[Senju Michizane]

"True charity occurs only when there are no notions of giving, giver, or gift."
- the blessed one

TAG - n/a

NOTES Building houses.

Today, he was off-duty. It was a good thing too considering his recent training escapades. Reckless, lacking restraint, and painful...

A perfect test for him in both body and mind. Though his face remained untouched, the rest of his body was covered in dark bruises and he more than likely had a cracked rib or two on his left side. It didn't seem to deter him much however and so he find himself busy with a different kind of work. Alms for the less fortunate.

In this case it came in the form of him helping with the construction of homes within Konohagakure. The young man was not necessarily a professional builder, but he was practiced with woodworking. It was a hobby of sorts that he'd picked up long ago, and as it turned out perfect for assisting with this kind of thing.

He was dressed rather casually, wearing only a white short-sleeved shirt, a simple pair of grey work pants, and his trusty wooden geta. Dark brown wooden juzu hung around his neck and his long black hair hung loosely just past his shoulders. At the moment he was busy manning a saw table, taking measurements of the lumber they had on hand and proceeding to saw, file, and shape them by hand.

"Ain't you a Senju?" One of the builders asked, raising an eyebrow as they watched him work. "Yep, that's right." He replied with a smile, still focused on the task at hand. "Why don't you use some of those fancy jutsu of yers to speed this up?" The young man paused for just a moment at the inquiry... then laughed. "My techniques'd just wreck the place! 'Sides, some things're best done by hand." The worker adjusted his hard hat on his brow, wrinkled his nose and after a moment of thought just shrugged. "If you say so..."

On one hand, the man had a decent point. But on the other, he firmly believed what he said. There was a certain satisfaction to doing things by hand. In a world with chakra, such things were sometimes taken for granted. Not by him. Never by him. "Couple more two-by-tens for the joists!" A shout came from the foreman and he raised his head to nod. "Comin' up!" Placing the smaller piece to the side, he moved to a nearby stack of planks and heaved a few pieces easily over his shoulder. After that it was back to the table to smooth them out with sandpaper. He worked diligently and without complaint, only pausing occasionally when moving made him wince.

A few darkened contusions on his arms were plainly visible. He really did need to pay a visit to the hospital at some point... but later! Now? There was important work to be done.

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[Senju Kazuto]

In truth, the person he was looking for wasn't very hard to find. He had made inquiries with the elders of the clan and had followed the trail that had bee left behind. As a village, Konoha was always in a state of rebuilding. Structures that had seen better days had been torn down, others that stood strong were reinforced and kept standing. It was, much like nature, a natural part of the workings of a village. As he would look around, his eyes caught on carpenters working on their craft, preparing a scafolding for the roof or making nailing the corners of the frame of a house before the walls were truly erected. His eyes drifted on a couple of individuals that were carving a decorative element out of the trunks of trees, perhaps as a door, or as some bauble to be placed on a roof. But he could see the craftsmanship and appreciate it and a part of him felt the need of wanting to aid, to give his own spin of what they were carving. He stopped himself from joining, for as much as he would like to give aid, he was here in a business of his own. Kazuto continued on forward. Dodging the moving workers with ease, remaining aware of the inherent dangers of an active construction site, until he found whom he was looking for. He observed his kin and in many ways the two shared a faint ressemblance that existed in most Senju. But he also noticed the amount of injuries and outright wounds that he bore on his flesh. "It'd be easier to move if you recovered from your injuries." The Senju apoke, arms behind his bask. "Specially when you have to strike a hammer." He said, giving his kin a kind smile.

-tag- Senju Michizane -words- 312 -notes- --- -music- ---

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[Senju Michizane]

"True charity occurs only when there are no notions of giving, giver, or gift."
- the blessed one

TAG - n/a

NOTES Building houses.

What started out as half of a wince morphed into an expression of concentration, the young man biting his tongue partially in an attempt to mask the clear discomfort he was in.

Changing even further into a forced grin as a familiar voice caught his ear. "Kazuto! Yo." He greeted the older Senju rather informally, not just because they were relatives, but because proper manners had never exactly been a priority of his. "What, these little love taps?" As he picked up a nearby hammer to demonstrate, he stopped short and a bit of air escaped his lips. The man had a point... he really should be resting. "Y'know... you're probably right." Despite his discomfort he couldn't help but chuckling slightly.

It was a foolish thing to do working in his state, but not anything he wasn't used to. "Still, these folks need a hand. Can't let a bit of pain keep me down." As far as he was concerned, it was a natural part of the shinobi process. Of course his methods of training were a bit... unorthodox to say the least, but still! "Say, you know anything about woodworking? I could use an extra pair of hands." While they conversed some of the workers looked on in awe at Kazuto. To shinobi and everyday people alike he was a widely-renowned figure. And who wouldn't be a little starstruck about being near a celebrity?

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[Senju Kazuto]

Kazuto raised his hand to return the salute, uncaring on the lack of decorum that would have made elders from the clan scowl in anger and refer to him with derision. If anything he was glad people treated him like a person and not the title that he bore, but as Michizane would refer to the wounds as mere 'love taps', the Senju could only raise a bemused eyebrow at the prospect of his kin's stubbornness. Merely shaking his head as even picking a hammer made the younger of the two Senju wince in discomfort, not finding anything to laugh about Michizane's injuries. "Usually I'm not wrong." Kazuto replied. Still he found the dedication that the younger Senju presented commendable. Somewhat infectious even. As he would make his case and plea about helping people by aiding in the building. As the question of whether or not he knew about wood working came, a quick smile appeared on his features that quickly faded as he would notice how the rest of the workers around him stopped on they were doing and gazed at him with a sense of awe he had seen in academy students whenever he visited them. He raised a hand and nodded to all of them, feeling somewhat awkward at the attention that he was receiving. "I dabble." He said, shrugging slightly. He carved charms, statues in his spare time, baubles for his children. He had even single handedly helped rebuilt the ancestral home of Miho's Clan when they had met in what seemed a lifetime ago. "I will help you." He said, picking up a hammer that had been laid near some spare tools from the haft. "So long we go to see a medic after we're finished. Some of those ribs look like they might be multiplying soon."

-tag- Senju Michizane -words- 312 -notes- --- -music- ---

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Senju Michizane]

"True charity occurs only when there are no notions of giving, giver, or gift."
- the blessed one

TAG - n/a

NOTES Building houses.

Though the older Senju didn't find much to laugh at, his deadpan expression and response caused Michizane to stare and blink. After a few moments of silence he leaned forward, cracked a smile, and...

"Hahaha!" Laughed again. Kazuto wasn't trying to be funny but he didn't really have to, his usual demeanor made him a natural comic straight man. "I'll get you to lighten up a little one of these days, cousin." Not only was Kazuto known for his many deeds, but also his forever-serious mannerisms. Always so severe.

For as long as he could remember the man had been like that which was a stark contrast to his own breezy attitude. One might think that would place them at odds, but at least in Michizane's case he held nothing but admiration for the older Senju. A role model to aspire to if there ever was one. At his agreeing to help a large grin crossed his face and he gestured towards the table he was working at and the tools scattered nearby. Plenty of space for them both to help out and with his injuries a more brisk pace would definitely be appreciated.

With that, he returned to his sanding, not letting the pain he was in diminish the smile on his face even a bit. "It's a deal." He said in reply to the man. "Work first, then I'll get patched up. Couple extra ribs might come in handy, though..." That way, the next time he broke any he'd have a few to spare. Michizane shot a knowing glance to the older Senju before he shifted his focus to the task at hand. Only a bit of smoothening out to do on these boards and then they'd be ready for fitting. "So how've you been, Kazuto?" He asked as he worked, squinting at one edge of the plank and moving the sandpaper to even out some roughness. "Feel like it's been forever since we caught up. Anything new going on?"

It'd been some time since he'd lived within the clan compound so he was woefully unaware of the current goings-on aside from what his parents shared with him. More than clan affairs though, he was genuinely interested in how the man was doing personally. It really had been quite some time since they'd spoken. So he was curious.

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[Senju Kazuto]

"A couple extra ribs and you might risk have your internal organs ruptured." Kazuto replied in a matter of fact tone, showing some form of concern for his kin. Aside of his importance to the village and what representative he was for the clan itself, he saw Michizane as someone who could represent the future of the clan or at least the way he saw the clan. He followed his kin as he moved to continue wood working. Kazuto would follow suit, stripping from his waist up as he moved to find spare tools besides the hammer that he had picked up and immediately he went to task. Picking up a wood beam that had been neatly stacked. He lay it on its side, taking a look all the beans that had been already worked on and began to mimic the work, taking a hand plane and shaving wood, layer by layer. He heard Michizane's question, raising his head and stopping for a second before he would continue, finishing with the first peace and then moving a new one. "Can't say much has happened." He would tell him, omitting what he couldn't say to him. "Just doing what I can. The village, the clan, the family." He explained, not complaining about his situation but merely retelling. "The children are... well rambunctious." He said with a chuckle and he stopped for a brief moment. They are growing. He thought. Faster than I would've thought. He stopped for a second to reminisce on how small they were when they were born. As the shavings from the wood beams would accumulate around him he pick the beams he had worked on and leave them next to those that had been prepared, a batch of half a dozen. "I'm glad however, that they resemble more of Miho than me." He admitted as he moved to work unto a new batch.

-tag- Senju Michizane -words- 326 -notes- --- -music- ---

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Senju Michizane]

"True charity occurs only when there are no notions of giving, giver, or gift."
- the blessed one

TAG - n/a

NOTES Building houses.

Hearing Kazuto's reply only made the younger Senju chuckle again. "Point taken." Michizane might've not minded a little pain...

But internal bleeding would definitely put a hamper on his training. Still, this would be far from the last beating he'd have to take if he had any hopes of upping his durability in any meaningful way.

Years of intense exercise had granted him his incredible physical strength. Fate or sheer dumb luck had gifted him with both Mokuton and his large well of chakra. Learning to tank hits and keep on going? Well... there was only one way to get better at that. Get hit.

The man's worry was appreciated though. If their roles were reversed no doubt Michizane would feel the same. Accompanied no doubt by a healthy helping of brevity. Both Senju continued to assist where needed, smoothening out the joists and making adjustments to the lumber as was required. Kazuto's answer to his question only widened the young man's smile more as he remained focus on the sanding. "So diligent." He said, shooting his relative a quick grin. "My old man always said he respected that about you."

Senju Kiyotomo was a temperamental, overly-critical man of average talent. Being that way meant he didn't give compliments easily, but even he sang Kazuto's praises. Hearing about the children warmed his heart. "Rowdy little tykes, huh?" A small laugh escaped his lips. "Just like I was." Fortunately he'd long since grown out of that phase... but that mischievous streak never fully seemed to leave him, even now. "Seriously though that's good to hear. They've gotta be getting big now." The older he got, the more time seemed to fly by. Especially in a world like theirs where tomorrow was never certain. That his family was happy and healthy was a blessing and something he was thankful for.

Once the sanding was complete Michi threw a few of the beams over one shoulder with only a small grunt of exertion (and just a bit pain) before walking them over to the workers. Still near enough to hear his relative's comment about the kids' looks. "What? Don't want 'em to have any of that Senju charm?" He added with a small laugh before crouching down to help fit the joists in place. "Floor's almost done. Keep that lumber comin', boys." The foreman spoke.

The young man gave a quick two finger salute and returned back to the table, taking his tools in hand once more to get back to readying the beams. "Thought you were just a dabbler, Kazuto." He said, shifting his gaze between the lumber and the older Senju. It was pretty good craftsmanship from a self-proclaimed novice. Michizane could only smirk as his hands resumed their steady work.

With the both of them here and helping out they might actually finish the framing ahead of schedule. Not bad for a few rookies.

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[Senju Kazuto]

"I try." Kazuto replied, as he continued with his work. In truth his diligent nature had never been an attempt to gain the esteem of his clan when it had been denied by the virtue of his birth as an illegitimate child, he had done simply because it was engrained in his nature. The respect that Michizane's father professed was known to him after the times that he had spoken to Kiyotomo during the meetings with of the clan council, it was appreciated, but a part of him would have liked that man had shown that appreciation to his son, this however he kept to himself. "The Senju charm has proven to be a problem in the past" Kazuto replied, looking to his cousin with a bemused expression. "Yours truly is proof of that." He often meditated on that aspect, of his own origin as the unwanted child, a mistake on the lips of his father, only to prove to be the most viable candidate of a heir after his beloved sister had passed and his brothers, the twins had proved to be either incompetent or too hedonistic to be the heirs that his father had wanted and thus, the old man turned to him before his sickness fully ravaged him. It had been a wonder that the wishes of an old man had been accepted and the clan had not descended into squabbles. "Not that I resent it mind you, without it, I wouldn't be alive. Its just that I'd like my children not to grow up to have a perpetually stern face." He allowed a small measure of self-depreciating humor. Still, they were too young to tell. To him they looked like Miho, but for his wife they looked liked more like him. As he carried on, he would hear the compliments from the foreman about the progress the two Senju where doing and the reaction of his cousin when he mentioned what he had said about dabbling, a chuckled escaped him as he rose from the latest piece ha had been working on, sweat drenching from his forehead, covering his torso. "When I met Miho, I repaired and rebuilt her clan's ancestral seat." He revealed, making it seem a small feat. "I didn't know it, but I was so sure she was the one that I did it nonetheless and I only asked her to be more civil with me and... Well... Here we're. It feels like a lifetime ago." He felt like an old man, saying those words. But if people thought he was stern and reserve now, back then that was more so. He had bore his mother's name then and didn't aspire to much else than the next mission. "But, I just carve shapes for my son and daughter, so, I wasn't wrong when I told you that I just dabble."

-tag- @tag -words- --- -notes- --- -music- ---

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Senju Michizane]

"True charity occurs only when there are no notions of giving, giver, or gift."
- the blessed one

TAG - n/a

NOTES Building houses.

Hard work had never been something Michizane had shied away from, at least when the situation called for it. One only had to look to his training or being here despite his injuries for proof of that.

But of course that never mattered to his father. No, the reasoning for their turbulent relationship was... deeper. Something that not even he fully grasped himself. Fortunately age had lessened his interest in repairing that bridge and by now he was a man grown. Like many other things in his life, Michizane was learning to simply let go.

Not to balk at any future prospects of reconnection, but not to waste time dwelling on it either. "Man, you said it." He jokingly agreed about their problematic 'charm' with a chuckle. With all the clan politicking, the pressures of growing up within their family, and their instantly recognizable Mokuton, maybe it was a good thing for the twins after all. And of course Kazuto's comment about his own face prompted a small laugh from the young man. "You might be onto something. Can't have that many of us looking grim all the time." If his own ribs weren't paining him so much, he might've nudged the older Senju. Instead he only gave a knowing grin.

While the both of them worked, he listened to his relative intently. Hearing of how he aided Miho with his woodworking skills once and that it brought them closer together. "So that's how it all started, huh?" He mused aloud. It almost sounded like something one might read in a novel. "That was a kind thing of you to do."

Nice, sweet— maybe there was a different word for it but either way it was surprising. Not that he felt Kazuto was incapable of that sort of thing, it simply struck a chord with him. "I know I don't live in the compound anymore, but you should bring Miho and the kids by for lunch sometime." He said with a smile. Still busy sanding down any rough edges of the piece of lumber before him. "I'd love to see 'em all." It would be nice to have some family time.

Aside from the occasional visit from his mother, he lived a fairly solitary life on his quaint homestead in a quiet corner of Konohagakure. Which was certainly by design. It was peaceful there. And between his dogs, cat, and some local fauna that liked to graze nearby, he was sure the kids would like it. Kazuto reaffirmed his initial statement and Michi nodded with a smile. "C'mon, then."

He said, redoubling his efforts on the task at hand. "Let's get to dabbling."  

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[Senju Kazuto]

"I'll ask her, but, I would like to. Hopefully you can withstand the children." Kazuto said with a chuckle, continuing his work. This time, taking a hammer and a chisel as he would begin to shave off parts that require more control. "Although, I will say, I didn't do it because I necessarily though I would impress her. In many instances she was annoyed at me." He added, remembering how she seemed at first somewhat distant to the idea of him getting involved but in time, coming to accept his help until something was evident between the two of them. "My guess is that she just gave up after she learned that I wasn't looking for anything and I just wanted to help her." Kazuto said as he would continue with his more delicate task, the hammer landing on the pommel of the chisel, cutting and snapping from the wood in order for them to fit better against each other until he would feel satisfied and began anew with a another piece, working quickly and efficiently after he had managed to pick a rhythm, as soon a few started to become a handful and then many more. Kazuto turned to Michizane, studying the pained movement of his kin, the way that he breathed. It felt like a miracle that he could stand, he could almost feel the pain that was going through him at the moment. It was a testament to the endurance of the clan and to the stubbornness that seemed to settle on most Senju that he knew, himself included. "Cousin, we seriously need to take you to a medic. I can hear your wheezing from here." He said, this time concern truly tinging his words. "I know this is important, but, you can't build more houses if you're dead." Kazuto told Michizane.

-tag- Senju Michizane -words- 315 -notes- --- -music- ---

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Senju Michizane]

"True charity occurs only when there are no notions of giving, giver, or gift."
- the blessed one

TAG - n/a

NOTES Building houses.

A reply and a chuckle— an actual chuckle from his cousin's mouth. It only made him grin harder. "You kiddin'? I love those little rascals." He said as they both worked. 

Michizane did his best to match Kazuto's pace, but it was clear that his injuries were more severe than even he first thought. Such was the price of the rigorous training he'd put himself through. His smile held as he listened to his relative reminisce about his early days with Miho. It was the kind of story that warmed one's heart and one that showed a different side to Kazuto entirely.

The kind that not many got to see or cared to find out about. He'd always considered the older Senju someone capable of kindness, but maybe that was because of his proximity growing up within the clan itself. Not as overt as someone like himself who wore his emotions on his sleeve... but not necessarily any lesser. Just different.

"Remind me to take on some repair jobs for the next person who catches my eye." He responded with a small laugh, wincing just a bit in the process. And between that and his shortness of breath Kazuto made a suggestion that really probably was for the best. "Yeah... you're probably right again." A few muttered words as he hefted a few finished beams over his shoulder once more. "Just lemme drop these off first." Michizane moved slowly towards the structure and carefully helped place the joists down before notifying the foreman. "Don't top this baby off without me, bossman." He said with a nod to the roof, knowing it would be a few days before they got to that point.

With a nod and a smirk he was waved away and the young man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright, med-nin time." He said, gesturing down the road with his head as he glanced at Kazuto. Now that work was put on hold it was time to get patched up. "Say..." Michi began as he started to walk, placing his hands in the pockets of his pants and looking at his cousin. "You ever try fighting any of your own Moku Bunshins?" A question came.

Curious as to whether or not he was the only person foolish enough to do something so reckless. Regardless of the risk involved it did seem like a rather effective method... so he'd probably do it again.

Whatever his answer, off they went to the nearest medical-nin.

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