Zenkichi Death

Zenkichi gives a wry grin.

"Tell your mother I said hi. Ithaca, too. A--" He stops himself short. "...Ah nevermind. I'll get around to it." Zenkichi tilts his head up to the sky. The conversation goes dead for a moment, as Zenkichi just basks in the nights sky. The ephemeral glow of twilight. Zenkichi's face softens considerably.

His attention is turned back to Taro.

"Ain't got any more presents for you. But this..." His lip quivers. "Was nice. I'm." He's getting choked up. Oh all the times he had lost. All the times he had struggled and cried. "He'd be... I'm." A hand moves to wipe underneath his eyes. "I'm just... so damn happy we're alive, Taro." He's crying now - that hand isn't stopping shit. "So... damn blessed to have gotten this far." He'd do it all again if he could. To cry with a smile on your face was the best thing a man could ask for before the grave.

"This clan, my life, it was all something I made with my own two hands. There ain't... a damn thing in the world that's better than living life." He sniffs loudly! "I'm just saying shit now. Look at me - tearing up like this. Damn it boy!" A hand moves, wiping away the tears! He's still flushed from crying like a bitch.

"...I'm gonna go now. Alright, Taro?"
(Zenkichi Wvelven)


Taro's own eyes are wiped with his free hand a few moments in-- there was a limited amount of tears allowed between the two of them, and he had already used up his share back in the town.

Smiling and crying at the same time.

That's how he wanted to go out too. he was sure of it.

Without asking, the boy steps forward for a moment to catch Zenkichi in a quick embrace, squeezing a tiny bit of the life from his lungs. Its what Jin would have wanted him to do. What Cael would have wanted. What Joanne would have requested.

It lasts just long enough to keep from souring the man's mood, at which point Taro steps back and offers a deep bow to the head of the Wvelven Clan.

"Alright, Gramps. I'm going to make you all proud.. just make sure to watch me, okay?"
(Taro Wvelven)


Zenkichi takes his damn hug and returns it with one his own. A pat on the back... and it's over.

He had to go now. Waiting here another second would turn it all upside down. He wouldn't be able to do what he had to do. "Oh hell, Taro..." Zenkichi turns, starting to walk off.

"Just make yourself proud." Was the last bit of sage advice Zenkichi could offer. The truest of it all, in his opinion. His philosophy, his mottos, his life - all things he was proud of. If he could impart this feeling to Taro, even if it was years down the line, he'd be satisfied. His back is turned to Taro now, his head tilted back up to the sky.

"Never seen a sky so clear, have you?" Were the last words spoken by Zenkichi Wvelven before he ascended. Step by step. Climbing an invisible staircase into that night sky, further and further he went until he was nothing but a dot in the distance. Fading from view... forever. Walking down a path that, truly, only he could.

The sky was overcast, that night. Not a peak of open sky broke through. But as Zenkichi reached the clouds? As he finally disappeared into them? Like the gates of heaven - it opens. A thunderous sound erupts from far away, as something or another seemingly bursts in the atmosphere. A fierce gust of wind sweeps through the valley where Taro stands. When he looked up again... the overcast sky had a massive hole punched in it.

It was an unobstructed view of the stars, set to a dim blue sky.
(Zenkichi Wvelven)



'Just make yourself proud'.

The words stick to him as if they had been written on a slip of paper on the shard end of a blade through his chest. He was still brand new to the ways of the world-- the ways of Agartha. But one thing that he knew for sure was that he wanted to end up like Zenkichi.

Going out on his own terms and punching a hole in the sky.

The gust of wind hits the bow and sweeps over him, throwing his ponytail this way and his scarf that, but he doesn't mind in the least bit.

In fact, he stands around in the valley for a while with Joanne in one hand and the other tucked firmly away in his pocket. This was the first passing he had seen, and while he was now dropping tears involuntarily to the ground, they were tears of joy.

"Later, Gramps."
(Taro Wvelven)