "times ticking" gesture. Did ninja even have wristwatches? There were so, so many questions. He really wondered if Fanho had trained as hard as he said he did with the Raikage and the Kazakage. The Raikage had seemed like a very powerful, legendary shinobi and perhaps no one rivaled the brains and knowledge of Lady Kiyori. Taiga hadn't even met with Takeo once outside of Soul Country...

Hmph.

Come to think of it, the only attention that was ever given to him had come from Sunagakure Bannin and Monk, Sueatsu. He really was a phantom to the leadership of the village and certainly, Fanho really was the golden boy. Taiga though had one thing up his sleeve- beyond finally being granted the rank of Jounin he had become the hero of the village while Fanho was gone and grown a secret desire to become the Hokage.

Regardless of whatever changes taiga had gone through he was still an obstinate little turd who loved causing mischief every now and then. When the guard raised his eyebrows, and the others looked on, Taiga clapped his hands and said, "Just so you know guards, probably half of what he says is bullshit, he's famous for that." watching on as the Bannin made an overly bright show of his power- a lot more than he really needed to just to prove he could use light jutsu.

"I think most people here probably still want to kill you if you don't shut up and move it along." Taiga said, as the guards would open the gate and make way to process and let the pair through. Assuming that all went well they'd be brought into the village. A lot had changed since a giant tree monster smashed through the gates, and Kiri completely took the village... while it would probably be nostalgic for Fanho, it'd be oddly foreign at the same time.

Director · Post by **Director** » Sun Mar 20, 2022 2:03 am

Fanho nodded along with Taiga's comment until he realized it was a dig at himself. "Hold on a minute, I tell the truth and nothing but the truth. I'm like a guy who chops cherry trees, and has wooden dentures. I can never tell a lie." Fanho smiled as he said triumphantly. "Whatever a guy like that is. I just bet he doesn't lie... Like me." However Taiga's following comment made perfect sense as he had been talking the guards ear off. Still however his regaling of tales were just too fun.

"Look you may have a point there I admit."

Fresh home from his training. Fanho was on Shrimp continent trying to learn more about the world's cultures in the last couple of years, honing his skills. Although it felt like he had stagnated after his training with the Kage.

Fanho walked with Taiga through the village. He had came back to deal with the forest spirit in the middle of his training, which him and Taiga had rightly skewered. Albeit the glory really was on Taiga for that saving of the village. Fanho was stretching himself thin protecting the village and bombarding the jutsu. Taiga had really done the legwork on taking it down proving his mastery of the Earth Genma. It was reassuring that someone back home in the village could fill in as the village's defender. However Fanho's nostalgia and reminiscing on Taiga's development turned into confusion.

"Wait what happened to Nood's Noodle's on that corner? Why is the gate Apartment complex not here anymore? Are some of these buildings just completely different?" Fanho's mouth laid agape as he pointed at where things should've been. Where he remembered them at. Where they were in his memory. In the past few years Fanho had been oblivious to the war going on in the world due to his remote training. It was a shock to him. Had there been big renovations, a restructuring, a natural disaster?

"Was there like construction?" Fanho sounded unsure, it had been several years, but the village was right where he remembered. He had headed straight back to where he remembered it was. This was the village he knew right?

Taiga · Post by **Taiga** » Sat Mar 26, 2022 7:04 am

Somethings never changed. It was becoming increasingly clear to Taiga that one such thing was that Fanho still never knew when to shut up. Seething where he stood, Taiga bit his lip Taiga as his foot tapped gently, agonizing over the time he was wasting. Ironically, he hadn't noticed his own tendencies and that despite his own growth, he was still every bit as impulsive and dramatic as he was when he was a kid. Before long, Fanho would admit he might of had a point and move it along. Taiga would merely grin- muttering "I usually do" as he moved lethargically forward waving down the other man to follow him. He had, in the moment, forgotten, that Fanho had missed so much of the village's reconstruction... well, back that up, destruction, chronologically thinking.

When the other man asked what happened, Taiga felt a strong mix of emotions. His mind flashed back to the war. They had spent all their time off in foreign lands fighting. Meddling with the business of other countries. Aiding their allies. And, then, while they were gone and left the lights on and the door open, Kirigakure swiftly let itself in.

Fanho wasn't here to do anything. But, the truth was, neither was Taiga... and that tore it him deep inside. That was twice now that his village, the one he sword to protect, was invaded and he wasn't there to defend it. Having matured slightly, before a verbal lashing was given to Fanho Taiga realized that Fanho was not the target of aggression, but he himself was. He'd failed the village yet again.

The jinchuuriki took a deep breath, letting out a large puff of smoke with his breath as he let loose a solemn hmm.

"A lot of it was destroyed when Kirigakure took the gates down during the war. They had taken control of Konohagakure- as I'm sure you are aware..." Taiga said as his gaze shifted downward. While Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and even the Konohagakure forces succeeded in getting back their village it was a stain forever on their history, and a mortal blow to the pride of the shinobi and sworn protectors of the village.

Taiga bit his lip.

"We failed them all. Fanho. We weren't here when they needed us, and every time we walk by this corner and don't see Noods. Every time we don't hear the sound of a ball bouncing or kids playing under the complexes... well. It's a haunting reminder of when Konohagakure shinobi failed to do their duty." he'd look back to Fanho, his eyes intensely burning.

"It's our generation's turn to watch over the village... I pray that we can do better than our successors."

That was right; Taiga remembered who truly deserved his scorn. It wasn't him. It wasn't Fanho. Deep inside of Taiga there was a disgust for the man they called the Hokage, and a greater disgust for the Daimyo of Fire Country.

Director · Post by **Director** » Sun Mar 27, 2022 6:49 pm

Fanho's fist gripped tight as anger flooded him. Their village was taken? While he was in the midst finding himself now wondering if it was even worth it? The frustration and seething rage began slipping in. He had half a mind to go turn Water Country into a wasteland. The young Awai breathed in deep as he counted down from ten.

Ten, nine, eight... It was over now and the people were mostly safe aside from a few casualties he had assumed.

Seven, six, five... The village was being rebuilt, the people were healing and grieving, vengeance was not in the cards.

Four, three, two, one. Even if Fanho had committed to slaughtering Kiri what would it bring them? Peace of mind? The ire of other nations for Konoha being a bloodthirsty village? It'd make us no better than the bastards who had done this to us.

For now Fanho resolved and steeled himself to be better, to be strong enough for the village, and to be here forever and always for that. For now the people didn't need someone with seething rage to lead them into a war for payback, how many more Konoha lives would need to be sacrificed for peace of mind achieved that way? Instead they needed hope, and a bright face to lead them into the future.

Fanho took a deep breath as he released his balled up fist. He wiped the worry from his face, and calmed his nerves. While Taiga was hot headed and was angry as he had every right to be, Fanho had faith and knew at heart Taiga loved the village. He would always do right by it. Fanho reached and placed his hand on Taiga's shoulder squeezing it in a friendly manner.

"You're right. However our people here need us. We can't lament on failure. We must deliver hope and peace of mind to the people. Let them know we are here now, and we will be here. They need good emotions, memories, and love for us to heal."

Fanho fluttered his eyebrows as he cracked a joke, "I guess you would know a lot about that considering what you were doing before you met me at the gate?" The Bannin laughed, despite the deep conversation the two had the Awai felt he had to stay strong, and keep a jovial nature to show the citizens that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

"Even in the face of darkness, never forget its always darkest before the dawn."

Taiga · Post by **Taiga** » Sun Apr 03, 2022 5:48 am

Taiga watched as the man behind him was hit with a tsunami of feelings. It all hit him and nearly knocked him off his feet as he trembled with rage and his fists balled up. And then, the waves subsided and he was left wet with the lingering feelings. Though Taiga should have empathized with Fanho, instead, the only thing he could think was how Fanho had been completely oblivious to the pain their homeland had gone through. To the loss, their villagers had suffered. To the pain, Kirigakure had inflicted. Almost sick at this realization, he was snapped back to reality when Fanho's hand slid onto his shoulder in a friendly matter.

Taiga's eyes would burn with more rage than before as he would quickly and precisely brush Fanho's hand off his shoulder and away from him. While Fanho could hold back his anger and avoid saying anything too crass... that was just not part of Taiga's identity.

"Your words mean nothing to me. You didn't even know it happened, and you weren't here to get the village back. I'm glad you had a great time dining with fat cats and training with legends, and I'm sure your stories are interesting, but before you try to give me a motivational speech let me tell you about some stories, Fanho." Taiga said angrily as he turned his back to the other man, mocking his overly jovial way of sharing all his "exciting" and "great" journeys. He could crack as many jokes as he want and talked about the better future they'd have but it meant nothing to him.

"At the first battle of the war I laid three of my squad to rest. Three. They weren't even adults." Taiga said looking out towards the Hokage monument- just a bit below was where the graves of the fallen and the war monument was. "The isle of fire was hard fought... so many died." Taiga shuttered. He could hear the sound of explosions overhead in his mind. He could feel the mist of blood washing over him. The sound of a katana crunching against bone. "In Rice... we did unthinkable things in the name of war. They never stood a chance..."

Taiga could almost see his hands covered in blood.

"As far as I am concerned, Takeo and any of his disciples, you included, are part of the problem. They've made this village weak." Taiga said as he glanced back to Fanho, and continued walking onward. Fanho was powerful but he lacked the resolve truly needed to protect Konohagakure, just as Takeo did, least in Taiga's eyes.

"I'm going to challenge Takeo for Hokage." Taiga said, nonchalant without looking back to Fanho as he continued on the walk.

Director · Post by **Director** » Sun Apr 03, 2022 9:04 pm

Fanho nodded as he solemnly listened to Taiga's outpouring of pain. Built up, bottled up, and let loose in a torrent. He was so frustrated and hurt, the traumatizing nature of it all made sense what led him to believe this. In the shinobi world, this feeling of anger and resolution via violence was the norm. It was something the villages desired and cherished. The endless cycle of violence and blood shed in the name of greedy fat cats as Taiga put it so eloquently. Fanho cocked an eye brow when Taiga had said Fanho was part of the problem as well.

The Awai searched deep where anything he could've done to cause Taiga to feel that way. Anywhere at all he could've been at fault. It escaped Fanho, but he would continue to chase that thought trying to figure out what made his friend so full of hatred. Fanho followed behind Taiga as he began to walk onward before his declaration of desire towards Kage-ship.

Fanho looked sadden as he squeezed his fist once more in frustration as he felt lost for the first time in a while. With Zakuro it was easy bringing him back to the village, with the others it was easy to deal with them. With Taiga it was confusing, he was brash, tough around the edges, but seemed vulnerable and open to his pain. Yet not open enough to accept it and forgive it. Angry at the world and not realizing what danger he could bring if he were to make the wrong move. While Fanho was certain the council wouldn't see favorably for Taiga as Hokage, but to Taiga it'd be because they hadn't experienced what he had.

"Do you think being Hokage will fix all this? End the wars, bring real peace to our time?" Fanho beckoned for an answer, it had seemed like a half cocked idea. Maybe he could help Taiga think this through.

"Do you think approaching this with anger, the fear of weakness, and thirst for vengeance will bring those people back? Protect the village?" He just needed Taiga to understand that there's more to it than this.

"If you really want to be Hokage, I believe you could do it. I believe you can relate to more people than maybe I can. I think you'd be a strong Hokage. But at this moment, right now, with this anger swirling through you, this pain you're acting on." Fanho took a deep breath before he held his hand out and gesturing towards the village.

"Do you think these people need to experience any more pain and pushing among the 'fat cats'? Or do we need to help them heal, and feel whole again as a community. We can either be angry and lash out, or we can work together and help each other. You can't fix the village alone."

Taiga · Post by **Taiga** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 10:51 am

Taiga walked forward, listening intently, but seemingly ignoring Fanho as he spoke on, and on, and on. The truth was every word that Fanho said hurt him... wounded him really. Over a decade as a shinobi with so many legendary feats under his mantle and still everyone underestimated him. After over a decade of friendship and everyone still thought he was just an angry, insolent child. Taiga pondered for a moment that perhaps only Gene was the only comrade that had ever came close to understanding him, perhaps through the pure force of the two headbutting their wills into each other. And on that thought, Taiga realized that he was truly alone in Konohagakure.

Leaving little time for him to fester on such a thought, a dark chuckle filled the back of Taiga's mind.

"Poor you..." the Genma said as he let out a sigh. "Shame you don't know anyone with thousands of years of experience being rejected... or an entire village who suffered great pain." he said, giving advice and wisdom in his own oddly toxic way. Sukairaa had a point though. At some point, Taiga wouldn't be able to bear any more of what Fanho was saying, and he would wave his hand up, such that it came close to Fanho's face. It would signal "halt", and hopefully stop the many verbal diarrhea of protagonist speech that nearly put him on par with that annoying Raikage.

Talk was cheap, and hopes and roses had never saved anyone. His hand slightly quivering, he lowered it and stood still in silence as the pair would likely have stopped in their tracks. He would look down at his hand, then to Fanho.

"Don't make assumptions about where I am approaching this from. I want vengeance but I wouldn't drag a whole village into that with me..." he said as he opened his hand and closed it as if it was pumping. He could see, no, feel the blood on it. "And I don't fear being weak. Being weak keeps you on your toes." he said as he opened his hand one last time, the sensations and visions he had completely disappearing.

He had the blood of his enemies and the blood of his village on his hands.

"That was the second time I wasn't here to defend my village, something I know you should be able to relate to me on, but you need to understand that I'm not like you. What you read as rage is quite productive for me, and very controlled." he said as his voice modulated similar to that of Sukairaa, puffs of smoke escaping his mouth. "What you call stubborn, I call resolve." he said as his voice returned to normal, and he chuckled. His stubbornness had brought him this far. And his rage had motivated him, never controlled him. Sukairaa let out a warm hmph, acknowledging the boy he had somehow come to see as a friend.

"I'm not like you. I don't blow sunshine out my arsehole. The village suffered because we were off fighting wars we shouldn't have been in. People died here because the Bannin and Hokage left the village open. We goofed. We knew who the king really was but still put our pieces in the wrong part of the shogi board, and Fanho, the people know that. They don't need your happy tales. They need you to understand that that is how they feel. They need you to accept that and let them feel that without you trying to press "hope". he said as he put his hand firmly into his pocket.

He knew since they were boys Fanho had always dreamed of being Hokage, and perhaps his next words would cut deep like a knife... but some part of Taiga hoped that perhaps he could help Fanho grow. Because after all, how could he understand? He hadn't experienced the true horrors of the war and he hadn't been there to clean it up. In his own tough love way even if they would be rivals he hoped to show another side to Fanho.

The light always cast a shadow.

"So tell me, Fanho, if you really want to be Hokage do you really understand others enough? Or are you just someone who feels the right happy words will make everything okay- cause that isn't what Konohagakure needs?" he said shooting Fanho a burning look, but one of inquisition rather than hatred.

The people didn't need a hero blowing sunshine and dandelions, talking about healing right now. They needed someone who understood their collective trauma. They needed to know that the failures that led them to suffer wouldn't happen again. Then, they could begin to heal.

"I don't want war or fighting, as angry as I am against Kirigakure. As much as I hate them. I'm capable of being rational." Taiga said before turning to look at the village. He hadn't planned on it, but they had stopped short of a large plaza and areas that was being reconstructed. Before them in the plaza was a small children's play park, kids kicking balls at each other, skipping rope, and all that sort of shit.

"That's the king. The Hokage and shinobi are knights and pawns with their sole job being to protect that, and, Takeo failed them. You failed them too, as did I, though our responsibility is far less than the Hokage. When the people can grieve and see that consequences have been delivered, only then can we rebuild, unified on a dream."

Director · Post by **Director** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 10:24 pm

Fanho listened intently to his friend as the anger, frustration lisped from his voice. Taiga had a point he was rational, but his tone was all wrong. He wasn't wrong to ask for justice or answers. He was wrong in the way he approached it. He was wrong in that the people need to be left festering with their frustration. This was not some multi-step program where people need to be left with this anger, fear, or guilt. It was something that needed to be a two-fold approached solution. We deliver answers with the message of peace, that much was clear to Fanho.

Taiga had given answers for what he felt must be done, but he lacked the hopeful image to beam to the people who needed it. He could empathize with those who had felt loss too, but so far he hadn't any plan to help them heal just to patch the obvious.

Where Taiga had the resolve, he lacked the tacit nature to approach the situation. He had mistaken kindness for weakness.

"Answer me this. Are we not to instill hope back? Are we supposed to remain as bitter as you? When people want to see the brighter side am I supposed to let them fester in their fear and anger? Show them whatever justice you want before healing with them? If that's the King then why are they not treated like such? Why not give them hope to heal with as they grieve?"

Fanho sighed as he wiped his face with his hand. He was frustrated and irritated. He rarely let things bother him, but this dug under his skin. His wobbly leadership skills in-himself being questioned by one of the few he deeply trusted dug deep. It stung, and it made him mad. However it was an anger he swallowed adding one coin to the jar. Who knows how many it'd take to fill.

"Here's what I understand Taiga. The people need a figure to look forward to, someone who can assure them of their fears. Not someone who will get on a soapbox complaining about the failures, but someone who is willing to bring solutions and assurance of a better tomorrow. What you're talking about now, what you're angry about will not bring them assurance. It will only keep them more angry and let that build. I'll take you at being rational when you can hear what I'm saying. This is not something you can do alone."

Fanho sighed as he eased on a bench. Despite being full of energy seconds before, it was drained from him. The collective weight of learning about the invasion, the stress of impending Kage-dom tests, and his own friend pounding away at him made tired. Another coin to the jar for him.

"The kindness and hope we were given by our elders is what we should pass on to the next generation. Hope fueled on trust and unity. Not anger and rage. While productive for you is not conducive to everyone else."
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Taiga · Post by **Taiga** » Fri Apr 08, 2022 7:25 am

Taiga peered out to the park, watching the children play intently. His heart ached. Why did no one understand him? He thought that becoming a chuunin would lead people to understand him and so he did. Nothing changed. He thought mastering the genma would bring respect and so he did. People only feared him. He thought saving the village would bring him the admiration of many. It was fruitless. Perhaps he was destined to be alone- not in physicality but in a metaphorical sense. His mind drifted off to Gene. The two fought in ideological circles often to a point of destruction to those around them. He closed his eyes as he reflected on that, and remembered a conclusion he had recently come to... the idea that perhaps neither of them was ever wrong, and more often than not, they likely wanted the same thing, but their differing articulation had blocked any chance of agreement.

His eyes opened as he looked to Fanho as he spoke trying to carefully listen to his counterpart. Perhaps, just like with Gene, the two were listening and speaking past each other. It didn't take long to confirm that. In so many ways Fanho was categorically wrong and seemed fixated on the idea of Taiga being angry, consumed by rage, and unable to think clearly. This was all a completely incorrect assumption, and one that actually greatly pained Taiga, though he didn't expect much of Fanho. It wasn't like either of them had been particularly close.

Taking a deep breath the Jounin would release a puff of smoke before talking in an unnervingly calm manner for the Jinchuuriki.

"It's clear to me I think you just want to talk about hope and blow shit out your ass, and you think I'm just some angry kid on a one-stop vengeance train to edge town." the Jounin said as he joined Fanho on the bench. He'd leave a long gap of silence after that, letting his sentence creep into Fanho, hoping the other man would come to a similar realization.

"I'm fighting a lot of urges here, but I have to say you really got it wrong. You're right, hope is important, but I don't think we need a "beacon of hope" so much as someone who will make positive change for our village." Taiga said, attempting to fight all the rage swelling in his stomach- the rage of being consistently not accepted by his peers, the village, and more.

"When I'm Hokage, I'm not standing on a soap box to complain. I'm acknowledging the darkness that has been festering in everyone and getting it out in the open, cause only then can we heal it. And believe me, a genocidal-" once genocidal to you you shit the voice of Sukairaa interjected, Taiga quickly correcting course, "Sorry, a once-genocidal spirit, lives inside of me... so I know a thing about the darkness within people and what it can do., and just how useless it is to jam hope and brightness down people's throats whose hearts are aching.... There's a big therapeutic value to acknowledging people's trauma and pain, but I digress." he said, looking straight into Fanho's eyes.

"Hey don't you use me to make a point you little shit." Sukairaa bellowed in Taiga's mind. He grinned slightly, but ignored the comment.

"My choice of words could certainly be better, and sure, I can't do it alone and probably should find a good speechwriter first, but fuck me Fanho you really have such a shitty opinion of me for all the assumptions that just left our mouth." Taiga said as he leaned back on the bench, putting his arms behind his head as he looked up to the sky, a pose oddly reminiscent of the cloud watcher Gene.

"Our previous generation fucked up big time and I have no desire to pretend they didn't. The word justice doesn't mean vengeance- it also means making wrongs right and fixing where we failed whether it be removing failed leaders or increasing village defenses ten-fold and adding new contingencies to make sure the village never again falls. If that isn't going to raise morale and give hope to the people, I don't know what will, but it won't be having bright happy speeches. I want a village where people get old and children don't have to go kill children in some far off land..." Taiga said as he held his hand in front of his face.

They were bloody. He lowered his hand and took a long, exasperated sigh, likewise low on energy. His wording was often shit... but his own beliefs and desires for the village were likely no different than Fanho's, just his approach was more crass and pragmatic.

Director · Post by **Director** » Sun Apr 10, 2022 7:14 pm

Fanho side-eyed Taiga as he called Fanho out for assumptions as if Taiga hadn't made assumptions that Fanho was all bark and no bite. He shook his head in frustration and exasperation. The two had similar groups of thought, the two were speaking past each other, but each was so caught up in the idea of speaking past the other they could not see where they needed to listen. So caught up in their way to defend themselves they couldn't see the forest for the trees.

Fanho wiped his face as he thought to himself. Where to begin with this... The Bannin had wanted to choose his words carefully but the swelling frustration and anger were biting at his heels catching up as he tried to process the conversation. He was trying to handle this analytically without putting his emotions into his words. Whereas Taiga to Fanho seemed to be spitting off more at the top of his head focusing on anger and frustration.

Fanho sighed as he went to speak several times trying to think how to frame his next words carefully. "It's just-" The Awai sighed as he lost his words before trying once more. "You're not-" He lost his train of thought once more before really trying to pull through a mutual understanding between the two to connect on.

"You seem to mistake my desire to deliver hope and happiness to the people as a means of healing as a lack of bringing solutions. What I'm getting at is we should deliver both." Fanho gestured to the village as he looked at Taiga. "You of all people should know what it's like to keep that festering within you, the pain, the hopeless outlook, and it eats away at you when you don't have positive emotions or hope that there is a brighter future. How are people to expect a solution when all they're left with is their pain, and no one to deliver that hope to them."

Fanho got a little more forceful as his irritation began to show, "The irony of you saying I'm all talk and no bite, while you're sitting here saying 'oh big man just all words' while I haven't heard you deliver a single solution yet. Hmm?" Fanho's wording became a bit more demanding for attention and reflection, a drastic difference from his usual happy-go-lucky demeanor. "It's not simply that easy. We can talk about as many solutions as we want, there are more ways to approach this, and there are obvious problems we can point out. But if we can't give the people hope that we CAN make a solution, then it won't matter what solution we bring because they won't believe in us to deliver."

"This is a two-step process, and you're thinking just doing the one will resolve it all. Takeo brought solutions and tried to fix things too, and he still made mistakes. Do you think you're so above it all that you won't? That you have the perfect solution?" Fanho continued with his impassioned speech born out of frustration. "I would love to blame it all on the simple things, that if I had been here Konoha wouldn't have gotten invaded, that it is all Takeo's fault, the Daimyo, or the fact you guys weren't here. It'd make my job a helluva lot easier to have it that simply laid out."

Fanho hissed in his voice. "But it did happen, and we have to take that and try to turn it into something good. Rebuild that happiness and hope we had before the invasion while ensuring it never happens again. We very clearly want the same things, I want a world of peace where the fallout of the past war doesn't happen again, but I'm not so caught up in my own dreams I can't see the reality of the now."

"You can try to be Hokage, but if you can't deliver hope or speak in a way that resonates with the people making them believe in you. Then you can't become Hokage that way because they'll never support or believe in any solution you bring. You have to get the people to believe in you, and only then will they embrace your dreams and actions."

"The happy speeches you can't seem to fathom, or the hope I want to deliver you think is wasted. This is so we can all contribute to the solution. If I can't get the people to believe in us, in the village leadership, then they'll never embrace or support our ideas and solutions. This is why I said you can't do it alone. You have to garner the support before you can make a change, it is too much for one man to accomplish."

Fanho felt better getting out his feelings, his frustrations, and his thoughts. It seemed like the two needed to rant at each other, but Fanho had hoped somewhere he had made his point. That Taiga could parse what he said and understand where Fanho was coming from. He understood Taiga had good intentions and had his own plans to accomplish fixes in Konoha. The problem that Fanho saw with Taiga was he assumed he could just deliver them and people would support it. Rather in Fanho's opinion, he had to gather their trust and support to enact his solutions and get them to believe and collaborate on them.

Taiga · Post by **Taiga** » Sun Apr 10, 2022 9:36 pm

More than anything Taiga had felt previously, he was now finding himself filled with frustration, enough so that his sense of loneliness and disrespect he was being shown was dwarfed by it.

He was not annoyed at Fanho though- his annoyance was more at his own inability to communicate with his peer. Even when he accepted his mistake and tried to make it clear that he thought the two of them were misunderstanding each other it didn't work... Why was he so incapable of getting through to some of his comrades in the village? Taiga bit his tongue in silence. His emotions had become too dense and strong to process, for at the same time anger began to rise up to take a place next to his annoyance. Who did Fanho think he was, always talking down to Taiga, always assuming the worst? He over simplified everything Taiga said and never attempted to infer a greater meaning, as if Taiga was stupid and his words were only facevalue.

Who did Fanho think he was to be so wise and understanding of trauma. Which of them here had suffered the horrors of the war... which of them had survived horror after horror and a horrible, painful life? The golden boy or the useless Senju, saddled with a village destroying weapon, and forced to kill innocents for some Daimyo. Taiga let out a deep breath as he listened, and tried to purge these thoughts from his head. Fanho's apprehension to rage was justified, though in Taiga's eyes, overly simplistic. Rage could be productive and motivating- but to be fair, this anger and rage he was now feeling was not the productive kind. He let out a big puff of smoke with an exhale as he centered himself. Taiga would remain sitting, looking up to the sky quietly and saying nothing in response to Fanho until he finished getting everything off his chest. It would be very uncharacteristically quiet for Sarutobi Taiga. When Fanho finally finished, Taiga would speak, having used the time to think a great deal about his wordings.

"I apologize for my overly passive wording, but I was strongly inferring that we were both making incorrect assumptions about each other when I said I think you just blow sunshine and you think I'm just some edgy-rage machine. The inference being that by now our minutes wasted have already proved both of our views are more complex than either of us think each other's views are." he said as he paused- it almost stung to throw himself under the bus, and the young Jounin had to fight his urge to call out Fanho for completely missing his points and giving into the very anger he was so afraid of.

"And you're wrong- don't assume my experience. There were no positive emotions given to me. No bonds. No hope. I was abandoned by my team, my sensei left me, my only true mentor died before I was ever a host, and I was left alone by my village. No hope given to me from others solved my issues... Taiga said, looking straight at Fanho's eyes. He had an urge to call out the other man for assuming so much about him. "I overcame my genma through my own sheer force of will and action- and in doing so I gave myself hope that I could survive anything. I gave myself confidence... The progress of my growth and actions gave me hope. Not anything you or Gene or Takeo or anyone ever said, because in the end you could all tell me how much you love me and I could still explode into a thousand genma phantom beast balls.

He let out a sigh. Perhaps Fanho was so blinded by his perception of who Taiga was, and his bias toward Takeo as his disciple- but that too, would be an unfair assumption to make. While he was able to avoid hot takes or saying inflammatory things like this, Taiga was unable to hold back his urge to be sassy though,

"You need a tape recorder or something because I was very clearly talking about a multi-step process. I was describing letting people grieve, wading through their trauma and discussing it, and then instilling hope through action, but since it's not clear to you and you've assumed it's one step and still about rage and punishment, I'll try to be more descriptive for people who can't read between the lines." Taiga was furious at this. "I never said it was one step or inferred that- so that's all words out of your mouth and whatever one-sided conversation is happening in your brain, not mine." Taiga said as his hand waved.

"My point is people need to grieve. They need to have their feelings discussed and their pain acknowledged. You can't just shove hope down their throats, not that that is your plan, but I've been the depressed, traumatized guy told by people to "cheer up" or "just believe", and that shit is horrible and a complete misunderstanding of mental health. I want to focus on enabling healing, and thus, creating hope through those actions of enablement."

Taiga shook his head, steeling his resolve as he turned away from Fanho.

"When the pain and all of that is out of the darkness and into the light we can discuss it, get past it together, as a group. At the same time, we need to make progress because progress is what gives people hope. We do that in multiple steps, some in parallel, some chronologically. Steps like acting on our people's trauma- getting them the help they need with professionals. Steps like taking the trauma and fear and solving for it- like increasing are village defense through increased sensory arrays and using every last bit of ninjutsu we can to make this place a stronghold and avoid people having anxiety just to live in Konohagakure. And lastly, steps like holding our failed leaders accountable and moving to new leaders who can usher in a golden age free of the past crimes." Taiga said as he stood up, leaving the bench.

Sure, Takeo wasn't a villain. But he failed, and failed leaders needed to be accountable and pass the torch to someone new, what about that concept bothered Fanho so bad?

"Look- I'll be honest in saying this is just my feels, but every time I talk to you, you just assume the worst. I'll be as clear as I can be here, I won't pretend to know what you plan or think or what actions you will take and I was wrong to sum it up as just blowing sunshine out your ass, but I'm not going to respond to anything else you just said with anything other than a hardy 'fuck you'." Taiga said as he stood up from the bench.

Director · Post by **Director** » Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:18 pm

Fanho took a deep breath as he let it out. He had let his frustration out and it felt cathartic. With the expulsion of his frustration, he'd allow Taiga's words to enter and grant him a renewed perspective. Taiga apologized and that made up for some of the unfair blame and insults Taiga had thrown earlier. He listened as Taiga chose his words carefully, and attempted to convey the conversation and points he wanted to make. Taiga wasn't a peak communicator, but this was certainly a change in his current demeanor that he really wanted to have a conversation.

In a finger snap, Fanho let go of his tension and frustration, and now he wanted to focus on what Taiga said. Fanho just let his headrest on the back of the bench as he watched the sky listening to Taiga's words. It may have looked like he just spaced off mid-conversation, but it was so he could focus better on what he was hearing. A blue backdrop with large white clouds passing by let him focus better on their conversation. The Sarutobi was right, they had gotten off on the wrong foot and assumed the worst of each other's initial words.

Although Fanho did disagree where Taiga seemed to get the impression Fanho wanted to cram hope down people's throats, or just deliver empty words of 'cheer up' and 'you'll get through this.' It was a bit of an exaggeration, but again he had already recognized they got off on the wrong foot. It also seemed Taiga got the wrong impression of what Fanho had meant by using him as an example. It wasn't that Taiga had overcome it with help, it was that he was left alone largely when Fanho believed he needed it. Even Fanho had failed in that regard.

With a resounding hurl of obscenities slung his way, Fanho couldn't help himself but chuckle. A theatrical gesture by Taiga, but a typical one he had come to know from him. "You're right, we did get off on the wrong foot. I shouldn't have assumed you're angry or some edgy teen. I'm sorry for making an assumption."

Fanho mulled over his words for a bit. He was genuine in his apology and wanted to let Taiga know he was at the least listening to him. Taking his input in, and listening to Taiga himself grieve over the situation and focus on trying to figure out the next steps as Fanho was as well.

"I wasn't trying to assume your experience, all I was saying is you know what it's like to have no bonds, positive emotions, or hope. You're right, you were abandoned, alone, but you rose above all that. Proved who you are, and found your own strength. I was only suggesting we shouldn't let that happen to anyone else, it shouldn't have happened to you. I think you empathize with those like that best, you understand their pain, and can connect with them."

Fanho sighed as he reflected more on their conversation. They agreed on the multi-step plan, Fanho hadn't really listened to Taiga as much as he heard him. The Awai wanted to recognize people's pain, help them grieve, and get them the help they needed. He just believed it should be a positive force, one that led as an example showing them that they could make it through. Fanho guessed it just got lost in the translation and the over suggestion of bringing 'hope' rather than elaborating on how to bring that hope.

The Awai picked his head up as he looked at Taiga nodding in agreement. "And you're right. People do need to grieve, have their feelings discussed, pain acknowledged. I in no way want to shove 'hope' or 'believe it' down their throats as much as you want to. I only want to be that figure that shows them there is more to the pain, and that there is a brighter light at the end. Give them the help and shoulder to lean on and foster the positive."

"People have gone through a lot, and I just think it's on us to be that positive reinforcement. To show them care, and kindness, and exemplify the hope they can assume that mantle and spread the hope that no matter what we will persevere. That even after the worst storms and callous violence we will still be here."

Fanho gave a chuckle as he posed a question to Taiga's last point that Fanho assumed the worst about him. "How can I not assume the worst when you say I'm part of this problem that you have with the village when I'm here trying to hear you out. It's like a sudden blind punch to the face without warning. To suddenly hear you're being blamed for the fall of the village? I mean that's a helluva way to open the conversation."

The Bannin wiped his face as he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. He held his hands out as if trying to grasp the conversation, and really pull the meaning that Taiga had wanted to put forth in his words. As if Fanho was reaching out to grab the key points and hold onto them. "Look, I'm going to take your words, your feelings, and your desires and I'm going to understand them. Whether you care for me to or not. If I want to be what the village needs, that's the first step. Is being able to hear your pain, your anger, and understand it. To hear anyone's pain and anger to understand them. Your anger isn't wrong, it's what makes you strong as you said. I just need to understand that."

"If you really want to become Hokage, I have no qualms with that. I understand where you're coming from and why you want to do it." Fanho gripped his fist and let go. He had a fear he might not be able to do it, and he had a fear Taiga may take away his dream. However, he had to let it go. He had to put aside his fear and put his responsibilities first. He had to put his personal dream aside and put the needs of the village first and focus on that. Only through that could he truly be ready for the Hokage mantle, was to let go and put himself out there to meet the needs of Konoha.

"I'll support you if that's the case. If you are the better choice for Hokage then so be it." Taiga was right, the two weren't terribly close. They had a handful of interactions and moments trying to support each other. Fighting alongside each other, but did they really understand and know each other? To be honest, Fanho didn't really have any close friends, his closest support was Aina. His confidant. Even then he didn't really have a best friend that knew him on that level that he could cut up with, hang out with, or even break down with.

"It may be late, to help mend the bonds that left you alone. To give you those positive emotions you missed out on. You may not want to hear this either." Fanho twiddled his thumbs as he looked down to the ground nodding along to his words. "You may not see us as friends, but when I really think about it you're my only friend. I'm Mr. Big-shot! Bannin around town, and supposed Hokage to be. Though in the end, I don't know if anyone's been as honest as you're willing to be with me."

Fanho gave a laugh as he threw his head back on the bench looking at the clouds right now. God he felt dumb rambling about this. He went from being so angry with Taiga to now rambling about friendship and building bonds. "God, I sound like a doofus."

Taiga · Post by **Taiga** » Tue Apr 26, 2022 10:00 pm

As the two conversed, Taiga would merely nod in agreement. Past the initial guttural dry-heaving towards all the hope-driven language Fanho held more similar ideas than different, though viewed from separate angles. He had, perhaps, been too quick to dismiss Fanho as one of the many protagonist types who vied for joy and happiness, just as much as Fanho had dismissed him for being some sort of edgy anti-hero. Affirmations aside, Taiga would speak up at the key points when necessary, taking note of his new rival's beliefs. His eyes shined like burning fires, not fired of rage, but fires of an indomitable will.

"I do know what it's like- and I don't want that for anyone but pragmatically speaking they will exist. There will be another "Taiga". There will be another "Gene". Problem children won't stop existing and Konoha will not get as lucky as they did with me when they handed me a super weapon... I thank you for acknowledging I have an ability to reach those broken souls, but... I digress" Taiga yawned, slightly tired by the deep and emotional conversation. He pushed away any more conversations, choosing to focus on where they agreed, perhaps a play from Fanho's book rather than his own.

"We actually agree on more than we disagree, our upbringings were just different and the angles we view things from different, but the outcome becomes similar... to that end, you perhaps are not the problem your masters have created." Taiga said gesturing his hand off in the direction of the Hokage's manor and the stone faces that watched over the village. The faces that had for centuries created so many sins and discord. He paused for a moment to remember that no human was without mistakes.

"Look, whoever the next Hokage is, I just hope it'll be a step in the right direction. Doofus or otherwise." Taiga said being slightly dismissive, and in his own way, inferring he was happy for the next Hokage to be Fanho if he couldn't get it himself. The Jounin stood up and as his stomach let out a rumble, laughed. He extended a hand out to Fanho, offering to pull him up to his feet.

"His only friend, huh?"

The thought echoed in Taiga's mind. Perhaps, Fanho too was his only friend now. At least his only human and non-toxic one. Sukairaa snarled at that thought "Who you calling toxic, you little shit?" "You, you massive dump of chakra."

Yawning once more, he'd look back to Fanho with a more peaceful expression.

"Why don't we go get some ramen before we drop you off to see the old man? I'm pretty hungry." he said.

Director · Post by **Director** » Sun May 01, 2022 11:59 pm

Fanho chuckled as Taiga offered ramen. His own stomach growling at the suggestion. Who said you couldn't argue on an empty stomach? Actually, don't think anyone said you couldn't argue on an empty stomach, but none-the-less Fanho was quite ready to move forward to the more lighthearted conversation. It was probably for the best the two had gotten it out of their system, their fears, angst and frustration. It was a dire time, one shadowed by the war, and they'd need to trust and communicate with each other. If the two truly wanted to better the village as they said it was important they listened to each other to build that morale.

"I thought you'd never offer. Always need a full stomach talking to that man. You know he tried to break my spine in our spar? He might be worse than the Raikage training wise." Fanho fluttered his eyebrow as regaled one more tale to Taiga. It was true, the two had mistook each others beliefs, and dug a bit deeper than they had intended trying to communicate their beliefs to each other. In the end the two wanted the same, but had different ways about it. Different upbringings, different styles, and different personalities that influenced the way they went about instilling the villagers with reprieve and hope. Neither were necessarily wrong, but in the end it would be down to who could convince the village their way was the best presentation.

Fanho took Taiga's hand as he was helped off the bench for their noon lunch. The Awai poked at Taiga's more friendly face as he laughed. "There's the little Sarutobi I know."

Taiga · Post by **Taiga** » Fri May 06, 2022 11:23 am

"I'm practically the same age as you dork." Taiga said as he ran his hand through his long, grey hair with a sigh. They had done more than enough deep introspection and butting heads for the day, and while it was uncharacteristic for Taiga to avoid any kind of fight, he did want to enjoy his so-called freidns return. If anything became apparent in their discourse outside of the future of the village and their budding rivalry, it was that Taiga had few friends left. Many had died in the war. Many had died in the line of duty. There just wasn't all that much left. In a way, that depressed Taiga. It was such a drag that he'd need to be responsible.

"Stories like that just really make me appreciate old man Takeo and all his children and children prodigies. Borderline child abuse I tell you..." Taiga muttered, with a shit-eating grin. Takeo wasn't really that bad, and surely Fanho knew that Taiga didn't absolutely hate the guys guts. But damn, he was easy to pick on. "Yoru once said something about how the Raikage was a big troll or something and let him down- something never meets your heroes, so I guess being Kage must make you lame or something... maybe I should just let you have it." he joked as the two continued on their way to a ramen shop.

He'd turn to Fanho at some point and make an offer.

"First one there buys, no space-time?"

They'd probably have a pretty epic race.

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