*Twelve Years Ago*
Eien Touketsuryuu, the Head of a clan spanning from whence the world began and second Daiouryuu, stood at the back window of the his Head Quarters in Konoha. Thunder exploded vitriolically in the back ground; drops of rain struck the window as he stared at his meloncholy reflection. An ageless man with white-blonde hair spilling down his shoulders stared back; his eyes were faceted, like an insect's, and blue-on-blue. Humans thought of diamonds and sapphires when they laid eyes on the horrible gems protruding from Touketsu's skull. He was the vision of his Clan's beauty and roaring strength.
For him to stare out of a window, let alone his own reflection, meant very little to him; the man was blind. The entire family experienced the same condition. It was their eyes--the deeply creviced, faceted pools of blue could not distinguish light from dark or colors, either. Eien Dragons could see only in Infrared. Beauty was the softness of a woman's skin, or her syrupy voice. She could be hideous. She could be gigantic. But she would be wonderful. The old Dragon's absent thoughts were broken by the voice of a young lady.
"Touketsu-sama? The Third wishes to see you, sir..." The King Dragon's attendant's high voice ran shrill in Touketsu's pointed ears. This was not something a parent should have been burdoned to do. Especially not the Head of such a prestigious clan. He opened his mouth to speak.
"Very well...bring him in."
Touketsu closed his eyes, allowing a tear to slither down his cheek. Whiping it in his sleave, he approached the wizened old man behind him. The human inhaled on his pipe and cleared his throat.
"Touketsu-kun. Are you well?"
"...I would rather finish this, if you would be so kind."
The King Dragon offered his colleage a seat, which he took gratefully. Tension was so extraordinarily thick that you couldn't cut it with the sharpest kunai knife. Touketsu wanted to disappear far away from his office. Somewhere...where he could forget. Where memories would no longer plague him.
The worst part of living thousands and thousands of years...is that everything turns into a memory. Seasons, words, people...They are almost nonexistant when eclipsed by the oceans of time. Death is like a well-awaited sleep after a very, very long day. Dragons want to die everyday of their lives. Eien Touketsu was no exception from that chronic depression.
"...Ryuu. Where is my daughter's daughter? What news of her?"
"The child is just fine. She's currently in the custody of Tsunade. She's the best Medic-nin we've never had." The King Dragon sighed.
"Have you contacted her father?"
"Yes. Nakagawa-san is on his way as we speak, Touketsu-sama."
The dam burst. Touketsu felt the tears rolling down his cheeks, hot and salty. Dragons cried blood. The cherry-red liquid spilt onto his hands gathering in a shallow pool in the palms. His robes were stained.
"The clan won't have her. She...She's not...She's a half-breed. They'll hate her. I won't have my granddaughter exposed to such cruel hands..."
Sarutobi lowered his gaze. "As you wish. The girl can live with her father until she comes of age. Does that sound satisfactory?"
The King Dragon wouldn't say a single word, but in silence, he agreed. The old man continued.
"Your daughter loved you, Touketsu-kun. She wanted to make her own choice and fell in love with a wonderful young man. She...did not leave your Clan because of you. It was because she wanted to be happy. You let her go with your blessing--and that...was all you could do for her."
Touketsu was about to respond when a somber-looking Amegawa Isamu entered the room. He bowed respectfully to the two older counsilmen. He was given permission to sit. The King Dragon confronted him, sorrow clouding his gaze.
"You are...prepared, then to take care of my Granddaughter?"
The former Rain-nin nodded. "Yes, sir. I-I'm ready...Please let me see her."
"You do realize that she is not all 'human'? That she will require special training for her advanced power?"
"Yes."
"You will bring her to me, once she is old enough, mind you, to learn the Diabolus, correct?"
"Yes, Daiouryuu-sama." The King Dragon laid a clawed hand on his shoulder. His lips curled in a slight smile.
"You're so young. How old are you, nineteen? If you need any assistance from me, please don't hesitate..." Isamu stared at his then-father-in-law with amazement and gratitude. The older man continued.
"You are family, after all. Isn't that our prerogative? To help eachother?"
The shinobi nodded, a smile slowly spreading across his face.
The old Dragon threw his shoulders back confidently and sighed.
"Very well! It's not like we haven't lost Dragons before. We shall...move on, just like we have for ten thousand years. Now, if you both would kindly join me in reciting the Eleventh Enochian Key?"
Touketsuryuu rose from his seat, prompting the other men to rise as well. He had chanted the Funeral Key since his twelveth birthday. The old Dragon hung his head respectfully and began ominously:
"Oxiala holado, od zodirome O cocaxo das zodiladare raasyo. Od vabezodire cameliaxa od nahala: NIISO! salamanu telocahe! Casaremanu hoel-qo, od ti ta zod cahisa soba i ga. NIISA! bagile aberameji nonucape. Zodacare eca od Zodameranu! odo cicale Qaa! Zodoreje, lape zodiredo Noco Mada, hoathe Saitan!"
Shortly after the chant was sung, the rain pounded harder and more torrentally onto the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Dragons all over the continent were roaring mournfully in the loss of the Third Great Dragon: Eien Tenshin. They sang their own Funeral Keys, in languages incomprehensible. That stormy night would shake the very foundations of their worlds...in more ways than one.
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