Breakfast With A Brilliant Mind (Kyouken only)

Yoshimo, Nami, and Kenshi were in their small apartment once again, acting as a normal family. They seemed to be ok after escaping from Kaji, and escaping near death. The experience of coming close to death for Kenshi and Nami were difficult, but they had managed to not let it tramatize them for good. They were fine and functioning well as human beings. They were a family, and they worked best together.

Nami had finished a big breakfast for all of them, she was a good cook and learned how to cook because the Akatsuki never had anyone to cook for them, but always had freezers full of food. She made them scrambled eggs, biscuits, and fried some type of dark turkey meat in oval slices for them. There were a stack of Kenshi's favorite pancakes in the mix also. They were drinking orange juice out of paper cups, and eating out of paper plates. The table was a fold out one, and the chairs looked as if they were stolen from a trash pile. They looked poor. Yoshimo and Kenshi were wearing black shorts and white wife beaters, and Nami was wearing a long skirt and a t-shirt which carried some stains on it. They didn't even have sandals to cover their feet. But that was all a part of Yoshimo's plan. He couldn't travel everywhere with them, and he would have to blend in with the rest of the citizens. He couldn't be anymore normal that anyone else. He had become regular.

As they were sitting around eating, Kenshi pulled out two odd looking pieces of metal that were about a humans foot long in length.

"Dad, I can't get these to work for you. The fans in the bottom that push the air out only work if you can manipulate your chakra after wind...Like I can."

"Well, see if you can try a bit more, see if you can get the fans to run off of pure chakra, and run better off of manipulated chakra."

Kenshi had turned out to be just as smart as Yoshimo. He was really good at making things, and breaking things down and putting things together. He was trying to create "air-slides" due to his lack of great speed. He had the potential to move a bit above average on his own, but he didn't have the potential to go any faster than that. So instead of giving up, he sought out to make something better that could help him with his speed problems.

With a mouth full of eggs, Yoshimo spoke. "Haf yu been practisn da Ruhsangan?"

"Yeah. It's difficult, but I'm already good with the water balloon. I can make the water swirl and expand larger than the balloon almost."

"Keap up wif it, ya need tu lern it soon."

Yoshimo continued eating, until he felt someone coming at the door. He knew it was most likely Kyouken because no one else came in the lower parts of Kumogakure. Yoshimo took a gulp of his orange juice washing his food down as he saw the door jingling. He put down his cup and looked towards the door.

"Come in"

Kyouken opens up the door and walks into the family of Yoshimo Izoto. He looks at them and sees that they are having breakfast. From the looks of it, it smelled heavenly but to Kyouken it did not please his senses as well. He noted to himself that they were on paper plates, paper cups and plasticware, meaning that Yoshimo gave up his regular income of fine foods and plating to the simple life a low-class to lower middle class shinobi family. Kyouken also saw the clothing that they were wearing, it was also lower class shinobi. It was different for Kyouken since it has been a long time since he has seen many of his collegues wearing the finest or something on that line, but it reminded him of when he was a little child and he wore clothes like that. Kyouken closes the door behind him as he walks into the table. Kyouken was wearing a jounin outfit, usually typical wear for Jounin in Kirigakure, he had a bandana that went down to his mid back that was over his head so that his blue hair would not give off. He knew that around Kumogakure, the word Akatsuki and hidden mastermind roam around them and if his hair would had shown it would had been a very difficult time getting to meet Yoshimo.

He looks at Nami, putting his hands together, he bows at her out of common respect for her. Kyouken's code of honor was that to respect all women, even those that bother the hell out of him. He then turn to Kenshi, Kyouken gave a little smile to himself as he looked almost like Yoshimo but more like his mother. Kyouken reaches into his pocket, he was turning to Yoshimo with a stern look on his face

"So, I take it you think Im here to end your lives....which is truly not the case, im here just to have a simple breakfast with you" he pulled something out of his pocket and it was an all silver kunai, a prized kunai that Kyouken kept from his travels. He bends down to Kenshi's height and places it on the table. Kyouken then walked over and sat down on the table. He grabbed a paper plate "We have much to discuss Yoshimo, even besides the fact that you are now considered an enemy towards the Akatsuki.......well not to me, I have a great amount of trust with you but to the organization, more so the "jack" cards since they are the organizations guardians and enforcers....."

Yoshimo continued eating as Kyouken came in. He listened to everything he had to say, even about Kaji. Knowing that he was still alive made Yoshimo's stomach turn, but the way he kept eating made him seem like he really didn't care. Yoshimo looked up, he was hungry, but he was eating like an old man. In fact, he was thinking about what he should do. Right now he was stuck between Kenshi and Akatsuki. He had to take care of Nami and train Kenshi, but he didn't want to do it through Akatsuki because of Kaji. Yoshimo knew that Kyouken wasn't going to give up Kaji for Yoshimo, that would be a dumb move on his part. But, Yoshimo still had to solve the problem of the people dying in Kumogakure. He had to do something about it, but at the same time he wanted to remain somewhat faithful to Kyouken.

Yoshimo talked with a mouth full of food...

"I could cause hell 'fa the Akatsuki, but I don' wanna do dat to you.", Yoshimo reached over and swallowed some juice down, clearing his mouth, "But, I don't want that fucker Kaji coming around here, or touching Kumogakure for that matter. I don't know if you can keep a leash on that dude. I'm not blaming you for not keeping control of him, but he is hard to control. How do I know you'll keep that end of the bargain? Enforcer and guardian my ass, he's just bloodthirsty."

"Yoshimo, don't talk like that around Kenshi and Kyouken-san..", Nami said in a small voice.

Yoshimo looked over to Kenshi who was still playing around with those air slide things. He slapped him upside the head and smiled at him.

"Ow dad! I was concentrating!"

"He didn't hear a word of it Nami, you know how he gets when is concentrating, he hasn't even eaten his food"

Kenshi went back to his toy and Nami just sighed at Yoshimo.

"Well, back to what we were saying.", Yoshimo pointed a piece of cut meat at Kyouken, and then ate it, "How do I know I can trust that you can keep Kaji on a leash?"

None of the food items that were prepared for breakfast satisfied his taste, he reaches over and pours the glass of orange into his paper cup and takes a long sip of it. It was mighty delicous as he swallowed it, listening to what Yoshimo had to say about Kaji and him being a sociopathic maniac. Kyouken takes his last few sips of his orange juice and reaches back over to have another glass

"You are right Yoshimo, he is a crazed, psychotic, sociopathic, bastard, excuse my lanuage Miss Nami, that will stop at nothing to kill and kill and kill for the sake of his own believes and for the Akatsuki. You are correct I cannot get rid of him because he is one of the key factors for the new project that the new orginal ten came up with so that we may bring down the villages to there knees, but you are a key role in this too as you are the Akatsuki's knight, you who can move over both opponent and ally to reach a single goal. You are powerful and I know how much resentment you have for Kaji as he was the one that tried to kill you and your family. Im sorry about that, I dont know how much I can say or if you can forgive me for such a heinous act but I am truthfully sorry"

Kyouken finishes up the rest of the his third glass of orange juice. He placed his cup down on the table as he looks back over at Kenshi, who was paying attention to the air slider. Kyouken moves his attention back over to Yoshimo "Do not worry for I have Kaji under control, I promise you that he will not be in your hair as long as you are in the Akatsuki. I cant get rid of him but I can do something that will make any sadistical bastard, excuse me again for my lanuage miss Nami, become much more, oh how to say, down to earth? I'll make sure that he wont come and bother you and your family, you have my word on that"
Kyouken sighes as he leans back on the chair, he folds his arms "Now what shall we do with you Yoshimo......if you may, shall we talk more on the rooftop than up here?"

"It's quite alright, Kyouken-san" Nami replied. She knew two men couldn't help but talk the way they talked, and that it was just completely normal for them.

Nami got up and took Yoshimo's empty plate, Kyouken's empty paper cup and the rest of the empty pots and pans that were sitting around the table. She started to throw all the paper plates away and the paper cups. She took the pans and pots and set them in the sink. Nami walked over to Kenshi's plate and looked at him. He didn't touch any of his food and she didn't want it going to waste. She worked hard to cook the food for him, and all she asked was for him to eat it.

"Kenshi, are you going to eat that or do you want me to put it in the fridge?"

"Uhh, I'll eat it later mom. I think I got my air slides to work and I want to go test them out."

"Eat your food first!" she said in a firm voice.

"Aww mom! Come on!!!"

"Eat it!"

Kenshi's face soured up as Yoshimo got up from his seat. He looked at Kenshi as their gazes met. Kenshi was trying to get him to save him from his mother, and offer him a way out of it eating his breakfast, but Yoshimo couldn't do that. He couldn't let him slide with punishment this time. He'd done it before, but when Kenshi wasn't around Yoshimo would surely hear it from Nami. She hated letting punishments slide, even though she was a nice mother. Kenshi's friends loved her, and as long as Kenshi did what she asked she'd be there for him and do the best to make his life enjoyable.

"I can't save you this time son. Eat your food. It tastes good, and you better be thankful that she at least cooked it for you."

Yoshimo walked over a big wall at the end of the living area. He put his hand in the middle of it, grabbing some kind of slider, and pulled it back. The giant wall was a door, which lead to outside on a nice sized balcony, which was situated above busy Kumogakure. One could sit out and watch the citizens go about their tasks and lives, place to place, doing their chores. Outside there were two folding chairs and a small icebox. Yoshimo opened the door, letting Kyouken through, closing the wall back for privacy. Yoshimo grabbed a chair and opened the fridge. There were beers inside and he wasn't sure if Kyouken drunk beer, so he didn't offer him one. Yoshimo looked out at the village, feeling the wind blow in his hair. Today was cloudy, and it appeared as if it was going to rain. The sky was gray and the sun was trapped behind the rain-like clouds. Yoshimo loved the cool wind blowing, and the smell of rain. It wasn't going to rain anytime soon, so Yoshimo and Kyouken would be fine. Yoshimo cracked open his beer and took a sip.

"If you want one...they're in the ice box..."

Yoshimo took a big gulp. He sighed and looked towards Kyouken, holding the beer in both hands as he kind of leaned over in the chair.

"My relationship with you hasn't been damaged on my end. I still feel like you're the boss. But you have to know that I just can't come back. I've grown attached to this place, and even though Akatsuki members are supposed to cut ties, I can't. These plans for bringing the countries down, I don't want them to happen to Kumogakure, but I know that I can't stop them if they do. Look at these people...they are innocent and pure. This is one of the only villages that didn't have it's hands tainted by Senju or Uchiha. It's a pure village. I don't want them colored red with their own blood ya know? I don't know what to do Kyouken. I want to be there for you, but I cannot leave home. I'm stuck."

Kyouken comes outside into the humid air that was breezing past him. He saw the clouds as it literally blocked all paths of the sunlight from escaping. The wind felt good on his skin and he felt very comfortable as he walked and lean himself over the balcony. He saw the icebox that was standing next to him, he passed on the alcohol seeing that he had never drunk it and he hated the smell as it reminded much of his first master.

As Yoshimo was talking, Kyouken looked forward as he was thinking about the mistakes he made in his past, when he said that he these people are innocent and pure, he remember as he once had to kill the very innocent just for a cause or someone told them to, then he said about his family. His face remain cool but deep down inside it made him think about his sons and daugther, on how he had to leave them to surivive. He wanted to be there for them, be there for them always and yet he couldnt, he could not even complete the one task that he told himself long ago that he would be that person, he refused to be that person who left his family on there own. He hated that fact, he did not want to be his father and yet he turned out to be like them. Kyouken looks at the clouds

"As a person Yoshimo, I do not believe you are truly evil, I believe you do somethings that might hurt someone else but you had to do it, in order for you to complete a task. I truly think that you are hell of a guy. You truly are, I mean you scrafice your own self just to save your family, your country and what you believe in. To me, thats honorable enough for me to say that you are a person that I can trust. You are loyal. Heh, its funny, this reminds me of the conversation I had with Jouten when I was younger. He said the same things that im saying to you" Kyouken gave a light smile, which was extremely rare, even for Yoshimo to see. But then his face went relax and he then said to Yoshimo

"I understand, no one wants the innocent to be killed, not even the smallest child. If any, if I could I would spare this village from the violence that will begat upon the other villages but I realize that that is a false dream for suffering travels all over. I can not promise you that this village will surcome to war but I'll keep it away as much as I possibly can from you. As for you family, I also understand........" he swallows his choke away "I understand it completely, you dont want to leave your family, your loving wife and your son who probably says to himself that you are a good dad. I would be too if I was your son. You want to be there supporter, there guardian, a husband and a son. In short...I dont want you to make the same mistake that I did, I mean what would your son call me if I force you to come back, what will your wife think of me? Probably try and kill me..... so that is why Im making you independant to the Akatsuki, as a spy......if that seems alright to you"

Kyouken looks back up at the clouds, sunlight sneaks through a crack through the cloud "Of all the power that I have, of all the speed, intelligence, and wisdom I've obtain.......I envy you.....I truly do.....you have things that I beg for in my lifetime. I never had that experience of a father loving a son, or a husband loving a wife. Or the fact that you can leave this line of work just for that. I wish at time that I can do that....to say literally say "im done with this" and just up and leave but in reality I cant even do that.....I cant even have a good relationship with my sons and I possibly can never had a steady relationship with my daughter.......she thinks that I murder the one person I love.....but it dont matter really. All I know is that I dont want to make you make those mistakes"

Yoshimo listened to Kyouken as the wind continued to blow. The wind was fast, and the clouds were scurring across the sky. He was getting kind of cold, since he only had on a wife beater and some shorts, but he would deal with it for now. It was nice out, and it was his favorite type of weather. It wasn't too hot, there wasn't a lot of sun, and the moisture in the wind felt great. It was a good day. Yoshimo leaned back in the chair and spoke.

"I have to raise my son. He's going to be the one that is supposedly able to revive my clan. He's smart and he is strong. I'm sure if he was as good as I was he would be able to kill me. He's going to be great, even if I don't live long enough to see that. As for Nami, I can't let her go. We haven't even had a decent honeymoon yet, or anything for that matter. Once she had Kenshi she dedicated her self to raising that child, and now she's a mother, not a wife. She still wants me to do those romantic things with her, but I have to handle business first."

Yoshimo took a long drink of his beer and threw the can in a small bin. He missed, and the can hit the ground rattling everywhere. He went over to pick it up, throwing it in the trash can properly. He walked back to his chair and lazily sat down.

"A spy? Heh. That kind of fits me. I can watch out for Kumogakure and keep tabs on the ther villages with my travels. It is a good idea. Reminds me kind of Kabuto from a long long time ago. I've read some history on him, and I know he was a pretty good spy. He inflitrated Konoha very well. I might do that, try and join Konoha, I heard that their Hokage is currently traveling or gone. They're kind of vunerable right now. Also Sunagakure. Did you know the Kazekage up and left? It's crazy over there and I could use the bodies. I'll keep a watch out for you, but the hardest part will be keeping this from Raikage. I gotta pretend like it never happened, and go back to training Munashii and Kenshi. I might get Munashii to help Kenshi. But I'm just rambling on."

Yoshimo listened to Kyouken as he spoke up again about Yoshimo's life. He looked Kyouken dead in his blue eyes.

"Me and you both know, there's always a way out. Sorry to hear about your daughter, I hope she understands one day. I don't have the glitter and the glamor anymore, but it's fine with me. You know I really could careless, and I won't make those mistakes. I promise you that much. I'll raise Kenshi to a strong young man."

Yoshimo looked at him again.

"If something ever happens, and Akatsuki isn't there anymore, and everyone leaves, you always have my company. As boring as I am I'll be there for ya. You know I don't do too much of anything."

'Kyouken heard Yoshimo say "There is always a way out" not for Kyouken there is not. There is so much darkness that he cannot forgot. He has felt the toll it has on people and on himself, he feels it everytimes he wakes up, he feels that lump in his chest that is telling him that "You are Death, You are Death....there is nothing that you can do to stop it" and he was right. He did not want to go into this line of work all his life, he wanted to do this for a short time and leave but that seemed to be impossible as he joined it when he was only thirteen years old. He grabs the handle on balcony and sighes

"Im glad you are up for the job as spy, I'll need it. I've notice that Konohagakure have been in off the charts for awhile, Jouten travelled there a few times and he has seen no acts from the Hokage or its shinobi, I've also heard that Suna has lost its Kazekage but I dont know how much information is going on there, Kaji has not reported back to me. I am, however, concern about the Raikage. I met him before back those years ago when he was younger and he felt the power of my kill intent. That Raikage has the tracking kekkei genkai.....yes I remember him now, Munashii....Hissori...if im correct. Anyway, I'll need a close eye on him, if he goes to the trouble of trying to come after me, im sending in the "ace"'s to do the job, other wise he'll be on my ass. So will the Mizukage.....she has been...well M.I.A for awhile but she has return and is now after me. I've done my operation mostly in Kiri since it was on a island that no other village could truly get into. Since the last Mizukage, he was in the Akatsuki as well but after he disappeared and the quick appearance of the new mizukage she has been on me for awhile. I'll need you to keep a close eye on those too. As for my Kiri operation, we are going underground, however I'll still have my ties towards them for economic support"

Kyouken sits down in the chair and looks behind to see Kenshi, although reluctantly, eating his food and see's Nami the dishes from the cooking she had done. Looking at her reminded him of his mother cooking him and his brother breakfast. He turns back to Yoshimo "I also have something else to tell you Yoshimo.....the reason why I invited Sanmaru over was to give him position as "leader". I know it seemed....far-fetched, but I need someone who can use the art of persuasion rather than power. Right now, we are in a cold war. I want to make this a world war and Sanmaru is perfect for leading this group. At the moment, im dealing with.....well other unworldly things that might trouble you if I talked to you about them."

"Well after hearing that Sanmaru is going to lead it I'm glad that I'm not there. There would be no fuckin way he'd be telling me what to do. But all that is besides the fact, and I don't need to get heated over him again. It isn't healthy. As for doing this spy stuff I don't mind, I'll get started on it as soon as possible. I'll make sure to meet you some place over a period of time and give you information. If you want me to do anything, like a personal scouting tasking I'll be fine with doing that also."

Yoshimo sighed and yawned loudly, stretching his arms out into the cold wind. It looked like they'd been outside talking for a while, because the sky was getting darker and darker, and the real storm could be seen off in the distance. Yoshimo looked at the bright flashes of lightning, knowing the storm would be pretty bad. All of the villagers had deserted the streets and everyone was in their home preparing for the thunderstorm that would pass over soon.

"Well it's about to rain, and we should get inside...unless you're about to leave..."

Kyouken had already disappeared, his afterimage just faded away as he silently moved away from Yoshimo and out the door. His Silent Homicide Techinque was what he was famous for and he was not much of saying goodbye even to his closest friends. As the rain began to fall to Kumogakure, Kyouken appeared on the top of the highest building in Kumogakure, he sat down on the rooftop and lets the water pour all over his body. His jacket, pants, gloves and hair got extremely damp, but truthfully he honestly need it. In order to perform a certain jutsu, the Suika no jutsu, he need to be continously hydrated. This was one of the ways he does this. But the other reason he did this for this was one of the ways he was able to drench away the suffering, the pain and torturing he was going through. He was living the life of what his father would tell him he would be, his father was somewhat right but the only thing he was better at was being a father, he tried to be a better father but he was always stopped by some force that would get rid of those that was close to him. His hair drenched over his face, dripping away the from the end of his hair and onto his shirt. He stands up and walks up close to the edge of the rooftop, looking at the people scatter away from the rain and towards shelter. Kyouken blinks twice and looks upward at the gray and black clouds.

"Cry for me O rain, drench your water over my soul....."

n/f