A Destined Reunion

It had been quiet in the quaint village of Tanigakure. The Jashinists had finally been pushed back, the war against them having reached a conclusion. The Land of Rivers no longer had to worry about keeping their doors locked against the impending Jashin threat, and people were able to go outside in safety once more. Its Daimyō stands over the village, watching over it with her protective gaze. Her name is Kakeya Iyoku, daughter of the legendary shinobi, and previous  of the Land of Rivers, Kisui Iyoku. Since his death, Kakeya took on the mantle of Daimyō and pushed back the Jashinist threat time and time again, until finally defeating their leader and routing them into a surrender. Since then, Kakeya has secured the peace of her land and village, and has been hailed as a hero. The girl whose piercing red eyes provide a beacon of peace and security for her peope.

But all was not what it seemed. Out in the distance, she could see a strange man, dressed in white garbs and a black undergarment. Descending from the peak that overlooks the village, she finds herself face to face with the unknown individual. Eyeing the individual down, she was sizing him up, seeing if he was a threat or not. His white hair and red eyes were intimidating, and his stance seemed strained and heavy, as if carrying some form of burden. His body language was sending all sorts of mixed messages, emotions of anger, mercy and repentence all emanating from this unknown being.

"I've been looking for you." Those were the only words the man would muster to speak. His voice was stern, rich with a hint of wisdom and sincerity. But Kakeya was still not convinced this man's intentions weren't anything but malicious. Clinching her fists, she charges the man, her incredible speed leaving behind an afterimage of where she once stood. Despite her pursuit, the man remains in his place. Dashing in circles around the man to confuse him, she rushes him from the rear right quadrant of his position. With her right hand extending out for a punch, she delivers the strike with the full force of her speed. But the man was two steps ahead. Stepping to the right, he turns to his left, grabs Kakeya's arm with his right hand, then thrusts his hand against her midsection, using her momentum to propel her into a front flip, caushing her to crash to the ground. The counter was painless to Kakeya, but it sent a message that this man wasn't ordinary if he was capable of reading her speed. As she activates her Sharingan, she notices something isn't right. She couldn't sense the man's presence at all. But while her sight wasn't helping, her other senses were kicked into overdrive. While the man was standing still, she felt something approaching very fast. As she curves her body, she jumps, propeling herself into a side spin, just barely avoiding the shockwave that felled several trees behind her.

The man was visibly surprised at Kakeya's sharpened senses. With a smile, he nods his head, respecting the Daimyō's sharp perception. Putting his hands in the pockets of his undergarment, he notions that he no longer needed to see any more. He had seen everything he needed to confirm his suspicions. Standing down, Kakeya disengages her Sharingan, wishing to hear what the man has to say.

"You've surpassed all of my expectations, Kakeya. I have never been more proud to be your father than now." At first, Kakeya's eyes were intent on looking at the man in confusion, until she realized he wasn't lying. It really was her father. From that moment, the look of confusion was washed away by the tears in her eyes. But they weren't of sadness, rather they were of anger. With sharp sniffles from her nose, she decks Kisui in the jaw with the heaviest punch she could muster at that point.

"You bastard! How are you still alive?! I watched you die on that field, having given your very life to bring us back! How are you here?! Why are you here?!" Her voice was broken and strained, it didn't take a sharp ear to hear just how hurt she was in the way she spoke. But Kisui, having expected such an outcome, took the punch with grace and humility, knowing that she would be a storm of emotions at that moment. As she punched him in the chest, Kisui holds onto her as tight as she could, until all she could do was bury her head in his shoulder.

"I didn't want to come back. But my celestial energy decided otherwise and forced me to regenerate. I wanted to see you at that point, I really did. But if you recall, I made a pact with the Kujaku no Megami. She wanted my Rinnegan, but when I gave you my Mangekyō Sharingan, I also gave you my Rinnegan. It lies dormant within you, and I chose to run to protect you. But I decided it was time to stop running. I kept running because I didn't want you to be a casualty for my mistake. I already went through that once before, I couldn't go through it again. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I want to make amends for it." With his reply, Kakeya could find some understanding in what he said, but it still didn't help in letting go of the pain she felt when she thought he was dead. But hearing the sincerity in how proud he was of her helped to bring some calm to her spirits. "I must ask; How's your mother doing? How is Suzume fairing?" Kisui asks. He was worried at her expression, fearing the worst in her voice.

"She's dying, dad. The emotional toll of losing you has put her under so much stress. She's tried to fight it, but losing you took the fight out of her. She needs you." Kakeya replies, her voice breaking with each word she spoke. Holding her father's hand, she guides him back to Tanigakure to the house he once resided in. He could see Suzume on her death bed. A knot was forming in his throat as he approached her. He was worried she wouldn't recognize him, but the smile she had upon her aging face was all he needed to see to know that wasn't the case.

"Took you long enough, you old codger." Suzume laughs, coughs breaking in between the laughter. She was nearing her last breath, but she felt content in seeing Kisui again, even if it was in a regenerated form. "Would have been nice if you had told me you could form a new face, but I suppose you had your reasons to keep it secret, so I won't pry. I'm glad you could make it. At least I'll be in good company for my passing." She speaks once more, her voice weak from the strain of keeping herself going for so long. Kisui's jaw was quivering, the knot in his throat becoming asphyxiating as he held back the sadness. Holding onto her hand, his energy seemed to want to react to Suzume's. It was then Kisui had a realization.

"You don't have to leave this world if you don't want to, you know. I'm still within my regeneration cycle. I have plenty of excess energy to give to you. It would help give you the power that Kakeya and I possess. It would be an awful lonely world without you, Suzume. Would you be willing to accept this gift?" Kisui responds, holding tightly onto her hand. She was shocked by the realization, but she could see the hurt in his eyes. She always did want to feel like she was part of the family, but always felt distant because of the powers both her husband and daughter possessed.

"Well, you've definitely convinced me. I certainly wouldn't see you in the pure realm any time soon if I were to pass on. Would probably be very lonely up there as well. So I guess I don't have a choice. It's either this, or we'd both be very lonely, and I don't think neither of us want that. Alright, you've got yourself a deal. We're all in this together, as a family." Accepting his offer, Kisui courses a burst of his energy into Suzume. As it enters her body, she begins to glow radiantly, the light engulfing the entire house. As the light subsided, Suzume opens her eyes and takes a deep breath, something she hadn't been able to do in a long time. As Kisui pulls her up and helps her out of bed, she walks over to the bedroom mirror. She could see her new form; A figure of indescribable beauty, her hair a tinge of blonde, her eyes as golden as the energy that brought her back. This was her new form, her new regeneration. Looking back at Kisui, she gave him a smirk. "Well, I definitely think this body suits me quite well, don't you think?" With the smirk changing to a gentle smile, Kisui was in awe of the regeneration that brought life into Suzume once more, and was stunned by her beauty. But more importantly, he was happy that his family was back as strong as ever. As the day turned to evening, Kisui discussed all the things he had done, while also hearing of the tales of heroism Kakeya had provided. He could breathe a sigh of relief knowing the Jashin threat was no more. But as everyone converse, he felt his book glowing. Opening the book, another newspaper clipping appears, once again discussing the disappearance of the individual in Sunagakure. Closing the book, he gets up from the table.

"It seems I am being summoned again. I had been observing this book, which has documented some suspicious events. It seems that whenever something isn't right, a newspaper clipping relevant to the event appears within the book. I suppose it's up to me to answer the call, but would you like to come with me? I'd very much like a companion to help on this journey." Kisui explains, detailing the book that came into his possession. Kisui could see the light in Suzume's eyes was more than enough to convince him she wanted to go. But he couldn't see the same in Kakeya. But he knew the reason why, and he could respect it.

"As much as I'd love to go, this land needs its Daimyō. But you two go ahead. You've got a lot of catching up to do. But please, don't forget to come back to visit, and let me know of what you find. I could probably help with the diplomatic stuff, at the very least." Kakeya replies. Giving her parents a tight embrace, she wishes them off with the best of intentions, watching them leave the village north to the Land of Wind. She was able to feel peace within herself once more, perhaps a sense of peace she hasn't felt since before the Jashinist threat.