Sudden Revelations! (Group Plot)

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Kokoro almost spat out her tea as she read the invitation that she had received from her brother. She had been curious what his house looked like but had not expected a formal invitation to be sent to her house. The girl read the address and prepared to leave her own house, while imagining what the building looked like. It was really hard to think though as she barely knew Sojiro enough to envision. But for some reason she imagined something like a cave, which was ridiculous she knew but still the thought of it made her giggle softly to herself while walking down the streets. She would stop by a vendor to pick out some sake as a gift. Although not much for formalities like these, she felt she at least needed to bring something to his house. I wonder if he likes to drink...she thought, carrying a bottle of sake in her hand and making her way to the address on the invitation.

And what greeted her eyes was definitely not what she had in mind, as the large mansion towered over the girl. It was more than just unexpected. She knew that he was a doctor and probably made a lot of money but this was just too much for the young girl to take in. As she stood rather shocked in front of the iron gates, she wasn't sure how to proceed. Kokoro made her way cautiously beyond the iron gates, her blue eyes looking here and there as she did so. Such grandness and luxury made her own house pale in comparison. There was a lot to learn still about her brother, she concluded.

Sojiro had taken to turning the living room into his own personal lab, where he would be performing a series of tests and experiments. While doing a certain test of some sorts, balancing a few vials and mixing a series of chemicals, an alarm would suddenly go off and cause the man to nearly jump out of his skin. As it went off, there was suddenly a moment of panic while one of the vials he was holding slipped from his hand and towards a larger beaker. Sojiro would release the other vial in his hands while trying to slide over one of the tables he brought into the room before there was a sudden 'BOOM' that could be heard on the whole grounds. Of course, most of the help that was around the building would assume that it was just Genkumaru who had been practicing his Kekkei Genkai; but obviously he would know better.

As Sojiro would barge out of the room on the second floor, black smoke would billow out into the hallways as the man moved towards the windows. Kokoro would see a few windows suddenly open on the second floor before the black smoke would flow out and into the air, the sound of a man grumbling faintly able to be heard. Kokoro's nose could pick up on the various smells that made up the presence of Sojiro Sakura, the smell of smoke strong on his skin. Sojiro would move through the hallways and take off his white, er, sort of white lab coat and stop by his room. The man wasn't against the help that was around the estate but he didn't usually ask for their help, used to doing things by himself and not really in the mood to have people doting on his hand and foot. Someone was bound to mess something up and he'd rather just get it done right himself, the first time.

By the time he had gotten a new pair of pants and started back into the hallway, his nose would finally pick up on the scent that he had learned to come with Kokoro. With ease the man would slip to the ground level of the estate and slowly into the estate. Sojiro would be wearing a pair of black pants, trying to pull of a black shirt to match with black smoke marks on his face and arms. He had a white cloth with him, trying to clean his face the best that he could, "Kokoro, I'm glad you decided to stop by! I know the place is a bit big but don't blame me for that."

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She was still trying to take in what she was being presented, slightly stunned by the mansion in front of her, when her thoughts would be violently interrupted by black smoke coming out of the windows of the second floor. What was Sojiro doing, burning down his house? The girl was about the rush into the house, when she noticed someone walking out. She smelled him before even seeing him, the scent of her brother so unique that it no longer surprised him. Like when they had first met, he smelled of chemicals, herbs and a little bit of blood, a combination that simply stuck with her. Her concerned expression turned into something of annoyance when she heard what he said to her. She'd forgotten just how cocky he was...something that he never failed to remind her.

"Did you just try to burn your house down? What was that?" she nodded in the direction of the smoke. Her facial expression was soft though, her heart melting a little each time she saw her brother. Even though he was cocky and arrogant, she must admit that she admired him. Not only did he have skill, but his confidence and arrogance made her feel oddly safe. "Why did you invite me here again, nii-sama?" she would add, happy to finally be able to see for herself what kind of place her brother lived in. Kokoro would not forget the honorific she used for him though, the respect she had for him subtly represented in the way she addressed him.

As Sojiro had moved towards Kokoro, he would listen to her ask his question and he would wave a dismissive hand at her, "If I wanted to burn the house down, I promise this place would be on fire already. I just messed up a small experiment, nothing crazy." The man would then look the girl up and down, taking in the details of her body structure and face, again. She really didn't look like how an Inukura was expected to, or... Was that just some stigma that Sojiro had because of what he looked like? And what he remembered his parents looking like? Sojiro would shake his head for a minute, hearing the girl speak the name she insisted on calling him and would raise a hand to rub at the bridge of his nose, "There's someone I want you to meet."

As he said this, Genkumaru would come walking over to them, smelling like fresh explosions and sweat. At the man's comments, Sojiro's face went completely deadpan and he would move his right hand to punch Genkumaru in his shoulder. But, hearing the man speak, he would grunt a bit afterward, "Well, it seems the two of you already know each other. That should make things a bit easier." Sojiro would then turn on his heels and motion for the two of them to follow him, "I actually wanted to talk to the both of you." The man would move into the man entrance of the building and through the large halls of the estate.

The man would take them to the kitchen, which was a large room with several types of stoves and seemed more like it belonged in a restaurant instead of a home. There was more than one fridge and a large counter with chairs, Sojiro gesturing for the two of them to take a seat at the counter, "Are you guys hungry? I was about to cook."

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Kokoro was definitely still getting accustomed to her brother's persistent cocky attitude as she listened to him talk. Her eyes narrowed a little as she listened, not out of scrutiny or disbelief, rather that she was trying to piece things together in her brain. She had just woken up and had dragged herself to this mansion-like house. She knew that it was going to be a very long day. There's someone he wanted her to meet? Was it his girlfriend? Or like...his wife? Kokoro wasn't sure why the idea of Sojiro having a significant other amused her as she gave a little careless giggle at his words. Her mind imagined the perfect woman for him, which was not an easy task.

She would still be thinking when she saw a familiar face walking close to them. The red hair and physique could only mean one person, and she proved herself right as he drew near. It was Gen, a man she had done a mission with not too long ago. Kokoro had been greatly impressed by his skills and calm demeanor and judging from the interaction between the two men in front of her, they were quite good friends. She gave Gen a small smile, blushing a little in embarrassment at his offhanded remark. Her gaze would turn to Sojiro, communicating a glare as she knew that he hadn't told his friend about her. And then there was the idea of food, which always made her happy.

Sojiro escorted the two inside the house and she would be met with an impressive interior, with a massive kitchen. How much money did he spend on this place, she thought to herself, taking in all that met her eyes. She would plop herself on a chair and think for a moment, realizing she was actually really hungry from having skipped breakfast. "Pancakes!" she said a little too happily, like a little child as she grinned to her brother, the thought of pancakes taking over her mind completely. She was like this at the thought of any kind of food. 

With the two of them following him into the kitchen, he kept his normal posture and would listen as Kokoro had declared what she wanted for breakfast and took a seat at the counter. His eyes would watch as Genkumaru would move to make them all a cup of tea, soon the large man staring back and unintentionally intimidating... Or, at least to someone that wasn't Sojiro. He would walk over to his friend and tap his chest with the back of his head, "You're brooding, Gen." He would tease the man as he took both cups of tea and moved over to Kokoro, putting one of the cups down for her, "So anyway, I don't really know how to go about this Genkumaru, I'm not so open with stuff like you are."

The man would take a sip of the tea and let out a pleased noise as he started to move around the kitchen, "Starting basic, I wasn't born in the village. Uh, actually, I didn't come into the village until I was twelve years old. Rin Sakura adopted me after nursing me back to health from near starvation." The man would find the pancake mix, sliding to one of the fridges and gathering a few more cooking things. Some eggs, milk, and, of course, three large packs of bacon. The man would look at Gen as he turned around with an arm full of items, "That being said, you can probably, maybe guess where I am going with this." Was he nervous? The man blinked, why was he beating around the bush?

Sojiro would grunt as he put the stuff down on the counter, turning on a few burners and grabbing several different pans for the various cooking things, "My real name isn't Sojiro Sakura, the truth is that Rin gave me that name after I refused to tell him my name and he respected that." He would toss the pancake mix into the bowl, followed by some water, a bit of milk, vanilla, and a bit of cinnamon. As he started to mix the bowl, he would finally turn to face Genkumaru and look him dead into his eyes, "The truth is that my name is Shin Inukura. And, just last week, I found out that I have a little sister. From my real father." And finally, with that, he would turn so that he could look Genkumaru and Kokoro at the same time. He exposed a lot about himself, although even this wasn't all the details, it was the most honest he'd even been about it since one mistake in the forest. He would mix the contents of his bowl, watching the two of them closely for their reactions and such.

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Her aquatic eyes shifted from Gen to Sojiro and then back to Gen again, watching the movemebts of these twobusy preparing...well normal things. Kokoro found it highly amusing that they both didn't look like the type to stand in a kitchen cooking or preparing tea and yet they were doing just that. She thanked Gen for the tea, nodding to him and then to Sojiro when he set her cup in front of her. Her hands cupped around the mug, the warmth of the hot liquid helped her keep her hands warm. The young girl would take a sip, closing her eyes as she noted just how good the towering redhead was at tea making. It was rare to see such skill in a man, especially Gen.

She listened in silence and watched in even more silence as Sojiro busied himself with making breakfast. She had been curious no doubt, since meeting him, about his past. But she didn't know how to ask since it indirectly involved her own birth father. To hear him speak of it was comforting and yet foreign at the same time. Kokoro wondered if they'd ask her any questions seeing as she hadn't disclosed much of her own past to them. She would observe carefully, watching her brother above all else. There was something...something so charismatic about him as he moved fluidly around the kitchen. How lucky she was that the great medic of Nikkousato was making pancakes and bacon for her.

When Sojiro finished speaking, she felt he was wanting a reaction or comment from her, his gaze fixed on them both. She pondered a moment before clearing her throat, as though she had just found her voice again. "And my real name is Inukura Reika, but my stepfather named me Sakuragi Kokoro." Her voice was light and her gaze fixated on the table, she would offer this much information. It felt so weird that she was saying her birthname, trying to contain herself as she remembered the last time she had a breakdown at Sojiro's clinic. 

Sojiro had been watching the two of them for their reactions and when Reika had decided to share her own name, Sojiro was more than a little shocked. He hadn't really been expecting her to share information about herself unless she felt comfortable, so the idea that she was too trusting had crossed his mind almost immediately. But, as interesting as that was, it wasn't the most interesting thing that happened in the following moments. Genkumaru would, without a single word, put his cup of tea down onto the counter before leaving the room. Sojiro wouldn't try to stop him, unsure of what was happening in that moment. Was Genkumaru upset? Sojiro could see him being upset about not telling him about his backstory but hopefully, Gen knew those details weren't important to Sojiro, they never had been. If the events of a person's past mattered, then it may have been harder for the two of them to become friends just from Genkumaru's open past alone but... Sojiro shook his head and would move to continue cooking. While it was just them in the room, he would speak to Kokoro, "I still don't know what you're expecting to get out of me as a brother, but you aren't going to find it from me." The man would pour some of the pancakes into a pan, tossing some bacon in as he prepared some eggs.

As he whipped the eggs, he would turn towards the girl and offer a shrug, "I don't do feelings well, I don't really get them or the point. Bonds and trusting people don't work for me, not that I've tried but... That is besides the point." Sojiro would continue to cook as he moved about, letting his words hang a bit as he spoke. Was he being too harsh? It wasn't like he hated the girl or hated the idea of having more kin out there. But, just because they shared blood didn't really mean anything, "Genkumaru... Well, you see." Sojiro would grunt a bit as he tried to find the words, still moving around the kitchen while cooking and placing the completed food on a metal tray. What he'd do to make sure the food stayed warm was turn the stove on, extremely low, and place the food inside on the trays. When he was doing this, it was Genkumaru would finally come back into the room. As he spoke, offering the gift to her, there was a breath of relief from Sojiro. He'd turn to lean on the counter so that he could look at them both, again.

"I'm glad you came back, I wasn't sure how to take you walking out. I was worried you'd be upset about my name or something but honestly... Shin, Sojiro... I don't really care what you call me." The man would give a small shrug as he would let his gaze fall back onto Kokoro, "What I was trying to say is that Genkumaru is the only family that I have, Reika. Blood doesn't mean anything to me, actions speak the loudest. I'm not saying I don't want anything to do with you but don't think your blood makes you special." The man would nod his head a little before as he would walk over to the two of them, moving to place a hand on Gen's shoulder in a sincere gesture, "That being said, I'm terrible at the emotions and being sensitive. I don't think I'd make a great older brother but that's why I wanted you to meet Genkumaru. Because he's my brother, my family and... Well, I may be a shitty brother, but he isn't. So, maybe you should get to know him." The man would say with a soft nod of his head, as though he had said everything that he needed to in that moment.

Sojiro was terrible with words but he was trying his best, turning back around so that he could continue cooking breakfast and getting ready. With his back facing the two of them, he'd call out, "Could you two set up the table for us? It shouldn't really take that much longer."

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The aroma of food began to fill the kitchen. Kokoro's stomach rumbled as she sipped her tea. She was just enjoying herself for once, enjoying the idea of being able to have a meal with Sojiro and Gen. She hadn't thought about much other than that, the notion of spending quality family time nonexistent in her mind. Even with her stepfather there was no such luxury, for Ren was too busy to even come home and sleep most nights, let alone sit down at the dinner table to enjoy a meal together. In her own home she felt like a lodger, a person who simply rented a room like at a sharehouse or guesthouse. She had hoped to actually spend some quality time over a nice cooked meal. That was all she had wanted deep down.

She saw Gen leave without a sound and pondered the reason why. Was he trying to take in all the informationthat Sojiro told him and just couldn't? Just how deep was their friendship? Kokoro was envious of her brother for having a friend that seemingly cared so much for him. She was simply always alone. But she would find that there was no such luxury to be worried about Gen's wellbeing as she continued to listen to Sojiro speak, this time he was addressing her specifically. Her brows furrowed as she listened to his cutting words, her face paling slightly the more his words seeped through. The hand holding the tea cup shook violently, as she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. How dare he say such words, how dare he deny the one thing she had wanted from him? She didn't want special treatment, as he so heartlessly called it.

She only wanted someone who cared.

By now Gen had returned and he would find that the atmosphere in the room was not quite the same as it had been when he left. The grip on her cup tightened until her knuckles were white, her sadness replaced by anger and fury. In a swift motion she would hurl the cup, still half filled with tea at Sojiro's head, not caring whether it actually hit him. She would hop off the chair, her eyes slowly filling with tears as she spoke. "You're not just terrible at emotions, Sojiro," she began, hissing his name as she looked at him, the fury in her eyes communicating all of the anger her words could not. "You also lack respect and basic common sense it seems." She turned her back to the two of them, readying herself to leave. "I never wanted anything from you and I certainly don't want some person to take a place that you obviously don't want to take yourself. I'm fine not having a family. I never did anyway." The pain made her voice tremble as she turned her head back to stare directly into Sojiro's eyes. "And I'm fine not having you either."

It hurt her to say those words but it hurt her more to have to listen to his. She would begin to leave the room, tears silently streaming down her face. "From now on, call me Kokoro." She added to Gen before leaving the kitchen. She had a rollercoaster of emotions and unfortunately none of them good ones. Why had he invited her here. Just to tell her he didn't want to be her brother and not want to have anything to do with her? Did he have to humiliate her like that? He could have wrote it in letter or something. But he had chosen to tell her verbally, perhaps wanting to see her reaction. Kokoro stormed out of the estate, the tears welled up now freely flowing down her face. She was like a hopeless child seeking love and acceptance. She had learned the hard way that there was no such thing, as she felt her knees give was from underneath her and collapsed on the ground, just beyond the entrance of the house. Her body shook violently, her hands clenched in fists as she wept.  

Sojiro had thought he had done a good job at conveying his feelings in this moment, so when the girl had seemed to get angry and began to speak harshly at him... Well, the confusion was obvious on his face. Replace him? No, he had just been trying to explain. The man didn't have time to even let out a sigh as the girl turned to leave before there was a booming voice from next to him, coming from Genkumaru and getting his attention right away. He went to open his mouth as Gen spoke but stopped, waited, and then tried to speak again but... Words were hard to find. He listened to what Genkumaru had said and, was that really true? Is that how he came off? Sojiro knew that he wasn't the best with words and he would take in a deep breath as he thought over his brother's words carefully.

She was strong and wouldn't back down, huh? That seemed to be something that ran in their blood, then. But even after hearing all that, Sojiro's brows would press together as he looked over at Gen then over at Kokoro, assuming she didn't walk out, "What he says is true, I'm trying. Genkumaru is the only person who understands me, and..." The man sighed again, looking at the ceiling for a moment, "And it's not like I want you to prove yourself to me. But," He stopped again and would rub his brows together, turning around to the stove for a moment to take the rest of the food off before it could burn. When he turned back around there was an array of emotions on his face.

"I asked you to come here because if we're going to be family, then you needed to meet my family. Gen is a great brother and I didn't mean I want him to take my place, I mean that, like..." The man would cross his arms and look to the side as he would almost mumble the words, "I intended for all of us to be a family, not for someone to be outted."

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It seemed that the cup of hot tea had missed its target, although she hadn't actually been aiming at him in earnest. She watched as the cup landed a few inches from where Sojiro was standing, silently grateful that it hadn't hit him. Still in a fit of rage, she was about to bolt out the door when Genkumaru's voice boomed, quieting the room. She had never seen or heard someone get as angry as he did, as he shouted at both of them, his rage written all over his face and his body language. She stopped dead in her tracks, her back turned slightly to both men, listening to what the redhead had to say. Kokoro guessed that he did have a point, for this was not the first time Sojiro had said something outwardly mean without meaning to, recalling their first meeting at his clinic. Back then she had also reacted as she did now, perhaps a little more subtle than her current state.

"...I mean that, like...I intended for all of us to be a family, not for someone to be outted." were a part of the words she heard her brother say, the most important words out of his speech. Kokoro continued to stand there like a statue, her body still trembling. But the shaking was not out of anger nor frustration, but pure sadness. It had hurt her deeply to hear what he had said before, even though she knew that he had difficulty articulating in a way normal humans did. It seemed that she had misunderstood, not wrongfully so, at what he had meant to say. She plopped herself on the floor, her knees hitting the cold surface as she half knelt, unable to speak. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks, as she stared at the ground, mesmerized by the pattern. Kokoro couldn't explain how she felt or why she was feeling this way. All she did was cry, the second time she would cry in front of her brother. If only he knew how much she had wanted him to be a part of his life, had wanted to be accepted...if only he knew.

She let herself sit there for awhile, the sound sizzling bacon and the aroma of fresh pancakes filled the air. Kokoro didn't move, and when she found the courage to speak again, apologized to both men, her apology directed more so to Genkumaru. This was not what she imagined her first meeting with Sojiro's best friend would come to, and certainly felt more than guilty for creating a scene and causing the other to fall into a pit of rage. Her head turned slightly to the man she would give him a little bow, the only thing she knew how to do as she apologized. Her back was still turned from her brother though, the sight of his face perhaps too much for her to look at at that moment. This episode made her understand herself a little more, just how deeply she had yearned for family even though she thought she didn't need them.

Sojiro would watch as Kokoro has collapsed to the floor and started crying, his brows furrowing together as he didn't really know what to do. Thankfully, Genkumaru had taken the lead in running to her side and embracing her in a hug. The man wasn't blind to the look that he got from his brother, his brows somehow managing to furrow even further together as he stood there for a moment. Was this normal? With a sigh of defeat, Sojiro would move over to the both of them and get on the other side of Kokoro. He would wrap his arms around them in a hug, doing the best that he could to make it seem organic and normal. It wasn't terrible but it needed some work.

As he hugged them, he didn't cry but without realizing it, there was a soft and sincere smile that was on his lips. He looked peaceful in that moment as he shook his head, "You guys are way too emotional." He said, chastising them in a manner that couldn't be far from serious, holding them in that hug.

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And then as if her emotions were not already getting the better of her, she suddenly noticed an arm around her shoulder. She looked up, her tear stricken face met that of Gen's as he pulled her into a firm and warm hug. It was the first time she had felt something this warm, not counting the small embrace that Sojiro had given her at his clinic. She was surprised that a man with Gen's exterior could be so...warm. The girl gave in to the embrace, tears streaming down her face as she buried her head in his arms, nodding her head at his words. It was a sweep of emotion that was foreign yet inviting.

The next thing that happened would make almost jump, as she felt another set of arms embracing her. It was her brother...who had now pulled them both into an embrace. She melted in his embrace, a lot more than she had willed it to the last time. It was such a loving moment. For once she felt like she had people who cared about her, that was willing to show her the warmth that was missing her life. She took a moment to shift and lean her head on Sojiro, forgetting temporarily that he had just been a jerk to her. She now had two brothers to take care of her...more than she had ever dreamed she would get.

Honestly, everything about the hug had felt foreign to Sojiro but he wasn't in a rush to separate himself from the others. As Genkumaru started to stand up, it was a weird feeling to have himself hoisted off his feet by the man and put on them. Once he was there, he would take a step backward and dust himself off a bit, not that there was anything to really dust off. Once that was done, the man would go over to where the food was sitting and start to make them each a plate, "Well, another, smaller reason I had asked Reika to come here was that I wanted to look over a building I found the other day." The man would offer Genkumaru a plate, that had a tower of food and Kokoro one as well, hers not as large as Gen's but much larger than what someone would usually give a girl of her size.

Sojiro would make a plate that was akin to Gen's in size before he started to walk towards the exit, seemingly alright with walking, talking, and eating, "I know you've caught onto the missing children in the village, at least how serious it is. I'm hoping that maybe she can see something I didn't."

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The embrace was all she needed from her two brothers. The girl would hold it for a few more seconds before she felt Gen move, lifting her off the ground. She had forgotten just how different in size and build she and he were, finally releasing herself from both men. The back of her hands carelessly wiping the streaks of tears staining her face, she watched as Sojiro piled food on plates. It was like going to a buffet restaurant, only to have the food given to her in such quantities. Kokoro would accept with eagerness, secretly more than just a little hungry. Crying made people hungry, and so did unnecessary emotions like anger and frustration. Now was her time to replenish her energy.

The black haired girl would listen to Sojiro speak, equally fine with walking, talking and eating. Perhaps this was an Inukura thing, since she barely ever sat at a table to eat. Her table manners were probably horrible, often inhaling the food from the plate like that of an animal instead of eating it like a fine lady. Food was meant to be eaten, not to be cut up beautifully before ultimately being consumed. She would enjoy the savory bacon first, wrapping strips of bacon in the mildly sweet pancakes, like a sandwich. The ease of eating was almost equally importance as what she was eating. Kokoro faintly heard something about missing children and would turn her head to Gen, slightly confused, and her mouth stuffed with food. She must have looked like a squirrel.

The three of them must have been a sight for anyone that watched them walk by, seeing the trio walk down the street while shoveling food into their mouth. He would look back at Kokoro would seem to be enjoying herself and instead of filling her in on the grisly conversation he would ask, "Do you want to live with us?" It was then he would turn his attention back to Gen. Sojiro softly nodded his head as he listened about the scenes that he had found, "I don't know how they are getting away with these things while inside of the village but they are. We need to figure out how to get ahead of them. And more importantly, who we can and can't trust."