Spider's Web! [flashback]

[Mad-Rock]

[/i] complexion.

Shooting a glance to the extremely faint blur of the Kusagakure gates in the distance he'd roll his eyes. He hoped Blanche wasn't becoming weak, now of all times would be a horrible choice. If only Kade had been around still, one of Kusagakure's original royals, Kade had the bloodline which allowed him to create wood. It was rumored he had even returned to the country if only for a short while, as a new and massive forest had been created not too far out from the village. If he had been here, surely Kusagakure would be thriving much better. But, alas he was not, and no one knew where he had gone to. Dropping down form the tree and to the ground below, he began to slowly rise, his drunken gaze bouncing about as he chuckled. Laughter always followed any action he preformed when he had too much to drink

"A man is never drunk if he can lay on the floor without holding on!" The joke had no meaning currently as he was standing perfectly...well semi-perfectly fine. Until it hit him, having already been drunk, coupled with the slamming of his flask of whiskey as well as the bouncing around had hit him hard. Falling back into some shrubbery, his mind trailed off into a state of dreams.

---

Using his bare arm to smear the dirt and sweat away from his eyes Saburo let out a deep breath, taking in fresh air to fill his lungs. Well as fresh as scorched and dirty air could be. The war was raging, and he was doing all he could just to keep up...There was so many of them, countless scores, they were a swarm of angry bees attacking an unsuspecting black ant hive. But, amongst his people, a spider rose, full of rage and the will to serve and protect. Snapping the neck of the woman who had tried to sneak attack him, he'd toss her aside, dusting his lowest hands off as his middle ones began to open and close to stay loose and active, while his upper set of hands prepared themselves for his next technique.

"This happening all too fast..."

Barriers of bodies had already piled up, Kirigakure, Sunagakure, Kusagakure made up the majority. Though Kusagakure was still recovering from the first war, it still had able bodied men and women to protect it, but they were on the low count, especially now. Gritting his teeth he jumped into the fray, a kunai in his hand meeting the blade of a hulking man who sought to cleave one of his fellow Kusagakure shinobi in half, shoving the woman away he barked at her. "Go, recover as many as the injured as you can. Find the others and fall back!" Taking a foul punch to bridge of his nose he was sent staggering back before pouncing on the behemoth of a man, his kunai spearing into the man's bare right shoulder as they began to grapple.

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[Heisui; Samurai For Hire.]

''Gyeagh.."

I groaned begrudgingly beneath my alcochol stained breath, the bright lights of the sun hitting me right in the eyes. The night prior had been filled with drinking and wallowing, much like every other night, but trekking to Kusagakure was important. The inhospitable lands of Kumogakure were no place to train a kid, and the shinobi from that village were too concerned with grooming their hair and wearing their trendy clothes to listen to an old samurai's wisdom. I had hoped the cheery faced kids of Kusagakure would have more time for me.

''Hell, I wish anybody had time for an old dru--.."

Before I could finish my angst filled self monologue, I felt myself turning and halting my forward movement, the sound of a deep 'thud' snapping me out of my daze. It was a boy, no, a man slipping out of a tree, a peculiar thought, but a dangerous one, too. Ambushes were something that skilled ninja prided themselves on, and if some young man thought he was going to get the better of me, he thought wrong. Bringing my left hand to Su, I clutched the hilt firmly and prepared to draw her, fully intent on defending myself it came to it.

''My will may be dulled, kid, but don't think you'll get the better of this--.. old.. uh, what?"

Halfway through drawing my blade, I noticed that the boy seemed to.. well, fall back into a bush. He was laughing, too, which made the whole situation even stupider. Shaking my head out of disgust, I slipped my blade back into its sheathe and began to slowly pace towards his landing place, my hand maintaining its firm grip. But as I got closer and found that he was laid out, babbling and inattentive, I decided he needed my help. Karma wouldn't take too kindly to me leaving a poor fella out here like this.

''Oi, get up. This ain't a motel, mate."

I shouted as I looked down at his face, the youthfulness he maintained making his age ambiguous to me. But as I stood there, shouting and waving my hand, I wasn't sure if he'd respond. So, with a cheeky grin and a sense of boyish mischief overtaking my form, I slid closer and prodded his gut with the tip of my sheathe, my free hand extending towards his chest.

''Room service, your complimentary hookers and booze are here, sir."

[Mad-Rock]

[/i]

---

"''My will may be dulled, kid, but don't think you'll get the better of this--.. old.. uh, what?" The words bounded off his nigh deaf ears as he slightly came to for a moment. But, quick to fall back into total blackness he'd begin to slip back into a dream state, only to be woken once more as something jabbed into his gut. ''Room service, your complimentary hookers and booze are here, sir." Waking with a hesitant groan, Saburo found a hand before his chest, an older man standing over him, speaking. Eyes bulging he cursed himself for having let his drink get to him. It left him vunerable, now being one of the best cases of that...He was at the man's mercy...Yet, the man apparently meant no harm.

Reaching over with his middle right hand, he'd accept the man's hand to aide in standing up. Once there he'd dust himself off, noticing the green smudges on his white jacket from falling into the foliage. Growling slightly he'd spit at the ground, though his gaze never left the man's own. "Drink got to me is all, thanks partner...Not many people these days would be so kind to help a drunken stranger, let alone get close to him..." It was true, he couldn't name the last time people helped each other, even in time of war he had witnessed people using allies as meat shields, it was horrible. Shaking the horrid memories from his head he'd continue.

"Thanks though man, half expected to wake up with a katana in my abdomen, spearing me to the ground. Heh!"
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[Heisui; Samurai For Hire.]

"Drink got to me is all, thanks partner...Not many people these days would be so kind to help a drunken stranger, let alone get close to him..."

''Aye, no need to thank me."

I shrugged my shoulders as I heaved the boy up, allowing him to stay on his own two feet. It was a silly notion, drinking in a tree, but I'd be the pot calling the kettle black if I tried to scold him for it. ''I'm a fairly.. hefty drinker, too. I've seen my fair share of sketchy situations, I'd be pissin' off Lady Karma if I turned my back on a stranger in need." I spoke with a rather dry tone, the bitter taste of alcohol still dwelling in my mouth.

''And as for the rude awakening? A man of my ability needn't strike when his prey is sleeping."

With that, I shrugged my shoulders and momentarily turned my back on the boy. It was true that he left himself in a vulnerable position, something that was befitting of his age, seemingly. But the carefree attitude reminded me of a time when I was far younger and happier, a time when I didn't need alcohol as a crutch.

''But, hey. It's kinda fortunate that I happened upon ya', I'm 'ere to see the leader of this village. You know anything about him?"

Turning back to the boy, I offered him a firm handshake and an ear to ear smile, the sincerity in my gesture hopefully getting across to him. ''The name is Heisui, mind you. I'm from Kumogakure, but I'm not a ninja or anythin'." I blurted out in a calm, honest voice, the yawn that punctuated the sentence giving away that I had only woken up an hour prior.

''Been travelin' cross these lands for some time now, mate. I've heard tales of this place, how it was sunny, hospitable and peaceful. Looks like the rumors are true to some degree.. but what I'm really interested in are the children."

Moving my hand back to the hilt of my blade, I stared off into the distance and began to imagine my dream dojo. If I could teach even one child the discipline he needed to survive, I could die a happy man. And one without a debt, too. But as I went through what I had just said to the stranger, I felt a pink tinge stain my cheeks. He had just met me and we had no context to go off of, so my vested interest in kids probably wouldn't go down too well.

''Eugh, that didn't come out right.. What I'm interested in is seein' the Kage about opening up a dojo for kids, y'know? Too many youths these days running around trying to cause mischief and get a name for 'emselves."

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[Mad-Rock]

[/i] always has a web cast waiting for prey and hunters alike, kuku."[/color] Watching the man turn away for a moment he gave a blank look of surprise before the man gave his name and offered a hand shake, something Saburo returned. Shaking the man's hand with his own opposite lower hand, he'd respond accordingly. "The village leader of this country you mean? Yeah, I know her[/u]."[/color] Odd question for a wandering man who had never been to the country before. But, it could have all been true and sincere, so he'd take it for face value, with preparations to counter the other idea.

"Names' Saburo Cloak-Shreader, Chuunin of Kusagakure, nice to meet your acquaintance."

Nodding in agreement to what the man had said he had heard about the country of Kusa no Kuni, Saburo couldn't deny it in all honesty. But, then it went down hill ever so slightly, if only for a few moments. "But, what I'm really interested in are the children."[/i] Raising a brow for a moment he'd offer the man nothing, but a shocked and bewildered look, until the man cleaned up his statement with it's proper form via correction. Loosing up his expression into a grin and laughing a bit, Saburo nodded.

"I hear you there man. Youngins' running about without a care for honor and such, it's rather....Er, to put it simply, disgusting." Shaking his head for a moment he'd tilt his head from side to side before straightening it's posture once more. "So a dojo, yeah? Haven't had a single one of those...since the last war...Heh, when it reached our lands it was chaotic. Kusagakure hadn't even healed it's wounds from the first war by then, so we were horribly outnumbered. But, we fought, we defended the village long enough that the enemy forces gave up due to lack of supplies...That and the incident in Konohagakure..."

---

Holding his right lower side with his middle left hand he'd glance quickly at the wound he carefully held. Blood poured from it like creek overcoming rocky obstacles. Grunting now, he'd shoot a glance to the behemoth Sunagakure shinobi before him. Saburo had cut off his right arm from the shoulder, and he was still walking around, he was more of a freak than Saburo was in physical standards and he just kept coming. A spear and a kama still in his possession he'd let out a sigh. "You're really starting to piss me off, you know that?! Flies aren't supposed to fight back when in the spider's web!" Throwing the kama with deadly accuracy he'd jump high and forward. Rotating in a corkscrew fashion, he'd come down, jabbing and stabbing at various angles with his spear...He just had to hold this guy off a bit longer, but his back up was coming, and Saburo's fleeing fellow villagers were still in the area...He couldn't fail, not now!

---

"Kind of personal, but you take any part in the second war?"
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[Heisui; Samurai For Hire.]

''Aye, a Chuunin? That's one of the mid-rank positions, ain't it?"

I asked with a genuinely curious tone, the raising of my brow accompanying my sluggish walk to the nearby tree. ''Don't mind if an old man has a rest, do ya'?" I asked before looking the boy up and down, my left arm propping me up against the tree. He was an odd thing, truly, but he seemed to have open ears, especially considering we were strangers. But something he said stood out amongst the rest of his rambling, a question, no less.

"Kind of personal, but you take any part in the second war?"

''Aye."

Was all I could be bothered to reply with, the heaving sigh that followed the response likely giving away my opinion on the subject. But I wasn't about to leave a man hanging like that, especially not when he took the time to inquire about me. ''I didn't.. fight in the actual war, I'm not one of them 'shinobi' types, mind you. But I had to deal with the repercussions of it."

''We all did."

____________________

''Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad~!" roared a young, cheery voice, the upwards infliction making me roll my eyes. My daughter, for all her wits, was incredibly transparent. If she thought that her father couldn't tell what she wanted just by the tone of her voice, then she had another thing coming. ''What, what, what? You're not hassling your mother, are you?" I shouted in return, fully expecting her to scream in reply. But as I heard her outrageously large footsteps creak along the wooden floor of the cabin, I felt my heart sink. I had to go through the gauntlet.

''Daaaaaaaaaad, Mom said I can have whatever I want for dinner!" Amatsubu spoke, her adorable rocking and puppy dog eyes melting my heart.

''No I didn't." cooed my wonderful wife, crushing all the chances our daughter had. As I watched Shinku walk in, I chuckled boyishly and gave her a gentle peck on the lips, my hand moving to her side. ''I trust you've decided on a meal, love?" I smirked after I spoke, my wife's response being cut prematurely by Amatsubu.

''Y--.. Yes you did, Mom!"

She cried, her hands balling into fists as she pounded on the back of my leg, the 'brutal' torture of my limb causing me to let out cries of fake pain and anguish. ''Noooo, anything but that!" I screamed, my body flopping down onto the bed. But as we were in the middle of our par-for-the-course playtime, I felt an odd sense of worry take over my senses, which were made even worse by the loud footsteps outside the cabin.

''.. Shinku, are we expecting guests?"

''Hm? Goodness no, darling. We are out in the middle of nowhere, who would want to trek out here? You know, sometimes you worry a little bit TOO much about u--..!"

[/color]

*CRASH*[/b]

Situated in a three room cabin, I felt my body tense up and reflexively reach for my katana, my daughter scooped protectively in my arm. ''Shinku, hide." I instructed as I passed the precious cargo off to my significant other, the sound of large footsteps crashing through the hallway leading up to us.

''Uh-uh-uh, no runnin' away, bitch." The largest man grunted, the two smaller men behind him watching with sick grins plastered on their face. ''I get too excited watchin' a little doe like you bounce along."

___________________________

''And then--.. actually, no. I should probably leave it there for now, I'm sure you've heard enough stories about the knock-on effect of war, mate."

I sighed heavily as I stared at the tree beside me, my hips pivoting to clank the hilts of my blades against it. It was obvious that I was dejected, but I still tried to hide it nonetheless. ''You tell me.. have you ever lost somebody important to you?"[/blockquote][/justify][/font]

[Mad-Rock]

[/u][/b][/i]

The words hit him hard, almost deafening him to where he couldn't hear the man's story. But, his mind and ears stayed open despite the memory that tried to tear it's way through his brain. The man's story started off as he generally expected, and ended how he imagined it would...But, he left it on a cliff note...Though Saburo put together his own version of the complete ending due to a few things he saw. The man was alone, apparently a wanderer, and he couldn't see anyone else near by...Did that mean the man's family had been stolen from him? Murdered even? Glancing away for a moment he tried to shake the image from his mind, to remove the feeling that the grief of the man before him possibly harbored within himself. But, in an instant Saburo found himself falling backwards, plopping down on a stump just a foot or so behind him, luckily landing on it rather than missing it and falling to the ground.

---

SMACK!

The back hand sent him spiraling. He managed to cut the man's face slightly, as well as stab him in his right peck, inches from his armpit. But, the back hand was so fierce, it made the threatening black cloud in his vision seem like a warm hug that he should embrace. His spear lodged in the man's chest he bounced amongst the ground, rolling until he was face down in mud and ash. And for a moment he was out of it, his vision full of a black smog, it was poison. Perhaps that was why his eyes jolted open and he slowly began to push himself to his knees, laughing and preparing to speak. "Heh, bigger they are...the harder they are to take dow...." His back up had arrived, one had even prepared themselves before hand. Because of this a bolt of lightning tore through the already seemingly scorched air, and in a blink of an eye, the bolt spiralled through Saburo's left shoulder, cutting through it cleanly as it continued on...

But, the cry that echoed in the distance...Her cry, caused him to turn ever so slightly as he fell forward, his right arm only keeping him up as his gaze looked in the distance. He could have swore the bolt was still visible, more of an after image, but he saw her, she was falling to her knees, and in slow motion she crumbled backwards...And even from the distance, he knew she was lost...She had faded from this world. Hot tears pouring down his cold flesh, he sprang to his feet, rushing forward as he turned his body to face the large man and his reinforcements. Golden shuriken and kunai forming in each of his hands, he'd throw them in torrents. Eyes still spilling tears as they burned with intensity, Saburo went into a primal rage.

---

"She was dead before I could even take in a new breath...I hadn't been able to kill the giant, nor hold off his reinforcements...They got to her through me..."

Face in his palms he held back the tears from free falling, but the guilt swashed around within him. It was as if it started at his head, but spilled over and fell to his toes as a waterfall of sorrow. "Kade shouldn't have went to the exams, it let the others know Kusagakure was still surviving!" Growling he almost barked, his praised thoughts of Kade faded in a single fraction of a second as his hate towards the man sky-rocketed.

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[Heisui; Samurai For Hire.]

''I understand."

I felt a twinge of pain surface in the pit of my gut as I looked to the side, a single tear sliding down my withered cheek. The realization that I wasn't alone, though, was something I could take solace in, even if it was only for a few fleeting moments. But as the man sat before me, on the brink of tears, I extended a hand and ruffled his hair.

''You ain't alone, kid. Tell you what.."

Crouching down, I unclipped Se from my hip and brought it in front of me, the clearly ornate etchings on the hilt being put on full display. ''You see this sword? I had it made the day after the incident, and do not worry, my family did not pass in that instance. I am not so lowly that a couple thugs could steal my family away." Nodding contently, I stood back up and drew the blade, a confident stance being assumed as soon as the entirety of it left the sheath.

''As much as you might not want to hear it at your age, everybody needs a crutch. Whether it's alcohol, women or training."

With that, I cut a single, incredibly fast swath through the air, my eyes steely and focused as I watched the boy. ''I aim to create a place where people can exercise their demons productively, that applies to children and men alike." I explained as I slid Se back into his sheath, the clack of the hilt matching the sound of it clipping to my waist noise for noise.

''Just keep an' eye out for me, mate. If you ever need help with somethin' just come to Old Man Seidou. The first job is free."

Cooing happily, I looked forward and smiled ear to ear, the prospect of having my own dojo once again lifting me out of the metaphorical gutter. ''And try and lay off the alcohol, it's bad for your health." I punctuated with a comical belch, my hand patting my stomach as I began to walk away.

''And, just for the record, it wasn't your fault, kid. It's hard to believe right now, but the sooner you come to grips with that, the better."

With that, I was gone, my first lesson in Kusagakure featuring word play instead of sword play.

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/exit

[Mad-Rock]

[/color] Taking in a deep breathe he'd wave to the man who slowly began to fade in the distance.

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/exit

[Trigga]

Gana+ 40
Sharkk + 45

[addy-hime ♥]

Double EXP and 20,000 Ryo awarded to both for the August contest!

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