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clonewarsreturns · 4 years

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A collaboration with @pixelchaos00, creator of:

Chiha Lu, Cutted, Bacta-Patch, and Nekdaa Rafiime

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War! Knighted after the battle of Geonosis, jedi knight TAYA NATALI must lead her men on the front lines. After many battles she is summoned to assist the TROGUTA battalion on the planet RUGOSA. Here she takes padawan CHIHA LU on a crucial mission in order to secure a republic victory.

The LAAT was filled with a mixture of armor colors. The pale green armor complemented the light yellow accents of the fellow battalion. Air turbulence caused the ship to jolt, jostling the men. Taya stood firm in order to steady her captain who stumbled against her. He muttered an apology as she leaned into him. She found herself drawn to the girl across the way who averted her eyes at every chance. Taya wondered why this could be. After all she couldn’t be more than a year apart in age. The young jedi knew that whatever the issue was needed to be put aside for the mission ahead.

“Approaching the drop zone!” The pilot’s voice rang through the coms as the men nodded in response. Taya looked to her right, meeting the eyes of her captain. Jace had been by her side since geonosis, this would be the first mission that would force them to be apart.

“Are you okay on your own, Jace?” The clone smiled at her words.

“Of course, take care of yourself out there.” it pained the young jedi to say goodbye but she knew she had to focus. Stepping forward into the center of the ship, Taya spoke.

“You boys are to follow Captain Jace’s command while ms Lu and I infiltrate the droid stronghold. We’ll need a distraction of sorts to draw the droids attention so that we can sneak in without causing alarm.”

“Distraction? Say no more, general!” Taya chuckled at the all too familiar shout of Thumper.

“I know I can count on all of you.” Her eyes lowered to meet that of the padawan before her. She could see the nerves on her face. “Ms Lu? Is there anything you would like to add?”

The pantoran girl’s eyes grew wide at the words. Taya offered her an encouraging smile in return. Chiha stammered a bit before clearing her throat. She turned to her men as the ship began to land.

“May the force be with us.”

“Sir-Yes-Sir!”

As if on cue, the doors of the LAAT cracked open allowing light to fill the enclosed space. Taya gave Jace’s hand a small squeeze before letting him go. He rallied the boys to disembark leaving Taya and Chiha alone in the landing area. As the LAAT rose into the sky, Taya watched the padawan’s eyes follow the ship skyward.

“Our men will set charges to the east, that will give you and me plenty of time to circle around.” The padawan nodded at these words before following Taya’s lead. After a few moments, Taya began to notice Chiha trailing just behind her. She thought it could be the nerves but something pulled at her curiosity.

The two were lucky that the base in question wasn’t too far. This wasn’t a major mission in the grand scheme of the galactic republic. Toydarian leaders had suspicions that the droids were growing in numbers on the moon. There wasn’t much data to support the claims but the army had to be certain in order to secure their ally’s trust.

As the two journeyed through the coral forest, Taya turned to Chiha with intent on getting her to chat.

“Is this your first mission without your master?” Chiha, surprised by the conversation, shook her head.

“I’ve gone on many. I tend to be sent into the field more than my master. He finds it as a strategic advantage to have a jedi in the field and in command.” Taya pauses a moment at the response. ‘Strange for a master to take a back seat… but who am I to judge..’

“Ah, I gotcha. Well that’s good! I can already tell you’re pretty experienced in the field by your men.”

“Sorry?” Taya turned to the padawan who looked perplexed.

“Your men looked to you the entire time I spoke. They wanted reassurance from you that this was the correct course of action.” The padawan’s eyes widened as she quickly stammered.

“I-I doubt they meant any offense at all, master. I’m sorry if it felt that way!”

“No- that’s not what I..“ Taya stopped walking and put her hands gently on Chiha’s shoulders. “Are you nervous?” She smiled at the girl who seemed like she had been holding her breath the past few minutes. Without speaking she demonstrated a deep breath being taken as the padawan mirrored her movements. “There you go. Now what’s on your mind?”

Chiha’s golden eyes shimmered as she smiled sheepishly.

“Forgive me, master. I just…” her voice trailed away resulting in Taya to reel her back in with her smile. “I don’t want to mess this up.”

“Mess what up?”

“Everything. My leadership, the techniques, the proper forms, which path to take, everything matters.”

“Trust me, not every detail in a mission matters Chiha,”

“They do to my master!” The outburst caused the knight to stop in her place. She watched the pantoran girl’s frame shrink as she avoided her concerned gaze. “I-I’m sorry.. I shouldn’t have raised my voice..please forgive me..” hearing these words caused guilt to rise in Taya’s heart.

“There’s nothing to apologize for, Chiha. Your master isn’t here right now. He can’t judge every move you make. Believe me if he saw what my master did He would faint on the spot!” Taya won a small victory in the form of chiha’s small chuckle. She took the girl’s hand once more and gave it a quick squeeze. “Come on, the facility is just up ahead. I’m gonna let you take the lead on this.”

>>>>>>

“How are those charges coming along, thumper?” Jace asked through the comm link as he kneeled beside a trooper with binoculars.

“It’s gonna be a distraction all right!” Thumper’s laugh caused the captain to smirk. He switched off the link and turned to the trooper.

“Cutted, isn’t it?” The trooper sat up at hearing his name.

“Yessir, havent seen you since our final tests on kamino.” Jace recalled the brother’s squad performing just as well as his own in the final simulations. Thinking back caused him to sink into the long lost memory.

“Feels like a lifetime ago..”

“You got that right,”

“Any movement out there?”

“Just a standard patrol unit of clankers.” Cutted handed the binoculars to Jace who followed his direction.

“Well there’s going to be a lot more of them once our boys finish the charges.” As he looked through the binoculars he could see two silhouettes in the distance moving unlike any droid he knew. A Smile cracked on his face for he knew exactly who the silhouette belonged to. “Looks like our generals are almost in position. I can see the two are getting along.” Cutted smirked as he received the binoculars.

“Chiha is great. As friendly as they come.”

“She seemed a bit..nervous on the ship.”

“Oh that? Nothing to do with the mission. It’s our general.” Jace tilted his head at the response. To which Cutted continued. “He runs a tight ship, very by the book. He has all these expectations that make it difficult for Chiha. Especially on alternative missions like these.” Jace thought about this for a moment. He didn’t really think about how other generals would treat their clones. Sure he knew Taya’s old master Matyu commanded the second half of the 444th, but outside of him and Taya he really didn’t know what other generals were like.

“Well I can assure you that Taya will take good care of her. She has a knack for protecting those close to her.”

“I figured as much. How much time do the charges need?”

“Let me see, Thumper-come in.” No reply. Jace assumed the silly brother was telling a joke to the new recruits so he waited a moment before trying again.

“Thumper are yo-“

Blast

In an instant, Jace's body crumbled to the ground before him. Cutted stared in disbelief as he processed what happened. Force! Was all he could think as he dropped to his commanding officer’s side. “MAN DOWN! BACTA-PATCH!” He cried removing his own helmet. Blaster fire filled the air as the droids revealed their position. Looking down at the decorated helmet before him sent a chill down the young clone’s spine. A blaster bolt had gone straight across the temple of his head causing the visor to shatter completely. Jace’s body jolted slightly causing a moment of relief to fall over the clone but then it continued to convulse. Cutted quickly pulled off the broken helmet and shouted again. “MEDIC! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME ON THIS BLASTED THING!”

“-ansmiss---scrambl---frequen--” The chopping words were anything but comforting, Cutted realized that Jace’s life was in his hands. He tried to recall all the pointless lectures Bacta-Patch would give him in the past. Jace’s body was seizing which meant he had to act fast. Blaster bolts zoomed past his head again causing his heart to stop. That was when he remembered an angry bacta-patch forcing patchs of tape into his belt pockets. “Thank force!” He shouted as he found the patch’s. The freshly burnt skin sizzled beneath the sun’s gaze as the shaking trooper carefully applied the patch.

Thunderous explosions filled the air around them causing Cutted’s ears to ring. The explosives caused the droids to search for the source thus saving Cutted from a blaster to the back. The familiar voices of his brothers returned as the battle ensued. They broke through the coral forest surrounding the droids as they scattered. Cutted’s eyes searched frantically for a medic but the dust from the explosives made it impossible to see. All he could do was shield jace’s shaking body from falling debris and blaster fire.

“MEDIC!” He cried again with little hope for a reply.

>>>>>

The Jedi shimmied their way up the elevator shafts to the desired floor. Taya watched Chiha’s unique Saber illuminate as the grey blade pierced the sealed door. As Chiha finished cutting the circle, she couldn’t help but remark.

“That has to be the most perfect circle I’ve ever seen in my life!” Chiha smiles sheepishly as she holds out her hand. Taya grasped the smiling padawan’s hand as she helped her through the new entrance. The two were in a dark corridor that led just above the central communications room. “I mean-when I try that trick it always ends up like an ova-“

Taya’s blood went cold. She felt an incredible weight in her heart causing her to catch her breath. For a moment a chilling feeling spread across the side of her head. Chiha stopped in her steps and spoke to the knight but Taya couldn’t hear her.

Jace. He was shot. He was hurt. Really hurt. She had to get to him. Force she knew not to leave his side- she had promised him the day they met.

Drowning in these emotions, Taya was brought back by Chiha's delicate hand in Hers. The golden eyes of the padawan were filled with concern.

“Are you okay?” Her accented voice broke through the ringing sensation. Taya’s mind wondered, she wasn’t sure what to say.

“It’s...it’s nothing..”

“No, it’s something. What is it?”

“Our men..they’ve been-.” The explosions caused Taya to flinch hard as they shook the building. Chiha stood firm as she peered down the corridor catching a glimpse of the window. Taya shook her head from the terrifying thoughts before moving.

“Quickly! The control room should be just up ahead!” She hurried past a concerned Chiha who watched the knight take lead. Taya wandered a moment before placing her hand on the floor. She closed her eyes to search with the force before confirming her belief. “Here, stand behind me.” Chiha nodded and stood back to back with her friend as the two ignited their sabers and spun. The sabers cut through the floor like butter causing the duo to fall through. They were met with a dozen confused battle droids with the tactical droid just up ahead. Chiha’s movements were elegant and swift as she cut through the helpless droids. She was focused on the battle droids before realizing Taya was no longer by her side. She turned and saw the knight before the strategy droid, saber in hand.

“Call off the attack!” Taya growled holding the saber to the droid’s neck. Chiha starred in bewilderment at the tone in Taya’s voice.

“This-cannot-be-done”

“Liar! The droids listen to your every word, call it off now!”

“Fool-you-think-we-did-not-plan-for-this-“ Taya’s blood went cold. She turned to chiha who shared the confusion.

“There’s two?” Chiha suggested. The mirialan Jedi closed her eyes before slicing the droid in two. The body crumbled as she reached out with the force.

“More...they seem.. to have more bases than anticipated… under..ground.”

“But we only have enough men for a single target!” Chiha’s concern caused a lump to threaten the tears Taya tried desperately to keep at bay.

“I know.. Chiha I’m so sorry I brought your men into this…get to the drop zone.” Taya reached for the glass window that surrounded the room causing it to shatter before leaping. Catching herself with the force, the knight sprinted into the coral forest.

Jace. She could barely feel him in the force. The force was dark around her as she pressed on. She came upon B2 units and ignited the saber. She cut down three but stumbled as the fourth charged at her. A moment of panic fell over her when the grey light emitted through the B2 unit’s chest. The droid fell revealing the decorated Pantoran.

“You said I was taking lead on this, remember?” A small smile appeared as she extended her hand to Taya. The knight caught her breath as she accepted the hand. The manic rush of fear was kept at bay by chiha’s calm persona. It was amazing seeing how Chiha changed when she opened herself up. The nervous atmosphere was completely filled with a one of confidence when in action. “If we split up the droids will focus their attention on us!” Taya wanted to stay with her and keep her confidence high but she knew splitting up was for the best.

“You go left and I’ll take the right! Taya commanded before bidding the padawan farewell.

Across the battlefield, Cutted blasted any droid that came near. He was grateful for Jace’s stillness since it meant an end to the seizing. Though he longed for his consciousness to return.

“Can anyone hear me!?” Cutted repeated through the com link. A crackled response tried to decipher itself but before Cutted could hear it he was face to face with a droideka. It had rolled behind him and Jace’s meager defense and was transforming itself into its blast mode. Cutted shot at the droid praying that he could destroy it before the ray shield was engaged. The trooper stumbled backward nearly tripping over his brother’s body as the droideka took aim. “Sorry Jace..” he muttered to himself as he drew in a quick breath.

The droideka suddenly became engulfed in flames as a missile cracked through its shield. Cutted shielded his eyes as it heated the wind. Not a moment passed before the all too familiar sound of jet troopers filled his ears.

“Someone call for a medic?” Thumper landed roughly as other jet troopers flew on. He had the medic Bacta-Patch with him who unfortunately neglected to bring a jet pack. Thumper froze a moment having seen Jace’s face bandaged up but quickly took to the skies again. “Take care of him, doc!”

The jet troopers provided much needed cover as Bacta-Patch whipped out a small scanner.

“I’ll take it from here, sir!” Cutted watched the device as it pinged in alarm over the bandages. He feared for his brother and wanted nothing more than to stay by his side. However there were others who needed him. Cutted squeezed Bacta-Patch’s shoulder piece.

“I’ll cover you.” The young clone nodded before reaching for his rifle and leaving cover. The dust filled ground of the foreign moon had spouted to life as droids climbed from the earth. Cutted Dodgers a blaster bolt before taking out three B1s with ease. It was easier to focus now that his friend was in capable hands. “TROOPERS-ON ME!” He called summoning his scattered forces. Ground troops of both battalions joined the clone’s side as they regrouped. Part of him was shocked to see his brothers take his commands. He wasn’t a captain and was far from a commander. The only real authority he has is that of experience. Even that isn’t much more than the rest of them.

“The clankers have a weak center formation! We’ll push through the middle as the flankers try to surround us. The jet troopers will take out as many flankers as they can! Let’s go, men!”

Bacta-Patch shined a light in Jace’s eyes as the captain began to stir.

“Sir you have internal bleeding in your brain, you must lay still for me.”

“C...Cut..” his teeth chatter as tremors of the previous seizing caused his body to tense. Bacta-Patch turned to retrieve an injection from his kit, allowing the dazed captain to turn his head. The world was a dizzying haze before him. The ringing noise wasn’t from his ears but inside his head. He felt sick hearing the noise as words filled his bleeding brain. Words that were like commands-no, orders. The only comfort his mind provided him was the sight of Cutted leading his troops.

The captain remembered the days before the war. He remembered seeing Cutted in the days of cadets. There was a day that their two batches were in the mess hall when there was teasing over Cutted’s hair. Jace kept to himself but watched as Cutted’s long hair had it’s last moments in this world. Somehow a pair of hair trimmers ended up in the cadet’s hand as he stood on the table and took aim. Jace stared in disbelief as his brother attempted to cut the hair but ended up creating a disaster of a look. He remembered this moment well for what followed the event.

All laughter came to a hush when a stern figure appeared behind Cutted. Jace leaned to see who it was and immediately dropped his spork as he nudged those beside him to stand and salute. He pleaded with his eyes for Cutted to do the same but the cadet had tears in his eyes for he knew who was behind him. Lowering his head in defeat, the small cadet turned around slowly as he faced the closest person they had to a father. The template from which they were bred.

Jango stared at the cadet with an infant boba in one hand and a cup in the other. Cutted held his breath as he gave a tearful salute to the bounty hunter. Jango squinted at the boy a moment. He placed his cup on the table before retrieving the hair clippers from the boy.

“You should save the hair cuts to the kaminoans.” He gave Cutted a small smile as he shook his head and left.

If Jace could recall correctly, that was how Cutted got his name. The memory was so vivid that he truly felt like a cadet in that moment. Probably due to the bleeding in his brain. The ground shook under him as he stared back at the Rugosan sky. Brought back by the ringing sensation echoing in his skull, Jace watched the LAAT’s soar in the sky. It seemed they managed to get a transmission out after all. He tried to form words but just mumbled gibberish as a stinging sensation spread through his neck. He heard a muffled apology from Bacta-Patch.

The captain began to wonder if this was it. He felt so disconnected from the world around him. He wondered if this is how his brothers felt before they died. One thing he wished more than anything was to have Taya here. Force, he wanted her here.

As reinforcements dropped down from the gunships above, Chiha and Taya moved swiftly. Unbeknownst to either of them, their efforts had actually proved Cutted’s theory true. The droids were completely in disarray as two Jedi were in the field. Their similar silhouettes caused confusion amongst the droids as the two cut down their numbers. Jet troopers continued bombarding the assault tank near the end of the formation. Chiha cut down a nearby droid when she heard the dreaded charging up of the ion blast.

“No!” She thought to herself as she sprinted toward the Assault tank from the left. The padawan climbed onto the ship whilst dragging her saber. She took a breath before leaping for the door of the cockpit and slicing the barrel of the tank. Before a moment passed, Chiha leapt off of the tank as it imploded into flames. Landing swiftly, the padawan shielded her head as debris flew past. Seeing what she caused made the girl laugh as she became giddy with herself.

Taya saw the explosion from across the coral woods and felt fear grip her chest. She was quickly put to ease when she heard the droids around her speak words of retreat. The Jedi watched the droids scatter before making her way to the clearing. Ducking under the last piece of coral, the Jedi could see the men regrouping. She found the pantoran Jedi speaking excitedly to a group of clones as she retold what had just happened. Taya smiled at the sight. Seeing the padawan bright and happy was a welcomed sight. Though the Jedi couldn’t help but feel her eyes wander. She noticed a few troopers of her battalion’s color scheme but not that of her captain. Taya tried not to worry and made her way to the padawan. A couple LAAT’s landed nearby in order to rescue the ambushed squadrons and reinforcements. Taya watched the men board as she spoke to Chiha.

“You really took down that tank?” The pantoran’s cheeks turned a different shade as she nodded quickly. “Dang.. you sure you’re not a Knight in disguise? Cause you’re far from just a padawan.” She watched chiha’s golden eyes widen at the comment. “I mean I can’t speak for your master, but if you keep that confidence strong, you’ll be knighted in no time.”

“Also before I forget, do you mind calling over Cutted?” Chiha felt worry in her chest as she feared he had done something reckless. She called over the trooper who removed his helmet in response.

“Ma’am?” His face looked tired from the day but he maintained the firm stance. Taya was actually eager to meet this clone since she felt his presence through Jace the instant he had gotten injured.

“I wanted to thank you personally for saving Jace’s life. You also managed to rally the troops to your side and win the day. That’s a very special quality in you boys that’s hard to come by.” Taya looked to Chiha who wore a prideful smile. “Your actions today will not be forgotten. I will see to it is added to your file so that when the time comes for a new captain of the Troguta battalion, you are the first choice.” She could see the trooper’s jaw drop as she said these words. He quickly caught himself before saluting the general.

“Thank you, ma’am. It is my duty to watch out for my brothers, regardless of our colors” he gave a small bow before returning to the gunship. The moment he boarded he became bombarded by his brothers who eagerly asked what the generals told him.

It took a moment to realize that Chiha was no longer by her side. Taya spun on her heels and saw her speaking to a handheld hologram. As she approached her friend she realized that her entire body had returned to the nervous stature from before. In her hand was a blue silhouette of her master, Nekdaa Rafiime.

The togrutan general’s stern features could send even the toughest soldier into a nervous sweat. Taya placed her hand on Chiha’s back before continuing.

“Chiha is an incredible padawan. She took lead and led our mission valiantly. You are very lucky to have such a talented padawan. I hope to work with her again soon.” Taya wanted to press the matter of his teachings but decided it wasn’t her place.

After the transmission ended, Taya turned to Chiha placing her hands on her shoulders.

“Remember what I said, because it’s all very true.” She could see the golden flecks in her eyes grow as tears formed. Taya pulled the padawan into a hug before letting her return to her LAAT. As the LAAT lifted into the sky Taya prayed that the pantoran girl would keep the shine in her eyes and strength in her heart. The Jedi longed to work with her new friend again. But the war was ongoing. Her men were to wait for general Matyu’s men to enter orbit before making any moves. Now that the land was quiet, Taya wanted nothing more than to see her captain. The Jedi boarded the second LAAT and watched the planet disappear as they left the atmosphere and returned to the cruiser. She looked to her men who were conversing with one another and smiled. They lived to fight another day.

#cwAcrossthestars #star wars the clone wars #Star wars oc #Star wars collaboration #tcw

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limelocked · 4 years

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ramble about ocs i havent drawn yet and only some have picrews so gonna just show them yet

Uchiha Yokumo is born in the warring states period around the same time as the third hokage and is around 12 when the first hokage “kills” Uchiha Madara, born during war and taught to be distrustful this is where he starts plotting to leave the village, he enlists in the newly created ninja training institution and graduates three years later. Observant about the world around him at 20 years old he predicts a war, a year later the first great shinobi war wages, he “goes missing” during a mission guarding the border and is presumed dead

Yokumo hastely rotates the Uchiha clans symbol to look like a red crescent on a white moon, he takes the name Kadzuki and vows to never use the sharingan against an opponent again, this to blend in. He travels the border countries to the land of Fire for almost two years until someone in the land of grass tells him that the war ended the same year it started. He settles in a small village and at 25 marries Kusanagi Asaro, a seamstress and weaver and have their first child the same year, they name their daughter Tenjo.

Their second child, a son named Jiyuro, is born with heavy complications a year and a half later leaving Asaro bedridden for months. When learning of this later in life Jiyuro will develop a false belief that his father hates him. Two years later the last son is born with equal or greater complications, he is named Chiban.

Aged 6 Tenjo watches her father use jutsu against bandits that threaten the village. She tells Jiyuro (5) and Chiban (3). Tenjo and Jiyuro agree to do whatever it takes to be as cool as their dad. They nag at Yokumo to teach them and they start their basic training a year later under the excuse of self defense. Two years later when Tenjo turns 9 she starts doing “missions” in the village for spare change and goodwill, something her brothers join in on quickly and Asaro names them Team Yokumo.

Yokumo and Asaro are around 40, Tenjo is 12, Jinyuro is 11 and Chiban is 9 when the second great war starts. Tenjo and Jiyuro has awakened their sharingans and want to protect the village but Asaro and Yokumo forbids them and tells them about the sharingan, they are only to use them in defense of the self or the team and the sharingan shall never be used unless its life or death. They are assigned their first real mission that they should evacuate the villagers should forces invade.

Three uneasy years pass until shinobi enter their village which is destroyed as a impromptu battlefield, due to the efforts of Team Yokumo there are no casualties and the small village population moves north to set up again. Yokumo and Asaro become the official leaders of the village, something Yokumo hates and Asaro humbly accepts. At least 5 years pass without incident before the war is over, though Tenjo and Jiyuro bugs their father to teach them to use the sharingan effectively during this time. He relents and Chiban gains an inferiority complex due to him not being able to awaken sharingan, Asaro cheers him up and suggests becoming a genjustu expert to surpass and help his siblings. Once the war is over he is able to use precise to trick an enemies vision to not see his siblings use sharingan. Yokumo and Asaro are around 48 when the war ends, Tenjo is 20, Jiyuro is 19 and Chiban is 17.

Jiyuro moves in with his partner Pantama Hoshi.

Tenjo has a daughter with Hatsunaio Ha’ame at age 21, they name her Renge and promise their lives to each other. Once Ha’ame learns about the sharingan a year later his mission is over and he attempts to flee in the night to report about the ninja team without a hidden village. Tenjo kills him and obtains the Mangekou Sharingan as well as trust issues and depression. The family vows to take care of Renge together.

Hoshi and Jinyuros (22) daughter is born and named Nishi, the same year Chiban (20) becomes the adoptive father of Yamatora Seihos five year old son Usagi.

The next year news arrive that the third great war has begun. The siblings worry about their parents aging and Yokumos ability to lead them when hes around 52 years old. Yokumo officially names Tenjo as the heir of the clan and the leader of the team until they gain subordinates of their own.

Tenjo (24) meets Tsumashin Aishika and while distrusting him greatly he becomes a family friend, Yokumo admits his trust for Aishika. A year later Hoshi and Jiyuro (24) have their son Takuhi

The village lives domestically away from the war and Tenjo (28) grows to trust and love Aishika, they have a daughter named Hotoki that present complications for Tenjo during delivery but like her mother she makes it through. A year later through many arguments and worries they decide to have a third child, Tenjo arguing that is Asaro could make it through three kids then so should she.

She gives birth to Makato but dies less than a week after the birth due to complications. A similar vow is made to care for Hotoki and Makoto as the whole clan. Renge (9) who was being taught jutsu by her mother is confused by the death. Jiyuro creates Team Tenjo consisting of Renge (9), Nishi (7) and Takuhi (5). Renge throws herself into training and shows chakra natures to Nishi and talks about how her paper crinkles because shes a natural lightning style user, when she shows Jiyuro holding the paper in her other hand it cuts in two.

News travels with a group of attacked shinobi that the war was over two years ago, Team Tenjo and Chiban apologizes and the misunderstanding is cleared up, Yokumo gets news of the near destruction of Konoha by kyubi, he tells the clan about tailed beasts and dedicates himself to telling them everything he knows about the ninja world and art. Renge is named the heir to head of clan.

Three years passes mostly uneventfully, the kids grow and train, taking on missions and even getting a few requests outside the village by traders. Team Tenjo nag at Jiyuro to be allowed into the chunin exams but are forbidden from doing so until one in their team can use Chibans ability of genjutsu. They try to get Chiban to teach them but Seiho has given birth to twins, two daughters named Hikame and Yorukoi. Team Tenjo takes in Hotoki (5) as a new student. Usagi (15) feels left out by his half siblings and takes up Asaros craft.

Renge (13), Nishi (11) and Takuhi (9) convince Jiyuro (32) to let them take the chunin exam if they can take him down.

Renge (15) has learned to use her kekkei genkai, its components (lightning and wind) as well as being able to use the families fire style, Nishi (13) specializes in sealing and summoning and Takuhi (11) has with great care taken up Chibans craft with genjutsu as well as being a solid decent in taijutsu. They take down Jiyuro at a weak moment and he acknowledges them as full ninja, allowing them to do the chunin exam.

Yokumo (62) forbids it though as hes gotten the news that the Konoha Uchiha branch has been slaughtered and that other than the Kadzuki clan there are only two people left alive with the sharingan and one of them is a rogue ninja. He decides to finally tell the “heads” (Aishika, Renge, Hoshi, Jiyuro, Seiho and Chiban) about WHY they should never show the sharingan and why they should now never enter Konoha and preferably the land of fire, they are now the head family of the sharingan and the greatest chance of uchiha survival cuz the 7 year old runt survivor must have been only luck

#naruto #naruto oc #naruto ocs #naruto shippuden

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ninzied · 5 years

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another kind of goodbye

for @carry-the-sky. happy birthday, my friend! have a little post-cancellation kastle fic.

It’s three months, give or take, when Frank lets himself think about her again. Really think about her. Not in the passing kind of way, where he’s walking down some street and sees a bouquet of gardenias, like the kind he’d almost gotten her instead of the roses that day. Or when he’s sipping on coffee, and Karen’s face flashes like a mirage at him across the cheap Formica table – blonde hair almost white under the shit diner lighting, but those eyes still so blue as she told him he would never lie to her.

So – okay, so he thinks about her. He thinks about her.

(He wonders if she—)

Frank eventually makes his way back to the city again, after. Another day, another job. Madani thinks he’s meant for something greater than this – than picking off these scum-of-the-earth kinds of assholes that litter the streets of a place like New York.

He can’t believe that he was meant for greater, but. Sometimes, he does wonder. If a part of him – whatever part of him that’s not still buried deep down in the ground with his family – was meant to come back here. To walk these streets and feel the pull of her, always, even when that’s all he can afford to feel.

He tells himself that has to be enough.

He’s been laying low, since his return. Coughed up some cash for a three-hundred-square-footer in Brooklyn, but he crosses the bridge to the city most days, maybe even finds his way to Hell’s Kitchen from time to time too. It’s risky, he knows. If Murdock catches wind of him, they’d be lucky to walk away from each other in one piece. And Karen…

There’d be a different kind of hell to pay, if Karen ever found out.

His phone gives a single buzz in his pocket as he’s hunkering his way down 47th, and he stops in his tracks, nearly colliding with an elderly woman in the middle of the sidewalk.

“Excuse me!” she says in a shrill voice, bag clutched tight to her chest.

“Apologies, ma’am,” he nods as she makes a show of putting as much distance between them as possible, and then he fishes his phone out, hesitating for one absurd moment before glancing down at the screen.

Back in town yet, Castle?

He barks out a laugh. Chrissakes, Madani.

His phone buzzes again.

I have a job for you, if you’re still interested.

“Still,” mutters Frank, with a scoffing shake of his head. He thinks he admires her perseverance, but Madani’s gotta know she’s only wasting her breath.

He cuts south down 10th, toward Lincoln Tunnel. It’s a brisk day, and the wind on his face feels sharper than usual, considering he hasn’t bled much there in a while. He jams his hands deeper into his pockets, ignoring the insistent drone of Madani’s follow-up call.

He’s got a date with a park bench on the wrong side of town, and if he closes his eyes, he can pretend it’s the same bridge overlooking the water, and when he opens them again Karen’ll be there, waiting for him.

…

His closest call comes with, of all people, the lawyer. Not Red – the other one. Franklin Nelson.

Frank’s emerging with coffee two storefronts down just as another door opens, and he’s cursing himself for not seeing the signs when out tumbles Nelson with his back turned, adjusting his tie against the wind.

“Foggy bear, wait!” someone else is laughing, and a blonde lady steps out to chase after him, slinging a purse over her shoulder and reaching with her other hand to link around his elbow.

“I told him this was gonna make me late for work,” grumbles Nelson, but without any heat to the words. “Dad’s surprise party isn’t until tomorrow, don’t know why this couldn’t have waited – oh, crap, I forgot I told Karen I’d pick up some coffee—”

Nelson’s about-facing sharply, girlfriend following closely behind. He doesn’t appear to notice Frank crouched down in a corner by the 7-Eleven, hood obscuring half his face as he trains his eyes on the ground by their feet. The girl unearths some coins from her bag as they pass, clinking them onto the lid of Frank’s coffee cup without seeming to hear his low mutter of thanks.

He’s leapt up the moment he hears the door latch shut, brushing the coins into his palm as he goes.

He leaves them with a guy camped out by the train stop, a dog lifting her head from their blankets to blink sleepy eyes up at Frank, and he walks away harder, takes the steps two at a time and wishes – God he wishes—

…

Another text from Madani.

He shuts his phone off. Goes back to retrieve it ten seconds later from the trash can that he’d dumped it in, wiping it down and scowling as her message pops up on the screen.

Castle – offer still stands, FYI.

“You should call her back,” advises a man huddled down by the newsstands next to him. His face is like leather, worn down and weathered with age, with living. “Apologize for whatever it is that you did, so you don’t end up out here like me.”

“Already there,” Frank tells him, turning the phone over and over in his hand. Madani’s message lights up again each time, flashing and flashing until he sees it like a burn through his retinas even when the phone’s no longer facing him.

“Damn. That’s a damn shame.” The guy shifts, scratching at a spot on his back. “Maybe shouldn’t’ve stayed away from her for so long.”

Frank shakes his head, uttering a short, incredulous laugh. “Well, maybe I got my reasons, yeah? You think about that?”

“Doesn’t matter what I think,” shrugs the guy. “Does she think they’re any good? These reasons of yours?”

Frank turns away, jaw working furiously.

“Yeah.” The guy shouldn’t have any right to sound as smug as he does, and yet. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”

…

He’s got no place in coming here. He knows it. He knows it, but he thinks it was always meant to be this way, him circling back around to her, even after everything that he’s done to push her away. Maybe a part of him had never left. And the rest is just – there, hovering right at the edge of some sharp realization, that he could try to be whole again if he simply took that first step. And a part of Karen must at least sense that. It’s why she’d never really given up on him, before.

It doesn’t change how I feel about you.

Frank wonders if she’d forgive him this time. If he’d even want her to.

It wouldn’t be anything close to what he deserves, that’s for goddamn sure.

He gazes up at her fire escape, counts the number of steps it would take just to be able to reach that bottom rung from his vantage point across the street. Her shades are drawn, the lines of them blurred out in the dim orange light. On one corner of the windowsill, wedged up against the glass, there’s a small stack of books. On the other, a vase. From this angle, the shadows folded into the fabric of her curtains look almost like flower stems.

Frank squints, and the stems disappear.

…

There’s about a week in between, where he feels himself inching closer to something, each time he drops by her block. He never goes farther than the patch of sidewalk across from her building, but it’s getting harder not to just careen over the ledge.

More than anything, he wishes he knew, in those moments obscured in half-darkness, whether he’s come to look for that after she’d spoke of, or if he’s come to say goodbye.

Then, one day he spots flowers in her window, for the first time since—

(They’re pale white against the cream of her curtains, their stems dark slivers of green, and he imagines them pricking the pad of his thumb, drawing up a spot of blood.)

Frank takes a deep breath.

…

She doesn’t look surprised to see him when she opens the door, swinging it back two-thirds of the way before stopping. Her lips are pressed tightly together, like there’s too much to say, or maybe there’s things that she can’t, either way he can’t read her and he thinks she’s never terrified him more.

Frank drops his gaze, mouth moving soundlessly until the words grind their way out. “How’d you know I was here, Karen?”

He’s not sure what kind of answer he’s expecting. That Nelson had grown a real pair of eyes, or that Red had managed to ferret him out of his lurking somehow. Or maybe Karen really just hadn’t known at all, and those flowers were never for him.

What Karen says instead is, “Dinah and I grab a beer together, sometimes.”

“That right?” he asks, trying to lay out an image of this in his mind. It sits strangely there, stumping him for a moment, and some of his bewilderment must show on his face because Karen’s mouth almost turns up in a smile before flattening again.

She leans away from the doorjamb, waving her hand in a worn-looking gesture before letting it drop to her side. “Besides, you…haven’t exactly been subtle, in your haunting of Hell’s Kitchen.”

He doesn’t know what to say to that, other than a gruff, “’S’what dead men do, Karen,” as she folds her arms and sighs at him.

“You sure you’re not just losing your touch, Frank?” She steps into the doorway, whether to move closer to him or to block him out of her apartment, he can’t tell. “Or was it because you wanted me to know but couldn’t tell me to my face?”

His eyes snap up to hers, twitching slightly under the sharp weight of her gaze. He shakes his head, wishing he could just ask her, What do you want from me, Karen? but they’re long past that now, and if he can’t find his own way to answer her, then.

God, he really doesn’t deserve this woman.

“I think I—” He shifts his body and tries again. “I think I needed to figure some things out. Karen. I was waiting 'til I felt like I was ready, and I don’t think I’ll ever be that.” But I’m here, he wants to say, but I’m here.

“Yeah.” Karen’s nodding, hair falling into her face, and she brushes it back, resting her chin in her palm for a moment. “I know that, Frank.” All of the fight in her seems to have ebbed slowly back, and he resists the urge to reach out and shake the storm back into motion, to make her understand she doesn’t get to let him off the hook so easy.

The look she gives him now is softer, but he knows. Fight’s not done. May never be done. And he knows this because he knows he’ll never stop fighting for her.

She’s stepped back into the door, letting it swing open further. She doesn’t invite him in, but she’s quirked an eyebrow up at him, biting her lip with another deep sigh and a shake of her head.

“You, uh.” Frank glances back and forth at their surroundings, doesn’t quite meet her eye. Tries to lighten his tone through the gruffness as he asks her, “So, you wanted to see me?”

Her voice is soft, forbearing, with a hint of gentle knowing behind it. “You didn’t?”

She’s holding back the clear start of a smile from him this time, and Frank. Christ. It’s taking everything in him not to step toward her, to—

Karen tilts her chin at him, the motion loosening another wave of blonde hair, and he can’t remember anymore why he was trying so hard to stand back from all this. He’s moving, swaying forward until she’s just an arm’s length away, and there’s something almost teasing about the way she relaxes her shoulder into the door as she watches him.

“You back to kill some people, Frank?”

He feels a corner of his mouth turn up. This girl. He licks his lips, lets out a quiet sort of laugh. “That was the plan, yeah.”

Karen gazes up at him, unblinking. “Have you?”

“I was—” Frank has to look away for a moment, finally turning back when he can. His eyes are steady, boring into hers, voice low and full with meaning. “I was. Working on it.”

Karen nods. Doesn’t speak for long seconds, and he measures them out in heartbeats, chest tightening hard enough it feels like it might break when she asks him, very carefully, “Still?”

Frank steps closer, close enough to feel the way her breath shakes with a small sigh, how her body moves away from the door to meet him.

His hand is inches from hers, but he doesn’t reach for her. Not yet.

She waits, gaze searching. He gives the barest shake of his head, and a single word, gravel-filled, a promise. “No.”

Something cracks open in her expression, and it means everything to him, her head ducking away as though she can’t have him looking too closely at the way she's biting back that smile of hers, and he thinks – he thinks he wants to make her do it again, and again, for as long as she will have him.

“Would you like to come in, Frank?”

He takes her hand in his this time, feeling the pull of her as he steps across the threshold, door shutting firmly behind them, and it feels like coming home.

#kastle #kastleff #kastle ff #kastlenetwork #kastledaily #happy belated birthday haley!!!!!!#sorry for the unpolishedness #i may go back and edit it up a bit later lol #but i wanted to have something for you because you've been so lovely and welcoming!#i can't thank you enough!

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