[Yoshioka Kouki]

_❝  It was a day that was a long time coming. After having spoke with Lady Fifth in the hospital, taking time to go on missions, and meeting important people...it was time for Kouki to purposefully enter his mindscape to interact with Son Goku. The two’s relationship was tenuous if one could even call it that. Sparse moments of brevity sprinkled into an over-arching relationship of yelling and anger. Both have never seemed to meet eye to eye, and Kouki having been reluctant to speak to Son Goku was not helping either. To this day, Kouki is still haunted by his blunder in at the Chuunin Exams that almost cost him his life. It was there that he knew that as it stands, Son Goku is willing to kill Kouki if it means his freedom. For his own sake, and for the sake of his village, Kouki had to try and come to reason with the great ape.

Son Goku had been quiet throughout the day, Kouki was becoming nervous about Son Goku’s absence but did not want to let it on to others. The genin made his way to a room within Castle Black where Lady Shuka had instructed him to meet her. Upon his arrival, Kouki appraoched the door of the room and attempted to open it, but it would not open. Kouki knocked "Lady Shuka? Helloooo...Anybody in there?” Kouki pressed his ear to the door to try to hear something but to no avail. Kouki continued to knock on the door obnoxiously until something would happen.

Yuki Shuka  ⚬ Notes

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG Yoshioka Kouki - - WORDS - - -

T

oday was going to be an important, and perhaps dangerous, day. No one was more well equipped to handle it, though, as Shuka had been taught the seal to restrain the beast if things were to get out of hand. She would have guards on standby, not in the room, but close enough that they could intervene if the meditation somehow turned catastrophic. One could never know with tailed beasts. They were a great boon, but also tremendously, unimaginably dangerous.

Shuka arrived at the small training room she had organized for today's special training to find Kouki standing outside of it, knocking.

"You're going to need to demonstrate more patience than that if you want to get anything out of today," she would joke flatly from behind him, hands folded in front of herself. Despite herself, she couldn't help the barest of fond smiles. This kind of behavior was endearing for now, but Kouki would need to grow out of it quickly.

Shuka approached, taking out a key to unlock the training room, sliding open the door to allow Kouki inside. She would cross the floor of the zendo and procure two zabuton and zafu, setting them up on the ground across from one another. Next, she would perform a shallow bow to the seat, then to Kouki, as was standard for group meditation.

Finally, she slowly knelt, sitting upon the zafu and crossing her legs to enter the traditional meditative position.

"I want you to sit across from me and tell me about your goals for the day." It will be important for him to keep them in mind as they work.

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[Yoshioka Kouki]

_❝  Kouki knocked on the door several more times before flinching when he heard his Lady speaking. Kouki’s face turned a scarlet shade as he apologized. "S-sorry Lady Shuka...it’s just this is a big day is all. Kouki took one large step backwards to allow plenty of space for Lady Shuka to open the door. Kouki took a deep and silent breath as he was realizing this was about to be a bold step forward in his growth as a shinobi. The room itself was fairly simple. There was nothing ornately decorating the walls, floors, or ceiling. A simple zendo lay in the center as Lady Shuka retrieved two zabuton and zafu. Kouki watched and mimicked Lady Shuka’s graceful decent into her meditative seated position as the room was dead silent. Kouki’s nerves were starting to envelop him and he did not want to make unnecessary noise. Kouki cleared his throat. "Well, I need to clean my apartment and do a grocery run...and I guess...not get consumed and die by the monster inside me...” Kouki’s head sank slightly as his eyelids lowered halfway closed. The typically boisterous boy was not feeling very confident in his last goal spoken. It was reassuring to have Lady Shuka in the room with him, yet Kouki still felt in danger. "What are your goals today my Lady?”

Yuki Shuka  ⚬ Notes

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AI ❤

[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG Yoshioka Kouki - - WORDS - - -

T

he young man before her had a tendency to be flippant, perhaps as a coping mechanism. He had to turn these concerns into a joke because he felt them too deeply, but even in trying to find the humor he was clearly still intimidated, faltering in his confidence. It was in moments like these that she remembered how young he was. Shuka understood what it was to be so young and to have your life in peril. She had been about his age when she had broken her body against the blades of war, fighting for the glory of her nation. War was more a metaphorical beast's maw than the one he had to stare down in his strained moments, but she can sympathize with the anxiety all the same. One misstep can mean death not just for you, but for countless others. Her expression softened.

"My goal today is to keep you safe while you work on your goal," she informed him, hoping it would bring some comfort. She closed her eyes as well.

"Let's start simple. Start with your breathing. Focus on that. Take a slow, deep breath in. Feel it fill your lungs, your chest. All the way to your gut. Feel it nourish your chakra core. Then release it, slow." She kept her voice low, quiet, hoping to help him calm.

"As you release it, feel any areas of your body that are tense and relax them."

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[Yoshioka Kouki]

_❝  Kouki felt a bit off-kilter ay Lady Shuka’s response. Kouki is used to being met with either disdain or annoyance to his coping humor. It was disarming to have someone reply with a positive earnest tone. Kouki was always used to some form of push back to his demeanor, but Lady Shuka never seemed to react strongly to his quirks or expressions. She would redirect, but never outright shame the boy. It often left Kouki feeling vulnerable and awkward. Kouki followed Lady Shuka’s words as closely as possible. Kouki’s chest slowly expanded from his chest down to his belly and deflated at the same rate. With each breath, Kouki’s eyes slowly began to close as he attempted to release tension in his body. He was finding tension all over himself from his neck down to even his feet. With each breath it seemed that he was almost slouch as the boy tried to let go of it all. Realizing his posture was lowering, Kouki jolted back into a straight position with his torso, but attempted to maintain a lack of tension. "I guess I’m just a ball of stress.” Kouki sighed after the statement as he was wanting to become familiar with this sense of calm.

Yuki Shuka  ⚬ Notes

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG Yoshioka Kouki - - WORDS - - -

K

ouki's posture slacked as he began to unwind. Shuka did not have her eyes open to observe him, as she wanted him to have some sense of self-direction as he worked through this. It was important for him to build these skills for himself, even if she was here to help him along the way for now. Luckily, he self-corrected before Shuka could ever have the chance to notice, and made a joke about being a ball of stress.

"You're carrying a large responsibility on your shoulders. It is natural to be stressed by that," she informed him. Anyone would be. The fact that a youth had to be the one to master and tame it each time it traded hosts was the most stressful part of all. Children had so many inner turmoils they already needed to struggle with as they grew and learned. The bijuu was just another to the endless list.

"But we are also here to learn that you can wield responsibility without being overwhelmed by it. You need to be cautious, but not afraid," she informed him. She kept that low, even voice as she spoke, almost melodic.

"Remember, always remember, no matter what happens - this is your body. No matter what it holds, that hasn't changed. You have the ultimate authority over it."

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[Yoshioka Kouki]

_❝  There was almost a sense of joy in how Kouki was beginning to feel. What typically kept his brain busy with worry seemed to die down in almost a whisper. Kouki was merely feeling the sensations of his torso expanding and contacting as air passed in and out of his nostrils and into his body. His focus shifted from his body to Lady Shuka as she spoke. Her voice was only loud enough to be heard as it resonated within the room. Kouki could have swore it was as if she was speaking at all angles simultaneously. As Lady Shuka gave him her words of encouragement, Kouki shaped his hands into fists and gripped tightly in recognition of her words. "Understood.” Kouki, with eyes still closed, furrowed his brow as he spoke. Even though there was a tinge of doubt within him, Kouki did not want to appear weak to his leader. "Lady Shuka...what is the next step? I’m ready to face him now.” Kouki assumed Lady Shuka would know who he was talking about.

Yuki Shuka  ⚬ Notes

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG Yoshioka Kouki - - WORDS - - -

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eady to face him already? It seemed quite quick in her mind. She hoped he wasn't pushing himself to do it too soon. However, if he was feeling confident, she did not want to cast doubt upon this and ruin it for him. In this moment, she would trust in him to do the right thing, to understand his own capabilities. That was as important a part of this exercise as anything else. He needed to have faith in her and she needed to have it back. That would be the most important thing to keeping him stable.

The next step... What would she call the next step of meditation? It was such a nebulous thing. Could be different things to different people at different times. She would consider that for a moment before providing her careful answer.

"Continue your breathing. In, out, slowly. Just focus on that for a moment. Just your breathing, nothing else, concentrate as it comes in, goes out. Soon, your mind will begin to wander naturally. Like water down the river, flowing towards its outlet. Follow it for a moment, coasting over the top," she explained. "You'll end up where your mind needs to be. Just remember that you can always pull yourself back by returning your attention to your breathing."

With those instructions laid, she would go quiet, focusing on her own breathing, allowing him quiet to concentrate.

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[Yoshioka Kouki]

_❝  Kouki, with eyes closed, followed Lady Shuka’s words as precisely as possible. He did not want to fail her where he needed to be at his best: controlling the biju. Kouki focused on the unique physical pressures of his lungs being filled to max capacity and complete emptiness. It was like how Lady Shuka described. It was like his brain was a raft flowing and moving to....somewhere, but he had to trust where it was going. Kouki could almost feel the sensation of falling but at a very slow pace, like a leaf swaying down from a branch unto the ground. The natural black darkness one sees when their eyes are closed began to be filled in by a picturesque, snowy mountain with smoke billowing from the top. A bright, yellow moon shined brightly upon the mountainside. It was snowing and there was a strung gust of wind whirling around. Kouki did not feel any sensation of cold strangely enough. Ahead of the young lad was a cave opening that led into the mountain. Even though this all had felt like he was teleported to another place, Kouki was still in the meditation room with Lady Shuka. Kouki spoke within the room as his eyes remained closed and his body in a meditative posture. "Lady Shuka...I’m...at the mountain...like the one before I lost control at the exams...I’m going to go in.” One with observant senses could see and hear Kouki’s breathing becoming ever so slightly shallower and quicker after expressing his intent.

Yuki Shuka  ⚬ Notes

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG Yoshioka Kouki - - WORDS - - -

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teady breathing as he focused. Shuka watched him closely, trying to see how he was doing, how his concentration seemed. His posture was good, the tempo of his breathing was calm and consistent. Then he informed her that he was at the mountain. This was where he had been when he lost control, before he fell into his coma and had spent a long while unconscious. This could be dangerous, and yet, she had to trust him to try. He would never develop his skills and come to trust himself, to trust the creature inside him, if he could not take this step.

"Good," Shuka said, voice still low. Hopefully he could still hear her, even in that place. She noticed how his breathing shifted. He was anxious. Afraid, even. The creature inside was one he was afraid to face. He was probably afraid of losing control again, of falling into a long slumber again, or possibly even of dying this time.

"Keep your breathing steady," she reminded. "Slow, even. Breathing is the center of your control. As long as you can keep it under your command, you'll be alright." That was why re-focusing on breathing was going to be what could pull Kouki out if he got into trouble. Breath was the center of life, nourishing the chakra core. If he focused on his breathing, he would be in command.

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[Yoshioka Kouki]

_❝  As he entered the cave, Kouki could feel the the breeze and snow pass by him and glide into the cave. Lady Shuka’s words softly reverberated around him. It was like a whisper yet each word was crisp and articulated. Upon hearing her words, Kouki focused his consciousness back out into reality so that he could say, "I understand Lady Shuka. I’ll let you know if things go south.” Kouki was still in his mindscape as he spoke, but his mouth did not move in this inward reality. His voice traveled in what seemed to a telepathic way. The entrance was dark and he could not see very far ahead. Upon taking another step into the cave, two torches parallel to each on each side of the tunnel suddenly came alight. As Kouki took several more steps, another pair of torches sprang to life. This cycle would continue as Kouki walked further in. Kouki finally came to the other side of the tunnel. A soft red glow filled the large chamber as Kouki could see the grand cage that held the mighty beast. Kouki could see that the beast’s back was turned away from him almost deliberately. Kouki still was awestruck by the sheer size of the biju. Son Goku’s tails lazily swayed to and froe. Kouki spoke aloud to Lady Shuka. "I....I see Son Goku, My Lady...”

Yuki Shuka  ⚬ Notes

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG Yoshioka Kouki - - WORDS - - -

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ouki assured her that he would inform her if anything went awry. This was good, putting her mind partially at ease. For now, he was in control enough to communicate. For now, he was in control enough to believe in his own control. That would be a pivotal mentality for him to continue to carry. She simply nodded, though she knew he couldn't see, and took a slow breath, centering herself as well.

Time passed slowly, seeming to dilate in the silence. Seconds stretched to double length as she watched him, trying to read the subtly of his shifting expressions while his eyes were closed, while he was exploring within his own mind to reach the consciousness of the beast trapped within. She couldn't imagine what it was like, having a whole world cradled within your mind. Was it straining? Comforting? Kouki had been chosen because his chakra was close to the bijuu's. Did he, then, harmonize with the bijuu's world?

After a tense few moments, Kouki spoke again, and Shuka was again able to breathe. He saw Son Goku... The bijuu. This was truly when things would become risky.

"Try to speak to him," she encouraged him, voice still calm. If the two could open a line of communication, that would be amazing for them both. The bijuu would certainly never enjoy his captivity, but coming to form a closer bond with Kouki would make it more tolerable.

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[Yoshioka Kouki]

_❝  Lady Shuka’s words lightly echoed around the boy’s ears. He had wondered if Son Goku was able to hear her words as well. Son Goku still had his back turned to Kouki. The beast seemed to be sitting with his legs crossed and with his left arm supporting his head as if he was napping or in deep thought. The four tails swaying like blades of grass in a soft breeze, as the only sound in the mountain cave was the gust of wind entering in the opening through the tunnel. The chains of ice all neatly strapped to the ankles, wrists, and neck of the beast looked tight and uncomfortable. Kouki gulped, "Son....Son Goku....I’m here!” Kouki’s voice echoed throughout the hollowed mountain. The tails stopped in mid sway...after a beat...”No shit...” Son Goku’s voice was a fervent growl that echoed as much as Kouki’s did. "I could hear those prancy lil’ feet o’ yers skipping down the tunnel a mile away.” The beast stifled a laugh, and his tails continued to sway as they did before. "Looks like you chose to come visit me this time, eh?” Kouki furrowed his brow, "We need to talk. What’s going on between us ain’t workin’.” "Ya sure? I’ve been getting some peace and quiet for awhile...s’been real nice...” "Oh, c’mon...as if this is a relaxing place.” "The lack of your nagging is what made it so peaceful, ya turd.” Kouki gritted his teeth. He sent word to Lady Shuka back in reality "My Lady, he’s dodging my talk about working together. What should I do?” Within the mindscape, Kouki’s words to the outside world are not heard within. Son Goku’s tails began to twitch more. "What...No rebuttal from the lil’ boy playing ninja?” Son Goku slightly turned his head as he asked, becoming closer to wanting to turn his whole body.

Yuki Shuka  ⚬ Notes

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AI ❤

[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG Yoshioka Kouki - - WORDS - - -

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uiet for a moment, then Kouki spoke again, informing her that the bijuu was rejecting his attempt to reach out. It was sad she could not hear both sides of the conversation. While she excelled in diplomacy, it was difficult to mediate with only half the information, only one side of the story. She would have to guide Kouki through something even more difficult than meditation - communication.

"Since I can't hear him, I won't be able to give you exact things to say, but I'll try to lead you. Determine why it is that he doesn't want to work with you and try to give him a reason that your alliance can lead to a better result," she explained.

"I know he must be frustrated or bored within that realm. Express that working together is a good way for him to entertain himself, or to give himself something to pass the time with. I also know he must be frustrated at how much agency he lacks. Making good relations with you is a good way for him to share his opinions and have them impact the world. And it's a good way for him to express skill and power, even if it's only through you. Acting as a teacher, allowing his strength to be utilized by another warrior... Find a way to relate to him."

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[Yoshioka Kouki]

_❝  Lady Shuka’s words rang within Kouki’s head and still did not seem to fall on the ears of Son Goku. Kouki scratched his chin looking puzzled. It never felt to Kouki that anything he has said has ever resonated with Son Goku besides simply getting him pissed. Kouki’s only thought about this was that simply...he just needed to be different than the "Kouki” that Son Goku met. Instead of his typical, brazen self, perhaps a softer approach may help. Kouki made a deep sigh. "Aren’t you just...tired of all this? All we do is yell...like...what’s the point?” Son Goku’s tails stopped their rhythmic swaying. The mighty beast hoisted his torso and legs up with his arms and turned to face Kouki. A low thud was heard as Son Goku plopped his crossed legs back on the ground of his cage. "Tch...you’re no fun anymore.” Son Goku rolled his eyes and fixed his gaze just left of Kouki with his arms crossed. "THIS is fun? Nothing but hate and anger? I’M more than just hate and anger and...” Kouki hugged his own arm as he tilted his head with his gaze fixed to the ground. "YOU’RE more than that too...” Son Goku’s brow furrowed at this statement. "And what the hell do YOU know, Boy...?” Though softer toned, the growl in his voice was enough to portray intensity. All of the moments of being scared of the mighty ape started to wash away as Son Goku asked that Question to Kouki. Kouki turned to look straight at the beast’s eyes. "You think I don’t know what it’s like being viewed as some angry, dumb animal? The moment I was brought into this world...I was hated for something I couldn’t control. All the times I could tell people were tired of me...annoyed with me...like some disposable freak. I can tell you one thing, Son Goku.” Son Goku’s eyebrow raised in half intrigue and half annoyance as the boy spoke. "Nothing...nothing you’ve said isn’t already something I’ve told myself.” A long pause was made...only the howl of wind outside the mountain could be heard. Son Goku’s eyes peered at the young man. The ape then pinched the bridge of his nose with a disgruntled sigh. "My voice has gotten a bit tired of all this yelling...but...I guess I need to start getting a little more creative with my insults...” Son Goku made a grin at Kouki. It was a mix of mischief yet earnestness. Kouki Looked puzzled, but it had seemed that there was not malice in the ape’s voice like usual. "Look kid...you want true taste of my chakra or not?” Kouki’s eyes widened. "Don’t get used to this offer. I don’t even know if you can truly handle my power. I’m not very confident all things considered.” Son Goku stifled a chortle. The ape reached out his arm in a fist. Kouki quickly relayed this update to Lady Shuka. "My Lady...he’s actually willing to share his chakra with me...like right now. Should I accept?" Son Goku was becoming slightly annoyed by the pause. "Hmmm? You don’t want it?”

Yuki Shuka  ⚬ Notes

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AI ❤