Washed Ashore (Sharkk)

As the other man explained that he'd been through worse, which I found that I highly dobuted, he suddenly became aware of his surroundings. His initial reaction was much like mine. I found it... peculiar, to say the least, that a village that had been utterly and completely destroyed had suddenly found a way to reappear in thin air... However, that concern was pushed aside as a more relevant one came to light.

"Your eyes..." I said, looking into the pulsing blue light that shone from them. "Your eyes are like the ocean..." But what did that mean? Although I hadn't gotten a chance to take a good look at this man before, I was certain that this man had not had those eyes before our encounter with the Sanbi and the Shark. They stood out too much, and would have drawn my attention to them, even in the little time that we had to speak before we were engaged beyond our abilities.

Shaking my head for a moment, I'd continue. "I take it from your reaction that you know where we're at. Takigakure no Sato... a land thought lost. How do you think that this came to be?"

Apparently I was not the only one who remembered the unique and terrifying experience of being consumed by the Shark. It had seemed so awful, yet... in the presence of that Shark, I had learned of the might of the Sanbi, and that my home, the land that I had wanted to claim back for so long, was alive and well.

"It would seem that our land is revived, indeed. If its been brought back, then there is a purpose. I intend to see this nation rise once more, with the might and majesty of a Great Nation. I will carve a hole in the world and claim it for myself... for Takigakure." Hardly aware that I was speaking aloud, I was caught in the rapture of the moment. I embraced the feeling of bliss and allowed it to flow through me, and a smile filled my face.

"So, 'brother', what is your name?"

Only an idiot or someone who didn't know me would ever claim that I could not have the world. There was a movement on my face, lines creasing it around my mouth, nose, and eyes. A deep frown, one that expressed a large amount of discontent, would easily display my feelings towards what this man had just said. The world would be mine. I would lead this village to greatness, and I was not the kind of person who would share the limelight. This person was mistaken if he thought that surviving the Sanbi thought that it meant he could survive me.

It was just then that the man made his final mistake. He would try to assume the position of the 'elder brother'... no, it simply would not due. It was in this moment that I decided that I would kill this man. He gave his name, Sebastian Clave, and I knew that it would not be too long from now when I would wrap my sand around his body and crush him like the arrogant, disgusting little wormling that he was. For now, though... for now, I would have to play nice.

"My name is Odou Oketsu, the last surviving member of the Odou family. And tell me... 'nii-san', what do you think our course of action should be?"

So the insolent man thought to offer his 'condolences' to me? Worthless. With an arrogant sniff, I'd shrug my shoulders. It was too late for him to change my opinion. I would become a God and this insect would be crushed under my heel. It would take time... yes. But in the end, I knew where I would be standing... over his imbecile's corpse, the sole ruler of Takigakure no Sato.

However... the man had been chosen like I for a reason. He would have talent or else he would not have survived the Sanbi's chakra. It was not my duty yet to break him, and I would fulfill all the steps of my destiny in their correct order. Unfortunately, that meant allowing him to walk free. As I considered this, the man... Clave... continued to speak, giving his own considerations for what should happen within this realm.

A refusal of weaklings would be a good start, at least. However, I had my own opinions on the matter. "Strength is but a matter of time, 'nii-san'. It is our duty to test the clay not for its final shape, but in how it may be molded. The insolent will come, and they will be buried... but the ones who can rise to bring our nation strength will be spared. It is through our might that they may also become mighty, that they might serve.

"I, however... do not agree with a statute of secrecy. I would herald our coming to the great nations of the world and ask those to bring their finest to face us in battle. Only a coward hides when his strength is enough to face down a monster, and I am no coward. I would that we both hunt for the five best vessels that we can find, and that we return to meet here with those vessels. It is from there that we can await our next orders."

It was done, then. A land, once ravaged by war, now divided in half by the two who were destined to herald the might of the Sanbi. It was an interesting situation, to say the least, and I knew now what must be done. I would gather an army the likes of which the world had never seen. I would bring that army here, and through training and proper dedication, I would cause them to usher in a new era... an era where Taki reigned supreme over the weaker Nations.

I nodded my head once at his final suggestion. "Yes, it would be good for us to return from time to time to keep the hooligans in line. When we have our five vessels each, we will figure out what next our plan should be." With the agreement made, and the accord struck, I would turn and begin walking the other way from Clave, my 'nii-san'. Why I was destined to share the limelight with this buffoon I would never knew. I only knew that I did not intend for it to be long.