Starring:
Date: November 20, 2011
Summary:
Naru for the third time stumbles across the wandering criminal known as Uchiha Tessen, though unfortunately isn't quite aware of his name. Fed up with him she attempts to determine his name by force. Though he appears to be weak, with limited strength he quickly overwhelmed her into a state of hospitalizaton. Meanawhile a robed shinobi is watching from the distance then finally exposed by the greater Uchiha, though his purpose is greater then simply being an observer…
"What's a name worth?"
Land of Fire River
It is a crisp fall morning. Even here in the Land of Fire the leaves are beginning to change and fall to the earth. The once gentle cooling breezes now occasionaly gust with the severity to chill a man to the bone in warning of the winter to come. If one could distract themselves from the coldness of it all the could look out and see a forest decorated in the waning colors of the leaves matched with the stream and waterfall.
Tessen stood at the edge of the cliff looking over the scenery. It was beautiful in its own way. From this far one could call it peaceful because they couldn't see the fights for survival waged beneath its canopy. His calm charcoal eyes were half lidded in this moment of peace. He needed the distraction from what was to come. He was only thankful his wounds from Baasku had healed by now. Odo would be a threat as would the next mark in the bingo book.
"I didn't think I'd see you here of all places," A voice had rang out, a girl seemed to slowly slip off along one of the paths and keeping her eyes on Tessen… The young Uchiha had no idea who he truly was, but their enormous amounts of meetins was startin to get to the best of her. Pushing a few locks of raven black hair out of her pumpkin orange eyes, she pointed at Tessen attempting to get his attention. " I run into you too many times for me not to know your name… So who are you..?"
Tessen came back to reality in an instant as he heard the voice. A small smirk rose at the corners of his lips, "I was but a stranger…a Takokujin in these lands, but now even that is completely lost to me. I am but a fragment now. Nothing more and nothing less. My name is of no importance to you or your village. Just leave it be child."
Tessen came back to reality in an instant as he heard the voice. A small smirk rose at the corners of his lips, "I was but a stranger…a Takokujin in these lands, but now even that is completely lost to me. I am but a fragment now. Nothing more and nothing less. My name is of no importance to you or your village. Just leave it be child."
Turning slightly he would look to see the other visitor to the area. He didn't say a word as he looked to her with his dark eyes. A part of him wondering if this was a set up and that more reinforcements awaited. If it was then he would flee. No point in fighting a large and lengthly battle he could not win. For now though he kept himself calm as he stared at the one he did not know.
"Takokujin..? Whats That?" Naru couldn't help but to ask, Naru wasn't exactly trying to seem aggressive, but for just a moment Tessen could notice the young girls eyes briefly turning re, activation of her own sharingan before suddenly they returned that to their usual color, her attention quickl adverted from the loud excuse me that came up from behind her, Quickly Naru turned around to look at Manami, arching an eyebrow at the interesting girl.. " Hum.. is something the matter…? Are you lost?" She spoke out to the woman, crossing her arms along one another.
"If you wish to know of the Takokujin…merely ask Tosai. He knows who I am as well. Not many within your walls do…not anymore." Tessen's eyes didn't move as he heard the girl call out to them. A single hand shifted to the katana on its side of his body. It rested lightly on the hilt of it. "What is it you seek miss?"
"You can go ahead and tell me now can't you? We are already face to face there is no reason for me to go all thew ay back within the walls just to speak to Tosai-sama… So how about I just talk to you… I don't even have your name.. Or anything to call you by…" Naru spoke back in return, mostly in protest..
"That you don't know my name is a good thing child. If you must call me something…call me Remnant. For that is all I am. A remnant of things that no longer exist or can exist. I can see clearly within you that your generation lacks what mine held. Even Kirin, Satoru, and Abel…all sought me…and are no longer here. Fuyu was wrong in her judgements and lost what I hold…as you and your ilk did. Do you even know how to use those eyes of yours to truly see yet child?" Tessen didn't change his expression as he spoke. He kept himself neutral and flat with every word. Emotions were pointless here as they had been most other times. He doubted that Naru would understand him, but he hoped she could guess.
"Come child and test yourself against the previous generation. One that grew up in warfare. One who had children staining their hands with blood before they would even enter your academy. People who watched family and friend die every day for someone else's gain. We hold remorse, power, grief…and loss. Our eyes are not clouded with hope and naivete…they see the darkness of the world and have tasted despair. If you have the power then you will learn soon enough who I am and why I linger in this land…"
Tessen stood seemingly at the ready as he looked to the girl. His muscles were tight and ready to move. A hand resting on his katana as the other rattled despite the lack of wind. It too seemed ready to taste Uchiha flesh. His charcoal eyes darkened and became almost ebony with intensity. He seemed poised to kill and yet did not move, and his chakra levels were still abysmal. He seemed just an ordinary mercenary.
Naru's eyes carefully watched over his blade, as well as guaging his chakra levels and strength… He seemed to be quite pathetic… Was he just an average villager? Perhaps an old coo coo head? Either way it was begining to furstrate her. " You know I've seen war to… And despite seeing my allies die before my eyes, I won't hesitate to forge peace in these lands.. I've grown to understand that sometimes blood must be spilled.. But only Shinobi like us can prevent it.." She speaks and finally begins to place her hands together, chakra flowing through her veins while emitting a bellowing wind about her form.
" I will find out your name… And its coming from you," Suddenly she begins to spring into action, quickly motioning through a set of hand seals she stands her ground and shouts. " Katon! Bakuhatsu no Jutsu!" with an exhale a condensed ball of fire would erupt from her lips, expelled in his direction as with this distraction she would give chase, slinging a kunai in his direction from the fiery heat.
Tessen saw the fireball coming and merely jumped to the side of it. The kunai was met with one in return causing them both to veer off course from either combatant. This was sad indeed. He lunged forward and half drew his katana as he stopped before the girl. His aim was to slam his pommel into her gut and knock the wind from he momentarily before sending a kick to her chest to drive her back.
"You must do better than that to draw forth my name child. Are you truly an Uchiha if you can not make me use even the most basic of my skills? Your eyes must still be closed despite the power that lies idle within you. Find it, and draw it forth or go cry to your parents and wallow under the heels of your Senju masters like the beaten dog your clan has become!"
The wilderness had its own symphony of noises and distractions from brilliant colors to mysterious crevices. Though none of this mattered to the eyes that peered carefully from their location a bit below a small bush. The dark shadows beneath the bush allowed the figure to all but disappear in the shade with his dark clothing. He remained silent, curious as to this… conflict that was occuring before him. They went back and forth about different points of views and fought over a name that didn't reveal itself. Very strange, but mildly entertaining as well.
Talk about overwhelming… Just as quick as she launched what she thought was an awesome array of jutsu, she felt herself surcumb to his attacks fairly. First his interesting dodge while stoping the slash of her kunai, the slam to the gut followed by kick hd swiftly caused her to be driven back, scuffing up the ground with her form her eyes seemed to fail her… or was it her body? "Senju dog? Your going to regret that!" Naru protested, quickly moving through her hand seals once again, she was going to turn his speed against him and cover him in a seat of fiery bullets. " Fire Release! Fire Bullet Barrage!" This time she was sure she would make it difficult for him to get away, and her distance away would certainly allow her to see his taijutsu more quickly… Naru didn't even notice the oddness on the ground.. watching them.
As the first gouts of fire came at him Tessen seemed to take them in shock before turning into a rock. He used the technique to put some distance between them before he had to weave between the flame bullets. He was slipping if this level of technique hit him without his sharingan. How Rain would have never let him live it down. A calm hand patted his shirt where it smoldered against his form.
His attention diverted for a moment as he noticed someone or something nearby. He didn't like being spied on. Best to flush the rat out. With a practiced hand he let a kunai fly into the bushes. It should scare whoever was there into action so he could better assess what to do.
Turning back to the girl he smirked as he came in with both swords drawn. A basic scissor cut for her stomach. He could also hear Rain chiding him for taking so long on a brat and holding back to this degree. It was embarassing, and perhaps he really was slipping.
Such a strange battle. Heat blazing around before fire jutsu even began to be spewed. All for some form of honor he would bet… but what's this… a kunai? Nearly laying down, a flash of a hand seal would form as he'd be partially replaced by the clone. The kunai struck true, as it should have, but even truer still as it caused a small cut to form on the hidden person's face. The small smoke poof from the clone technique suddenly seemed to be enhanced 10 fold as the hidden man would attempt to slip away by other means.
Naru's attack finally hit its mark, she knew she would be able to get him if she covered the field with bullets, and just as quick as he retaliated back she read his movements perfectly, sliping away from his blade with multiple replacements of fire she had used again, his blade only magnified by the fire instead, Naru herself would witness finally where he had tossed the Kunai, and someone seemed to be getting away… Whoever it was, they seemed to be on her side maybe, but she didnt want them to get involved. In mid air she began to motion through hand seals, very prone on taking down this mercenary warrior..
" I'll show you just how powerful the Uchiha clan has become! We will rise to the top once again!" Katon! Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" Naru shouted out, Finally she gave him a full fledged uchiha fire sphere, coming doing straight upon him with true impact power…
Tessen vanished from the fireball's path in a blur of motion only to stand off to the side as he looked to the smoke as if ignoring Naru for a moment. "Come out from hiding or I will attack with greater force." It was a stern warning and as if to back up his claim he turned towards Naru as his own hands blurred through seals. With a deep inhale his hand came up to his mouth and out came a giant fireball of his own streaming right for her.
And thus the back up plan was foiled by the winds of… well it was foiled regardless of the wind i nthis case. There simply wasn't enough distraction to pull off the second layer of stealth. Thus, the dark figure merely stood in the disappating smoke, features hidden from view as his body was oriented towards the current situation. "It would have been rude to interrupt." a light but masculine voice would state, almost as if speaking very softly, though audibly. He noted the fireballs being exchanged, but he didn't seem to comment on that as of yet as firey explosions filled the area casually. "It was hard to ignore fate however." The man would do little to explain himself further however.
The greater fireball came up at her, literally engulfing her entire form into a massive explosion… Moments later though she reappeared, slowly rising to her feet, her entire body smoking and burnt… She had suffered quite a bit of damage, even panting from her lost of energy and stamina, still she placed her hands together, her body almost shaking a little bit. "I'm.. not giving up," Naru clearly states, though she didnt attack right away once again she began to surge her chakra in defiance… She didnt know who the other character was but she was sure she didnt want him involved. "Stay out of this!" Naru shouts it towards him, for now keeping her eyes on this unknown mercenary… He wasn't just a push over anymore…
Tessen looked towards the boy and then back to Naru. A small smile crossing his lips. "You can not defeat me if this is your limit child. I am no where near my own and hove even shown a fraction of my capabilities. This boy may be of use to you so that you can escape me and nurse your wounds back home. I am sure your Senju masters won't mind too terribly if you run from me, seeing as Tosai lost to me as well."
Turning towards the boy he left Naru in his peripheral vision. He couldn't take too many chances without using his Sharingan to cover himself. "Who are you, and what is it you seek? I am in no mood for games or lies. If you wish to save the girl then attack me, if she is of no concern to you then leave and forget what you saw here. Those are your options, so choose wisely."
"Oh by all means, burn each other as much as you like." the man would state as he raised a hand palm up with a bit of a shrug of his shoulder. "I was just passing through and this… caught my eye is all." The man would state as he'd turn his back rather easily on the young girl. "If she cannot save herself, then what is there to gain? She risked her life for a name after all… isn't that right? And you decided to see if she was able to earn it… as I am sure that you tend to do with everyone you meet… stranger." the young man would state as he would continue on his way with a bit of a wave of his gloved hand. "Girl… they do not tend to teach you that fire can quench fire. Be careful with your flaming will or learn that lesson in finality."
Naru couldn't tell which one was more annoying… This stranger of a shinobi, or the idling shinobi that seemed to just be watching things happening… Her fist began to become tightly clenched… Tessen managed to best her but not only that, use the same jutsu against her beyond her abilities… She would give him one final push, send in two twin fire balls in his direction to get her point across. " This is obviously more then just about a name you idiot, I don't need to be saved by you… I can take care of myself!" Naru concluded and then turned her attention on Tessen once more, quickly she began to manuver through her hand seals, this set seeming to take longer before she shouted out her jutsu once again. "Katon! Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" she inhaled and exhaled this time it was two raging orbs one after the other, however the force of the attack was going to leave her quite exhuasted…
Tessen smirked as he turned and let the flaming spheres pass on either side of his body. He could feel the heat from being so close to them, but still neither hit or even grazed their marks. His eyes cast to the boy that spoke for a moment before he turned to approach Naru. "Where does your loyalty lie young man? Surely if you were a Konohagakure shinobi you would not allow me to attack this girl much further. She is spent and in need of medical attention. Though if you aren't one of theirs then who is it you work for I wonder?"
Tessen really had no desire for this, but a point had to be made. He looked to the girl and sent out three quick punches. One to the chest, the second to the gut, and a third to fall across her face. These types of beatings were designed to draw hatred free and make the person suffer. He could kill her with one final attack, but then that wouldn't show him the extent of the newcomers indifference for a woman in trouble.
"Is it more than just a name? Does not a name personify the subject… bring it to life beyond mere appearance? Does it not create the illusion of familiarity… of understanding…to know such a simple thing as a name? Whether it is the name you seek or the meaning behind it.. it does not matter. This man does not speak in mere words. Learn his language, and you might learn his name." The young hooded man seemed to speak as if he had any idea who the stranger was, but in all honesty, he didn't need to. His countinence and approach to this situation as enough to see all that he needed to know for now; all that he needed for this situation any how. "I am not what you would call a follower… aside from the literal term. Work comes and goes… as do I. Aside from today… when i decided to fall in with such… perceptive individuals." the young man would… explain?
Naru was attempting to move very feverishly to get out of the way of his attacks, he certainly had excited much anger with in herself already… Was he really holding back that much? And if so how much stronger was he exactly compared to herself? She cringed and felt more energy leave her body, not only was her chakra count down but her stamina was viritually all used up. She panted heavily, grasping at the ground to keep herself from doubling over, however that came with not avail, the last attack slammed right into her face and bloodying her nose, causing a light oof noise before her body was forced into a sprawl along the ground… She was beaten up pretty nicely… And though the unknown shinobi went on and began to speak.. She couldn't hear a word he said, her mind was bouncing around and her vision was blurry…even sounds began to blurr and vibrate louder… She was flat on her back panting, but her sharingan remained activated gazing straight up at the sky… cursing her own weakness..
Tessen followed her sprawling body with slow and loud steps. As he drew nearer to her he spoke calmly. "You have been weighed. You have been measured. You have been found wanting. Gain more bearing before facing me again child, or again you will be looking up to me from the flat of your back."
Tessen then turned himself towards the newcomer as if completely relaxed. Almost as if he were certain that Naru would not rise up to attack him again. "Now for you… I do not know your name or your oath of loyalty. You sound almost as if a mercenary, but not quite. What is your name, and who do you swear your loyalty unto?"
The hooded man would look away from naru for a moment, though not bashfully, he just seemed to find more itnerest in a near by budding flower that was charred by the flames that had flown about the area. "I wonder… if it will grow any more." He would say to himself. The stranger would ask the other stranger of his name and affiliation… things seemed to come full circle. "I am nothing to no one. You may name me if you like, it would hold just as much meaning in representing me i suppose. And service… there are very few worth bothering with that relationship for. If that were not the case, you would not be out here teaching children how to walk without crutches now would you? I can tell that the war never left you, but maybe purpose has. You asked her what she can see… but I wonder the same of you, my mysterious companion in dialogue." The hooded head would tilt towards the wrecked Naru for a brief moment. "Are you sure you'd prefer to stare at the sky instead of admitting when you need assistance?"
Naru was definitely wrecked… Wrecked to the point where things really didn't even matter anymore… There was tears streaming down her cheeks which either cam from the intense pain or the shattering of her mentality.. Briefly she exchanged a quick glance at the hooded figure… Naru was honestly on the verge of passing out.. " Leave… me alone…" Naru simply spoke quietly, with a very heavy throat… She was still catchign up on breathing with a fading vision…
Tessen shifted as he looked to the man. "We will meet again, but for now I will leave. You may have no name, but you are no stranger to me. Money breeds your action, so I am calling you to act in a language we both speak." With that Tessen's hand lunged for the boy and opened showing one hundred ryo. "Carry the girl to the village and breath not a word of having seen me. Not a bad wage for a small amount of work. Shouldn't take you long, so what do you say?"
The hooded male would lean his head towards the stranger as he spoke of a reward for taking the girl back home. He probably would have done it for free, but the mysterious man seemed to want something from him beyond the exchange of currency. Satisfying all parties was, at this time, not against his own mentality. Though keeping his identity for now was and thus he would take the payment with the promise of meeting once more in mind. "Certainly." he would state before scooping the girl up. "Unfortunately I cannot leave you alone. I am your black samurai for the evening, even if only in your unconcious dreams." He would say as he'd begin to walk towards Konoha. Avoiding the village of "unity" … the hooded young man couldn't blame him i nthe least. It was never in his best taste… but perhaps it was time to see how things turned out.
