[Kojima Daisuke]

IF YOU ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT CRUSHING ANTS BENEATH YOUR FEET

Well that was definitely something he hadn't quite expected. She was fine with being a branch member? Fine with essentially being a slave? Not only that, but she embraced that fact?

Daisuke shook his head in shock. "That's, uh...” He muttered, turning his head to the side. "That's... A lot.”

The young sage pursed his lips, brow furrowing as his expression grew slightly sour. He felt for Shigure, in all honesty. Empathy was not something that was common place in Daisuke's range of feelings and emotions, but his heart really did go out to the guy. Maybe it was just the drink, but it was perhaps the first time he saw another male in their prime and actually felt compassion and empathy for that person rather than contest. But, it was that last part that Made Daisuke turn away from his drink and back to Shigure, his expression growing softer.

"I... I haven't told anyone this myself, but-” Daisuke paused, downing the remnants of his drink before placing the glass against the rim of the hot spring as he leaned forward, feeling his walls lowering in Shigure's presence. Their bond deepening. "I can relate with that.” The young sage said with a heavy sigh. "I think I... I always put myself in these positions where I can't get hurt, you know? I crave intimacy with people. Not just in the sense with women, but like, with my sensei Kaede, for example. He, Kota, and Don'yokuna are probably the only people that see and know me without any of my defenses up. They know me. I mean, really know me. And even though I know better, it's like... Like I'm just trying to push everyone away all the time because... Well, cause I'm afraid. I don;t want to get hurt. So I act with pride and ego, and tell myself I'm better than anyone around, when in reality that same pride and ego tells me I'm just a piece of shit who can't live up to my own expectations.”

Daisuke would pause a moment, index and middle finger coming to the bridge of his nose as his features tightened, trying to get himself to say what his mind was telling him.

"What I'm getting at Shigure, is that I think you crave that intimacy too. Whether you're infatuated with this girl or not, if she spreads though you like a drug you can never get enough of... If there is a part of you that wants more because she can't give you what you want or need to flourish, then you gotta get after it. I know I'm half way giving myself advice here, and I know that we barely know each other so who the fuck am I to tell you how to live your life, but It sounds to me like there is a lot more here that you can't just sit by and let happen. Maybe you two aren't meant for each other. If she's just gonna feel like it's her duty to marry you and carry your kid, and that's all there is to it, then she can't give you what you want. That doesn't feel real to me. That feels like it's her job to do what she says, and she does it because that's all she knows. It's not her choice, and in a fucked up way, she's fine with that. But for you, man... If you need more, then get after it.”

Daisuke took a deep breath, leaning back off his thighs and once more against the smooth rocks behind him as he started to feel the effects of the alocohol kicking in. Daisuke was by no means a lightweight, but with being in a hot spring while drinking always seemed to kick up the effects a bit for him. He could feel it now, that was for certain. But, even still, he'd lean forward and pour himself another glass of sake, placing in three more cubes of ice after the last of the bottle had fell into his glass.

"Damn, I drank this whole thing already? Well shit.” Daisuke said with a small laugh, taking a sip and placing the glass back against the ground outside of the hot spring.

"So I got a question for you, Shigure, and I apologize in advance if I'm oversharing here, or if I'm prying a bit too much.” Daisuke said, clearing his through slightly. "So this girl I was talking about before... The nameless, icy-haired beauty that stole a piece of me when she left... Never in my life have I felt this kind of attachment for a woman so soon. Honestly, I don't think I'm ever even going to see her again, and no matter how many times I tell myself that, or try and forget about her, how many rebounds I get, no many how many times I get to slip inside another chick, my mind just always circles back to her. That said... I know your situation is a little bit different, but I guess what I'm asking is have you actually experienced anything that's not your fiance? Like, are you sure you feel the way you do because of experience, or is your mind just working overtime thinking about the alternatives you'll never get to have because you've been honorbound to only fuck her for so long?”

Well, he certainly could have put that a bit more delicately...

^{THEN YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO WALK}

---

^{Hyūga Shigure}

Temp By: Akira

[Hyūga Shigure]

"an unlikely encounter". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." FROM THE HEART Indeed it was a lot. There was a lot of baggage to the way the Hyuuga clan handled things like marriage, and they preferred to keep such relationships within the boundaries of the clan, so that the lineage could remain more pure, not risking having their doujutsu becoming a rare occurrence like it did within the Uchiha clan, for example. Still, that rarely worked out well, and even though Shigure had been willing to make it work, Hanako accepted the engagement as just another duty. Yes, he believed that a part of her was slowly warming up to him, but was that really something he should be happy with? Having Hanako merely growing to 'accept' a fate imposed worked against his real beliefs. More than anything, Shigure desired his clan to be free from their shackles, their dogmas. And yet, he couldn't help but feel like a hypocrite for the happiness he felt whenever he was having some intimate moment with the woman. The internal conflict was already enormous, and it did grow recently. The young heir had sort of lost his appetite, and he didn't touch any more shrimp, which was something extremely rare in a glutton like Shigure. But his thirst for the sake had only increased, and when a member of the branch came with two extra bottles for the two of them, he turned around and thanked them with a nod, turning back to Daisuke to continue hearing his words. It was funny how different they were, and yet, how similar they felt about things such as intimacy. "I don't care about getting hurt personally... But I'm always afraid of hurting those I care about... So in a way, we are similar." he admitted, sipping from his cup. "I never had friends as a young child, I was never allowed outside of the house. My parents never showed me much affection... I only had my uncle. When I joined the academy, I was awkward. I knew people, but because I watched them from afar, and when I showed knowledge of them, that scared them away... They were always afraid of these eyes of mine..." he sighed, shaking his head, pausing once again to allow Daisuke to continue, for the cloud shinobi still had plenty to say. When he said that Shigure craved intimacy, he agreed. "I do... More than anything." another sip from the cup and he leaned his head against the rock, staring into the twilight sky. Still, to hear that they weren't meant for each other hit him like a truck, especially because - deep inside - he knew that to be true. Hanako didn't love him, she never would. Maybe she could grow to like him, but that was already a best case scenario, one that was unlikely to happen the moment he stood defiantly before his father. Their fragile relationship would shatter into pieces, too small and scattered to be fixable. "It is kind of her job... A job my father assigned to her, and as a loyal member of the branch, she will do her best to fulfill her duty..." and upon saying that, his eyes watered, he felt like his heart was shirking in pain. It was the very first time he was admitting that fact to someone else, not even his best friends knew about it. How odd it was to be having such a deep conversation with a guy he had just met. Daisuke told him to go after more and his mind immediately thought of Koume and how she made him feel every time they were together, despite any physical intimacy, it felt like they could connect to a different level. He was so deep into his own feelings and thoughts that he barely noticed Daisuke laughing about the sake, he was working too hard not to break down and cry. And yet, the Sage apprentice said he had a question for him and Shigure nodded. "It's uh... It's fine, you can ask me anything." he said, cracking a bittersweet smile on his face. Then, the red-haired started talking about this mysterious girl he had met, and how he felt this connection. After a brief explanation, he surprised Shigure with a rather intense question and he was speechless for a moment. Shigure opened his mouth but no words came out, he gazed away, feeling embarrassed and ashamed, but at the same time, the memories that were spiralling inside his mind made him feel warm, it felt good. A single tear rolled down his face, but his smile became a tad bit more genuine. "I had never felt anything for anyone else but Hanako... Until my last Chuunin Exams." he inhaled and then exhaled sharply, wiping the tear with the back of his hand. "I met this girl... And she made me feel like never before... I can't really describe it. But I felt happy and light... As if no issues in the world could bother me as long as she was near me. Her presence was intoxicating and after we parted ways, I found myself constantly thinking of her, craving to be near her again... Nothing really happened in the Land of Water, but still... It was one of the happiest days in my life. And even now... I miss her... I wish she was here, but I feel guilty for feeling those things... I'm engaged... I... I don't know what to do... I feel desperate at times..." and the smile faded away. It was clear from the flow in his eyes when he mentioned this other girl that he was in love. But he was also feeling bad for nourishing those feelings. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." Training booze and bro talk [Kojima Daisuke] [948 words]

[Kojima Daisuke]

IF YOU ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT CRUSHING ANTS BENEATH YOUR FEET

The sage's brow tightened as he looked over at his friend, clearly having internal conflicts over the tale he told. His lips pursed, setting the drink down as Daisuke leaned forward, hands against his thighs.

He wanted to help. Earnestly, he did. But, it was times like these when Daisuke truly had no words to help console another. Instead, a deep breath would cause a rise of his chest, slowly falling as he looked over to a man he now wanted to call his friend.

"It hurts, huh..?” Daisuke would finally say, breaking the moment of silence between the two. His voice was low, graveled, but there was concern to his tone. "I can't imagine what it feels like, you know. Being in love and all that.” Daisuke swallowed, his throat growing a bit dry as he spoke. "It's a stupid saying, but you and i? We're the examples of that shit... How's it go? 'Better to have felt and lost than to have never felt at all?'” Daisuke paused, picking up his drink as he shuffled closer to Shigure.

"I mean granted, I could just be talking out of my ass here, I know you didn't exactly lose anybody but...” The young sage turned his head, his lips again straightening as he thought about how dumb he was starting to sound, his words beginning to lose meaning in his head.

"Look Shigure,” he said, trying to start the thought over in his head. "I'm probably the last person who should be givin' anybody advice on romantics. I mean, I told you before I'd never had anything near as serious as what you have. But I know better than to doubt my instincts. So, what are yours telling you, huh? Are they telling you to stay together with the woman who might never feel the same way about you as you do about her because of 'tradition?' Hanging on to that sliver of hope that someday, someday she just might turn a leaf? Or are they tellin' you to follow your heart?”

^{THEN YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO WALK}

---

^{Hyūga Shigure}

Temp By: Akira

[Hyūga Shigure]

"an unlikely encounter". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." CHOICE AND LONELINESS Shigure had only felt in love twice in his life. The first time was when he met Hanako, when he was just a kid. He had a big crush on the woman, but he never said anything. It was crazy when his father chose the woman as his fiancée, for it felt like a dream coming true. And then, the crushing reality of the implications of a political engagement. His feelings were not reciprocated, and even though they did grow more intimate with time, she was always ultimately distant from him, performing her duty as his protector more so than his lover. It was bittersweet. Whenever he thought about ending the separation between the main house and the branch house, a part of him cried thinking that would put her away from him, which immediately made him feel guilty and hypocritical. It was a very tough spot to be, and it never became easy. Still, he never thought of anything else, for he couldn't even fathom feeling anything for another person, until it happened so naturally it just felt... Good. He listened to Daisuke's words in silence, the only thing he would do was to sip on his sake every now and then. When the man was finally done, the Hyuuga sighed deeply. "I never thought about choosing. It was just another thing that was chosen for me. That I was fine with because it was my duty, it was what was expected of me as the future head of the clan. The Hyuuga do not pursue romance like other people do, especially those who are from the main line." he admitted, looking up to the stars in the skies. "I always wanted to free everyone... But I guess I never really thought about freeing myself. Nor do I want that... My life is not just mine. I owe it to some people who gave their lives for mine. My purposes are beyond mine... So I never thought I would find myself in this situation, having to think and consider what I truly want..." he paused, lowering his gaze once again, staring into his half-empty cup. "Follow my heart... I don't even know if that's possible. Even if I wanted to follow it, she is from another village. And she is important there, just as I am here. But then again, if I'm feeling that this is the reason not to be with her, then I feel like I shouldn't be with Hanako either... But it's hard because I still care about her, I still enjoy her presence, even though she seems to not enjoy mine. I guess I'm being selfish... Or just too afraid to be alone again... It's kind of pathetic when you think about it..." he sighed, his eyes getting a tad bit watered, but he fought against the tears. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." Training booze and bro talk [Kojima Daisuke] [478 words]

[Kojima Daisuke]

IF YOU ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT CRUSHING ANTS BENEATH YOUR FEET

"You shouldn't think you're being pathetic for allowing yourself to feel your feelings.”

The sage responded without a second of pause before he'd reach for his drink and swirl the liquid in the glass.

"I used to tell myself the same thing. Time and time again, honestly. But Don'yokuna says it's pointless to avoid your thoughts and feelings. I'm still shit at it, but meditating on your feelings helps. You don't dwell on them, you just... Let your thoughts be. Let them come and go like birds flying around overhead. I know it sounds stupid, and like I said, I can't follow the advice from grandpa wolf that well myself, but you seem a bit more... Disciplined than me." Daisuke chuckled at the thought, taking a small sip of the cold sake. A deep breath would quickly flow through his nostrils, his chest rising sharply before he'd slowly let it out. His head falling to the rim of the pools as his eyes shut.

"I put myself down more than anyone, you know. I am, more than anyone my worst enemy, my worst critic, you name it. No one gives me more shit than I give myself.” He'd take another sip, downing the last of the glass of sake. "Don'yokuna tells me all the time to take it easy on myself. I never listen, but that whole selfishness thing, you're trying to convince yourself of right now?” Daisuke said, rolling his head to look at Shigure as his hand rotated in the air and gestured to him. "That's a bunch of shit.” He said with a small laugh.

"Don't get me wrong, we can all be selfish at times. Me more than a lot of other people, but you?” He paused, one eye opening briefly as he peered at Shigure once more before the eye would shut again. "I know we don't know each other too well, but trust me when I say I got a knack for reading people, and you my friend, are far from the selfish type.”

Daisuke would lean forward then, feeling the alcohol begin to flush his cheeks slightly as his eyes opened and he lightly shook his head side to side for a moment. "You're definitely afraid to be alone, though.” The young sage gave a smirk to his friend, hoping he could get the sarcasm and jest in his tone and earn a laugh from the Hyuuga.

^{THEN YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO WALK}

---

^{Hyūga Shigure}

Temp By: Akira

[Hyūga Shigure]

"an unlikely encounter". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." FREEDOM And yet, he felt quite pathetic, and in is own shame, he drank more, finishing the rest of the cup in a single gulp. At this point, he was already drunk, not being very tolerant to alcohol since he had only started drinking this past year, when he became of age. Deep inside, his heart was fighting itself, unsure on how to deal with its own feelings. The conflict was intense and painful. One one hand, he cared about Hanako deeply, he had always been infatuated by her, but ever since they were engaged - a decision made by his father - his feelings, his desires, they always came accompanied by intense guilt. He was the master, she was the servant. Her duty was to obey the main house, to do their every bidding and attend to their every whim. She had no feelings for him, in her eyes, he was her duty and that alone, but dutiful as she was, she took it in stride. As for him, he had always desired her, but he resisted for years, because he didn't want to be with her if she didn't reciprocate his feelings. That was true until he nearly died at the hands of the current Mizukage. The prospect of dying made him hold regrets deeply into his heart. He didn't want to leave this world without ever having felt what love feels like, and that's when they got together for the first time, but still, no matter how good it felt when he was in her arms, the guilt always came to haunt him later. He felt ashamed, as if he was taking advantage of her position as a servant. For someone who wanted to give the branch house their freedom, he felt like quite the hypocrite. And yet, he indulged, because of his own selfish feelings for her. That couldn't be love, right? If it was, he wouldn't feel the need to be with her regardless of her feelings on the matter. And that realization haunted the young man. He was selfish, he was dirty, he was trying to bury such thoughts in the darkest, most remote corner of his brain, but they were always there, sticking up like a sore thumb. And yet, Daisuke was here saying otherwise, telling him he was far from selfish, and that got him by surprise. The shock in his eyes was evident, and unable to deal with his own emotions, the tears escaped him, rolling down his face. He tried to say something, but he gasp instead, like if he had a knot in his throat. And then, the cloud shinobi told him the cold truth of the matter with a perfect assessment of what Shigure feared the most: to be alone. More tears started rolling down his face and he gazed away from Daisuke. "H-how... How can you see it through my eyes like that? Like open doors... I always felt guilt... As if I was taking advantage of her to fulfill my selfish desires... And I did that, I resisted for years, but I caved... I gave in, and that brought me some fleeting happiness, but lasting shame." he sighed. "I've always tried to fight for their freedom... And yet, I knew it, when we were together, that she was doing it out of duty, not love... That's why I said I'm pathetic... I should've been stronger, but you are right... The reason why I did it is because of my fear of being alone. This is my weakness... It had always been my weakness... Ever since I was a child, and I watched my peers playing and making friends through the walls of this place. This place is my cage... And I'm not free, I never was... Surrounded by people, but alone... It was hard growing up this way... And when I finally had people who made me feel like I was not alone, they were gone..." he whimpered, wiping his tears with the back of his hand. "But you know what is funny? I guess I matured in a way... For you see... This girl from the Grass Village... I would be lying if I said my heart doesn't want to be with her, but... I'm in peace and satisfied as long as she is happy... It's different in a way... Confusing, yes... I never felt anything for anyone else until she came around. I don't think I've ever had these normal, comforting feelings..." he admitted, with a bittersweet smile on his face. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." -- -- [Kojima Daisuke] [752 words]

[Kojima Daisuke]

IF YOU ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT CRUSHING ANTS BENEATH YOUR FEET

Daisuke would take a longer breath while Shigure averted his gaze. Despite what he said being more routed in jest than truth, it seemed what he said struck a chord with Shigure in far more ways than he intended. He could feel a pit forming in his stomach while the Hyuuga spoke more about his feelings. About his weaknesses, his fears. Admittedly, it was something a bit hard for Daisuke to hear.

It struck the sage as a bit odd, how freely Shigure would admit all of this to a man he just met. There was of course a few added factors that played in to this. Their bond forming rather quickly, fatigue sure to play a part, and the sake they had been drinking all adding more to his mind as to why exactly Shigure would divulge all that he did. It must have been almost freeing, he thought. Daisuke himself was always so buttoned up, so tense and guarded. Truthfully, what he spoke of to Shigure was more opening up to anyone that he'd done in years.

"I can relate.” Daisuke said plainly, his head turning upward as he sank deeping into the warm waters of the spring. "Not so much with your exact situation, but the alone bit... I try my best not to think about it, but... Well, it comes back when you want it to the least, doesn't it?”

He didn't quite know what to say, being honest. Daisuke wanted to provide some form of comfort, but sometimes that wasn't always the option. While it might have pained him to see, the young sage knew from his own experiences that it was often best to let out such bogged down emotions. Being allowed a space and time to be vulnerable was needed for growth. Perhaps that was why he felt so stagnant himself. He never showed emotion like this. He was much more one to let his feelings fester, and only release his pent up frustrations in isolation, or numb himself to them all together. Daisuke always knew a better way in the back of his mind, but the better way, the more productive way, the way to simply move forward...

"Change and growth was often just as difficult as it was scary.” The thought first coming to mind before he echoed it to his friend, Shigure.

"I want to reitterate here that I am well aware I should listen to my own advice if I want to grow, but Shigure, I don't think it's ever wrong to doubt yourself and your actions. We should always question the steps we take, and the orders both given and taken. What matters is that we learn from them instead of spiraling into insanity. Trying the same things over and over and expecting the results to change. And that applies just as much to what we think than to what we do.”

Daisuke would reach to his glass, a small grin on his face as he followed suit with Shigure and downed the last of his glass before standing up, feeling the effects of the alcohol he'd been ingesting give him a bit of a head rush.

"Come on then. Let's take the next step, huh? Stop dwelling on our shit, and get to moving. Plus, I've been soaking enough, I think. Let's get a real meal.” Daisuke would grin, taking a few steps over to Shigure and extending his arm to help the man up. "Besides, we both know we aren't really alone in the end. No matter who ends up in your arms or who doesn't, we both have a nation standing behind us. People depend on us, Shigure. We give them hope.”

^{THEN YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO WALK}

---

^{Hyūga Shigure}

Temp By: Akira

[Hyūga Shigure]

"an unlikely encounter". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." MUNCHIES To doubt one's self was only a natural part of life, and hearing that from Daisuke helped him a lot, even though his expression did little to indicate that at the time. Still, he nodded to the man as he spoke the comforting words. "That is true, my friend..." he said as he drank even more of his sake, now way past beyond the point where he was drunk. His cheeks were red as tomatoes, and his eyes were having a hard time focusing on anything. They had a decent, relaxing bath and they could definitely use some food, and so he nodded. "You are right. We need to accept change and... We have a lot of people relying on us. It's pointless to just sit here, feeling sorry about our heartaches. Honestly though... I'm glad we met... I never talked about such things with anybody. Not to say I don't have friends, but... I guess I never opened myself up like that, as odd as it may sound." he said, turning to face the Cloud shinobi with a honest and grateful smile. Then, he stood up, with the towel covering his lower body, but he stumbled and almost lost balance due to his state of drunkness and that made him chuckle. "Guess I had a little to many cups hahahaha! But food will be awesome... Uhh... I think they have it prepared! Let's follow the smell!" and as he tried to leave the hot spring, he tripped and fell face first on the floor, groaning in pain. "Ugh... That was not how I expected it to go..." with some effort, he managed to get up, and walked towards an external dinning table which was filled with food the servants of the house had prepared. Shigure whistled in awe as he saw that and then he glanced back at Daisuke, winking at the man. "Let's dig in!" he suggested, and without wasting any time, Shigure grabbed a bunch of food and started devouring it. If Daisuke didn't know better, he would doubt that man was the heir to the clan, for he ate like a drunk sailor. Well... He was drunk to be fair, so maybe give him a discount? "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." -- We can warp this one up any time xD [Kojima Daisuke] [376 words]

[Kojima Daisuke]

IF YOU ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT CRUSHING ANTS BENEATH YOUR FEET

Despite the turning phrases and thoughts coming to his mind, Daisuke felt there was admittedly little more he could say for the exact topic. He knew much about what it was to both be and feel alone, even when that was never truly the case. His time with the wolves had played a lot to that effect. He knew he had people in his corner when he needed it, but Daisuke was so much more a "feeler" than he was a man of logic, it was often hard to truly acknowledge it.

He'd take a deep breath, nodding to Shigure and letting out a small chuckle when the Hyuuga seemed to fumble lightly at getting out of the spring. It seemed the Chuunin had a bit better tolerance for the liquor than his companion, though was not to say he was any less drunk at this point. They'd consumed nearly two bottles of sake between the two of them, and that was enough to get anyone good and hammered he thought.

A deep breath escaped him as his hands branced against the pool, easing himself up and out of the water as best he could without displaying the same level of intoxication as Shigure, but just as he pulled himself to his feet, the Hyuuga fell flat on his face causing a bit of an uproar between the two of them.

"Oh Kami, Shigure, you're gonna have to work on your footing if you're ever going to come out to my neck of the woods.” Daisuke chuckled, helping his friend to his feet before the headed off to the table and sat down to eat.

It was a wonderful spread for the two of them, and without a moment of pause, the young sage would mirror Shigure and dig in to the banquet before them.

^{THEN YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO WALK}

---

^{Hyūga Shigure}

Temp By: Akira

[Hyūga Shigure]

"an unlikely encounter". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." UNTIL NEXT TIME Shigure and Daisuke had quite the day. Between their training, drinking and bonding, they grew from acquaintances to friends, and the Hyuuga was sure that friendship would continue to develop through the years to come. Daisuke was a nice guy, even though his attitude could be a bit problematic, but after their drunk and heartfelt conversation, the Hyuuga knew that all he needed was people who could be there for him, to understand him; people he could lower his guard around them, so that they could find a place in his heart. After their large meal, it was about time for them to bid each other farewell. Shigure was beat, and so was Daisuke, and while he would like to offer him a place to stay, he knew all too well that this was something his father would not tolerate, so the best he could offer was to have some members of the clan help him find his way to his hotel room. Shigure promised they would be seeing each other again, either for some training or missions together, and with that, the two would be calling it a day. The next day, Shigure would be experiencing quite the significant hangover, a first for him, but hardly the last one. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." -- My exit post o/ [Kojima Daisuke] [213 words]