Murder in Kawatonton![M][P]

[Shinryu]

Murder in Kawatonton!
Rank: C
Ninja needed: 1-3
Mission info: A teenage girl was brutally murder Kawatonton, a town just north of Kirigakure. A second was brutalized, but escaped death. Find the killer and give him a dose of his own medicine.

The fresh air of a new morning was vibrant in my lungs as I headed north of the village, moving swiftly towards Kawatonton. It would be a swift trip, only a few miles north, but of little matter, as I enjoyed the freedom of the open world, away from my family and all responsibilities. Here I could simply be myself. I almost danced in the joy of tearing off down the road, towards my destination.

I mentally went over the mission again. There had been a murder, and another attempted murder. The second girl had escaped and would be able, and likely willing to tell who had done such a thing to her. It seemed, honestly, straightforward enough, but I wasn't one to expect an easy job of things. I slowed my pace eventually, and continued walking, yawning and resting my arms behind my head, enjoying the cool summer air. I would serve the killer his justice. I would give him a taste of his own sick medicine. I almost drooled at the thought of ripping his throat out...

[roko]

The winds hummed gently, a scent of dew gradually perfuming the air around this random vicinity. Translucent rays of amber descended from the Heavens above, a gift to mortal man from his devoted creator. This day had not been unlike its' myriad of predeccesor, all had struck the same harmonic chord as far as ambient temperature had been fully concerned-- to Momochi, it seemed as if Mizu no Kuni only knew sunshine and happiness, with the everlasting, perfuming scent of morning dew. The morning had been a mildly wet one, and for that the dirt road etched specifically for travelers had been more of mud: thick, heavy, and quite messy. Momochi remained unchanged whilst he transverssed silently down the snake like stretch of mud at the rate of a casual walk, one similar to that of the common men who were known to be cleansed of any burden, for that single moment.

For a while now it had seemed as if he had been following the same 'girl for a while now', but truth be told, it had been the same person; it couldn't be helped though, seeing how this earthy-path seemed to stretch aimlessly into forever, but that in itself had been far from the actual truth: this road led to the mundane Kawatonton, an eccentric name that had first entered his ears night before whilst eavesdropping on the conversation flowing aimlessly between a group of four. The name had been enough to ignite a flame of interest in his barrel chest, seeing how unusual it had been, but the thing about names is that it may sound weird to another, but quite mundane to the next, rght?

Oh, it didn't matter at this point for all that kept Momochi's mind running were the worthless conversations he would hold with himself. Finally, on a note of boredom, he would call out to the girl whom, from the distance he trailed behind her, seemed exceedingly tall for the "delicate female".

"Yo." He had struck the chord of conversation with stiff fingers, the melody of it monotonous as no true purpose of invention trailed about the words uttered from his mouth. With the rise of his voice came a docile expansion of a wind which rode in from behind the great wall of a man. Chocolate tresses capered amiably with the new found wind whilst his unique wear picked wind and fluttered a small amount. He couldn't read much of the persons character from the back, though new found curiosity over the unknown traveler had begun to gradually nurse itself with in his manly chest, a strange heat radiating from his upper abdomen into his arms as his mind crafted images of a pseudo individual that would bring onto him a new depth of challenge, much like the nefarious adversary who viciously carved an alabaster scar onto his olive countenance as the sign of victory, victory achieved by their alien strength.

But as he continued to travel down the trail his boredom would grow ever more powerful, until he was force to satisfy it. He would end his adventure to that little town, turning around and dashing the other way down the muddy rode. He may someday re-ecounter this person

[exit]

[sorry, i've got somewhere else to be kind of quickly]

[Shinryu]

Presently, I heard footsteps to my south, but deigned not to look. Whoever it was probably cared nothing more for me than anyone else on the road, and was just as likely headed to the small village that began to grow looming on the horizon as I. I had no business speaking with anyone yet, lest I scare off potential suspects. It took a brief mutterance of greeting, too close to be addressed to anyone but I, before I finally looked back to see who tailed me, and by then the person had turned round and began running the other direction, and with gusto. Had the fates called him off to another place? Or was he simply being incourteous? Either way, neither was technically a crime, so I let his insolence go, that time. Shaking my hair out of my eyes, and continuing onward, the town lurked just north of me, and it was with few footfalls that I reached it, ready to begin.

The town was indeed, as small as I'd heard. Only perhaps thirty houses, a few shops, and a meager adobe and twig palisade wall for defence were erected, and by the time I got to the gate, all of the villagers who dared to come out with a murderer on the loose knew of my approach. I wore my hitai-ate proud, a symbol of the Mist's stature, and of being a branch of the Daimyo's justice, although to be true I had little care or use for such a man. Some screamed, although they were silenced. the older and wiser men and women knew what I was. Three old crones in particular eyed me with suspicion.

The first to open her mouth was tall and lanky like myself, but not nearly of my height; age had withered her bones and made her elderly form near uselss. She spoke with ire as she asked of me her questions.

"A ninja, eh? And how do you fix to help us? Been assigned here to kill the rest of us and keep us quiet, have you?" she jeered, obviously among the crowd who were not pleased with my presence. To be fair, if I had a good reason, I probably would've done so, but being a mealy-mouthed old hag was no crime in the eyes of this judge, jury, and executioner, no matter how annoying. Her pudgy, short little old friend joined in.

"We've had quite enough murder recently. We certainly don't need any of your kind stinking things up with more innocent corpses." I rolled my eyes. A corpse is always innocent. Corpses can't murder or steal, they're dead. These women were beginning to piss me off.

"I've been paid, and by your village nonetheless, to investigate this crime, and bring its perpatraitor to justice. Now, if you don't mind stepping out of the way, and telling me where the young survior girl is staying, so that I might have a word with her?"

The two stared me down, but a third voice broke the silence that followed.

"His eyes... the spirit of justice burns in his eyes, sisters..." The oldest of the three crones stepped out into view. Far more withered and harried than her "siblings", she wear a black gown, covering all but her haggard, drooping face, and wispy gray hair.

"You should know better, to look harder, sisters... have I taught you nothing?" She asked, a slight intonation of irritation ringing in her voice.

"Young man, you shall find the one you seek beyond this home, in a building some seven houses past, on the opposite side of the road... But be warned, young one. Things are not always so clear as they appear. Be careful that the judgement of the gods is visited upon the right soul, lest you throw yourself into turmoil and despair."

I smiled and nodded, smirking somewhat. As if such a thing could move me. I was a ninja, and collateral damage was exactly that. While it would certainly be regrettable to harm an innocent, I would lose no sleep over it, so long as the law was obeyed. I hurried along through the small village and found the place the haggard drone spoke of. The house was somewhat run-down, however, so were most of the homes in the village. I guess one could say Kawatonton was less than prosperous while looming in kirigakure's shadow.

I knocked cordially at the door, and waited patiently for it to open. As it did, I found a knife to my throat, and an angry woman standing there, inspecting me. "I won't let you touch her again, you bastard!" She paled a bit as I made to hold up my hands and point out my vilage headband, to signify that I was not the man who had harmed the victim. She eventually noticed, and slackened her grip on the knife, affording me room to breathe again.

"Some welcome to the man who's supposed to hunt down this killer..." I said dejectedly, but then again, I could understand her fear, even if it was irrational to greet everyone at the door with a knife to the throat. Now that I had time to think, and admire the woman before me, I realized that if she weren't in mortal fear, she'd be quite beautiful. Long, wavy blond tresses reached just beyond her shoulders, and pale green eyes, which would be lively, I was sure, if it weren't for the bags under them. She had an average figure, but then I was never one for judging.

"So... you're here to catch the killer, then...?" She asked sheepishly, turning away from me and staring off past a rice-paper wall to what I could barely make out as a shadow... I had to guess it was the bed where the victim lay, but couldn't be certain. Either way, I had to extract some information from her.

"Yes... hired as a ninja to hunt down and kill the individual responsible for the death of one girl... and the brutalization of who I'd guess is your sister...?"

The woman before me looked young, too young to have a daughter. But then again, this attack could have added years to her face with all of the lack of sleep and worrying she appeared to have done.

"She's... my neice, actually... but we might as well be sisters... it's a long story..." She began to trail off. As she looked away, I rolled my eyes. I didn't have time to play the fairy-tale cassanova. I wanted to know where this bastard was so I could end him and be done with it.

"You don't suppose I could question her about the attacker, learn what she knows about him? If she knows who he is, or his motives, and how he operates, it'd make my job far easier."

The girl's aunt eyed me warily, but decided to give me the go ahead.

"I'm Yura... Amane Yura. Hang on... let me just see if Megumi is awake... She does need her rest since... well..."

After opening the door, and a few soft murmurs, Yura nodded and motioned for me to come forward. As I stood there in the doorway, I saw the man's handywork, and took inspiration for just what I'd have to do to him, later.

Her face was heavily bandaged, her left arm in a sling, the right in a cast. It looked as though there was little of her body I could see that wasn't bruised or maimed in some way. The girl put on a brave face, and tried to smile, (Her front teeth were missing) before she winced, and gave a whimper, laying her head back on the pillow. It was a shame. If not for all of the wrapppings and bruising, I'm sure her beauty would have outshone her aunt's. I bowed my head solemnly, as it raced with ideas to repay the man who visited harm on her. I strolled over and sat in a nearby chair, facing her, and speaking softly.

"I apologize if I'm intruding, Megumi... I'm Yukina Shinryu, here to find the man who did this to you, and bring him to justice. I will find him, and the things he did to you, I will make sure he pays for... but first, I need to you be strong, and help me... you need me to tell me everything you remember about this man, and what he did to you... I need to know how he thinks, and how he operates. Any help you can give me is a step in the right direction."

[Sayomi]

A GM

Walking in, you'd see a small fragile girl, shattered and broken. Her pillow held tight to her chest, stained with tears-the melancholic, life elixir. She was in fact not sleep, Megumi since that day had not dared to venture off into the realm of dreams, for fear's callous clutches held her at bay. No longer was she the girl who was brave and out going, bright and cheerful, she realized that things did go bump in the night, that life could take a detour for the worst, a speed bump she couldn't find her footing afterwards. Astray from her path, pain and fear is all she knew now.

One could tell simply by looking at her wounded vessel. Like a frightened cornered animal her eyes followed you, stalking your every step without a moment of reprieve. Balled up into a tight space at the headboard of her bed, she listened to your words, half her face buried within her pillow. For a moment, there was but quietness, and eerie type of silence that pervaded the room. "No..." The lone word whispered, it'd be almost if not completely audible. Her hands grasped tighter onto the ivory softness as she averted her abrasive gaze from you finally.

"No, I don't want to talk about it, please go away...."

OOC:leave me something to GM next time

[Shinryu]

(OOC: Sorry, you said give you more, so I gave you more.)

"No, I don't want to talk about it, please go away...."

I frowned. My only lead was being unco-operative. This wasn't good. I looked over her frail form, and furrowed my brow. Whoever it was deserved nothing but death for his crimes here. I pleaded with the girl again.

"Please, miss. You're the only person who can help me. I want to make sure the man that did this to you, the man who murdered the other girl, pays for what he has done, but I can't do that unless you help me... all I need is a name, if you know it, or a basic description... that's all I'll ask of you. I know it's hard, and I know you've been through a lot, but if you can do this, I'll make sure that the man who did this will never be able to hurt you, or anyone else again. Just... please, tell me what you can."

I said it convincingly, as I did want to catch the murderer. My empathy was feigned, but I was good at lying, and my soft facial features would help hide my stretching of the truth. I would do everything I said, and gladly, even though I had no personal feelings concerning the girl on the bed before me. I would hunt that man down and end him. All I needed was something to go on... hopefully Megumi could provide that.

[Sayomi]

a GM

Defensively she listened to your pleas, but such words fell upon deaf ears. Gripping her comfort tighter she brought her gaze upwards, slowly it drifted until her wounded eyes were affixed upon your own. Regardless if he was serious are not, she wanted nothing to do with what happened. Call it fear, or what have you but, the girl Megumi shook at the mention or thoughts of her dark moment. It was something she wished not to relive, so she threw away the memory and swore not to speak of such things. Megumi could see your desire to help her, but her own inhibitions refused to budged, and so her gaze once more left you , wandering downwards.

(sniffling) "I-I don't want to think about it anymore."

It wasn't like Megumi didn't want the man brought to justice, so that she could attain reparations for his atrocious actions or so that it wouldn't happen to another as unlucky as her. She wanted all this, it was just something else had stopped her; something she wasn't willing to speak of. Was it simply just fear that shackled her or was it something a tad bit more elaborate? It'd take more than just words young shinobi, it'd take much more. A hint of sorrow was laced within her words, whilst she spoke the door behind you'd open, and a boy roughly around Megumi's age would shuffle in.

Her expression although brief was shocked, she couldn't hide that, so if any were astute prying eyes would have caught such a look before she managed to fix it. "Megumi, are you okay, I heard you were being questioned?" The ladies within the room with you were not shocked by his sudden interruption, instead all their faces were normal as if he was a usual around these parts. "I-Im fine Yousuke`san" The browned haired boy would look your way, eyes filled with fire as he spoke. "I think you should leave if she doesn't want to be bothered with your questions." Megumi would recede into her corner even more as the boys oppressive gaze fell upon her once more. Her eyes wouldn't even lift themselves up as crystal fell down her face.

Would you leave and try again, when the situation was more opportune or would you probe even further with privy eyes upon you, eyes of conspicuous fire...

[Shinryu]

I was beginning to get frustrated with this girl. I was trying to be compassionate, even legitamately trying to sympathyze with her, something I never did, but as she continued to deny me the information I needed, my insides began to boil. She was the only one who could tell me what had happened, and she refused to be of aid to me. But so be it. There were other ways of drawing out a killer... more elaborate, less likely ways, which might result in failure, but it seemed I was left with little choice. I was in the midst of rising from my seat, when a boy rushed in. And it was her gaze that spoke volumes. She was surprised to see him. Shocked, although she tried to hide it, the victim girl felt rather aquarrel for some reason, it seemed.

The unbridled youth then shot me a stare of pure hellfire, an anger and rage that told me he knew more than he should.

"I think you should leave if she doesn't want to be bothered with your questions."

I quirked my eyebrow, as the youth challenged my authority, then I noticed him stare at Megumi, and give he the same withering glare, and she shrunk in her bedsheets, almost cringing into the matress beneath her frail body. Oh yes, this one knew something... and he was threatening her to keep quiet about it, I was sure about it. No man would glare so harshly at such a frail being unless he had something... something very valuable to him, to lose...

My smirk might have betrayed my intention, as I paced towards the exit, all-the-while not letting my eyes off the stubborn boy. I then turned swiftly to reach out and clasp the youth by his shoulder, my other hand deftly reaching to my side and taking hold of one of my katars, in case any funny business should ensue. There was no exit from the room for him now, not without going through me.

"Hm... awfully brash of you to challenge the authority of a Mist Ninja, sent on behalf of the Mizukage himself to investigate a murder. Funnier, even, that I was just leaving, having finished questioning your.... well, I'd call her a friend, but that look you gave her was not a look of friendship. Strangely enough, something tells me that you might have something to say about this matter. Something you don't want your friend to speak about... or perhaps she's already betrayed you in ways that you cannot know... what say you, Yousuke of Kawatonton? Do you know who tried to murder this girl?"

My grip upon him was vice-like, holding him to the spot. I stared him down, with all of the fire and rage he had showed me before; waiting, nay... daring him to make even the first sign of movement. If he were to shift his position in the slightest, or break for flight, I would move swiftly behind him, restraining one of his arms, and using my other hand to hold the katar to his throat. However, if he was peaceable, then so too would I be. What happened next would depend a great deal on how foolish this young lad was. For his sake I hoped that he wasn't as stupid as his pride made him appear.

[Sayomi]

a GM

The cryptic smile upon Yousuke's face thinned as he noticed your hand placing itself on his shoulder. It was than that he figured you were in fact not leaving. Meanwhile the bystanders looked on with quizzical eyes at what was unfolding before them, the plot thickening. Megumi's heart began to beat faster.

Faster and faster.

Holding her chest her face was foreshadowed with fear as you spouted out what was the truth hidden between the concealed seams, the reality Megumi herself trued to rid herself of, but within this world it'd haunt her until properly dealt with. Yousuke, though he hid his expression well had began to feel his own sweat rolling down his neck, his hands clammy as he was being revealed to everyone. He knew it was a risk coming here, but he had to keep her silent-the one who got a glimpse of his face as the authorities arrived. At first he thought fear would hold her at bay, but with word of a shinobi coming to sniff out his trail he couldn't risk it, but unforgivably there was no chance of killing her off; not before he came.

"You shouldn't go around saying such slanderous things, attempting to pin this on me!"

Yousuke would tear away from your grip, turning around so that he faced you and his back faced Megumi, he slowly crept closer to the victim that got away. "I've known Megumi since childhood, I'm closer to her than anyone else! Isn't that right Megumi?"

"...." His wide grin would be washed away by the pervading silence, the wounded girl didn't mutter a word, her eyes were filled with tears and with a frightened look, as if she was chased down by wolves, left at their mercy. Megumi's silence gave way to the astonished faces of the woman beside and behind you as they backed up, dumbfounded and flabbergasted at the truth revealed to them.

"C'mon Megumi, tell em!"

Yousuke's voiced raised, the anger emanating easily from his loud chords. In reaction Megumi fell from her bed, and onto the floor harshly, her cut hands raised in a defensive manner towards him. With her back to the wall she pleaded. (screaming) "Please no, I wont tell them, just don't cut again."

"Please!"

"Please!"

"Please!"

The word repeated and repeated within the confines of the room as she begged for solace. The once shocked faces turned into fearful ones as Yousuke's visage contorted with spite and anger. "Bitch....." The charade had ended, and now he was in the light. Scared of being caught he lunged for the tearful megumi, a hidden knife drawn seeking bloodshed. He had gone daffy with madness. He'd take the girl with him into the abyss of chaos if he wasn't stopped.

[Shinryu]

Theme: www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8imVKXWd8U
and so the cookie crumbled...

_____________________________________________


The feeling was glorious. I watched the world unravel before the boys eyes, saw the sweat bead on his neck, felt him begin to shake as the weight of his sins bore down upon him. I was laughing inside. This boy was the one, the killer who I'd been after, and he had walked right into my arms. The foolish, naive child. His actions had betrayed him the moment he stepped foot inside this hovel, and I would make him pay for his every sin... but not before I relished as he squirmed in his guilt, my accusations bearing down upon the worm and pining him, crushing him under the truth he no doubt thought he'd hidden so well... Such a fool.



"You shouldn't go around saying such slanderous things, attempting to pin this on me!"

That got a chuckle out of me; audible, snide, and crisp in my throat. He was desperate now. So desperate he hadn't even realized his most grevious fault. I hadn't attempted to pin the crime on him at all. I simply let on that he knew more than he said. But the drama of the situation was all to real. He pulled away from me, and I drew my katar, as planned, but he did not break to run, as I had expected him to, but turned about and pleaded with the infirm girl to confirm his innocence. I already had everything I needed to know he was guilty, so better to let the maggot squirm. All the more delicious a taste to my pallet that he should be wracked with the fear he imbibed in his victims at his bleakest moment, rapidly approaching as it was.

And then the master-stroke. So scared was he that his pleas grew fitful and angry.

"C'mon Megumi, tell em!"

I smiled grimly, and was a little surprised as the young girl fell from her bed, shielding herself. He had damned himself. Just as his actions had damned him to the kami. This one would rot in hell for his dishonor, and I would send him there myself, if I had to. Mean the while, the girl begged and pleaded with the boy, tears of agony and fear streaming down her face as screamed, her voice reverbrating in my bones.

"Please no, I wont tell them, just don't cut me again."

"Please!"

"Please!"

"Please!"

An admission. It was all I needed to hear. My other hand slid down and unholstered the other katar from my side, drawing them both level as I saw the boy tense up, and begin to move. I smirked. Would I simply end him, or play with my food a bit? Hm... I wondered how much the people here would let me get away with... still, no worries. He would die either way, it was all a matter of how I did it. I wanted him to know fear again before it was done, fear for his life as he made the others fear. His hand revealed a hidden knife, as I heard him utter an expletive. How shameful... then again, he had nothing left to lose, as far as he was concerned.

Little did it matter though, for as soon as I saw the flicker of steel, I took a quick step forward, squaring myself behind his back. and then my arms were raised, and I would lunge forward, sending my punching dagger deep through the boy's knife arm, severing tendons and muscle and rendering it useless. My other arm would come chopping down on his opposite shoulder as I withdrew from my first strike, seeking to slice and cut through his clavicle, thus rendering his other arm useless as well. Oh, I would play with this one a little, I supposed, and bring justice upon him as was fitting.

[Sayomi]

a GM

Blood red dressed the walls of the room, and Megumi's face, but ti was not hers that was spilled. A hoarse cry resonated as Yousuke recoiled, holding his wounded hand in pain as the knife fell to the ground; however his suffering had yet to truly began. The woman behind you shrieked in surprise almost in harmony with the next grievous yelp that escaped the killers mouth.

Megumi pressed herself further to the wall as she watched deliver divine punishment unto him. His other arm had been rendered useless by your actions. His head swung around, eyes drunk with craziness. "You shit, how dare you? All of you, I'll gut you!" As he spoke, his oppressive gaze caught sight of the cowering Megumi, the girl that escaped him. He felt it was her fault, he had been so clever until her.

Killing the ones you knew was the most fun, but the most risky; he had understood this, but couldn't satiate his killing hunger until he'd cut her. His childhood friend had given him the most pleasure, but his pleasure brought this fate upon him. Tears flowed down her cheeks and that of the other females, they couldn't believe what transpired. It all seemed like a dream, even though their own eyes witnessed such truths exposed.

(sobbing) "Why Yousuke....?"

The words slipped her trembling lips as she tried to make her way around her once friend now crazed. She was frightened, unaware, oblivious to what he was capable of. Deranged, he looked her way, drooling at the mouth as he blood saturated the floor of the room. "Teh fuck?! There is no why... It was just...fun!" His words were cold, and emotionless as he looked away from her and towards you.

"You piece of shit! What now? Gonna turn me in to the authorities?"

[Shinryu]

I smiled as his life essence sprayed the room, my blades, and even a little on me, as I stared down at the disarmed wastrel. Punitive little shit that he was, still deranged, still hungry for blood, even as he lay useless, bleeding slowly from his wounds. I laughed. A hollow laugh, a dark laugh... the girls would no doubt be scared of the menace and the mirth in that laugh. The boy thought I was going to lock him up... how quaint? With the current political climate in Kirigakure, he thought he was just going to be locked away?

I looked down at his frothing mouth and scoffed, as my foot came forward, and my heel came crushing down on his jaw with all the force I could muster.

"You repugnant, insolent, savage, licentious, morally reprehensible little shit. Do you think a village of ninjas simply lock away those who murder? We, who make our daily bread on the backs of slain enemies and stolen information? Did you really think you'd be getting away so EASY?! HUH?!"

I kicked him again, in the stomach this time, beating the fear of death, the fear of pain into his skin. This fool was not worthy of life. The blood of the innocent was on his hands. Shed upon his skin. He was not worthy to stand in the same room as his victim, and I would not let him live to see past this day. The boy whimpered on the floor as I abused him, but I payed no heed. I layed into him with my foot again, and my face swelled red with rage as I shouted at him once more.

"How should I do it, HM?! Should I drag you out into the dirt and slit your throat like the dirty pig you are?! Or should I hang you from a post and practice my ninjutsu on you until you stop twitching?! Or maybe... maybe I should let your victim do the honor, and get her justice upon you for the evil you've done upon her. Fun was it? FUN WHEN YOU TOOK THAT GIRL'S LIFE?! I HOPE YOU FIND ROASTING IN ETERNAL HELLFIRE, AS THE ONI TORTURE YOU ENDLESSLY FUN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I SEE IN YOUR IMMEDIATE FUTURE."

And with that, I holstered my blades, And hoisted him by the collar with both hands, Manhandling him out of the door, and trhowing him into a heap outside. I was furious with rage and bloodlust. Every inch of me was shaking with the will to kill this ignorant youth, and to repay the soul of the innocent. I smiled wickedly as My hands went to my blades, and I kicked his useless body over onto his back, before stomping down hard on his kneecaps. I waited for the scream and the crackling/popping sound that meant that his patella was significantly fractured, and his knee was out of place, then did it to the other. Next, I cut open his shirt, and made slashes all over his body. Nothing deep, of course, simply cuts to reflect those he had inflicted on the others. I jeered at him as I did so.

"TELL ME BOY, IS THE PAIN FUN?! IS WHAT YOU DID TO THOSE GIRLS AS FUN FOR YOU AS IT WAS FOR THEM?! THE PAIN?! THE SUFFERING?! YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING! YOU ARE WORTHLESS! A MURDERER, AND A BLOODTHIRSTY MAGGOT. THERE IS NO REDEMPTION FOR YOU, NOR A PRISON SENTENCE LONG ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY THE CRIMES YOU'VE COMMITTED. YOUR SENTENCE IS DEATH, AND YOU SHALL DIE THE WAY YOU KILLED, CHOKING ON YOUR OWN BLOOD!"

And with that, as I stared into his eyes, my face contorted with rage, I dared to look for the fear in his eyes. The self-loathing, the pain, and the anguish that he had made those girls go through... And I brought my arm down with a heavy swing, cutting open his throat as he lay there in the dirt, writhing as the blood fed into his lungs and asphyxiated him, until his body was still and pale, and a pool of blood stained the earth around him. Did I care? Not a lick. He was a criminal, and criminals payed for their crimes. If he had shown remorse, he might be more apt to be worth pity, but I did not feel shame for putting him through the same hell as the girls suffered, no matter how many people saw me perform the deed.

Yousuke was dead, and had suffered what he deserved. I walked inside with my weapons sheathed, bowed, and apologized to the girls for the scare I had no doubt given them, then strung up the killer's body to a post to serve as an example for any further killings, that Kirigakurewould not stand idly by and let the civilian population be trifled with. And with that, I smiled, and left the small village, heading back home. It had been remarkably easy to catch that killer and deal with him. I could only hope that future missions could be so easy.

[Shinryu]

It was a fine evening, as I headed south, back to the village. The sjy was tinted red, a fine blood red, as the rays of light reflected on the water in the sky. I was pleased, and full of adrenaline. This was the fifth person I'd killed in as many days. Not that I intended to make killing a habit, not unless I was met with murderers, but I was doing my duty. Honor bound to the law, I had ended those men, and done it proudly, and I believed I was indeed making progress in the right direction.


As I headed home, I wondered what father would think when I told him the good news. I checked my senbon launcher for good measure, to make sure I was well prepared in case of ambush, and continued on down the somewhat muddy road, moving at a brisk, but not exhaustive pace, towards the village. The sunset was bloody... but Soo I would know the truth... Its hue was not a signal of my grand victory, but a foreboding of something far more sinister than I could imagine... I approached the village gates unaware of the evil looming on the horizon...

[&&_-exit]

[addy-hime ♥]

Shinryu: 57 EXP.
Roko: 10 EXP.
Taiga (GM): 38 EXP.