[Deleted]

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PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT,

"Ai. Can you stay behind, please?" Akira asked of her, watching Pansa and Kazu take off, briefly looking at Akira as they called for Ai again. Today had been another training session, exactly as they'd expected to happen like clockwork. Akira was getting better at it.

But he wasn't calling Ai "after class" to talk about it. He'd kept quiet with the information that she'd imparted to Akira, and he was taking his duties seriously. He hoped, anyways. So, waiting for her to turn and come to him, Akira waited.

"We have some extra training, but it's not here. Follow me." Akira would speak slowly for her, and a bit louder. He knew that her hearing wasn't what it used to be, and was trying to be supportive. The route they were going was towards Akira's house.

"How have you been feeling?" He was trying to take an interest in her mental wellbeing as well. The boys seemed fine, or if they weren't, they were doing a good job of it. He had to try and do right by his students. Better than what he had for himself. Just as he'd secured therapy for Ai, he had it himself - for a myriad of other problems, but nothing that he ever wanted to talk about. Nothing that he wanted to - and didn't - even to his family. So to his students? Never going to happen.

But he had been sad for a while, a silent brooding that set about in his more usual stony face as he trained them, or barked orders at them. He didn't expect any of them to notice. Akira was good at hiding it.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

AND MINE IS THE FURY

dandy ♫

[Himishi Ai]

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inv(l.i)

It had been another long training session with her team. The drills and activities starting to come more natural to her. She even was doing better than expected. It all had been a pleasant surprise to her but she couldn't help but feel unhappy about it. Her illness or whatever it was had started taking a greater hold of her as her hearing started to diminish. She had been keeping her condition secret. Only three people, outside her doctor, knew of it: Akira, Pansa, and Hogo. She knew Pansa was keeping the illness between the two of them and she trusted the other two enough not to go around and tell every single person in the village.

"Can you feed the cat for me, Pansa?" Ai asked before heading back to her sensei. She wasn't surprised at his request of extra training. He had been very accommodating to her. Speaking loudly and clearly when he instructed her. She appreciated the effort he was making.

"I've been feeling alright. I haven't noticed a noticeable hearing loss but that could just be Pansa being his usual self." Ai gave off a small giggle, cracking a small joke at her condition. The small smile that appeared from the joke had disappeared again. "Doctors don't know much about my illness but they at least know how to prevent what happened to my mother to an extent. They aren't sure about my hearing but are confident I'll live through it. That it will leave some permanent damage but they aren't sure what." Ai sighed a bit before shaking her head. She knew what would happen. They just wouldn't want to upset her even more.

"I think I finished my first symphony so maybe I'll get to hear it before I lose my hearing."

Tag ❤ Notes Here

AI ❤

[Deleted]

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PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT,

Akira did wordlessly note the interaction between the two - again, had been like when Pansa had been reintroduced to the team and general his behaviour - or their behavior again. A small smirk from him as he watched them, though his eyes retained their steely glow.

"That's a good start, I suppose." Akira would comment. Some progress was better than none. If they could merely extend and prolong: it would be a better state of affairs than when her mother had. Hopefully, medicine had advanced some as well as Medical Ninjutsu that it could be halted, as opposed to cured. He hoped.

"A symphony? What's that?" Akira wasn't all too savvy with musical things, though he had toyed with the idea for his Genjutsu techniques, finding there were simpler versions of attacks that didn't require extra work as such. But even so, he hadn't really touched an instrument before Ai had given him a flute which now held a place on a mantlepiece in his living room. A small feature she would notice when they arrived to the location.

His walking was taking them toward another section of their village - and it took them toward Akira's home. She was likely wondering why there wasn't a training ground that they were going to, but Akira had "designed" something for them to do, and it was training.

Akira already had thought about it but hadn't taken it seriously until recently, but decided it was beneficial for them both to learn Sign Language: something that Ai would have to communicate with in the future, and something that Akira wanted to be ready for. "That's good," Akira responded to her answer on Symphonies, though he didn't understand exactly how she'd written one but not heard it herself. It kind of went hand in hand, didn't it?

"We're nearly there, Ai." Akira would put his hands in his pockets as they walked. Despite what he was saying, even Akira was still unhappy only having recently returned, the team had noticed something of it and only chalked it up to him being angrier than usual, or barking more orders: nothing special, that's what he assumed.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

AND MINE IS THE FURY

dandy ♫

[Himishi Ai]

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Symphony to my Ears

Ai's eyes lit up. She loved when people asked her about her music. Even if the question was just a simple question of clarification, it still made Ai excited to answer the question. It made Ai feel like her talent in life wasn't being wasted. Some people would be curious and that was natural. Rubbing her hands together a bit, trying to sort out her thoughts as they walked to where ever Akira was taking her. The path didn't seem too familiar to her but she rarely wandered around residential areas so there was a entire part of the village she knew nothing about.

"Well, basically it's a piece of musical composition that is written for a full orchestra and usually has four movements to it! It's really difficult to write because there are so many more moving parts than simply writing a piece for a few instruments. I know I won't ever be able to perform it but maybe one day, someone will." Ai smiled a bit before skipping a step.

"Where are we heading, sensei?" Ai asked, looking around the less familiar area.

Tag ❤ Notes Here

AI ❤

[Deleted]

Satori Akira

He was trying his best to understand it but these were words that were going over his head. But he saw that this was something important to her, and would continue with his questions. "An orchestra..? So like, a band of instruments?" And then not even to get started on whatever it was a movement was. He was getting a clearer picture of it.

But when she asked where he was going, he looked down to her. "We're headed to my home, Ai." Akira would answer quickly enough for her, because he had no reason to hide his motivations for the day - but this was important to him. "If it's of any consolation, the training is going to be there because it's homely, there's heating and has filled cupboards." He would add on. But after a few more minutes of walking, they were in site. Akira looked between the road and his house, going up these hills were.. difficult.

Then the outside of his house, it opening with a click.

Just like many others who had entered. "Shoes off, please." Akira would say, at the click of the door opening: like many japanese homes, his included, was the small entrance space that opened into the rest of the house where people could take off their shoes. He would do so, as well. And still, Ai might've seen the cabinet to the right of the entrance of his home against the wall: with momentos. A bangle, one of Midori's bracelets (that she might've been familiar with) and pictures. Friends, family, home. In the center, one of him and his two friends.

And then Akira would gesture towards the back of a room: a open door that was still very well lit, and it led to the kitchen and living room. She wouldn't have noticed it immediately, but on the mantelpiece in the centre was a Flute: held up by decorative pieces of wood. Hers.

---

INFO SHEET

SPOILER: Click to show ABILITIES: Jinchūriki, Stalwart Hide, Bukijutsu Maverick, Hawkeyes, Seal Weaver [Always Active] Genjutsu Innovator [Inactive] Genjutsu Subterfuge [Inactive] Political Orator [Inactive] JUTSU: n/a EQUIPMENT: n/a

i hate that i love

?

[Himishi Ai]

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Ivs(var)

Ai was honestly very surprised when she found out that they were heading to Akira's house. It always felt that Akira's personal life was removed from his work with her. She always assumed as much anyway. Yes, Akira had seen her house but that was in a special circumstance. After that day, Akira had not been in her little house. He even had not just dropped by so she just always assumed that places where people lived were part of the private life. It was a bit odd to say the least but if Akira decided that he wanted to train, they were going to train at his house. She wasn't going to question it. As soon as she got to the door, she slipped off her shoes. She always remembered her mother caring a lot about acting proper at others' houses. It was one of the few times her mother ever adapted a more stern tone with her.

Following Akira, she observed the interior of the house. It had her sensei's signature all over it. If she wasn't told who lived in the house, she would still venture and guess that her sensei was living in the house. It was nice though. She could imagine being cosy and comfortable. She would observe the little trinkets that Akira had displayed in his room. All seemed to have some sentimental value. Smiling a bit at the sight of her flute, she felt a slight pang of warmth when she saw her flute.

"I remember making that flute. It took so much longer than any of my other flutes. I appreciate that you keep it safe." She smiled before bowing, adding "Sorry, was that too sentimental..."

Tag ❤ Notes Here

AI ❤

[Deleted]

Satori Akira

Ai noticed first the flute in the living room, and she would bow at him. Seeing it, Akira quickly responded. "You don't need to do that." He'd say, his hand pushing out toward her softly like a "stop" sign.

But, he smiled softly. "And thank you for giving it to me." He'd say politely. It meant something to him as a teacher, and he'd kept it there as a reminder. But he dropped his things where appropriate.

"Sit down." Akira would ask of her as softly as he could with his voice raised to match the volume needed for her to hear him. "Do you want a tea or coffee, or water?" He'd ask, and would pour out something, or prepare for whatever she wanted - or not, if she didn't.

Then he himself would return to the couch in the living room, a drink in hand himself, and potentially a second for her. "Here..." Then, sat down to her corner - not quite next to his student. But he lent down and underneath the table in front of them - and picked up a book, partially obscured from her view in his arms over the top of it. "The training we're doing will be together, and because you know you're likely going deaf, and I still want you to have a voice. So, we're going to be learning sign language together." Akira would unveil the book for her, placing it on the table where they would both be able to read from it. A brightly lit book of yellow. "A couple of hours a week, we can learn some signing together. That way, you won't be without a voice."

This was a nice thing that he'd wanted to do, and it benefit him as well. But for the most part, if she hadn't started learning it already, she would need to learn it at some point. But it would help her if she was already beginning to learn.

---

INFO SHEET

SPOILER: Click to show ABILITIES: Jinchūriki, Stalwart Hide, Bukijutsu Maverick, Hawkeyes, Seal Weaver [Always Active] Genjutsu Innovator [Inactive] Genjutsu Subterfuge [Inactive] Political Orator [Inactive] JUTSU: n/a EQUIPMENT: n/a

i hate that i love

?

[Himishi Ai]

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⚟

Nandemonaiya

Nodding a bit, she followed her sensei's instruction and sat down. It surprised her that her sensei was being casual with her, more than usual anyway. Akira could be a strict sensei at times but usually he was somewhat relaxed around them. Regardless, it reminded her a little bit of the time they spent after Akira had the pleasure of meeting her father. It had been a pleasant time all things considered, especially after what had occurred a few minutes before they had arrived at her place.

Shaking the thought of her father from her mind, she focused in on her surroundings. "Some water would be just fine, thank you sensei." Ai bowed her head after she took the small cup of water from Akira. Taking a small sip, she set down the cup in front of her. The atmosphere in the room was generally pleasant and Ai had been in a generally good mood. That good mood didn't change after Akira introduce her new training to her.

"I've heard of that before! I remember my mother wanted to learn it but decided not to because ya know but I luckily won't have the same fate as her." One thing Ai's therapist told her was to be more open with her past traumas which included her mother's death.

"Obviously the circumstances aren't the best but I'm excited to learn!" Ai added, drinking a little more from her cup of water.

Tag ❤ Notes Here

AI ❤

[Deleted]

Satori Akira

He'd place the glass down in front of her: ready to get started.

"Well, let's get started." And Akira would open the book and off they would go. But as he did begin looking at it - his eyebrows furrowed as a sense of confusion set in. They were looking at an introduction and he began to read it off.

Well, he knew that he'd done the right thing by her expression, and he would smile and nod - slowly blinking. They'd be able to go further and even more so - she'd be able to have a better life than her mother. Hopefully.

Talking about things like grammar, punctuation: what they'd be learning and how. First of all, was a rough example of the alphabet. He'd angle the book towards her as well. "So here's the first bit anyways, what the language looks like..."

And a few hours would pass and they'd both be better for it. Strictly speaking - Akira was confused. Even he was stuttering trying to go through the book and also work with Ai on the matter, looking to her at points if she was making the letters better than him.

"Good work, Ai." He'd close the book - smiling at her. He felt confident about it. "Same time next week." He'd say - but that would be all they would have today. He'd be able to walk her to the door, and stepped outside with her.

Then, he'd perform a handseal and eight clones would pop into existence. They'd take off. That would leave the orignial. "We're going to train." Akira could never be done just so easily: not after such a rigid life.

"How did you find it, Ai?" He wasn't going to rush her. He already had his training en route.

---

INFO SHEET

SPOILER: Click to show ABILITIES: Jinchūriki, Stalwart Hide, Bukijutsu Maverick, Hawkeyes, Seal Weaver [Always Active] Genjutsu Innovator [Inactive] Genjutsu Subterfuge [Inactive] Political Orator [Inactive] JUTSU: n/a EQUIPMENT: n/a

i hate that i love

?

[Himishi Ai]

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Ivs

Usually, Ai would not be the one take extra lessons for anything. Even with her lack of skills, she still appreciated being able to improve on her own watch. That had shown some success and she legitimately was proud of herself for it. This extra lesson was different though. The lessons proposed by her Sensei weren't there to improve her skills as shinobi. They were there to make her life easier when her illness eventually takes her hearing from her. She would able to get around.

As they went through the text, Ai would mimic some of the signs described in the book. It felt like she was learning to speak for the first time. At least Ai had the luxury of being able to speak. Regardless, it had been weighing on her a bit. She couldn't and didn't want to imagine the time she couldn't hear her music anymore.

As Akira closed the book, she gave Akira a slight bow. "Thank you for starting this with me." Following him silently, occasionally flicking her fingers with some of the phrases she learned today, she wondered what else was in store. Sliding on her shoes as she watched the clones take off, she gave Akira a soft smile. "It was really helpful, sensei. It's keeping me distracted from the implications of why I'm learning it."

Tag ❤ Notes Here

AI ❤

[Deleted]

Satori Akira

He was getting closer to the hang of it. But there would be no formed sentences or just words yet. "You're welcome." Akira didn't mind that she appreciated the help. But it shouldn't have had to been so. That was a silent vow to himself, if he'd ever become the Tsuchikage. Force everybody to learn sign language. Even so, it had its practical uses beyond allowing more people to join in. Though he admitted, being deaf was only one barrier to being a Shinobi: it wasn't the end of the world.

With her getting closer to leaving. "I'm glad. Same time next week then I take it?" he wouldn't try to sign goodbye: he'd not learned that yet. "Have a good evening, Ai-chan." Again, polite. She'd be able to take off, and they'd both be able to have a good evening. For what it was worth, the girl didn't deserve the life she'd been given. That was like him.

Akira would close the door behind him, shaking his head softly and smiling - but it would slowly fade as he turned to go back into the living room. And he'd make another tea for himself, grab the book, and sit back down as he continued to go through the book - hands moving all the while.

END

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INFO SHEET

SPOILER: Click to show ABILITIES: Jinchūriki, Stalwart Hide, Bukijutsu Maverick, Hawkeyes, Seal Weaver, Speed of Fury [Always Active] Genjutsu Innovator [Inactive] Genjutsu Subterfuge [Inactive] Political Orator [Inactive] JUTSU: n/a EQUIPMENT: n/a

i hate that i love

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