Flicker [P]

[Katsumaru]

Where there is hope there is a will, some say. And where there is will, there is passion. Kamiro thought otherwise as he was chained to the wall, wretched cold iron shackles clenched tightly around his wrist. He had a hope for freedom, a will to break free, and a passion for the life outside. None of that was of any use. The next day is mangled body was found at dawn in the Konohagakure streets.

Kazuo was no different as he hung suspended by his feet. He wanted to stand, to be free. The man had the will, hope, and passion, all combined. None of that was of any use. The next day his body lied upon the grounds, skull fractured from the fall. So is the life of the wretchedly hopefully, inevitably doomed. Why do men hope?

Why do men dream? The following tale will tell it all.

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With a joy seen by few, the sun smiled upon the grounds, the sweetest of her beams casting soothing warmth through the spring day. Citizen bustled through the streets of Konohagakure. Simple citizen, their life one of menial labor, but still they loved this thing called life. Not each moment was the greatest, but it was a certain joy, certain serenity that they lived for.

For a few, that was all gone. Two bodies were found in the streets, one torn by claws and a variety of other edged weaponry. The second fractured his skull, brain mass revealed. Citizen stopped in shock, mothers shielding the eyes of their children. The deaths were recent, from but a night ago, dumped in a corner within the noble district of Konohagakure. How had they gotten there? No one knew.

A tragedy occurred, but a single sign gave the citizen some hope. A letter, from which perhaps the shinobi can find a clue to hunt down the murderer. The note read:

What a sweet game we play

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Beginning in the morn]

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Twenty four hours

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Of sheer joy and passion

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Of mangling you petty things

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[Onigami Brothers]

Today was different, there was something that was wrong within my day. I bit my thumb nail in a way I only did when I was alone, it was proof my level of nervousness was reaching a giant number. Something made me feel horrible like something was cut from my body. I leaped off of my bed making sure to go to the dear and annoying closet I had. My clothing today would be my third set of clothing which was more effeminate then usual. My green hat was snug over my head and my clothing was a greenish stripped T-shirt with jean shorts. My scarf was tied around my side like a skirt that didn't go all the way around.

I was immediately given a notice that something was wrong within konohagakure. There was nothing more to it then what I was told when I arrived at the scene. This murder was a gruesome display of force like nothing I had ever seen before. I felt a pain within my chest as if my heart was stabbed into a million pieces. The murder of people was something I would never forgive, yet the murder of my villages citizens, the murder of my people of the leaf village. Answers were needed, yet at the moment none would be given to me because I was a simple genin."pfft ~ inexperiences my ass."

[/i] Thoughts centered around the comments I received from the smaller police forces investigating this death.


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[Katsumaru]

A man clad in robes stood in the streets, gathering a crowd with his mad shouting. Lengthy silver hairs ran past his ears and shoulders, almost long enough to touch the ground. Filth and wretched grime covered the roughly trimmed hairs. A slight part of his chest was visible beneath the robe, revealing a forest of chest hairs, skin glistening with sweat. The man’s teeth were rotten, their color a combination of yellow and black. His cheekbones have sunken in, giving him a rather gaunt appearance, fitting for his five feet and seven inches, thin, lithe, malnourished structure. The man seemed to give a speech.

”The end times have come! Xel’thaun the Hungerer will devour us! His hunger will be sated only once he feeds on the Gods. Kneel, and pray to him, then you shall be forgiven! Only through complete submission can you be redeemed. Else your mind will be tainted and dreams haunted!”

Numerous citizen in the crows disregarded the mad man, shuffling through the gathered masses to stare at the scene of the crime. Yet, his words were persuasive as some, for three members of the crowd fell onto their knees, fingers interlocked. ”Xel’thaun, forgive us for our folly. Take us into your grasp.” they said again and again. These men were suspiciously receptive to the mad man’s words.

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A figure stood in an alley, shrouded by the shadows. The man was lightly dressed, with an elbow length, azure tunic and trousers scarcely reaching past the ankle His feral hair grew to the airs, seemingly never combed before. The figure’s eyes shifted left and right, paranoia entrenched deeply in his senses. Upon seeing Naota walk by, he spoke, voice a whisper.”Saw you look at that crime scene. Saw you hear things from the force. You didn’t seem too satisfied. Got an offer for you. I will give information to you if you do me a little favor.”

He pointed a thin finger at a boy no older than Naota in the distance, fifty meters from where they stood. The child sat before a market stall, masses of apples behind, holding a small woolen bear. The man continued,”See that bear he holds? Take it. My daughter wants one like that. Do it and I’ll tell you what happened with those bodies.”

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[Onigami Brothers]

"Never, I should report you just for those foolish words. I would never attack and innocent even if I did care for the murders."

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It was obvious, I never did care for when things like this happened in konohagakure. It wasn't something new, murder within a hidden village could be done by the hokage all the way down to a regular citizen. I turned on my heel wishing to walk back in the direction of the house. The name of the hungerer had causes a reaction which made my body feel like it was going still. I gripped at my head as visions of what had happened and the sights I saw before filtered into my head."No, darn it! what does this mean. . . am I cursed" My thoughts melded into the horrid visions of the bastard who was called the hungerer maybe?

I didn't wanna remember or know so I began to walk away from the chanting and such. No doubt this proved that the mission at the house on the road was real. And that those illusions had to be real or else my mind wouldn't be flooded with such darkness. I needed to find out more, my legs broke into a sprint before I came upon the old man.

"Who the hell are you working for you bastard! Who is this hungerer guy and why is he plaguing konohagakure you bastard."

[/right] I spoke out of turn my usually calm demeaner was gonna and the blood within my eyes began to boil again. The feeling I had when I killed those bandits, and the feeling to destroy that no one in the world mattered but me and that I had a power no one could comprehend. This snobbish feeling I hated it but some part of me loved[/i] it. I could understand since I felt invincible but i put that as the same feeling of drugs, and drugs were the worst pieces of trash to put in the human body. I cocked back my fist but put my hand down once I calmed down a little bit.
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[Katsumaru]

The man shook his head and frowned,”I don’t work for the Hungerer. I am just a man that deals in information. The hell do you think? I have a daughter. Why would I work for a sick bastard like that. I deal in information.” A young girl walked through the alley, no older than eight. The man turned in shock upon hearing the steps only for his eyes to widen, lips forming into a smile,Kiri, didn’t I tell you to stay at home? Nothing for you to see here.”

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The young girls ear length black hair swayed as she shook her head. Looking up at her father, she spoke,”It is to loud father! I wanted to know what was happening. What was all that screaming earlier.?”[/i] The man knelt down and placed his right arm on the girl’s left shoulder, the smile still on his face. His demeanor changed completely, much softer and more serene than before. Again he spoke,”I’ll explain it to you later. Remember when I told you that some things here are not too good to see? This is one of them. So please leave, Kiri, I don’ want you to see things that give you more of those bad dreams, eh?”[/i]

With a nod she turned on her heal and walked down the alley. After walking twenty meters, she turned left into a door, presumably the home. It was a rather wretched realization that young girls as she face the constant risk of living under the Hungerer’s terror. Worse even that she had to live in a wretched alley as this. Turning to Naota, the man mumbled,”So, make your choice. Get that bear for her or try to figure out things yourself.”[/i]
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[Onigami Brothers]

"Thanks but no thanks. . . the information isn't worth it. I hate violence and stealing is against my creed as a leaf shinobi within my village. I don't have a cold heart it's just that I'd rather just give you the money."

I felt sorry for the little girl but my morals wouldn't be shaken by such a travesty. I understood a feeling of loneliness and pain I doubt most will ever know of. I promised to never harm someone or take anything under any circumstances at all. This would push me back but then again I didn't care for this investigation at all. I sadly pulled out a bit of money and left it on the ground about 500 ryo worth of it before I began walking back.

I needed to get to my house and put everything that was going on out of my mind. The deaths weren't worth my investigating the only thing that I wanted to do was sleep. Yet a strange feeling washed over me and now I was walking towards the sparring site. The place a little bit near the gates from which the all around training was done. Something compelled me to get away from all the tragic occurrences that would strike my heart. The poor who were living in the alley ways and the murderers who cared nothing for the life of others."I can't deal with all this right now."

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[Katsumaru]

As Naota walked towards the sparring site, a figure began to follow him, sticking close to the crowds, blending in as well as it could. Despite its rather odd choice of clothing, a cloak and heavy cowl shrouding the face in shadow, along with a bear-faced mask beneath, he succeeded quite well in hiding. With his every step he followed Naota.

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[Onigami Brothers]

This was one of those unbearable days from the start. I had run into someone who knew about that hungerer thing. And also the alley way poor people who literally tore out my emotional heart strings. I needed to get away and practice my ninjutsu skills but I didn't know why I felt so incomplete. It was like I left apart of myself within that house a few days ago and needed to feel a semblance of repair.

[Katsumaru]

The monotone, unremarkable day came to an end. It was almost as if a wretched God finally took note of him to end the boring tale that had been woven in the last hours – for events took a damning turn, a rapid twist of fate.
A tale of horror began…

Naota heard a quiet hum, the sound high-pitched and strangely eerie – it was rather similar to the things he encountered in that House – something that simply seemed out of place, as if it was not of this world – something that became apparent as the sound continues. It combined high and low pitches simultaneously, flickering in-between the two in an instant. That bizarre melody overwhelmed Naota, dimmed his vision, which slowly began to blur and blacken. The sound, too, dimmed as all five senses diminished. The boy fell into a deep slumber.

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Naota awoke within a curious tube filled with a yellow-liquid that wracked his body with an utterly painful sensation – as if he were being burned alive. Nor could he breathe as the liquid flowed into mouth, filling the lungs with an equally burning sensation as the Uchiha felt himself asphyxiating. But he did not die. Time blurred as the overwhelming pain damned the young child – truthfully, he was within the tube for over a day.

Finally the tube broke, glass shattering, sending his body plummeting to the floor. Looking around revealed a large room bare of anything but that single broken tube – no tools, no tables, chairs, anything. The walls were covered in a red-hued substance. A closer inspection revealed the viscerate texture – hearts, their outer layer finely cut off to decorate the walls. A single door on the left wall lead out of the room.

A woman’s voice rang out over a speaker.

”Welcome to the Laboratory. Let the game begin.”

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