damned_institute | Nightshift 25: M-15

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Nightshift 25: M-15

So tonight, Lee and Takaya would be staying in their room. A part of Lee felt as if it was as if he were afraid. Well, he was afraid, considering that he had not so long ago become the chew toy of a monster. Yet there was so much that he felt he should do. As Takaya had pointed out, however, his body was demanding some rest, and so he would give it what it needed. After all, if he went out like this, he could cause more problems than anything good.

He vaguely wondered if any of his friends would come to check on him, but he doubted it. They had their own agendas. Still, it would have been nice to see if they were all right. At least he had managed to talk to Relena and find out that they had not been hurt too badly. He wondered if Naruto and Sakura were off fighting somewhere, or if Sasuke had lightened up at all. He thought about his teammates, so far away. And was Gaara all right?

With a sigh, Lee turned to Takaya. "I suppose that if we are going to be stuck here, we may as well try to figure some way to make this night useful! I believe that the best thing we can do is train a little."

Lee tilted his head slightly to the side, thoughtful, as he looked at his roommate. "You are frustrated because you're eyes are covered. Have you ever learned how to move with your other senses?"

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Takaya frowned. Train? Now he knew that Lee, for all his weird kindness, was insane. At his question though, half faded memories of fighting while blindfolded filtered through his head and he just frowned more. 'Not mine', he hissed mentally.

"No," Takaya said. "I've never even thought about it." The truth. Takaya had never thought about it, but fucking Kagetora seemed to perk up at the idea. 'Asshole.'

Lee noticed Takaya's reaction as he mentioned the idea of training. A part of him wondered what was going through his roommate's mind. There was so much mystery surrounding him, like the relationship between him and Naoe.

With a small sigh, he said, "Takaya-san, I understand that there is much that we truly do not know about each other, but I would like to say that if there is anything that you wish to tell me at any time, I shall listen. And, of course, if you wish to keep your secrets locked, then please believe me that no...sane person would try to tear them out of you."

Slowly, Lee stood up. "It appears to me that you greatly dislike being helped by the nurses here. I do not know if you would like to learn how to actually attack blind, but it shall certainly be useful so you do not need assistance. It is far from easy, however. The idea is to be able to use your other senses in place of your eyes. Touch, such as the feeling of the floor beneath you, smell, so you know what is approaching, and sound, to hear the surrounding area. A small noise could alert you to an attack, but it can also tell you of the items around. Where ever you go, sound changes, such as how large rooms may echo the sound of footsteps. Touch is, of course, important as well, but if one relies only on the feet, then a person may trip. And smell...well, I suppose I do not need to explain all of this to you. Only by combining your other gifts will you be able to move without your eyes."

Takaya frowned again, though it was in thought this time, rather than irritation. He was still roughly shoving that other part of him away from the front of his mind and he didn't want to bring up the whole 'dead guy's soul in my body' mess at the moment. It might only make things worse...

Takaya stood up, head tilted to one side and down. "Alright Lee," he said with a slight grin. "Show me how this works."

They only had a limited amount of time before Naoe appeared anyway.

"Ah, but it is not something that can be shown easily. You see, the key is to be able to focus the other senses. We shall begin with the sense of touch. It is, of course, to simply rely on hitting something to discover where an object is, but one should also be able to feel the slight change of air around them, or even the gentle footsteps of a cat that reverberates the ground. It is focusing on the feelings on your skin, so focused that a tiny movement of air will be noticed. But along with that is hearing. Just as it is important to be able to feel the movement, it is important to be able to hear where it is coming from. Objects do not move, but sound will be muffled in a room that is filled with various things. The only way to truly manage is to be able to ignore what you wish to see, and to use your ears and sense of touch to work instead."

He paused, and wondered if he were making any sense. "Perhaps we should begin by simply jumping into the practice. What I shall do is move around the room as quietly as possible, and you shall try to focus either on sound and movement to pinpoint where I am. Does this sound acceptable?"

Takaya thought about it. Hard. And did his best to ignore that stupid nagging feeling that this was all really freaking familiar.

He nodded slowly once he thought he'd understood everything. "Listen. Got it. I think."

He frowned and then nodded again. "Okay, yeah," he said to Lee. "That sounds fine."

Lee suddenly grew quiet, making his body grow as still as possible. He would give Takaya several seconds to wonder what was going on. Then, quickly, but near silent, Lee began to move around the room, altering his path at random. It was true that to a normal person, any nin would be completely silent, but Lee knew better. Every living thing (and sometimes even other objects) would make some sort of noise. Now it was up to Takaya to learn...or for Lee to revise his teaching strategy.

Takaya tilted his head and strained to hear Lee move. He frowned. He almost thought he could hear him, but he wasn't....

Wait... those half forgotten memories could work. He took a deep breath and relaxed, seeing if he could just let the memory come to him gently, rather than overtake him.

It was like the time he'd known how to banish. Things started to come to him, and, after fumbling for a moment mentally, he started to recall different ways to follow sounds.

The footfalls may have been silent, but the brush of cloth against skin wasn't entirely muffled. The slight, almost imperceptable puff of breath that he could just make out if he stopped his own breathing.

Lee was good though, and he was really only able to track him half of the time. The room was small too, and the hospital was much larger...

Lee watched Takaya as he moved around the room. For a few seconds, it seemed that Takaya was struggling, but then it was as if he had changed, and though he could not pinpoint his position all the time, he did manage to follow pretty well.

"You are good at this," said Lee, stopping at one point. "It should not take you too long to be able to sense where I am at all times. Do you wish to continue?"

Takaya tilted his head and smiled slightly, cheered by his (partial) success.

Nodding, he turned towards Lee's voice. "Sure."

Something was bothering him though...

How long had it been? Where was Naoe?

Lee began moving the minute that Takaya agreed to continue. He watched him carefully, looking for any sort of reaction.

For a few seconds, Takaya seemed distracted by something, and that was when Lee moved. Swiftly and silently, he directed a punch beside Takaya's head. He would not try to hit his roommate until they both felt comfortable attempting to fight. But this was a warning, trying to get Takaya to focus, and to see how he would react to feeling the punch near him. If he was as good as Lee had the feeling he was, this was the perfect opportunity to hit. He was purposely missing, and leaving himself open to an attack.

Takaya was certainly not prepared for an attack, but Kagetora was not one to be taken by surprise so easily.

Once more, Takaya had the feeling of being wrenched from control of his own self and was helpless to stop his reactions.

The moment that Lee moved, Kagetora had kept careful watch over him. So his attack, while not a true threat, did not surprise him.

Shock flowed from Takaya's face into a blank look and his hand snapped up, diverting the thrown punch and striking out with his own, though his was not supposed to miss.

Only Takaya, taking control again, managed to stop his fist from actually connecting with anything.

To say the least, Lee was shocked and impressed at Takaya's reaction. The man was good, but the taijutsu master knew that something was wrong. A nin always did their best to notice changes, especially in their target. Lee could not help notice Takaya's.

The move, even if little damage had been done, had caused a bit of pain to his side, therefore he carefully took a step back, and studied his roommate.

"Takaya-san, I understand that you are loath to speak of such things, but will you not confide in me? It seems that you are..." He tilted his head to the side, studying the man and said, "You seem to be unsettled. I understand that there is much that a person wishes to remain secret. My village is filled with those who shut themselves off from the world, struggling by themselves. I do not know what I can do to help, but if you would tell me, then perhaps I can do something?"

Takaya thought about it and he thought about it for a while. "Whatever I tell you," he finally said. "Don't tell Naoe that I said anything." That could be dangerous for Lee, though he didn't add that thought.

He hesitated again, not certain what he could reveal. "See... all that shit that Naoe talks about.. it's kind of true." He frowned and tilted his head. "I've got amnesia. Four hundred years worth, I guess. Sometimes, I remember things from my life and I can use it. Sometimes..."

Memories of unwanted touch filtered through his mind and he shook his head. "It's weird. And kind of complicated," he continued dumbly.

Before Lee could stop himself, he said, "Amazing!" He paused for a few seconds and said, "Well, not the fact that you cannot remember, but that you have such a long history! It is truly astonishing, but I have no reason to doubt that you are telling me the truth. I must admit, though, that you do not look that old! You need not worry that I shall tell Naoe-san."

He sat down and said, "Do not fear telling me your history...or what you remember, Takaya-san. Everything that is said here tonight shall not leave this room. Of course, if it is very personal, there is absolutely no reason for you to tell me. Still, it is curious that having so many memories seem to...disturb you so. There must be a reason that you are upset. You should not be ashamed of your past, Takaya-san. The past is used to teach us, and the future is there for change."

Takaya heard Lee sit and sat down as well. He frowned and turned his head down. "I'm not that old, that's just it." He reached up and ran a hand through already messy black hair.

"See... four hundred years ago, where I'm from, there was this warlord named Kagetora." He snorted softly. "He was this badass warrior or something, I guess. Not too tough though, since he died."

Takaya hesitated for a long moment, trying to figure out how to best say this. "I'm not four hundred years old. I'm seventeen," he fidgeted. "Or, at least this body and Takaya are seventeen. Naoe says I'm a Possessor. And that I'm Kagetora."

Turning his head back towards Lee, his frown looked more upset than angry. "I keep living by taking over bodies. That's fucked up, right?" He took a breath. "But the most fucked up part is that I don't remember it."

Lee thought about what Takaya had just told him. It was indeed a very disturbing idea. Nonetheless, where some might have said something immediately, Lee studied Takaya for a bit. It was clear, to him, that for some it would be a triumph. Orochimaru, for example, would be greatly pleased to be able to take over someone's body and live for so long. Takaya, however, did not appear this way.

"You are Takaya," he finally said. "Perhaps this Kagetora does indeed live within you. Nonetheless, this life that you have is not his, but yours. Perhaps you remember pieces of what has happened in the past. That does not change who you are now, and that is what is important. You must live for the now, Takaya-san. Kagetora most likely has many valuable skills, but do not let yourself get confused by the life he lived and the one you live now."

Takaya chuckled softly, shoulders shaking slightly and he shook his head.

"You sound just like my best friend back home," he said, turning towards Lee and smiling somewhat lopsidedly. "I know I'm Takaya. I just don't like all this shit that came with being that asshole Kagetora too." He frowned again.

"If it was just one of those bullshit 'past life' deals, I would have told Naoe to go fuck himself when I met him. But it's not." His frown deepened. "There's a bunch of Possessors running around and being fucking retards where I'm from. And most of them think Kagetora should be dead or worse."

Lee calmly went to sit beside Takaya, and just as calmly smacked him upside the head. If Lee had used his full strength, he probably would have knocked his roommate out. To put it simply, it was a rather playful act.

"Of course you do not like what Kagetora did, but get it into your head that they are things that he did, not you! Obviously you do not understand this if you are allowing it to get to you! Do you not see? You are meant to show who you are now, not back then. As for these other Possessors that are after you...well, you shall just have to...demonstrate that you are not Kagetora, any way possible."

To someone listening in, they might have thought that the last thing he had said referred to talking...that was, until the sound of Lee cracking his knuckles snapped in the relative quiet of the room. Oh yes, Takaya would certainly have to demonstrate how he was not Kagetora...even if it meant using some brute force to protect himself.

That smack to his head shocked him and he turned to face Lee, hand up to the back of his head.

"What the fuck man?!?"

He listened, a change from just hauling off and hitting Lee back, and frowned. Yeah, like just not being Kagetora had worked in the past....

However, before he could try to explain ~~and maybe get a hit in~~, Lee cracked his knuckles threateningly. Takaya was instantly on his feet and sneered, every inch the ~~blind~~ street thug he once had been.

"What the fuck Lee?" He acted confidence he did not feel.

Attacking Takaya while vulnerable and just after having been thinking about Kagetora wasn't the best idea...

Lee looked at Takaya, wondering what exactly was going through the other man's head.

And suddenly, he was laughing. "Takaya-san. You misunderstand me, I believe, even if you deserved the smack in the head. You seem far too serious about this, letting it preoccupy your thoughts rather than living your life. Things happen, and you simply face it at the time. Do sit down. I promise I will not hit you anymore. I believe that you are a good person deep down, despite whatever Kagetora was. And if there are people who believe that you are evil, then make them understand. Make them see who you are now, not what they think you are."

Takaya flipped Lee off but, after groping for the bed again, sat down next to him, chuckling to show that there were no hard feelings.

"I want to live my life," he said. "And I've been trying to do that back home, but it's not like I can just fucking quit." He snorted. "I'm not allowed to fucking pack up my shit and go home." He frowned. "I tried that and my friends nearly died."

Lee chuckled as well when Takaya finally sat down, but became quiet when his roommate continued. He understood the problem that his roommate was facing.

"I see why you would be loath to try such things again. There must be some sort of middle ground, some way to be able to live as well as to protect the ones you care for."

He sighed. Suddenly, he thought about his dear friends, who were probably running around right now in goodness knows what danger. Were they even thinking about him, wondering if he was all right? He prayed that they were safe, or would be soon. Surely day would come, and then he would be able to see how they were doing.

"To be able to be oneself and yet to care and protect. It is a difficult job, but I have faith that you will be able to find your path, Takaya-san."

Takaya frowned for a moment in thought, then grinned. "Thanks."

What Lee had said was the exact same thing Yuzuru had been telling him for ages, but sometimes he just needed to hear it again.

"You're a pretty good friend, you know?"

And speaking of friends... Where was Naoe? Did he finally get fed up with Takaya and just decide to leave him alone for the night? That didn't seem right...

Lee couldn't help but color just a little. It was very rare to hear from someone that he was a good friend, so the words were very unexpected.

"I...well...thank you..." he managed to stutter out. "I...I merely try to help..."

The nin scratched the back of his head in a move that was similar to what Naruto would do when nervous. At least Takaya seemed to be better.

Still...

"What do we do now?"

Takaya laughed softly when he heard how embarrassed Lee sounded.

"Really, you're a great guy."

He tilted his head and frowned in thought.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I wonder where that asshole got off to... He'd at least have some news or information that we could use."

Lee was uncertain of how to respond to such a compliment, therefore he simply kept quiet. He would not be surprised if he radiated embarrassment.

Blinking, it took him a second to realize that Takaya was referring to Naoe. "It is a bit odd that we have not see him tonight...it would be terrible if something happened."

Takaya frowned and a muscle jumped in his jaw. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't heard from Naoe since .... Lunch.

That alone was strange. He never seemed to miss a chance to stalk Takaya. Creepy guy. Still, it meant that he at least knew where Naoe was almost all the time. The last time they'd been separated for a while hadn't gone so well, even though it had been Naoe's fault that Takaya had taken off.

He didn't like this.

"Something happen to that guy?" He shook his head. "He's tougher than that. He's probably doing something productive." He sounded slightly bitter about that last bit.

"You seem to have an unusual conception about what is productive, Takaya-san. If we are to leave in such weakened states, and are captured, would that be productive? I believe that it would fall on the side of idiocy. Yet if we rest here tonight and hone our skills so that we may perform something more useful tomorrow night, will that not be the wiser course of action?"

He paused for a second. "It is frustrating to think of the vigorous efforts that the others are taking and for us to simply stay here. Yet sometimes it is best to stand down. Takaya-san, if you were able to access the memories of Kagetora without it unbalancing your senses, you would be very powerful. Do you not see this as the time to learn?"

Takaya frowned and turned his face down. "It's not that easy Lee," he said. He knew Lee was right about the whole 'sitting here was more useful than running around', but that didn't mean he was happy about it. So, ignoring that part of things, he focused on Kagetora.

"The more I remember, the less I feel like me. If..." He clenched his fists. "If remembering means becoming more like him, I don't think I can do that."

"You are correct, Takaya-san. Forgive me for being so thoughtless. It must be terribly disturbing to you. Yet I cannot shake the feeling that you would be able to manage it...with time, of course. I assure you that through the worst of times, I shall be rooting for you!"

Lee looked at the ceiling, wondering where his friends were and if they were all relatively safe.

Takaya sighed and shook his head. THinking about it would get him nowhere except more pissed off and he didn't want to deal with that right now.

He turned towards Lee once more.

"I wonder if you're too nice for your own good man," he grinned, trying to take any possible sting out of those words. "Your friends are lucky to have you."

"Too nice?" said Lee softly. "Sometimes I do not believe I am all that wonderful, Takaya-san. Sometimes..."

He took a breath, feeling shame grow inside of him at what he was going to say. Takaya seemed like someone who would tell him the truth about what he thought.

"Sometimes, I simply wish for them to pay more attention to me. I simply wish to feel...it is difficult to explain. I wish to feel as if I am useful, and not simply as...a comedic relief for others. But there is not that much I can do usually. I simply cannot access my chakra like the others, and therefore can only continue with my skills in taijutsu. Yet here, where everyone has been weakened, I still feel as if I am cut away from the circle. I try to reach them, but they slip away from my fingers, never seeing or seeking what is truly inside of me. I am simply...Rock Lee, Taijutsu master, with the huge, fuzzy eyebrows, wearing green spandex and talking like a freak of nature. These thoughts seem so insidious to me. Ah, how foolish and self-centered I sound! I try to stop, and yet I cannot! How I miss my teammates..."

Lee shook his head.

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Nightshift 25: M-15

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