After waking up, Kotetsu remained hidden within the tent he found himself in. It had begun to rain again, the storm overhead picking up pace as it made its way across the sky. A nice older woman had brought a pitcher of water to the tent to discover Kotetsu ransacking his bag for anything edible. She left the pitcher and a cup, with a passing comment of food being promised. The thought of eating real food kept Kotetsu from lapsing back to unconsciousness, despite his brain urging him to lay down and nap. He savagely beat down his sleep deprivation after a delicious smell wafted in through the half-open tent flap. Curiosity and hunger led to his head peeking out of the flap, wet droplets pounding the top of his head. He began looking around in the manner of someone trying not to get caught. He was caught.
"What are you doing?"
The voice almost gave Kotetsu a heart attack. He didn't recognise the speaker, and whipped his head around to face whoever broke the silence. Water flung off of Kotetsu and onto a young boy he hadn't seen in days. The boy's name evaded him.
"Uh… Hi. I remember you. You're the first kid I beat during the fight club. You didn't come back after that."
The boy's face contorted in embarrassment at the memory before he forced it back to a neutral expression.
"Yeah… I'm Teruo. I couldn't show my face out there after… Well, you know."
"Okay. So what are you doing here then? Looking for a rematch? If so, you'll have to wait. I'm too hungry to fight."
Teruo frowned in a very Atsuo-like manner. Kotetsu remembered that Teruo was right around his age, maybe a bit older. Teruo had coppery brown hair which was wet and plastered to his pale face, cut down to his shoulders. He wore a dark blue long sleeved shirt and thick warm cotton pants. Kotetsu looked at the warm clothes with a wanting expression, having no real clothes on himself. Thinking that, Kotetsu got an idea.
"Hey… Is there food somewhere? Could you bring me some? I can't exactly leave my tent without clothes…"
Kotetsu put on his best moping face as he looked back into the tent at the meager bandage wrappings covering his body. Teruo dubiously looked down into Kotetsu's pleading face. Right as Kotetsu was sure he had Teruo hooked, a third presence appeared. The man towered over the two boys, Teruo cowering slightly as he spotted the newcomer.
"Teruo. Why don't you go back to helping cook dinner? Kotetsu and I have some discussion to do."
The man first looked down at Teruo, then Kotetsu. The man was an older version of Atsuo. His head was topped with thick shaggy brown hair that seemed like it would be impossible to brush. Like Teruo, he too wore warm clothing, including a cloak pulled over one shoulder. Teruo stammered out 'Yes, leader…' and nervously walked away, only turning a single awkward glance back. Kotetsu couldn't get any sense of the old man. The man stood amidst the downpour, frowning at Kotetsu, who continued to peer up wordlessly from within the confines of his tent. They stared for a number of seconds.
"May I… Come in?" The man ventured.
Kotetsu considered. If he didn't let him in, the old man would likely just force his way in. Kotetsu figured that if he was in better condition, he could easily take him on. He weighed his options.
"I have brought a peace offering." The man pulled out something wrapped in paper. The scent wafted forward and curled around Kotetsu. It smelled… Delicious.
Kotetsu removed himself from the flap, retreating back into his tent. His muffled voice came from within.
"You may come in."
Moments later, the man had situated himself on the ground and offered the food to Kotetsu. Kotetsu had unwrapped the package and was now busy ravaging the steaming bun, which he discovered was filled with pork. It melted in his mouth and down to his stomach with little resistance. The man watched with a slightly amused expression for a few seconds. Outside, rain continued to batter the tent tarp.
"My name is Eito. I am the clan patriarch. You have met my son, Atsuo. I'm sure you have many questions. I would like to answer a few, and this seemed like a good opportunity." Eito began, watching Kotetsu devour the pork bun.
Kotetsu chewed not-so-quietly. He gave a nod for Eito to continue.
"Your first question, I'd imagine, is where you are. Or maybe it's who we are. I can answer both for you. We are the Uchiha. You are in our home."
Eito waited for any visible reaction, but Kotetsu gave no indication.
"You… Know about us, yes?"
Kotetsu shook his head side to side. Crumbs spilled down onto the sheets he wrapped himself in.
"Oh. Well, I suppose that makes this somewhat easier, then."
Eito flashed a look of disappointment before returning to a passive face. Kotetsu continued his feast.
"You should know that we are a clan much like the Hyuuga. I think. We both possess Kekkei Genkai, as you might be aware now. I'm not too sure of their internal politics, but I imagine it's something along the lines of a hierarchical structure. Our younger members take easier or less volatile missions to build up experience. However, those types of missions usually lack a crucial element… Shinobi versus shinobi combat."
Kotetsu had finished his pork bun and sat patiently for Eito to finish speaking. He stuck his hand up.
"Uh… Yes?" Eito motioned his hand out.
Kotetsu lowered his hand, swallowed some food, and spoke with absolute seriousness. "What's a… High-err-arch-ickal structure? Also, what's a cat-key… gen-guy?" Kotetsu pronounced as he licked his fingers, the pork bun having mysteriously vanished.
Eito sighed.
"Ignore that for now. I have a point I'm getting to, and I need you to understand something."
Kotetsu shut his mouth and kept his greasy hands in his lap.
"You have proven a skilled fighter. Being able to handle my son and many of our younger members in combat, even if only a spar, is impressive."
Kotetsu interrupted with a straight face. "I didn't handle him. He was totally beating me. I only won because he screwed up."
Eito found himself surprised at this admission. From what Atsuo had told him, Kotetsu held plenty of pride, if a little misplaced. "But, you did lead him to traps you had placed, correct?"
Looking down, Kotetsu gave a short nod.
"That's what I want my clan to experience. Unorthodox fights that challenge their views of combat, forcing them to adapt, to expand their horizons. Which leads me to this."
Eito mentally prepared himself for the response he might get after this next topic.
"Your father's name… Was it Kouga?"
Kotetsu straightened and he failed to keep the surprise off of his face. His eyes shot back up to Eito's, who looked contemplating at Kotetsu.
"I am afraid that I and most of my clan are now aware of who you are. Your last name is Hoku, isn't it? You are from the Azuchi Kingdom."
Kotetsu now attempted to keep his face from showing any emotion. Eito's expression told him his efforts were useless. Eito gave a triumphant smirk, and began to pull himself up to leave the tent.
"I see. Kotetsu, you are welcome to stay with the Uchiha clan. Take your time today and tomorrow to rest… Then, I wish to see you fight."
With his final remark, Eito crouched out of the tent, leaving behind the faint smell of pork bun and a breeze of frigid air. Kotetsu pulled the blankets tighter to his chin and wondered just what kind of trouble he had stumbled into.
"So much for those shinobi rules…" Kotetsu mumbled to himself.
—
That day ended without further incidents. Before night fully swept over the camp, Kotetsu escaped his tent and carefully limped away to relieve his full bladder. He was drenched by the time he got back to the safety of his warm blankets. The rain continued to pound away throughout the night, creating a perfect sound to fall asleep to. Kotetsu loved storms. That next morning, the rain had ceased, but the sky was still laden with heavy clouds that hung low. No visitors came to greet Kotetsu. Curious, and hungry, Kotetsu once again peeked his head out from the tent. This time, he got a proper look at the surrounding camp. Tents were spaced in somewhat uneven rows, an eclectic mix of reds, oranges and blues greeted him. There were no people in sight. Looking down, Kotetsu noticed a package wrapped and waiting just to the side of the tent.
Bringing it inside and untying the rough twine, the package revealed Kotetsu's clothes. They smelled clean. Donning the fresh white-grey robes, he inspected himself. The sleeve cuffs and leg hems had been frayed after a whole week of constant sparring and Ninjutsu practice. He would need to pull out his sewing gear sometime later. He checked his injuries, balancing back and forth on both legs. His right leg still gave twinges of pain if he twisted the ankle enough. He decided that was enough, and moved out into the open camp.
Kotetsu took in the sight as he made his way through the tents. The campsite was more like the Hyuuga camp than he expected, except for a few crucial differences. Tents being somewhat disordered didn't really count. As Kotetsu wandered, he encountered the first major difference. He walked into a large open field, cleared of plants and flattened. Along one side were open tents, racks of varying weapons lined within. Kotetsu gaped at the swords of different lengths, hammers, spears, bows, and other combat accoutrements. He had an urge to touch one but kept his hands to his sides. The Hyuuga did not practice with this wide a variety of weaponry. Eventually, his walking brought him to a large fire burning in the distance, smoke leeching up into the sky. A crowd surrounded the burn stack. When Kotetsu attempted to get closer, a presence from behind brought him to spin around in surprise.
Eito stood looming over Kotetsu. Next to him was a girl- who Kotetsu could see was Keina, the girl that effortlessly downed him during fight club. Kotetsu could barely see her out of the corner of his eye as he looked up at Eito.
"You should stay put today, Kotetsu. This is not a good time to wander."
Kotetsu glanced at Keina, and found himself stepping back at the stone faced look she directed at him. He took a moment to look her over. She reminded him of the way his sister, Emilia, had looked when they lost Solomon. The fact that both of them had long silky black hair that flowed down and around their shoulders also contributed. Kotetsu nodded up to Eito and left the clearing with haste.
Keina was much like a cat studying prey, watching Kotetsu leave. The boy was far enough out of earshot a few seconds later. Eito broke the silence with quiet words.
"Do not let your hatred attach to this boy. We don't know the story behind him leaving the Hyuuga clan. For all we know, they could be hunting him."
Keina didn't respond as she turned her attention to the pyre burning brilliantly in the distance. She had started the fire. The image of those bright flames were burned into her memory. After several long moments, she spoke.
"...Will it be like this? Every time I lose someone?"
Eito gave a slight nod of his head as he gazed out at the pyre. The memories of dozens of pyres from his childhood filled his mind. He dreaded the day the children of his clan would be forced to witness that sight themselves.
"You will lose more that are close to you. I will not lie and tell you it hurts less each time. You must fortify yourself, Keina. The greatest weakness we Uchiha must face is our own pain."
Keina showed no emotion. With a start, Eito began to walk back to the pyre. After a few seconds, Keina forced herself to follow. The clouds above continued their slow march toward the west, forming an endless stream that blotted out the sun. As Keina stepped her own march toward the glowing flames ahead, she felt that even if the sun were out, she would be unable to feel its warmth on her skin.
—
Kotetsu eventually found the cooking pits. A single occupying force stood between him and succulent food. The woman, who was busy stirring large pots, saw Kotetsu meekly watching the food like a stray dog and took pity. Kotetsu happily walked away after scoring a few warm bread rolls. Having nothing better to do, and taking Eito's advice to heart, Kotetsu retreated to his tent. The day crawled by as all Kotetsu could do was sit and wait. The bread reminded him of home.
Before night fell, a clicking noise brought Kotetsu's head poking outside, only to find a bowl of hot soup. His silent visitor had seemingly come and went without him noticing, leaving the savoury meal. Shrugging, Kotetsu withdrew from the cold night air and ate the offering of vegetables and meat in silence. Hunger abated, Kotetsu fell asleep embraced by the warm blankets, unaware of the pain that would soon meet him in the following months.
—
The comforting darkness of sleep was ripped from Kotetsu as the tent flap was pushed aside completely, both Atsuo's voice and the bright sun cutting through Kotetsu's sleep-addled mind.
"Hey, get up. My father wants you at the training yards."
Kotetsu turned his bleary eyes onto Atsuo.
"...Huh?"
"Get up, idiot. And grab your sword."
Atsuo left the tent flap rudely spread open as Kotetsu tried to gather his wits about him. Putting his sandals on and slinging his sword over one shoulder, Kotetsu groggily escaped the soft blankets with much grunting and groaning. Atsuo waited impatiently as Kotetsu pulled a waterskin, sipped, then swished.
"Would you hurr-"
Kotetsu spat the water at Atsuo's feet, who danced away reflexively. Atsuo deadpanned at Kotetsu, who smiled after stashing the waterskin.
"Ready."
"I hope you are." Atsuo responded.
A few minutes later, Kotetsu discovered he was, in fact, not ready. In the yard stood dozens of adults watching as kids of all ages were busy training and warming up. He had a horrible feeling as Eito stepped forward to speak.
The kids had ceased their sparring and were now focused on their clan leader and Kotetsu. They carried a mix of somber and determined expressions. Glancing around at the sea of faces, Kotetsu gulped. He noticed that Keina was nowhere to be seen.
"Hello, Kotetsu. As you see, my clan is eager to see what you have to offer. But first, I am eager to see your sword. As I'm sure everyone here is."
Confused, but somewhat relieved, Kotetsu hesitated only for a moment as he unslung the sword from his shoulder with a smug look tugging at his face.
"Oh, you want to see… Thi-aaAAA-"
Since the day he had received his father's sword, Kotetsu had never actually pulled the sword fully from its sheath. Something about the blade had felt unattainable to him, leaving him with the sense that he was unqualified to wield the sword. Now, standing before a crowd of battle-hardened shinobi and kids he had spent the last week getting to know through spars, he regretted not attempting to pull the sword out of its sheath earlier. The moment the tip of the blade left its casing, the blade dipped straight to the ground as if an invisible hand had yanked it down. After failing to keep it upright, the tip was left scoring dirt and the sword pulled Kotetsu to the ground along with the handle. His fingers were caught under the black grip. He attempted to use his other hand to lift the blade, but resorted to forcefully ripping his trapped fingers from beneath the evil sword.
The entire crowd stood in silence, both at Kotetsu and the silver-green katana which tumbled flat on the yard. A snicker from Kotetsu's left broke the peace. Atsuo kept his hand over his mouth in a vain attempt to hold the sound back, but snot flew from his nose and the yard full of kids erupted into thunderous laughter. The adults wore varying expressions of disbelief, humorous mirth, and stoicism. The tense atmosphere that previously clouded the group had somewhat lifted after Kotetsu's unintended stunt. Dan had walked over when the crowd had begun to settle down, a smile curling his lips as he spoke to Kotetsu.
"What, too heavy? Mind if I give it a go?"
Kotetsu peered with scorn at Dan, then smiled before waving down at the sword.
"Be my guest."
Dan casually reached down, grasped the handle, and pulled. Nothing happened. With his second hand, he dug at the dirt beneath the hilt and reached in with both hands. Pulling with all his might, nothing happened again. Dan arched his back uselessly as he continuously bent and unbent his legs, attempting to lift the unliftable sword. When he finally conceded defeat, the real fun began.
One after another, Uchiha kids came forward, grasped the sword and attempted to lift it. No one was able to even slide the blade around. After 10 minutes of the kids lining up and taking turns trying to lift the sword, Eito finally stepped up to try his hand at the task. All the kids took a step back as Eito moved in front, pushing both hands out in a gesture to make room.
"Watch, and learn."
Cracking his knuckles, Eito bent and snaked his fingers around the cool grip. With a look of absolute confidence, he pulled, his fingers slipped, and he fell over backwards. The yard went silent once again as everyone tried to hold back laughter with their rapidly dwindling resolve. The first one to burst out in a long wheeze was- surprisingly- Tan, Eito's second in command. The situation quickly devolved as everyone lost whatever remaining willpower they had, racks of laughter echoing across the camp.
As Kotetsu stood among the kids laughing at the display, a deep, genuine smile split his face. He had been thinking of his home more and more these last few days.
This was not quite home. But that was okay.
Atsuo walked up next to Kotetsu, looking down at the blade. He spoke a question on his mind.
"If you can't pick it up… How will you get it back in its sheath?"
Kotetsu's smile dropped to a horrific realisation.