[center][b][i]A sweet or sad goodnight? The final training to listen and the truth about the First Raikage! --- [u]A collab between Fieryfly and Gerontis.[/u] Summary : After a rather awful day, Midori goes to sleep. But will she be able to sleep peacefully after the eventful day? After all, there is always that somebody that wishes to wish her a goodnight.[/center][/b][/i] [hider=Goodnight] Sleeping was impossible. Her mother had send her to bed about two hours ago. She had sat down next to her on the bed for an hour and had then left, maybe convinced that Midori was asleep, but the little girl doubted that her mother would be fooled so easily. She probably just figured out that it was no use sitting there. Besides Chie shouldn't be up the whole night and Midori didn't mind being alone now. Her eyes were swollen and red, but there were no tears anymore. They had run out a while ago. She was just staring at the wall now, facing away from the window. She didn't want to see the world. The world sucked. The world killed... the world killed... Midori sobbed again and pulled her knees up high against her chest. Her fingers curled up into her hair as finally her eyes closed and she started to drift off. A loud snort would be the first sound she would hear once she would open her eyes. Laying on his stomach and resting his head on his arms, the beast would look like he was asleep. But Gyuki was far from sleeping. He didn't even feel the need to sleep and he blamed the world for that. The whole world, except one little person in it. [b]''Words aren't needed.''[/b] He softly and slowly mumbled. While Midori sat on top of his head, the beast wouldn't not move nor say anything else for several moments. [b]''If you want, you can stay here. I can even tell you... what is it called?''[/b] The beast took a moment to grumble. [b]''Bed time story? Is that it?''[/b] At first Midori wanted to tell the beast to go away, to leave her alone, to let her be, to piss off. Her jaw was clenched. She just wanted to sleep and no know. She wanted to forget. But it seemed that that wasn't going to work. Carefully she wrapped her arms around her knees. Somehow being here in the emptyness with Gyuki made it better. She felt small, but she wanted to feel small. She also enjoyed the position. He couldn't look at her like this and she didn't want to be seen, yet she didn't want to be alone she realized. This was quite right. [b]"I... I would like to stay."[/b] She mumbled, pressing her face against he knees. Gyuki snorted once more, before he would whisper something. [b]''I know.''[/b] Clearing his throat, the booming voice was kept at a low whisper as he wouldn't need to raise his voice. Slowly opening his eyes a bit, he was trying to remember the story. Though it was actually more a memory than a story or fiction. It had all happened, but he saw no need to tell that. She would know it. [b]''Tsueno was a young and ignorant brat. One of those who kept trying to become a good shinobi. Back in his time, it were just clans. And the need to have strong shinobi to protect a clan was high. However, Tsueno was just... low on being talented on fighting.''[/b] Gyuki would normally want to chuckle, talking about such a human. But now he felt rather serious and sad at the same time. One of his tails slowly curled up. [b]''I met him in the valley where it often storms, Thunder Folly. Tsueno was trying to convince me that I would need to train him. The thought! Me training a human. Back then, I was a bit curious but very cautious.''[/b] Letting a pause sink in, Gyuki sighed. [b]''I gave him tasks. To prove his strength, his wit and creativity.''[/b] He could see the rather frail boy again in his memories. The feeling and need to speak back with that young boy was so great that Midori could even see it if she was paying attention. --- [b]''But I can't lift up a whole boulder! That is monstrous!''[/b] Tsueno shouted at the Tailed Beast. Gyuki sat and simply looked down on Tsueno. His brow furrowed at the last word of Tsueno and the beast snorted, before he would speak back. [b]''Don't use such a word near me! Puny one! If you can't complete even this simple task, you're not worthy. Go home!''[/b] The booming voice didn't seem the phase the boy, who didn't look older than fourteen years old. His cheeks became slowly red as he clenched his fists. Then he lowered his head in defeat. [b]''I have no home to go to.''[/b] It was nothing more but a whisper. It became silent and Gyuki blinked a few time. The boy had troubled him for how many days? Two weeks. Not one task was completed and Gyuki had given some just for his own amusement. [b]''Neither have I.''[/b] --- It became silent and the vision faded away. [b]''He had just lost his love, family and whole clan due an old feud. Times then were a lot more grim, you see.''[/b] Gyuki sighed again. The curled up tail would slowly roll out, sweeping a bit around. [b]''He often talked too much. About the most trivial of things. But he always was genuine. Always honest.''[/b] --- [b]''Know what would be great?''[/b] The boy looked a bit older, taking a bite of an apple. He sat on one of the shoulders of the monster ox. Gyuki didn't seem to pay much attention to the boy. [b]''If we were able to create home for people. Not just a normal home, but one where there is little difference between clans. Where people can be more or less the same, yet holding on to their own background.''[/b] Tsueno munched on the bite of the apple as he threw a look around. Gyuki was slowly moving into a lake and snorted. [b]''I would even want to have you as a guest, Gyuki-san.''[/b] --- Again a moment of silence fell. [b]''This village wasn't built on the foundation of that Tsueno had some talent for leadership. Not because in some distant place a village of the same idea was founded. It was found by a simple small boy who wished for a large family. A peaceful place.''[/b] Gyuki said. He was a disappointed in his story telling skills. The whole idea was to inspire Midori, because he knew that offering a sweet story about love would do the opposite. She was his host and he was a proud Beast. [b]''No matter what they have told you at the Academy, there was no first great battle between me and Tsueno. I left him to seek solitude. A time for myself. And he made a promise to me.''[/b] The whisper gained another tone. It wasn't sad or disappointed, it had a certain pride in it. [b]''A good one, that I first had no faith in. But Tsueno proved me wrong. Like he always did.''[/b] --- [b]''Just watch it. One day and you will have friends too.''[/b] There was a considerable change. The boy looked now around sixteen years old. He wasn't frail or small anymore. No, he was able to lift up a boulder by himself. Leaning forward and squinting his eyes, Gyuki slowly grinned. [b]''Finally. Two years. Took you long enough.''[/b] The giant mused, but he had a certain proud look on his face. Tsueno carefully placed the boulder on the ground as he flexed his fingers, staring at them. Then he looked back up at Gyuki, but there was no grin or smile. Lowering his head, the young boy kneeled down and placed his head against the ground. [b]''Thank you, Gyuki-kun.''[/b] The words caused a long silence and the boy only looked up, trying to figure out if the Tailed Beast had vanished somehow. But Gyuki had a worried expression on his face. [b]''I don't like the honorific you just used. But,''[/b] Straighten his back, the beast snorted as he looked at the horizon. [b]''I must thank you. Friend.''[/b] --- Gyuki became silent. He had little else to say and wasn't sure what he could tell her more. For a moment, he wavered if she was even interested in his own story. Regret and doubt started to replace pity and anger, to the world, as Gyuki stayed silent. Midori was silent for a while. It was not that she dislike the story that Gyuki told her or that she wasn't interested, she didn't even know what she was thinking exactly. [b]"Do you... How did you..."[/b] She tried then, but the words didn't want to leave her throat. [b]"How long did you miss him?"[/b] She asked then pretty sure that Gyuki knew what she meant. [b]''Ever since I met somebody like him.''[/b] Was the answer. [b]''I always thought he wanted to make me happy or return the favour by saying I would gain a friend too. A friend he had found in me.''[/b] The eyes looked up, but he couldn't see the small person on top of his head. [b]''When we parted ways, he promised that he would find me when he would achieve his dream. That he and I would be able to become friends with everybody in his dream, his village.''[/b] Gyuki continued, his voice a bit shaken. [b]''But when he found me, we fought. He had taken a large group with him, wanting to show people that I wasn't a weapon. That I had feelings and desires. But they sealed me away, cause I scared them.''[/b] The tails slowly moved as the beast ended his sentence. Curling around, Gyuki snorted. Softly. [b]"You are kinda scary sometimes."[/b] Midori said in a small voice. It almost sounded like a regular joke they would make before things got rough and the world sucked. The girl took a deep breath. [b]"Why didn't Tsueno stop them?"[/b] She asked then. it was good, she realised. This story was distracting her. Maybe that has been his goal all along. Midori smiled weakly even though she knew that Gyuki wouldn't be able to see it. [b]''Cause most humans are stupid and silly. They judge too quickly and then find it strange that they are judged in a hostile manner.''[/b] Gyuki grumbled. But he didn't sound that annoyed. [b]''He did try his best, but it wasn't enough. After I woke up from the sealing, he apologized. For like a half year I stayed silent. I had even gave him a small gift before we parted, you know.''[/b] Slowly raising one of his hands, Gyuki stretched only his index finger towards Midori. [b]''But he held true to his promise.''[/b] The finger dwarfed the girl in size and the beast slowly smiled. Even though it was a sad one. Midori stared to the finger. A half year of silence. She knew how that felt. Somehow Gyuki and her were much more alike than one would think. It was strange. Slowly she pressed her fist against his finger, but her hand was trembling. [b]"Do you think that... I mean I am sure that... Ryo..."[/b] Why was it so hard to say his name? [b]"That he... He shouldn't leave me... that is kind of a promise. He didn't.... break it, right?"[/b] [b]''I don't know, Midori. I wish I could give you a lie now. I wish I could lie now.''[/b] Gyuki said back, slowly pulling his hand and finger away from her. He was really disappointed with himself. He was supposed to be one of the nine beasts that made the world cower in fear and awe. His strength could level whole area's and his voice alone made most of his enemies route, simply because they didn't want to face him. But even with his might he couldn't tell a comforting lie to her. [b]''Tsueno once made that promise too. That we would somehow be forever together. But he isn't here. He hasn't been with me for years.''[/b] Slowly the nostrils of the beast widened, but he didn't snort. [b]''I know it is very different, but I know how it is. Or a bit like.''[/b] Something rolled over Gyuki's cheek. [b]''I am sorry.''[/b] Midori bit on her lip. Then she shook her head even though Gyuki wouldn't be able to see that. [b]"It's okay. I had enough lies for a while now. I don't really need more. Thanks..."[/b] she paused for a second as she thought why exactly she was thanking him. [b]"Thanks for telling me."[/b] She finally settled on. The story wasn't about the same loss, it wasn't about the same experience, but she understood the meaning behind it, or at least she thought she did. [b]"I am sorry too."[/b] The body of the beast trembled a bit. A loud snort, louder than all before sounded. It made the walls and floor tremble, like they were afraid that the beast wanted to use his might to break out. To show the world how angry he was that his host had to suffer. That his current best friend was sorry. [b]''Please. We both know I am bad at it. Maybe we should ask Chie for a story.''[/b] The beast said, trying to hide his true feelings, wanting to cheer her up. Not that it would work. Despite everything Midori had to chuckle slightly. [b]"Yeah, you suck."[/b] She said. [b]"And no, mom is sleeping. I don't want to keep her up again. I did that enough... you know... before..."[/b] She didn't really want to talk about the days when she didn't talk anymore. Reliving those memories still wasn't such a good idea. [b]"I don't want to make my mom worried more then she should be."[/b] After that she fell silent again and suddenly yawned. Maybe it was indeed time to sleep. Thinking about it, Gyuki grumbled something. Then he cleared his throat before speaking up to her. [b]''If you want to, I can offer a hug.''[/b] Gyuki said in an even softer whisper. After a moment he added something to it. [b]''Tsuneo often said that he would like me to offer a hug, as it is a sign of friendship.''[/b] Gyuki tried to sound more confident and only realized it was useless to try to hide his feelings for her. [b]"You'd crush me."[/b] Was Midori's first reply, but never the less she got up and jumped of his head so that she stood before the laying beast. she had a serious look on her face. [b]"But yes,"[/b] she said, [b]"I would like that. I also wish I could have met Tsuneo. He sounds like... a nice guy."[/b] [b]''It is the thought that counts.''[/b] The beast mumbled back. Raising his head, he raised an eyebrow. Slowly he placed his head in a position that she could take place next to it. He was well aware that his weight and mass would easily crush her. Such a hug wouldn't be possible, but she could try to make it herself comfortable, laying on his arm and resting against his head or other arm. Silly humans. [b]''You're allowed to stay, but please don't snore.''[/b] The tone revealed that the beast attempted to make another joke as he closed his eyes. Without a word Midori made herself comfortable next to his head. For a moment she shifted uncomfortable, but then found a good way to lay, her head rested against his. [b]"I don't snore..."[/b] She mumbled, her eyes already closing. [b]"That... is.... you..."[/b] [b]''If you say so, Midori.''[/b] Gyuki whispered. He would wait till she was asleep before he would attempt to try to get some sleep for himself. Tomorrow would be another day, filled with surprises. Some fun and nice, while there would be others nasty and awful. But at least he was sure that Tsueno's promise came out. That was a nice surprise. If he could call it a surprise. [b]''Good night, Midori.''[/b] [/hider]