The Pursuit of Knowledge [Invite Only/Eden Syn]

"Are you sure you're alright?"

The bespectacled librarian asked, her hands on her hips and her head tilted back to look up at a black-haired genin. Kazumi stood on a ladder propped up against a row of bookshelves, wheels on the bottom and angled so that it could slide left and right with general ease. In one hand, she carried a stack of several books, using her free hand to push and pull to move the ladder while still on it. She had been assigned a mission to re-organize a library after a particularly odd rush of people swarmed in and ended up moving most of what they pulled out of place.

“I’ll be fine! Don’t worry!” the girl replied. She had already divided up the books she needed to organize by genre and left them in a stack in their respective aisles. All that was left to do was place them on the shelves in alphabetical order. It was pretty simple, the only thing was that it was something that would take time. Long and tedious work. Nonetheless, she’d get started, the librarian only giving a shrug before returning to the desk just by the front door of the building.

After a short bit of time, Kazumi would get into a groove of the work so the speak. The further into the job she got, the faster and more efficient she became at it. It became a rhythm, glancing down at the book, shifting the ladder’s position if need be, placing it in the appropriate spot on the shelf, and repeat until she ran out of books in her arm. In which case, she lowered herself back down to the ground, grabbed another stack, and went straight back to work. Her only issue with this system was the limits in her own strength. Namely, her inability to carry more than four or five large books at once, making her wonder if she should consider working out on that aspect.

Even with her bit of efficiency, the task would still take hours to complete given that she was just one person and the size of the library itself. Half-way through, she wondered why only one person was given this mission. The only assumption she could come up with that sounded somewhat reasonable was that they didn’t want to give more than one person the monetary reward for the job. She didn’t think the economy was doing badly in any sense of the word and definitely wasn’t in a condition where holding back money rewards from soldiers was necessary or even understandable. A thought for another time she supposed.

Kazumi peered out a window by one of the tables set up to allow visitors to read inside. The sky was a vibrant orange, signifying the late afternoon. She didn’t think this would’ve taken up her whole day, these sort of missions never did in most cases. But whatever, she was done now and could go home and rest. Maybe she could put in a suggestion to give this mission to more than one person at a time if it were to come up again when she went to report on it tomorrow.

Eden had been frustrated by the lack of knowledge on their clan available at the Academy, or even books available for purchase on the street from vendors who peddled such things from all corners of the land for the curious minded. They had expected to at least find one or two tomes regarding the legends surrounding themselves, however, they were disappointed to find that no one seemed to have any knowledge regarding the clan or even the legends surrounding the Rinnegan save for a few excerpts describing a great Doujutsu of untold power – something that Eden had already been at least partially aware of.

It was only when Eden stumbled right into the steps of the library of Kirigakure that they came to the realization of the one place that they had not yet looked in regards to the books that they were looking for:

“Of course…” Eden said with a sigh, pinching the bridge of their nose with a thumb and index finger and closing their eyes in irritation. “How could I have not thought of something so simple…?” They added in frustration toward themselves, before then shaking their head and removing their hand, placing the appendage at their side as they brushed aside some of their short brown hair as they walked up the steps and entered the library as the sun began to set slowly behind them.

As they entered the Library, Eden took note of the rather expansive selection laid out before them and began to wonder idly just how many books were located in this one Library and how many of them pertained to their search – could it be dozens? hundreds? or perhaps … just a select few? Such a question would hopefully be answered soon enough, they reassured themselves, before then looking around for any sort of guide to this maze of books – this was when they spotted Kazumi.

Although they did not yet know the other person’s name, an immediate sense of familiarity dawned upon Eden when they laid their eyes upon them. It was as if they had met before, yet, they were certain that the two were complete strangers – at least in this world.

The recent epiphanies that Eden had received over the course of the last few years led them to believe that they had once been a part of something greater, they had belonged to another place and another time, they had perhaps even ruled over such a place long ago… yet, all these memories were clouded and lacked the clarity required to believe them as anything more than vivid dreams – though Eden was certain there was more to them than that.

“Excuse me…” Eden would say toward Kazumi as they approached, giving a small smile toward the other individual in an attempt to replicate niceties others often showed; though given their rather reclusive nature along with their contempt for most Humans, this would come off most likely as a fake smile rather than a genuine one. “Do you have any books about myths or legends? Specifically regarding the Otsutsuki Clan?” Eden asked with a slight tilt of their head, their smile fading away rather quickly after speaking while they awaited an answer. “If you could help me, I would greatly appreciate it.” Eden would add after a short pause, attempting to make the conversation as natural as someone who only conversed with Humans when absolutely necessary could.

As they waited for their answer, Eden would give a quick glance over Kazumi in order to take over the other individual’s form, mainly searching for weaknesses or signs of such as they calmly mused internally to themselves how this particular Human could be of use to them alive or dead – the general consensus was that, for the time being, they were worth more alive than dead seeing as they were providing a valuable service to the young Eden.

Just as she was about to leave, Kazumi was approached by the brown-haired individual, asking if she knew where to find a book on a particular subject. She turned towards them and would point to themselves with a somewhat quizzical expression. “Me? Oh no, I don’t - ” The girl cut herself off, her expression changing from confused to thoughtful. It shouldn’t take too long just to find a book or two if this library even had any on what it was they wanted. The Otsusuki? She had never heard of it until now. Was it some sort of foreign family? That was the Yuki’s only assumption given that the other referred to them as a Clan.

There was a bit of a pause as Kazumi tried to rack her brain on the word. It sounded familiar, but only in a sense that, she could’ve sworn she saw at least one book mention them on its cover. She raised a hand to hold the tip of her chin while her free hand crossed over her chest as she tried to remember. “I think I might’ve seen something actually…” she finally spoke, gesturing for the individual to follow her. If they would, she’d lead them to another aisle of bookshelves, where Kazumi would climb up one of the ladders she used to help her organize the library. She did so slowly, looking carefully at the spines of the books until she found one in particular, a book with a solid purple cover.

The title on the spine read “The Brothers of the Samsara Eyes.”, which it would repeat on the front cover with III underneath, implying there to be at least two others to accompany this book in a chronology of some sort, with this one being the third. While she was putting this book in particular back on its shelf just hours ago, the strange aura it gave off intrigued her, and she read a small excerpt from it before rightfully putting it back. But now, with the book in her hand, she’d slide back down the ladder, holding it out for Eden to take, if they chose to. If they would and decided to give the book a cursory read then and there, they’d see that the book wouldn’t provide any factual documentation on the Clan. Rather, it’d be a myth presented in a story.

The book told of a family of six brothers, who lived peacefully with each other in the same household. One day, however, they were approached by a white-haired woman, who claimed to be a traveler seeking refuge for the night. The brothers agreed, letting the woman stay in their home, giving her food and drink. Come morning, the woman offered something in return for their hospitality. She said she was a fortune teller of sorts, and that she’d give the brothers a fortune that could help guide them in their near future. They agreed, and the woman fell silent for a moment before she looked past the six boys, and spoke.

One of them would murder the other five over the next week.

She appologized for the grim fortune but said it was simply the vision she saw. Once she left, the brothers fell into a state of paranoia, trying to deny that any of them would do such a thing to one another. Several days would pass with nothing having happened, but their trust among one another became more and more stressed until it finally reached a tipping point when one morning, the brothers awoke to find out that one of them had been killed in their sleep. Fingers were immedietely pointed, the five brothers entering a state of hysteria trying to clear their own names while trying to figure out who among them had. The days would continue like this, a single brother dying in the night until only two remained.

There was no meeting in the morning, only an expectation that the other would come to murder them just as they surely had for the other four. During that knight, there’d be no murder in their sleep, only a battle in the middle of their household. The two fought, one armed with the kitchen knife, the other a sharpened trowel, until the other was slain. With only one brother remaining, lamenting over the body of his fifth fallen brother, he’d see a figure appear before him like a ghost.

Looking up, he’d see the white-haired woman he met only days ago, who was quick to introduce herself truthfully this time around. She told him that he was no traveling fortune teller, but a goddess. A goddess that encompassed the domains of family, homeliness, and hospitality. She said that there was no vision, there was no plan for someone to kill the other five brothers. She saw the strong bond the six of them shared and simply wanted to test its strength, and that she was disgusted with what she saw. As punishment, she would brand him, letting the world know of his sins.

The goddess spit in his eyes, turning the sclera a deep purple with six black rings around a pure black pupil. With these eyes, he saw not only what was in front of him, but through the eyes of five others. When asked, the goddess explained that he was seeing his brothers’ new lives. Each had been judged and reincarnated accordingly.

The first brother to have died was sent to the Deva realm to live a life of luxury and relaxation, where he’d never need to worry or work. The second brother was reincarnated as an Asura, a being of immense power that was driven by anger and impulse. The third brother was reborn as a ghost known as a Preta, a creature cursed with hunger and thirst that could never be satisfied no matter how much they ate or drank. The fourth was reborn as an Animal, livestock that was destined to be subservient to people until its death. The fifth was reborn in the realm of Naraka, to be tortured and punished for his sins during every waking moment until its king deemed that his karma was paid in full, and finally kill him.

The last brother, the goddess explained, was destined to live out the rest of life here, in the Human realm. He’d be forced to see every struggle and every joy that his brothers experienced in their new lives, while he walked the lands with his sins bared to everyone.

“Sorry if it’s not what you’re looking for, I haven’t heard of the Otsusuki before myself.” Kazumi chimed in.

“Ah, it is no trouble.” Eden would say, gazing up from the book with a small grin forming on their lips. “That was a rather… enlightening read, if I may say so.” They would add, closing the book carefully and placing it on the table they had seated themselves at while they had been reading the book that Kazumi had presented them with. “I appreciate your help, ah, what was your name…?” They would say, presenting the gratitude in the form of a question asking the other individual’s name as they would offer a hand to them. It was a gesture that Eden themselves did not often perform due to the fact they believed very little in traditional human niceties, however, they did so now out of a sort of gratitude toward the person that had provided them with information that not only served to reinforce some ideas that Eden had about their Clan but also gave them a prophecy which they were fairly confident that they knew what the outcome must be.

They would ensure that they were the last to live, scorning whatever God or Goddess attempted to instill some lesson upon their ancestors if the story was to at all be believed. All that mattered was ensuring that they were not the first ‘brother’ to be killed and all could be elegantly worked around to their advantage from there.

Snapping back into the moment, however, Eden remembered their hand being offered to the other individual and gave them a matching smile that seemed to almost be a genuine attempt, but lacked the actual emotion behind it required to make the emotion look authentic. “I am Eden, Eden Syn.” They would say, their smile forming into a wide grin as they spoke. “I go by Sin most often, it is a lot easier.”

After introducing themselves, Eden would withdraw their hand and lay it idly at their side while glancing around at the Library before them. The book had been marked with the numeral “III” and as such was part of a larger series of volumes; it was an intriguing concept, the only problem being that with such an expanse of books in disarray alongside the rather poor historical record keeping of the era… it made it quite unlikely that all three volumes existed in this one library or if they would even be readable if they were.

Frowning, Eden would look to Kazumi again and give them a look of mild concern while they spoke up: “I don’t suppose you know where the other two books of that series happened to be, do you?” They would ask, crossing their arms idly as they looked about at the bookshelves before them. “You have been of much help to me already, though if you could point me in the direction of another one of those books… I would be forever in your debt.”

As Eden waited to see if Kazumi had any knowledge on the books, their mind began to suddenly wander with images of the story fresh in their mind as the images and details faded away as they felt themselves being transported to a different place entirely before even managing to open their eyes.

They saw another one of themselves doing battle with a group of glowing individuals in various types of armor, one wielding a crossbow while another wielded two blades and the other wielded a massive dark blade of power, though this version of themselves that was fighting the group was clearly weaker and lacked the physical prowess that Eden felt they had – yet their appearance and their very aura was unmistakably their own. Was this some sort of dream? A day-terror? What even was this place…?

As quickly as the image appeared in their mind, it was gone, and Eden found themselves staring at Kazumi with a blank expression that they hoped the other individual had noticed as Eden shook their head idly, still waiting to see how Kazumi would respond.

Kazumi sat down beside them at the table as Eden read from the book. Whatever it was the book was about, they seemed pretty invested. She thought they might just take the book and check it out, but they seemed almost impatiently curious about whatever it was they wanted to know. Just what exactly were the Otstusuki? She skimmed over the book she gave to Eden out of pure curiosity and only remembered the name among the words. She didn’t read over its contexts or how the writer spoke of them, just that she managed to see that specific word stick out among so many others.

Once they finished reading from the book and looked towards Kazumi, the Yuki would offer her a small smile before reaching out to take their hand. “Kazumi,” she’d reply, gingerly gripping Sin’s hand as she gently shook it up and down. “Kazumi Yuki,”. Sin felt like a rather strange nickname to go by, but she didn’t see why she wouldn’t just call them by whatever they preferred. All the gestures and niceties Sin would offer, Kazumi would take at face value. She wasn’t one to look deeper into people’s actions. She liked to believe people had good intentions most of the time.

When asked if she could help to find another one of the books, Kazumi’s smile would turn into a more unsure one. “Ah…”. She didn’t recall seeing another book like the one she gave Sin. It wasn’t among the ones that needed to be put back on the shelves, and she’d think she’d remembered seeing yet another strange book that stuck out amongst the rest as that one had. “I can help you try and find one, but I don’t think there’s another book like that one in the library,” she’d explain.

Soon after she’d explain though, Kazumi noticed Sin’s expression suddenly go featureless. It was like they were suddenly pulled away from the conversation. The Yuki’s expression shifted from uncertainty to concern. She tilted her head slightly, her hands resting, folded in her lap as she’d ask. “Sin? Is everything alright?”

“I…” Eden would murmur, slowly returning to their senses as they blinked and would focus their gaze on the other individual before them. “I am fine, yes.” They said with a slightly uncertain look in their eyes as they shook their head slightly to clear the brief vision from their mind as they would regain their composure in order to offer a smile toward Kazumi. “I guess I got a bit lost in thought there for a moment.” They would say in an attempt to play off the momentary lapse, eyes moving around the library briefly before settling back onto Kazumi. Eden’s demeanor had relaxed considerably since their original meeting, appearing to be at least somewhat more comfortable around the other individual than they were originally and definitely lacking the air of contempt and disgust that they typically held for other Humans.

“I guess I will just have to remember to keep an eye out for the rest of these books - Do you think it would be possible to arrange to take this particular one home? This topic is important to me, you see, and I need at least something to reference in my notes.” Eden would ask, giving a slight tilt of their head as they did so. It was a genuine request, given the fact that the Otsusuki were not only her birth clan but also a link between Eden’s recent feelings of disillusionment with Humanity and their slowly forming belief that they were definitely something more than just an ordinary individual gifted with an extraordinary trait - they were a part of something; something larger than themselves or perhaps larger than anyone on this world… but what was it?

After contemplating for a moment on this problem along with awaiting a response from Kazumi, assuming the other individual had given them an answer, Eden would then offer them a slight smile and speak once more while turning their attention toward the entrance of the library.

“I appreciate everything that you have done for me, Kazumi – not many Humans seem to have the willingness others as you do.”  They would say, waiting for a few moments before making their way toward the door of the library before stopping and turning their attention back toward Kazumi. “Actually, I don’t suppose that I could ask if you would like me to buy you something to eat? I owe you one, after-all, and I would not want to leave you without thanking you properly for your kindness.” They would offer, returning to their position beside the table from before while looking to Kazumi with a rare, genuine smile on their lips. They genuinely did appreciate the help that Kazumi had provided, the book they had been able to read or perhaps even procure for themselves serving as an excellent start to their research into their native Clan and perhaps as a method of discovering further details surrounding themselves and their true history, beyond that of their Human life that bore little meaning to Eden in the grand scheme of it all.

If Kazumi accepted the offer, Eden would then hold out a hand to the other shinobi and wait for them to either accept or deny the hand before leading them away from the library in the case that they had accepted the offer, making their way toward the not too distant culinary district of the Marketplace.

Internally, Eden’s mind was abuzz with so many thoughts and theories regarding themselves as a result of not only the book but the strange vision that they had only mere moments ago. Could they actually be just a sort of … reincarnation? But of who? Or what? Was that perhaps why Eden felt so estranged from Humanity as a whole and believed themselves as a sort of ultimate outsider? It was still too early to say, Eden assured themselves, but regardless – it left a lot of questions buzzing in their mind that would need to be pondered significantly over the course of their research into their Clan and themselves.

“I would say so,” Kazumi replied. Just what was that all about? She would just assume that Sin had a tendency to space out at times, yet the uncertainty in their eyes made the girl think otherwise. She’d dismiss it for now at least. She didn’t see a point in digging further into something such as this unless it were to become a problem later on. She’d instead simply offer a smile in an attempt to comfort the other and try to alleviate the situation as the topic shifted.

It did seem strange though, how only one book out of a supposed series was all she could find out of at least three. The only explanation Kazumi could come up with was that someone had checked the others out. Why they’d do so without taking the third confused her more though. She could probably come up with a chain of possible explanations, but that required her to think up more excuses to justify them. The likely answer was probably the one that required her to make the least amount of assumptions, and that was that the library most likely only had the one book.

That would mean that Sin’s search would come to a dead end though, and she didn’t like to think that way. As they’d ask about taking the book they had found home with him, Kazumi would quickly reply. “Oh, yeah. We’d just have to check it out is all,” she gestured with one hand over towards the front desk of the library. “You’d just have to bring it back eventually or get your borrow time extended.” she clarified. Seemed like a bit of a silly thing to ask, but she wouldn’t verbalize the thought.

As Sin spoke, particularly when they used the word Humans to refer to others they tried to have help them on this search most likely, the Yuki had to refrain from giggling. Instead, her smile would only widen, albeit slightly. While normally, using such wording would pin someone with a god-complex of some sort, thinking they were above those around them. But strangely, Kazumi would just find it kind of cute. “I’m sorry you’ve had so much trouble getting help, I know some people can be unwilling at times, so I try to make up for it.”

Hearing the offer of food, the girl turned her attention back to Sin, clearly perking up. “Oh! A bite to eat sounds like it’d be wonderful! Did you have a place in mind? Because I know this great place in the market run by one of my father’s friends.” She was clearly excited, her energy only subsiding as the was offered a hand. Somewhat bashfully, she’d take their hand, walking with them as they’d check the book out and begin to make their way towards the market.

Eden was most definitely pleased by the fact that they were allowed to check out the book and take it back for further studying at their home. They would need to spend several hours pouring over the details and attempting to wring any sort of useful information from among the legend itself, possibly giving them some sort of hint as to what they needed to do in order to ensure their survival if possible; but it was research that Eden could truly get lost in, something that they were more than willing to do in their own free time.

When Kazumi mentioned visiting a location that she was familiar with, Eden would give the other individual a nod and the same genuine smile as before as they spoke up in turn:

“That sounds more than fine.” Eden would say, giving a small light-hearted laugh. “As long as we can get a big meal, I don’t think that my own stomach minds all too much.” They would say in what was an even rarer moment of actual friendliness that even Eden themselves felt strange displaying. They were so used to the utter contempt that they held for most Humans in general that they were surprised, even by themselves, when they displayed anything other than that contempt toward someone not like themselves.

“Say, Kazumi…?” Eden would say as they walked, idly giving the other’s hand a light squeeze. “Do you… believe in reincarnation or anything like that?” They would ask, and if they would inquire further, Eden would go on to say. “Or maybe have you ever thought you were meant to be a part of something – bigger?” they would add quietly, their gaze moving to the sky for a brief moment as they waited for a response.

Afterward, if their question was inquired upon any further or if Kazumi had replied in the positive toward such ideas, Eden would go on to speak a bit further on the matter they had brought up:

“I have just always felt like I was ... meant for something bigger, like I don’t belong here – but I just don’t know what, or why, and that book only gave me more questions about myself…” They would say in a thoughtful manner, their expression becoming one of faint sadness. “I know it all probably sounds weird or stupid – I just ... I just feel like I’m not really Human.” They would say with a slight frown, allowing Kazumi time to process and respond to the assertion of the young Eden as they continued on their way toward the food stall or restaurant that Kazumi had mentioned.

“Maybe just forget I mentioned all that…” They would say after a long pause, squeezing the other’s hand a little tighter though not so much so as to be painful or uncomfortable. “I guess I’m just a bit out of it lately, let’s just enjoy our food, yeah?” They would then suggest in an attempt to lighten the mood, a strained smile replacing their frown as they waited for Kazumi to respond.

Internally, their mind was still racing, though now Eden had a feeling that they were utterly unfamiliar with, something that they believed they were experiencing for the first time: They were afraid of being judged by this Human, by this stranger that they barely knew, they wanted them to like them and they wanted them to accept them … they were scared of being rejected by them, but why? They had never felt such things about anyone beforehand, not even their own family, yet here they were; holding the hand of a near stranger and never wanting to let go.

The idea of getting to bring yet another friend to Kobayashi’s got Kazumi excited. She always felt that he was a good cook, but it seemed just that wasn’t enough to get him a steady flow of business. Hopefully, they’d end up a regular. On that note, she might ask if Calin had come by after she first showed him there. He seemed to like it, but she doubted the thought that he even ate, given how skinny he was. Maybe that was something she should look into as well, if that boy was even eating to begin with.

It wasn’t until Eden spoke once again as the two were walking through the streets of Kirigakure that Kazumi would come out of her state of absentmindedness. She looked back to the other, giving them a curious look as she listened to their question. Reincarnation? Being part of something greater? Well, of course she believed in reincarnation. It was a pretty basic concept to grasp and one that helped to instill a sense of morality in those who would otherwise have none. But to think that she was part of something greater, not simply involved in, but to be an actively working piece?

“I…can't say I’ve given the idea much thought,” she’d reply, giving Eden a reassuring squeeze of her own hand as she spoke. She continued listening to try and get a better understanding of what it was they were talking about, but it sounded so far from anything she ever experienced before. The only thing that came close to this kind of identity or existential crisis was years ago, and it was something she preferred not to look back on. But she felt it kind of paled in comparison to how Eden was feeling. The idea that they weren’t even human? It sounded like they were having a difficult time feeling as though they belonged. Like they were alienated from the rest of the village.

As they tried to dismiss their own thoughts in favor of trying to forget and just have a good time eating, Kazumi would shake their head. “I can’t just ignore all of that, Sin,” she began, her free hand anxiously into the pocket of her pants as she turned her head, her eyes shifting more so towards the ground as she continued. “Now, I wouldn’t say I’ve felt exactly how you are right now, but I think I’ve gone through a similar situation,”. She didn’t have much of an idea as to where she was going with this. She didn’t exactly want to dump the last six years of her life to a total stranger in an attempt to comfort them. But being so vague might just make her look dumb and make the situation worse.

“Just, when it comes to who you are, there aren’t actually as many things to consider than you’d first think,” She began, her grip tightening slightly on the other’s hand. “You can’t think about what’s convenient for other people, or how they’ll feel about it all or anything like that. Just, you have to think about what’s going to make you the happiest.” she tried to explain, her hand reaching out from her pocket to the back of her neck, rubbing it anxiously.

“Cause, you know, at the end of the day, despite everything, you’re still you. So you can’t let all of it weigh down your shoulders. You just have to focus on who you are.”

Kazumi’s words would cause Eden to fall silent for a few moments, awestruck, their eyes widening somewhat as they would then appear to think over the implications of what had been said to them for a few moments before they would speak up with a slight smile on their lips:

“…Thank you, Kazumi.” They would begin, giving a slight bow of their head toward the other woman in a show of extreme gratitude to them for what they had told them. “That actually helps me a lot.” They would then add, now moving to place their free hand over the top of the other that was holding onto Kazumi’s own, effectively embracing their single hand in both of theirs. “You have done a great deal more for me than anyone else ever has – I think, because of you, I am beginning to understand who I am a bit more and; as you said, I must not worry of what others may think and instead follow and discover my own happiness.” They would say, releasing the extra hand from Kazumi while remaining their hold onto the other’s hand with their own still as they finally made their way up to the particular restaurant that Kazumi had earlier suggested.

“You are the first Human that I think that I have ever truly considered a friend in this world, despite the fact that you have only known me for such a short amount of time…” Eden would say quietly as they entered, eyes glancing to the side at Kazumi as they walked. “In that short amount of time you have shown me more kindness than I think anyone has before – or ever will, since.” They added, their expression turning somewhat solemn. “You are the only Human I think that I could find myself trusting, Kazumi.” They whispered after a short pause, carefully working to intertwine the fingers of their hands together if allowed to do so. “I know that may sound silly to you, but it’s true, at least to me.” Eden would conclude, finally releasing their hand from Kazumi’s as they found a place to sit within the restaurant if Kazumi did not guide them to one beforehand, taking a seat if such was either offered or found as they would continue to look toward Kazumi with an expression that suggested the recent discussion between the two had awakened a much more delicate or at least less cold side of Eden that they may have presented themselves as previously due to their general distaste for most of Humanity.

“Already you are a better friend than Aryn ever was…” Eden would say quietly with a sigh, brushing aside some of their hair idly with one hand. “Can I count on you to not leave me alone, Kazumi…?” Eden would ask somewhat abruptly, looking up toward Kazumi with a surprisingly anxious look in their eyes compared to the usually confident and somewhat disillusioned demeanor that they typically held. “I just need to know that I have someone in this world that I can depend on, and I was hoping that someone could be … You.” They would await a reply while fidgeting with their fingers, their young age showing in how they seemed to believe that Kazumi would either abandon them so quickly or that such a request was something to be feared – yet Eden could not entirely be blamed for this, as such a similar promise had been broken not too long ago and by someone that they had considered, at one point, a close friend.

It was Eden’s hope that Kazumi was different, that they would not leave them, and that together perhaps … Eden could discover who, or what, they truly were and how they could use such to their advantage. They did have an end goal, after all, or at least the general idea of one: They would reunite with the world or being that they came from, no matter what it took.

Kazumi’s cheeks turned a faint shade of pink as Sin place their other hand overtop of her’s. She gave an anxious smile as she’d listen to the other speak, thanking her for her kind words and the insight she’d given them into their identity. She wouldn’t exactly call herself an expert in any sense of the word. She couldn’t really provide Eden with anything substantial that might actually help their situation. What she could give however was what she wanted when she was going through this issue herself six years ago. She didn’t have anyone to give her comforting words or even explain to her what it was she was feeling. She wouldn’t wish that sort of confusion and confliction on anyone.

“I’m uh - glad I could help,” she’d reply. There they went using that word again though, Human. Eden must’ve had some sort of superiority complex or just something along those lines. But that didn’t make all that much sense to her at the same time. Someone with that kind of complex was usually very confident and certain in themselves and their decisions. They didn’t have questions about who they were as a person. But, Eden did. The only conclusion Kazumi could draw was that the way they spoke wasn’t from a complex of some sort. But rather, they were convinced that they were different from others in such a drastic way, and simply accepted it as a fact instead of holding it over others.

As the two sat down at a booth in the restaurant, simply titled Kobayashi’s Eatery, Kazumi sat across from Sin. “I don’t think you should set aside everyone else just yet,” she’d reply as they spoke about their lack of trust in other people. “There’s plenty of good people, you just need to meet the right ones. I know a few myself that I’d consider close friends!” That was a lie. She only knew one, Calin, and even he could feel distant at times. He was the only other person she felt comfortable being around, he was the closest thing to a normal person she could find in the entire village. As a result, she attached herself to his hip out of desperation.

But she didn’t want to say that. That most of everyone she encountered was peculiar in a less than desirable way. She’d come off sounding like she was arrogant, or like she had some refusal to get along with others. But most importantly, she didn’t want Eden giving up on others. Nothing good came from feeding the feeling that others couldn’t be trusted. Then Eden asked their question, which threw the girl for a bit of a loop. It felt a bit sudden, she wasn’t expecting anything remotely like that. It only made her think, what happened to Sin that made them have these kinds of trust issues?

“Well, I can’t very well leave you alone now,” she said, nervously chuckling. “If you need someone that you can trust to not abandon you, I’ll be more than happy to be that person, Sin.”

Eden seemed to be doubtful of Kazumi’s assertion that there were other good people out in the world, their personal experience had so far lent itself to making the young Eden believe that most of Humanity were a wicked and detestable bunch that did little more than find new reasons and methods to kill one another. It was a bit of a hypocritical line of thought, of course, as Eden themselves often wished for the power to kill Humans but this was mainly aimed toward those who Eden believed wronged them in one way or another and not those like Kazumi who had done nothing but help.

It was not that Eden believed that Humanity was completely and utterly irredeemable, they believed that they could arguably be saved if someone such as themselves were to gain the power required to reshape the world… though that was something that would take years, possibly even decades, and in the interim it was just as reasonable, in Eden’s eyes, to simply kill those who did not fit in line with their vision for a perfect world.

Unlike most who held such lofty goals, however, Eden’s idea of a perfect world was not one of plenty or one of perfect equality or any such a similar concept – it was a world in which they would lay waste to and make barren such that it could be the soil for a New World, or New Eden as they affectionately envisioned such a place in their mind. This New Eden would be a world in which Eden dominated completely and used the Humans present in order to gather enough power to one-day rupture space and time itself, reuniting with their other self across the dimension which they believed themselves to have originated from.

Of course, if Humanity decided it was going to put up a fight or those of this world got in their way – Eden was not afraid to just kill them all if that was what it took to awaken the birth of a New Eden. They would reset this world one way or another to its default state and, in doing so, create a new domain for themselves to rule in the process.

All of this was most certainly something that would come much later on, but Eden could not help but fantasize now and then about how glorious it would be once they finally reunited with their original selves – once they found them, or who they truly were, that is.

Bringing themselves back into the present, Eden would smile graciously in response to Kazumi’s response to their question regarding whether or not the other could be trusted to remain by their side. It was a comforting feeling, to have someone that you could trust and know that they would be by your side – the fact that they had only just met that day mattered not, only that Kazumi had made her promise and that Eden would speak up toward them with a cheerful demeanor and tone in their voice:

“I promise that you will not regret that choice, Kazumi.” Eden would say, letting out a small sigh of relief. “We’re partners now, allies, friends, whatever you want to call it – I will be by your side whenever you need me from now until forever, I promise you that.” They would add, closing their eyes as they beamed a bright and cheerful smile toward Kazumi. “You’re even free to sleep-over whenever you want.” They would say with a soft laugh, their worry and anxiety fading once again to now give way to a jovial disposition that made them appear much more like their young childish age. “I’ll be sure to save a pillow for you!” They would add further, wiping away a happy tear from their eye as they opened the two currently soft red almost brown eyes that they currently had.

When the time to order came, Eden would order themselves a simple bowl of noodles and beef and allow Kazumi to order whatever they wanted while idly kicking their legs back and forth at the table in an idle manner and waiting for the server to leave to place the order before speaking up again:

“Hopefully it’s not too late after we get done eating – I was hoping to spend some more time together.” They would say, glancing out of a nearby window. “But it looks like it’s getting pretty late and my brother would be upset if I stayed out for too long on my own – He’s pretty protective, you know?” It was, of course, a slight lie. Eden’s brother was hardly around in the village due to various reasons but it did not mean that the man did not care for the young Eden, nor did it mean he would be any less upset to learn that they had spent the day around a Human and not only that – had made a friend of one, at that!

Continuing to wait for the food to arrive, Eden would wait to see if Kazumi had anything further to say and would be listening intently in the event that she did. Eden was utterly captivated by the other shinobi and would probably listen to her list off the ingredients of their dinner if they so wished, so it was safe to say that Eden had no qualms about letting Kazumi speak or respond to their own assertions or even go so far as to question Eden about something – whatever the case, all that mattered was that Kazumi remained by their side and that they were able to convince the woman of their worth, not just as a friend but as anything that Kazumi wished for them to be.

Kazumi felt a hint of unease as Sin said that she wouldn’t regret her decision. That she had a partner and friend for life. Maybe it was the way that they referred to seemingly all others as humans, separating themselves from others for a reason she didn’t quite know, but she worried about the kind of companionship she’d have with them. Maybe she could teach them not to have such contempt for so many without giving them a chance. Though, she had a feeling that would prove to be a challenge in of itself.

As it came time to order their food, Kazumi herself would order a large beef bowl, Kobayashi giving a soft sigh through his nostrils with his lips formed into a smile before he’d head back to prepare the two’s food. “How about I sleep over tonight?” the girl asked after the man had left. “I think the Mizukage’s office will be closed by the time we’re done eating, so I’ll have to wait until morning to report on my mission anyway,”. She was hoping to report right after she got done, but between finding the book for Sin and now going out for dinner, too much time seemed to have passed.

As Eden mentioned having a brother, Kazumi’s eyes widened slightly, her smile growing wider. There was someone else that they didn’t hold with the same contempt as the general populous? Well, it made more sense than others. It was their brother, after all, it wasn’t strange or out of place to hold one’s own family in a higher regard than complete and total strangers. “Ah! A brother?” she’d ask. “If they’re so protective, it just means that he cares about you a great deal!”. Hearing her not talk about them immediately with a tone of disdain gave the Yuki a sense of relief. Eden wasn’t so antisocial that they’d cut themselves off from their own family.

After a bit, the two’s food would arrive, steaming hot and served with complimentary water. Kazumi wouldn’t wait very long before digging into her food. She broke apart her chopsticks and picked up her bowl, her thumb held on to the ridge of the bowl while her four fingers held it up. She brought the bowl to her mouth, and rather than meticulously picking piece by piece up with her utensils, she took on a different approach. She insisted on simply shoveling food into her mouth and hastily eating, comparable to a hungry animal

Eden would have to admit that they felt somewhat nervous when Kazumi suggesting sleeping over. It was not the act itself that worried them, but the implications of allowing the girl to do so and the fact that, unbeknownst to Kazumi, their Brother was firstly not even a Human but a half-brother that belonged to the Yokai and secondly, that he was very wary of Humans due in part to Edens constant warning and ranting about them as well as his unusual appearance resulting in him receiving more than just a disdainful stare whenever he left their house – this would definitely require a bit of poise to pull off properly, but Eden was confident enough in themselves that they believed it to be possible.

“Of course,” They would say in response to Kazumi’s first request, giving her a gentle smile before then going on to respond to the assertion from Kazumi about their brother caring much about them due to his incessant worrying. Something that they could not wholeheartedly agree with, but the way in which Kazumi said it along with the fact that it was her saying so made Eden at least consider the possibility that, perhaps, it could be true. “I suppose –” They would begin, giving a slight tilt of their head to the side as they gave Kazumi a thoughtful look. “I always thought that was just what a brother did, but maybe it means more than that.” They would add, beginning to speak up further when the food would arrive and cause them to fall silent in awe at the wondrous meal that had been placed before them.

Truth be told, Eden had rarely enjoyed a well-cooked meal as their Brother was their only other primary source of food and he was anything but a skilled cook; as a result, this meal was perhaps the most appetizing thing that they had seen in months and would quickly be devoured in similar fashion to Kazumi with an animalistic zeal.

After finishing their meal, Eden would pay for both of their meals along with leaving a generous tip for the owner of the shop as a show of gratitude for some of the best food they had eaten in recent memory. They would then wait for Kazumi to make themselves ready before offering their hand once more and leading them out of the shop and away from the marketplace district to a humble household that served as their temporary housing while Eden and their Brother attempted to find somewhere more spacious within the Village.

The house that Eden and Kazumi would arrive at was plain and lacked much flair to it; save for a couple of flower beds which lined either side of the pathway leading up to the front door and seemed to be in rather good condition judging by the brightness of the plants themselves and the lack of any sort of disease or defect in any of them. Other than this, the home was in the traditional style and Eden would enter the building without knocking as the two made their way up to, and then through, the doorway to Eden’s home.

The inside of the home was as simple as the outside, with an air of refined elegance and lack of material possessions that seemed to be representative of someone who was either poor or at the very least did not believe in flaunting their money around. Kazumi would likely not have time to question the matter before being caught off-guard by a sudden male voice which would faintly echo as strange-sounding foosteps approached the two:

“Eden…?” The voice said, followed by a shocked secondary question. “Is that a Human…?!” As the male said this, sparks would begin to illuminate the room that was otherwise only lit by dim lanterns and reveal the form that was only a short distance away from Kazumi herself.

The male in question was most certainly not an ordinary Human, he stood at a height well over six feet, perhaps almost seven by the looks of it, with a somewhat lanky build and a thick black cloak with an insignia sewn into the chest of a red heart with small white wings extending from either side. He was covered from head to toe in white fur accented with black markings, curled horns extending from the top of his head and long white ears resembling that of a goat hung down almost like hair on either side of his head. Glistening purple eyes were narrowed in suspicion toward Kazumi as the male’s hands continued to gather what was now clearly lightning within them, however, Eden would step forward and put themselves between Kazumi and the Male.

“This Human is my friend, their name is Kazumi of the Yuki Clan – She helped me a great deal today and has done nothing to wrong me.” They would quickly say, narrowing their gaze toward their sibling before then stepping aside and gesturing from Kazumi to the male before them. “Kazumi, this is Asriel, Asriel Yokai – My half-brother and overeager protector.” They would say, Asriel slowly lowering his hands down to his sides as the chakra dissipated and he would quickly offer an apologetic hand-shake toward Kazumi.

“Er… Nice to meet you, Kazumi – Sorry, we just don’t get a lot of guests.” He would say, narrowing his gaze slightly into return toward Eden. “Especially Human ones.” He added before his expression softened entirely and he would then give Kazumi a warm smile instead of the previously shocked and somewhat hostile expression. “But hey, any friend of Edens is a friend of mine.” Asriel would say with a soft laugh. “I’ll go grab some tea to make it up to you, how’s that?” He would then add, before then quickly moving out of the room in order to fetch tea as Eden would give a sigh of relief that the matter had been resolved easily enough.

“Sorry if he scared you at all, he can be a bit overeager like I said, he doesn’t hate Humans… As long as they’re like you: Kind, Warm, and do not hate us simply because we are different.” Eden would say after the male had left, leading Kazumi gently along into a small living area with a kotatsu and taking a seat at the heated table and gesturing for Kazumi to do the same.

After a short time, Asriel would return with a kettle and several cups of tea of which he would place one beside each of them before taking a seat at the table to join them for a short tea-break before bed. “I brought sugar too, I wasn’t sure if you’d want any…” The strange inhuman man would say, awkwardly fumbling a bit with a small bowl that contained sugar cubes before eventually having to have Eden open the jar which he would then hold near Kazumi and ask if she would like any sugar in her tea. Depending on her answer he would either place the sugar requested inside of the cup or place the bowl off to the side while drinking his own tea.

After finishing their tea, there would be a small window of time for Kazumi to speak openly and candidly with the other two seeing as Asriel remained in the room and Eden themselves not going to be leaving Kazumi’s side anytime soon it would seem. Depending on her questions, it could lead the young woman into discovering more about either one of the two others present or simply waiting silent while waiting for bed-time to arrive for the two.