The Kooky Kitsune Korner

Title: His Promise
Fandom: Naruto
Characters: Kohaku Kitsune, Haruki Kitsune, Hisui Kitsune, Kaito Kitsune, plus the rest of Kohaku's immediate family
Pairing: N/A
Ratings: Teen+
Warnings: Mild language
Author Notes: Kohaku tries to cope with his little brother's death.

Kohaku could hear the abundance of cheer and merriment as he sat in a tree. He leaned against the trunk as he looked aimlessly at whatever was in front of him. Unlike his clansmen, he wasn't in the mood for cheer or anything festive. His brother died during the Masked Men's last assault on the village. Kohaku still felt responsible for Hisui's death. He just brought him towards the Academy building with the other students and children. Then... Kohaku rubbed his right sight, grimacing at the slight burning sensation.

It's been a week since the funerals for all the fallen villagers from the faction fighting and then the Masked Men. Since then, Kohaku hasn't seen his mother or his siblings. He knew they were broken up about it but Kohaku couldn't just see them without thinking of Hisui or even his father again. He didn't feel angry just torn and sad. He was close with all three of his siblings but losing his little brother hurt more. Especially since Hisui made Kohaku feel just that more important! Hisui made Kohaku an older sibling, something that he always feel proud about.

Kohaku loved being a big brother! Anri and Naiya got to be older siblings and always gave him a hard time when they were kids. So when Hisui was born, Kohaku was so happy and so excited! He finally got to be the older brother. Kohaku always stuck by Hisui whenever and wherever. He loved being the older sibling for once. They always trained together and even caused trouble with other Kitsune or their big brother.

Kohaku sighed again as he wiped away more tears. He still couldn't believe he lead Hisui to his death. Even kicking and punching those Masked Men didn't make him feel better. He felt like he betrayed his family, clan, and just everything in general. Though Haruki managed to keep him from think like that, and Anri too when he could find him, but Kohaku couldn't help it. He did lead Hisui there and promised him that the Academy would be safe.

"Kohaku?" A voice asked. Kohaku jumped a little but relaxed to see Haruki.

"Hey Haru." Kohaku said sullenly.

"Your Ma and everyone are worried." Haruki said, settling next to him on the tree branch.

"I know." The boy mumbled.

Haruki's wars flattened against his dark fur. He didn't like seeing him all sad. Haruki had a hard time keeping his spirits up when his father died. And that took about a year for him to finally be himself again. Haruki couldn't imagine how long this could take. The fox noticed the pale fox mask Hisui made for Kohaku and his older siblings as well as a few friends before the recent lantern festival. Kohaku had been keeping it as a reminder during his Yokai Warrior training.

Haruki moved next to his brother and rubbed his head against Kohaku's arm. Kohaku instinctively moved his hand and rubbed the top of Haruki's head with his thumb. He sniffled here and there as he continued to pet Haruki. Tears rolled down his face as they sat in silence. Haruki climbed onto Kohaku's lap after a couple minutes.

"I can't believe he's gone." Kohaku muttered. "I know Anri is gonna be mad if I don't go home soon but I just..." He sighed as he wiped away more tears.

"Hisui was gonna graduate this year too!" He continued. "He was so excited to start training and having teammates too. He was super psyched to actually wanna start his clan training."

Kohaku wasn't sure to feel mad or upset but he did feel peeved about those Masked Men. Just because they hated unique traits doesn't mean they have to slaughter anyone that gets in their way. Unique and hard to find abilities is what made things more interesting. Without the Clans in Torogakure, everything might as well just be boring. Just thinking of them made him feel on edge again.

"So I see you have Hisui's mask." Haruki said. Kohaku reached for it and looked at it.

Hisui made them as an assignment for one of his classes at the Academy. Something to do with expressing what the masks looked like. Hisui started with three, one for each of his older siblings. Naiya's mask was half white and half red, to symbolize how hurt she was about losing her arm but just how strong she became afterwards, Anri's was mostly brown with red paint reaching downwards from the eyes, Hisui said something about it explained Anri though Kohaku knew Hisui never saw their older brother in a fight and wondered how he got it kind of right, and then Kohaku's mask. Kohaku was still puzzled by it's meaning and wasn't sure Hisui actually had an idea on his, or rather Naiya's and Anri's either. The mask was white with two orange triangles on both sides of the mask. Hisui had said it was supposed to represent Kohaku -- as in he just became a Genin and he hasn't done a lot to explain the kind of individual he was.

Kohaku wasn't sure to accept it or just think about it. But that explanation has been in his head ever since. Hisui was right, he hadn't done much but neither had most of the village. He used to joke saying that his little brother was more insightful than they realized but what he was right? Being a kid couldn't be a real excuse anymore but if Hisui was just slightly more aware of what was going on...

"Hey, I need to be alone for a while." Kohaku said as he looked at Haruki. "I'm gonna be home later, so you can tell Ma Anri doesn't need to look for me. I just wanna clear my head."

"All right." Haruki said as he got off Kohaku's lap and watched him jump down towards the ground.

Kohaku's hand tightly held Hisui's mask as he ran. Haruki wasn’t sure where Kohaku would be going but he had an idea. The young Kitsune bolted through the forest, running past some villagers here and there before reaching the graveyard. He came to see his father's tombstone every now and then but seeing Hisui's next to it still spooked him. Kohaku knelt in front of their tombstones, looking between them as he held the mask. No one was around, it was almost time for dinner so everyone was trying to find some place to eat. So Kohaku knew he could figure this out before Anri or Naiya had to look for him.

"Pa, you said that I had to do what's best for my clan." He started. "But to do that means I have to put their concern over mine. I know you loved our home but you would be upset to see it now. A lot's changed and I'm sure a lot of people would be upset at us. But I did do what you asked, I put my clan ahead of me. I ain't proud to call myself a ninja as I help kill my own friends and classmates, but the Kitsune come first."

Kohaku paused as he looked at the mask again. His thumbs were sliding against the orange marks on either side. His amber eyes idly glancing at them as he thought about what else to say. He hasn't been here since the funeral service so it was still kind of weird. Kohaku cleared his throat as he looked at Hisui's tombstone.

"Hisui, you used to take every day for what it was. There was always an adventure to be had and fun to explore." He spoke. "You always had fun; whether it was with a Kitsune or even a Hibiki. Clan boundaries didn't bother you. As long as that person wanted to play and have fun, that's all you did. Yeah you didn't understand what was going on entirely but you did know it wasn't fun. Me 'n Anri tried to explain it to ya as best we could but you still found a reason to be goofy."

Kohaku remembered seeing Hisui playing with kids from his class one day. He knew if anyone else saw him playing with an Asukai, they might've been upset or confused but Kohaku knew his brother just didn't care about it. Then again, Pa died only a couple years before. So he hadn't heard about his father's -- rather the clan's -- prejudice against the Asukai. He still experienced it but not like Kohaku, Anri, and Naiya did and that's what made Kohaku stop that day.

"You always saw things in a lighter sense." Kohaku continued. "They didn't do you any wrong, so why bother being upset? I remember you asking why we hated the Asukai one day and then asking again right after I told you. If Anri or Naiya heard it, they would've given you a better explanation than 'I dunno'."

Kohaku laughed at himself as he spoke the last few words. That day was so weird. They finished training and Hisui asked if the Kitsune and Asukai really fought. Kohaku told him that they did and that it would more than likely happen again. But Hisui's reply made him rethink his stance a little. Why hate the Asukai? Even knowing what they had done? All that stuff happened years ago and it's not like either side could change what they did.

"You both mean a lot to me and I have to start taking things seriously." He said. "I know I've been doing that since I became a Genin but this is for real. I acted like a kid when you died Pa, and then I just ran away when you died, Hisui. I'm not gonna do that anymore. I'm going to grow up and finally act like a man." Kohaku looked at his mask again.

"I'm going to make you both proud. I will give my life for the Kitsune but I won't fall into the stupid cycle of hatred. It doesn't do anyone any good and hasn't in a long time. I will help anyone that falls or is left behind. I don't care if my clan or family or even my friends think less of me. We need to survive whatever is getting ready to push us down." Kohaku paused again as he looked at the mask. He put it on and let it sit against the side of his head. "My clan is my village and my village is my clan. I may fight against them but that's what all families do. So I'm gonna be that light for people like you guys were for me. I won't let either of you down, heck Ma 'n everyone else too. I'm gonna make my clan proud, I promise."