Story of a Fox and a Hawk

The sun was slowly setting over Sunagakure no Sato. The orange sun rays only barely illuminating the city. Slowly one light after the other flashes into life. Replacing the sun's light with one made by the Shinobi. Megumi shuffled her feet, staring down at them. A happy but nervous smile on her face. ''So...tell me about this Kirito, who is he? How did you meet him, and when am I going to meet him?'' Haruka paced through the room while asking the question. Sweat running down his face. He came over to his daughter as soon as he could when she said that she had to talk to him. When he found out that it was about a boy he frowned. A boy surely could never be good enough for his love and pride.

Megumi looked up to her father, her eyes twinkling slightly. ''Kirito-san is of the Arashi family. I met him on the plateau in front of the Kazekage's palace. There were a lot of people there, and well I saw him there. The some time later I uhh..bumped into him, he showed me around the Honoured Court and then his family's compound. No! Nothing happened! I'll ask him if wants to come by. He normally works here in the armoury. He's an apprentice, but he can't since all of us are living here now...''

At that moment across the village Kirito could be seen pacing back and forth in his family's compound lost in thought nervous as always, "What do I do? So we talked about what Zero-san and I talked about... everything seems great now aside from the ranting of that spoiled brat..." Kirito would turn and drop down on the sand with a sad slump, "I'm useless...."

"Girl troubles Kirito?" The older voice would come from behind him, glancing back Kirito would faintly smile at his dad. "Yeah, that obvious huh?" "Well in a way, I figured I would come out here and talk with you before you dig any deeper into the ground," The older man would chuckle and motion at the path in the sand that Kirito's pacing had caused. "Oh," Kirito smirked, "I'll level it out before I come back inside."

Patting him on his back the older Arashi would smile, "So what is the issue? Things not going well with the cute girl I saw you out here kissing the other day?" "Dad!" "What? You two should find somewhere else to kiss instead of near the front of the house. You're lucky I was able to keep your mother inside. She wanted to come out to meet her right then and there," he would laugh looking at Kirito, whose head would hang low at the embarrassment. "So what is it?"

Sighing Kirito would look up watching the hawks dive around their nests, "She wants me to meet her dad..." After a moment of silence Kirito's father would break out into a laugh. "What is so funny?" Kirito's father would eventually stop laughing and grab his shoulder shaking Kirito in his spot lighlty, "You told me the other day that the Puppet Brigade Master told you that you would be a fine candidate for ANBU and you're worried about meeting your girlfriend's dad? Haha, I guess the apple does not fall too far from the tree. Look Kirito you like this girl right?" Kirito nods in silence glancing from the birds back to his father. "Then there shouldn't be anything in this world that will keep you apart if it is meant to be. Look at your grandfather and I? He didn't like the fact that his little girl liked me. You just have to prove to him that you care for her as much as he does and that you'll do everything to protect her. That is all a father ever wants, if its for his little girl... or a klutzy boy," he laughs and ruffles Kirito's hair.

After a short silence Kirito looks over again, "What if I do something stupid," he sighs, "I mean, you even call me a klutz dad..." Sighing Kirito's father would nod, "I'm sorry about that Kirito, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he would smile and ruffle his hair, "you're my son and I'm proud of you and what you've become in the short time since you've graduated. You're anything but the klutzy kid whose knees were often scabbed over or the one came running to me crying because he had a bruise as big as your head some how." Kirito's father would laugh and slowly a smile would grow on Kirito's lips. "Thanks Dad..." Kirito's father would nod standing up, "Now come inside it is almost time for dinner. I was told to come tell you to find your girlfriend and bring her over, "now", but I'll deal with the repercussions of forgetting that part. Lets go eat." Kirito's father would laugh and step over the ditch that Kirito had made, "clean this up first."

Laughing Kirito would stand up, "Yeeees dad," Kirito would walk back and forth kicking the sand back into place and compacting it with his foot to level it out as best as possible before looking up at the nearby nest, two hawks sat in the nest looking back at him, the female and male hawk's eyes following him curiously. Smiling at the couple Kirito would walk over picking up his swords before hurrying inside for dinner.

Excellent! & Cute!

EDIT: Paid!

Megumi shuffled her foot over the sand nervously, taking a deep breath before stepping into the armoury.'' Dad...you there?'' She glanced around, scanning the interior of that armoury that's still being used as a refugee camp. A lock of hair was soon placed behind her ear, she spotted her father and tapped him on his shoulder. He was talking to one of the other refugees. ''Gomen. But do you have a moment.. I uh- want to talk to you about something..'' Haruka nodded, ending his conversation with the other refugee to follow his daughter to some place more private. They both sat down and he looked to her silently before smiling reassuringly to her. '' So, what's wrong? Can I help you with something?'' Megumi remained silent for a moment not sure how to talk to him about it. Letting her engagement ring roll around her finger using her thumb. Haruka's eyebrow raised as he saw the finger, opening his mouth to say something. He however closes it again, waiting to see what she has to say about it.


''I know..what you are thinking..but isn't that simple. We've been together for almost 25 years.. I love him dad. '' She eyes him for a moment. A sigh escaping his lips. '' I'd first like to meet this boy.. Kirito, was it right?'' Megumi nods to his question, smiling a bit at her father. '' Uhhm, about that. He'll probably be here later today..I wanted to come tell you that. Dad please be nice to him..'' Haruka moves forward, holding Megumi in a tight hug. '' You're everything to me you know that.'' ''Dad.., I know.. I love you too'' Holding her father tightly she closes her eyes, taking a deep breath in before exhaling slowly. ''I'll try to be nice to him... But if he breaks your heart I will break his legs.'' '' Dad!! ''

A few hours later...


"Ok... keep it together", Kirito's mind raced as he walked down the ramp of sand passing the Sun Temple, "you have been through worse and she loves you. How can he say no?" Kirito would walk along in his own little world as he made his way past the hospital. The young man, a sixteen year old in peak physical condition was also a grown man with the mental capacity of an adult twice his age. The past week's events seemed almost trival to him after spending roughly twenty five years in a prison where nothing changed, no one died, and no one grew old while it had only been almost three days in the outside world. How could he be deemed completely sane? The young man's nervousness crept in as his mind was filled with doubt and questions as he walked, "What if he does say no? What if he can't accept that even though a few days passed here.... it was almost a life time to us?"

His mind a blur as he made his death march toward the armory. Kirito was completely clueless of his surroundings as he walked by the side door of the hospital, two nurses carrying gaze and puppet parts on their way back to the puppet brigade, would collide to avoid Kirito as he walked past dropping the parts and yell after the spaced out teen. Kirito's mind would wonder back to the limbo prison and the time shared with Megumi, the nights of reciting tales of their lives before the endless torment just to stay sane and to remember what it was like before they ended up trapped together in a never ending cycle, their promises to stay at each other's side, and Kirito's promise to get her out. Megumi's voice would echo in his head, "...this is not what I expected when I dreamed of growing old with you. I want to really grow old with you and have a life together."

The world would come into focus around him as Kirito looked up, his feet having guided him to the armory he had worked at during a time that seemed to be so long ago. Watching as some of the Konoha refuges walked in and out he took in a deep breath and stood up determined thinking to himself, "No, I will not take no as an answer..." Kirito walked up the steps quickly and looked at the door handle, "... I love her."

As the door opened Haruka looked up, nodding to the young man that entered the room. He walked over and extended his hand in greeting. His eyes scanned the Arashi as he introduced himself '' Haruka Fukuda, nice meeting you..'' Haruka pointed to a chair motioning him to sit. Megumi's father walked over to a cabinet pouring two glasses of water, handing one to Kirito. He then sat on the chair opposite of Kirito's. Haruka looked at the boy silently, not saying a word. His mood seemed to be serious, until he broke the silence ''So..Tell me about yourself''

Kirito would sit across from Haruka swirling the water in the glass before looking up at him. Kirito would reach over and place the glass on a nearby box before stepping down onto his knees and bending over in an apologetic bow on the floor, "First I want to apologize if you feel I have dishonored you or your daughter by not seeking out your permission first... I meant no disrespect to you or your family. I only know what was and is in my heart. I love your daughter Sir and I wish to spend the rest of my life with her." Kirito would remain on the floor knowing this could easily go one of two ways. Regardless of the answer however and no matter how humble he was trying to be he would not take no for an answer having made up his mind to run away with Megumi if they did not receive Haruka's blessing.

Haruka stood up as Kirito bowed in front of him. Towering above the boy, he glanced down. A moment of utter silence, one could really hear a needle fall unto the ground. The man placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, somewhat comforting. A faint smile grows on haruka's face. '' Go sit down. Tell me about yourself. It's not like I could change anything about it. She can't stop talking about you. So even if I didn't want this, I wouldn't be able to stop her.'' He takes a step back, sitting down in his chair again. After listening to what Kirito had to say he nods a few times. He had been rather silent the entire time as Kirito spoke.'' One more thing though; Do you really know who Megumi, my pride and joy. is?'' Haruka gazed deep into kirito's eyes as he asked the question.

Sitting up Kirito would sit back down onto the seat, the heavy feeling that had been on his shoulders lifting as he sat there looking at Haruka in silence for a moment. "Yes sir, I do. I know who she is... and I know what she is. It doesn't change the way I feel about her. I cared for her long before she told me what her responsibilities are and before you ask I've already given it thought to what it would mean when you and her return home. I've already discussed it with my own father if you do not mind my preemptive assumption and my plans to follow your daughter when you two return home. If it would mean that I had to leave my home to be with her I would." At that point Kirito would close his mouth and pick up his glass taking a sip of the water suddenly feeling as if his mouth was dry as he sat there a little unnerved.

Taking the drink he would then set the glass down and continue, "I know things may not be the way you or I wanted them but they are the way they are. I love your daughter and I intend to spend the rest of my life with her. I know she is your only daughter and that she is your pride and joy but I love her. I can't change that." He would smile confidently as he sat across from Haruka.

Excellent & Goodx 3!

EDIT: Paid!

Haruka nodded a smile slowly forming on his face. '' I believe you. I can see that you really want to make her happy and do intend to stay by her side. For that reason I will allow you and her to be together '' With that being said Haruka stood up, he walked over to one of his bag. As he opened it he started to search for something silently. After a while he sighed and pulled out a small piece of parchment. He placed it on the table in front of Kirito. '' Use this when there's no other option.''

"Thank you," Kirito would smile happily and relieved as he sat there with the answer he wanted to hear. "So what now? Where does it go from here?" he thought to himself having not planned out what to say or do next. Pausing Kirito would look at the parchment waiting for Haruka to remove his hand before picking it up, "What is this?" The seal on the parchment something Kirito had never seen before as he looked up from the paper to Haruka. "Is this the paper she talked about? The proverbial trick up your sleeve... for it?"

As Haruka nodded to him in silence Kirito slipped the paper away, "I understand. I made a promise to your daughter that I would always protect her, even if that meant from herself ..or it..." Sitting back in his seat Kirito would look at the floor and then back to Haruka, "I know I do not deserve an answer because I am not from your village but I feel I deserve one because she is going to be my wife. Why her? Why did you or whoever put that thing in her?" Kirito would lean forward on his knees resting his elbows there, "... and knowing what she has gone through and will go through. Was it worth it?"

TOKENS TO BE PAID

Valtorr - 1
FoRgE - 2