Scavengers [p]

[adero]

He’d been cut off from the world, enclosed within his own little sphere for god knows how long. Just how many months had passed since the destruction of the village? The boy had lost count many moons ago, caring little for time or anything else really. The days had melded together, as had the nights, each seemingly identical to the last as he roamed the desolate wastelands once known as home. Hell, for all he knew it’d been years if not longer.

During this period Kurutta had yet to spot another soul. The isolation had taken its toll, warping his mind and leaving only basic instincts for survival. It was now that he remained among the wreckage, no longer a shinobi but rather a child trapped within the aging body of a young man.

Scavenging among the ruins, he’d continue his daily ritual of finding sustenance as he’d meander aimlessly from building to building. There had to be something to eat… right? There always was, just never anything good. Obsessed with hunger and lost in thought, he’d fail to notice dust crumbling from the roof till it was too late. Sand sifted through the ceiling as the building began to tremble at its very foundation, causing the lad to stop beneath the door frame rather than exiting had he not noticed.

It was a delayed reaction, nonetheless it existed. His eyes stared bleakly about in confusion.

A cave in?...

The building would collapse atop the lad, trapping him beneath the rubble as his world turned black. A pale hand extended from the mass of stone, limp and unresponsive.

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[.DEVIOUS]

So, this was the slums, then? The rest of Takigakure restored to glory, but here in this place, the wreckage was still clearly visible. It was here, in this place, that I found myself reminded of the War that I had witnessed. It was here, in this place, that I could remember what had been, where this village was destroyed. It was here, in this place, that I could take a vow to myself never to let the destruction of this village pass without the spectre of Vengeance claiming its just desserts.

I walked through these slums, these buildings wrecked and shattered, aged with time, and I shook my head. This part of town would have once led to a hidden path, kept secret by the members of my family, the Odou, who had once been like royalty within Takigakure. As a child, I had taken that path and learned the forbidden arts of my family, secrets stolen from Sunagakure no Sato and claimed as my family's own. My family's, not this villages.

I could still remember when I had asked for reacceptance to the village, a runaway Genin who had slaughtered members of Sunagakure, members of the famed Zantetsuken bloodline... I remember as they spoke, claiming that gaining a Zantetsuken would be good for the village. It was for my blood that I was 'forgiven', for my blood that they would have used me. I found myself scoffing at the thought. I, who was as a God, to be used as a simple soldier in this village's foolish little wars.

It was good, then, that this village was destroyed. It was good that it had been brought back from the brink of annihilation and restored, its streets empty beyond the other fool with him I had battled the Sanbi with. This was a place which could be twisted into my image. This was a place that I would finally be able to call home. As my mouth twisted into a vicious smile, I heard a rustle of movement. My head turned, letting the glowing blue eyes resting in their sockets stare as a pile of rubble collapsed in upon itself.

It would have been natural for items to eventually grow weak with time and to collapse... but I had a feeling. An inkling of an idea that there was somebody there, and I found myself filled with rage. Someone would have thought it possible to come into my new home? Someone that I had not given permission to? The other Sanbi-blessed idiot beside, I would allow none to enter my presence without first asking me to grace them. I extended my hand, and I released my chakra, letting it fill all of the metallic debris in the area and watched as it all crumbled into dust.

It was as this dust moved and shifted that I saw the pale, outstretched arm, and I shook my head. So the fool had died? It was the least that he deserved for being inside of my realm. I began a brisk walk over towards him, my short legs carrying me the distance as briskly and firmly as the could. As I moved over the debris, I let my hand fall, and with it did the Satetsu that had been born. However, I had not lost control over it - that was only a fool's assumption. Instead, my Satetsu would find itself burrowing under the debris and, in just a moment, the iron sand would have gone underneath the body and pushed it out and upwards, through the rubble and into the open air.

It was then that I would be able to view the body. Judging by appearance only, it was a teenage boy, though slim, who wore a loosely fitting, striped black and white shirt. His body, incredibly thin and frail, spoke of someone who only just found enough food to survive. He held in his hands a teddy bear, an obvious remnant of his childhood. My face twisted, hatred covering every portion of my body as I stared at this... weakling. It took all that I had not to simply rip the body of this insolent fool to shreds...!

I was, however, more practical than that. If the child still lived, there was always the chance that he could serve some greater purpose for me. As it was, he would be a waste, even for a corpse. I shook my head in disdain but leaned down and pressed my head against the boy's chest. Did I hear a heart beat...?

[/blockquote]

[adero]

It was then that fate’s cruel hand intervened.

Buried beneath the rubble, Kurutta remained unconscious, alive but unconscious. His mind was no longer part of this age but rather reliving something of days gone by. It was nothing more than a dream, a lucent dream at that, but man did it seem real…

---

The sounds of chaos and fire, of destruction and madness, it filled his ears like music, as if some horrific symposium of death orchestrated by the devil himself. It was all still so unclear. What had caused this? Why were these people running? Silhouettes scurried about him, each undistinguishable and warped, unidentified and unknown. Why could he no longer recollect their faces?

At the center of it all remained the boy. Body inert, his eyes would gaze around him in a dumb founded manner. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t run but rather that he couldn’t. He commanded his legs to move, to flee like the rest, yet they did not obey. Eyes glancing back, he’d find his calf buried beneath the rubble, trapped and quickly growing numb.

A cry for help was let loose, yet none of the silhouettes had paused in even the slightest. Yet another cry sounded, this time with more desperation. ”Someone… anyone… please help…” His efforts were in vain. Tugging once or twice more upon his leg, a scream of agony rang aloud, pain wracking his every fiber. Perhaps that wasn’t a good idea…

No, he’d simply admit defeat and lay down his head to die. That was his fate now wasn’t it…?

He was going to die under this pile of rubble. He was actually going to die… After struggling to survive for so long, having endured the endless torment, was it really ok to go this way?

NO!

The boy’s leg had begun to free itself, the rubble parting as a force guided it upwards. His eyes stared with amazement and disbelief. Who had come back for him? Which kind soul had saved him?

Only a single silhouette remained, the rest had slowly vanished from within his mind as the world quieted. Slowly but surely the fog of war was dissipating. The silhouette’s identity would become clear soon enough. Who was his savior?...

---

It was then that the lad would awake, a sharp breath taken as he’d rejoin this age. His eyes rolled about hazily, to find a single youth before him.

Was he his savior?...

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[.DEVIOUS]

Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. It was faint, but there was a heartbeat. This child still lived. Pulling my head back away from the boy's body, I looked down upon him and I wondered many things. Who he was, why he was within my village, whether or not he would be able to give of himself for my own advantage... Hmph. The more that I looked at this red-headed child, the more that I found myself curious. There was just something peculiar about him that I couldn't quite place my finger on. I wanted to know more...! I just needed to somehow make sure that he survived.

With a wave of my hand, Satetsu would spring into action, creating a platform just large enough to carry the boy. Sliding under him with an ease that any Iryo-nin would have found jealous, I lifted the boy, letting my sand underneath him float about a meter of the ground. Turning away, I let my Satetsu drift along with me, matching my pace, as I would begin to walk back towards the village. It was possible, of course, that I'd be able to find a hospital in the town. However, with the current ghost-like state of the place, that seemed unlikely. In the end, though, any place would be better for the kid's health than remaining in this place.

As I walked and the child floated, I could hear the boy shifting and murmuring, as if lost in sleep. Of course, that was entirely possible -- what was an unconscious state if not a slumber? I found myself wondering what he was thinking about as I carried him back towards the village, but I did not have long to question. In the way that I was positioned, I was in front of the Satetsu, and we moved towards the east. The sun, should the boy awake, would appear in front of me, giving my body a sort of... radiance. It would seem as if I were, perhaps, the dawn itself.

I didn't have long to wait. In a few more moments, I heard the rustle of movement and I turned my head towards him, my glowing blue eyes looking straight into the child's own barely-opened hazel. A smile crossed my face, appearing to be genuine even when it was not, and my voice, a soft tenor, crossed the distance between our two bodies like a distant summer breeze - sweet and fleeting.

"You are well, then...?"

[/blockquote]

[adero]

”You are well, then?”

It was a magnificent sight to see. This man’s aura, his voice, his gaze, all of it came off as heavenly and celestial. Kurutta had not been saved by any mere mortal, but rather what he believed to be a god among men. Had he not been so weary, tears might have flown forth.

An attempt to rise was made. It was unacceptable to present himself as such to so great a being. Body trembling, it shook as he’d prop himself upright, only to falter and fall upon his rest of sand once more. His body still ached throughout and was mostly numb. Unable to move, a simple nod would suffice as he’d remain awestruck of this stranger.

It felt as though he’d known this man from before but how so was a mystery. The gaping chasms within his mind had grown even more vast than before, leaving many questions unanswered.

Struggling to find a name, he’d pause, providing only an honorific.

”…-dono?”

A deep confusion remained. Why he had referred to the individual as such was unknown. It was simply instinct.

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[.DEVIOUS]

I shook my head as I watched the boy's struggle. It was almost adorable, the way that the human being would struggle against any sort of adversary, even their own weak bodies, when given the chance. The boy should have known better than to attempt to rise, but when he fell down again, I shook my head, turning my body completely to face him instead of simply letting my eyes linger upon him. With a soothing gesture, I spoke, the words just as soft as before.

"Rest and be at ease. I require nothing of your actions. You must simply recover." With the words spoken, a smile that never reached my eyes displayed upon my features. The perfect countenance of pure joy lay resplendent upon my face, no matter that it was completely fake. I was, after all, a natural born liar, a man talented at getting what it was that I wanted. I had long used my ability to deceive to splinter, destroy, and conquer any and all of the things that I had wanted. It would be no different in this situation.

Despite my actions, the boy seemed more inclined to struggle for a few more moments before simply nodding his head towards me. When he spoke, a small chuckle escaped my lips, the pitched sound echoing through the slums. It was not a malicious chuckle; nay, it was a sound of pure mirth, completely unfaked. So this boy would have me be his master? That was fine. As I had said, there was a way to use everybody. I would simply need the time to find the best way to use this boy.

"You may call me Oketsu-dono, if you would like." Nodding my head towards him, I'd turn around once more and continue my walk towards the village. Of course, the Satetsu cloud, and the boy resting upon it, would follow. That was simply the way things worked.

[/blockquote]

[adero]

"You may call me Oketsu-dono, if you would like."

Oketsu-dono huh? It had a nice ring to it.

Content smile crawling across the lad’s face, he’d lie there and behave appropriately for the time being. After all, the man’s words were of truth. In his current state Kurutta wouldn’t be capable of very much. Rest and be at ease, that was what Oketsu-dono had commanded and thusly he’d obey.

It was only after some time much later that the boy would begin to stir again. Sensation had finally returned to his limbs, allowing some manageable movement. A hand had weakly risen, placing itself atop his stomach and to the side as he continued to lie upon the sand.

If one was to look back at the boy, they’d notice a faintly glowing aura about his hand, one of blue-ish green hues.

Was the boy healing himself?

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[.DEVIOUS]

As I had thought, there was more to this kozu than met the eye. When I had first met him, he was an imbecile who had managed to get caught underneath the rubble. Now, as I walked and my Satetsu carried his body, I could feel his struggle and turned the corner of my eyes to look at him. These eyes, and the blue light emanating from them, would watch as the boy touched hand upon his breast and let light green chakra wash over his body.

I smiled. So the child was a medic? It was true that medical shinobi were truly a rare thing. Ones who devoted themselves to the arts of keeping others alive often did not live long themselves. Not only were they the first targets in any sort of fight, they usually coupled that fact with their inability to fight themselves. Thus, they relied on other, stronger shinobi to protect them in exchange for what mediocre healing they could bestow upon others.

Iryojutsu was not an art that I envied or even desired. Truthfully, I saw no need for it. The wounds that had ravaged me were never present on my body. The only scars on me were within my soul, knowing that my parents had been killed simply because of who they were. I had obtained my revenge, but that was something that would never heal, Iryojutsu or not.

In this case, though, it was a good thing that the boy was a Medical shinobi. Not only would he be able to heal the wounds that he had sustained himself, in this forsaken land, where gods had once walked amongst men and would again, the Iryojutsu would be especially revered. This was the kind of thing that I could use to bind a village under my control and to build a nation that I ruled. All that I would need to do was find a way to use this boy to my advantage.

"Would you say that you're a talented nin, kozu?"

The gentle tenor once more floated across the sky, their words falling upon the ears of the boy. There was no mocking in my voice, only curious intent, as a smile slide across my face. I would come to a halt, my left arm extending towards the boy in a gesture to help him off of my Satetsu.

"Are you well enough to walk?"

[/blockquote]

[adero]

Patching himself up was that boy’s primary goal, his energies channeling into that single hand for the sake of his own recovery. After all, Oketsu-dono had wished it so, right? Even then, every so often he’d toss a darting glance curiously at his savior. There were many questions to be had, yet none were asked. It wasn’t the place of a child to mettle in the affairs of an adult; at least that’s how he saw it.

Busily working away at his own body, his head would turn with acknowledgement only upon hearing that man’s voice once more.

"Would you say that you're a talented nin, kozu?"

"Are you well enough to walk?"

He’d stare blankly for a moment or two as if he hadn’t comprehended, head tilted and crooked at the neck. Without a word, he’d shake his head twice, indicating a resolute no (without indicating which question he had answered). It was then that he’d attempt to prop himself upright again, this time more successfully. Attention taken away from his companion, he’d rummage through the contents of his knapsack before drawing a shortened blade that resembled a wakazashi.

The next few moments would seem rather puzzling to an outsider as the boy would nonchalantly play with the blade before coming to a decision. The boy would slash at his calf, tearing his flesh open. What little blood that had trickled would indicate that he had missed any relatively important vessels. It was still unclear whether luck or skill was on his side.

It only got more odd as one observed. Forcing his own hand into action, it dove within the flesh as if grasping for something. A muffled cry sounded as the crackling of bone arose. The hand would withdraw from its own body shortly thereafter as that same glowing hue from before resumed.

Given a moment or two, he’d cease his actions and turn to the man once more with a gleaming smile. His voice rang cheerfully as he leapt off the bed of sand.

“I am now Oketsu-dono!”

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[.DEVIOUS]

The boy stared at me as if he were stupid. I felt the urge to shake my head in disgust; however, I resisted that urge and continued to watch the child. I could feel within my bones that he was on the brink of doing something interesting, but as for what that could be, I didn't know. As I continued my vigil, though, my right eyebrow rose as the boy brought out a wakizashi and played with it. What was he planning? I could sense no malicious intent in the boy's action, and even if he did move to strike me, I'd be able to react and destroy him faster than he could me.

What then, was his goal...? I had only a few more moments to consider this until, to my surprise, the wakizashi made a slash -- not towards my body, but towards the boy's own. The weapon cut wide, leaving a large wound upon the body, and my eyes narrowed in curiosity. With dextrous hands, the boy delved into the wound he had created on itself, going in deep. My breath caught, and in that moment I found that I was aware of what he was doing, no matter how insane it seemed.

In that same instant, the sound of snapping bone was heard, and I knew that, of course, the boy had reset it. He had made his own involuntary cry for pain, but it was neither overly loud or undeserved. Before he had even removed his hand all the way, I caught the glow of chakra healing about himself again and, within another mere moment, the light had quickly washed away any sign that there had ever even been a wound. He jumped into action, rolling off of my Satetsu and landing with a soft 'thump' as his feet touched the ground.

I smiled.

"So you are, in fact, a talented nin. Come."

With the words spoken, I let my Satetsu fall to the ground and turned my body away from the boy. I began to walk once more, the same pace as I had previously, this time expecting the boy to do his own walking. When enough time had passed, I realized that I had another question for him.

"So, my child, tell me -- what are you doing in this realm of the damned? And for how long have you wandered here?"

[/blockquote]

[adero]

Some time had passed though words had not. It was probably better this way since Kurutta had little to say for the time being. His eyes remained fixated upon the scenery around him as buildings began to appear in a much more coherent fashion. It was as if they were plants carefully cultivated in a park rather than weeds left untended.

As the two progressed, the ruins became less and less apparent. Buildings had slowly taken their place without his noticing, almost is if sprouting before his eyes. It was… wonderful! Taki had grown right before his eyes from seed to wildgrowth.

Though one thing still did bother him…

The city was equally abandoned, empty and forgotten just as the day of its ruin. Had it truly been left untouched during all this time? His pondering was left un-indulged however as the man spoke to him once more.

"So, my child, tell me -- what are you doing in this realm of the damned? And for how long have you wandered here?"

His response was again slow and confused. The boy’s mind still muddled, he’d muster what little of an answer he could. It was apparent his memory was lacking in more than one area. Perhaps the building’s collapse had done its harm despite the boy’s repairs?

”...

Surviving… I’ve been here since that day.”

He'd point rather playfully at the bear tucked beneath his arms.

"Katsu-kun too!"

Despite the clouding of his mind, his words were crystal clear. Had this lad truly wandered such a wasteland since Taki’s ruin?

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[.DEVIOUS]

He had been here since then? Living amongst the rubble and the heaps of destruction, the boy had managed to survive in a land forsaken of light, love, and justice? It was a difficult idea to grasp, certainly one to believe, but the boy had no purpose in lying to me. Either he had been here all of this time, or else he had no other memories -- fully possible if there had been a blow to his head. I just managed not to shake my head as I considered the child before me and decided that I would grant him this belief of his, that he had been here on Takigakure all along.

However, if he had been here, that also meant that, as a talented medic, he was most likely a shinobi. He didn't really seem the type of person who would give his life over to violence... there was a twisted sort of innocence about the boy that for some reason lead me to believe that he had never killed, despite his wrecked home, his weapon that he handled with ease, and his ninjutsu talents. It wouldn't be my place, exactly, to bring such a thing up, but I was well beyond caring about what convention or propriety said was decent or not.

"Kozu, were you a shinobi here? What rank did you achieve?

... You, and Katsu-kun, too?"

There was an evident pause as I spoke, as I wasn't sure exactly how to take the fact that the boy considered his bear to be, most likely, a person... or at least alive. To me, it was clearly a stuffed bear, but if the boy had been mentally traumatized to the point that his only companion was a bear, it was not my duty as a God to strike that from him. I would simply need to replace "Katsu-kun"s position in the boy's heart with my own. I could see clearly now, a medic this powerful would be one more advantage that I had over the other fool who shared the Sanbi's blessing.

[/blockquote]

[adero]

A look of skepticism came over Oketsu-dono’s face as the boy spoke, a look well hidden but still existent. Was his tale really that questionable? I mean it was truth so far as he knew; so he wasn’t lying… right?

"Kozu, were you a shinobi here? What rank did you achieve?

... You, and Katsu-kun, too?"

Lips puckered inward, he’d stare at his benefactor once more, pausing to think as a finger pressed itself against his mouth in contemplation. Then looking down at the other hand, he’d extend a finger, then two, then three, then back to two as if he was counting something.

He’d raise the hand with two fingers, prominently declaring his rank with enthusiastically.

“Second rank!”

Nodding vigorously at the second query, he’d toss the bear into the air, spinning about twice before catching it on its descent. His voice responded in a rhythmic pattern, almost as if humming some sort of tune.

“Yosh yosh! Me and Katsu-kun!~”

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[.DEVIOUS]

Chuunin, then? A quick mental calculation towards what the "second" rank would be in the world of Shinobi gave me that answer. If he had been a Chuunin, that had meant that he had held the talent within himself to fight. Nobody managed to get through their Chuunin Exams without first succumbing to the rigorous combat required within. If he was good enough to pass those exams, then I did not question if he would be good enough to serve me. Now, it simply became a game of figuring out how to make him mine.

A smile spread across my lips as I considered a plan.

"You have impressed me so far, kozu. Anyone lesser than yourself wouldn't have been able to survive that rubble collapsing on you. You went beyond that, though -- you healed yourself of your wounds and not only managed to keep yourself alive, but also Katsu-kun. You seem a talented Iryo-nin, plus you've shown to me that you are capable of fighting if you need to.

Tell me, then, kozu. What is your name? And do you find joy in the thrill of combat?"

[/blockquote]

[adero]

It seemed that his answer was the correct one this time as a smile spread across Oketsu-dono’s face. Pleased with himself, he’d twirl about once more. Whether or not the lad was paying attention past that point would be a mystery however, for his companion had suddenly become long winded and this dawdle did poorly at holding his attention.

"Blah blah, blah. Blah blah blah…

Tell me, then, kozu. What is your name? And do you find joy in the thrill of combat?"

It was with these last words that he’d return to focus, his full attention reverting back to his companion. The man wanted his name?

He’d remain silent yet again, allowing a few seconds to pass before responding. His face seemed vexed as though unable to decide upon a response. It was a simple question. How could someone take so long to respond?! An answer would be given though, as delayed as it might be.

“Kurutta Koneko!”

The name rolled off his tongue smoothly as his head would bob once with satisfaction. Was he serious? Perhaps the boy was unaware of the name’s translation, or maybe he was and simply thought differently of it than others. Either way, that was his response.

As far as the second question was concerned, there was no standard pause shown from the boy. There was an unusual alacrity to his response. His head would immediately shake from side to side several times as he spoke. It was clear he detested fighting, but why?

”No, no, no!
It’s too slow! Too slow!”

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