Shadow of Time (+16)

[Crow]

Chapter one - Last resort

The night was dark as the sky was full of storm clouds. The occasional flash of lightning was the only source of light for the group of monks that was struggling to make their way through the dense forest. As the one in the lead looked back for a moment he only had time to see another one of his companions be killed by the enemy.
Cursing he turned around, clutching the bag on his shoulder and kept running, with the last two of his companions right behind him. he could distinctly hear their pursuers getting closer and closer but they could not stop, at least not until they were forced to.
Just as they passed the last trees they came across the edge of a cliff. Only then did they realise that that was their enemies' plan all along.
They were getting closer and closer and even though it would not have been a difficult descent, with their enemies on their trail they could not risk it. However, as the one in the lead turned around to look at the worried looks on his companion’s faces, he saw an instant change as they turned their backs to him and pulled out their swords.
"Go on, Sorata! We will hold them off as long as we can," said the one on the left.
"Your mission is to guard the statue," said the other. "Ours is to make sure you accomplish it."
"I cannot leave you… you'll be killed!" the bald monk protested.
But just as he was about to grab one of his friends by the shoulder, they both pushed him off the cliff and he was forced to use his grappling hook to grab onto a ledge. Moments later he could hear that the fight had begun but he would not let their sacrifice go to waste and he started to descend.
When he reached the bottom, he stopped for a second to listen but he could hear no more fighting, looking up he saw five black figures coming after him. Without wasting another second he ran off, praying he would escape.
In the distance he could see the temple but it was far and his enemies were drawing closer and closer. Realising there was no way he could reach the temple before his enemies caught up with him, Sorata decided to go to the nearby town instead. There he could hide and hopefully lose his trackers.
Unfortunately he was only able to get downtown before they caught up with him and he was forced to hide in a loud disco. There was a large crowd inside and he hoped that he would at least be able to hide there until he could regain his strength. But the five ninja even followed him inside and although they did not see him when they entered, sooner or later they would.
The monk went to the back of the club and hid inside the bathroom just as a young man was coming out. Sorata pushed him back inside and gave him the bag he was holding.
"Please, you must help me!"
"What the hell are you on?" the boy replied.
"Take this bag to the shinto temple in the mountains. Just show the monks what's inside and they will understand."
"What temple? There’s no temple around here," the boy said confused.
Without answering, Sorata tried to leave but he just as he opened the door he saw three of the five ninja not twenty feet away. The monk backed down inside and the boy was about to hand him the bag back when he grabbed him by the arm, turned him around and hit him with the length of his hand on the back of his neck, rendering him unconscious.
He grabbed the boy before he could fall and gently set him down. Next he opened his back and took a small, black statue of Nataku and placed it on the ground. Then he sat down and started chanting. In only a few minutes a purple smoke started rising from the statue, it hovered for a few moments above it and then headed straight for the boy and entered his nostrils.
When it was over, he placed the statue on the young man’s lap, wrote him a note and left the room, making sure the ninja saw him leave. Half an hour later, the young man woke up and seeing the statue and the note that read: <Go to the mountains and if you can’t find them, yell 'Yasarane' and someone will find you.>
Going home he felt dizzy but still was still clutching the small statue in his hands. Placing it on the table next to his bed, he changed his clothes and fell on the bed, feeling very tired. That night he had a nightmare about being chased by dozens of soldiers armed with swords. Every once in a while he stopped and threw a few shuriken at them, each one taking down one target with pinpoint precision. The nightmare ended when he came face to face with a tall man with red hair and dark grey skin and tattoos on his face.
The next morning, he was walking through the forest with the bag on his shoulders. He looked very angry and was kicking everything in his path, from leaves to rocks and sticks, trying to calm down.
"Why did I even come here? Crazy ass monk! You told me to yell? Ok, I'm yelling! Yasarane!"
As he expected nothing happened and he decided to go back but he only managed to take a few more steps before being surrounded by over two dozen men and women dressed completely in black. They each had a kodachi in their right hand and three shuriken in their left.
"Oh… shit…" the boy said shaking.

[sungoddess]

Uuuuu...curios...dac are blood si gore me wanna read more..

[Crow]

Chapter 2 – Hidden

He tried to keep as still as possible but with so many weird people with weapons in their hands surrounding him it was not easy. They, however, were as motionless as statues, not even blinking as their piercing eyes glared at him, which were all he could see of their faces, the rest being covered by black masks.
When he heard movement from behind he slowly turned around to see what was going on. A woman wearing what looked like an armour made out of a very flexible material walked forward. She was armed with the same weapons as the others but she had two, one was still in its sheath that was tied to her back. After examining him for a few moments she looked him straight in the eye.
“Who are you?” she asked the tone of her voice cold.
“Kai… Yoroshi Kai.”
 “What are you doing here?”
“Some weird bald monk gave me this,” he answered and reached inside his bag.
In a split second she grabbed her other sword and placed both of them in a cross, only a millimetre away from his neck. She was so fast that he didn’t have time to see her move until she stopped. Being too afraid to react he froze and one of the others approached and checked what he was reaching for. When the one examining the bag pulled out the small statue everyone gasped and even she looked surprised for a second. The next second she narrowed her eyes and took a step towards him, not lowering her weapons.
“Where did you get that?” she asked, her voice clearly sounding furious.
“I told you! Some weirdo gave it to me last night and told me to come here and yell for some guy Yasarane.”
After further inspection, they also found the note Sorata had written and recognising his handwriting, the woman lowered her weapons. Kai first sighed relieved but then he was told that he would go with them to the temple and if he was lying, they would kill him.
The walk through the forest took them almost an hour. To Kai it all looked the same but his escorts seemed to be following a fixed path. He was starting to get bored but did not dare to ask any of them how much longer it would be until they reached their destination, whatever it was.
They walked all the way to the foot of a cliff that did not seem to have any distinguishing marks, as far as he could tell. But the woman, who he assumed was their leader, walked to the rock wall and pushed a stone that looked a little loose. Moments later the ground started to shake and the entire cliff opened up and after they all walked in, she pressed another stone and the cliff closed back up.
For about ten minutes they walked through the long, dark and damp cavern, only the sound of their own footsteps breaking the silence. When light was seen ahead Kai thought they were approaching a room lit by a lot of torches, he didn’t expect to find himself at the entrance to a plateau.
The sun was shining above and the whole place was the size of a town much larger than the one he had left in the morning. He didn’t have time to admire the scenery because he was urged to continue down a cobbled path all the way to a temple. There they all kneeled and forced him to do the same, then waited until an old man stepped out, followed by a young man in an armour similar to that of the woman who lead the ninja, and a few monks.
“What is this you bring us, Miyu?” the old man asked.
“We found this one while on patrol, sensei. He was carrying this,” she added and took the statue out of her bag.
“Buddha be praised!” the old man exclaimed and rushed to the woman and started inspecting the statue closely.
“And how did the statue end up in your possession?” the young man in armour asked stepping forward.
“For the last time, some weird bald guy gave it to me last night. He told me to bring it here and if I couldn’t find anyone to yell for a guy Yasarane.”
“That’s Yasarane-sensei! You will show respect, whelp!” the one in armour snapped at him.
“Now, now Takeshi, there is no need for hostilities,” the old man said smiling. “Plus we have graver matters to worry about than simple protocol. The chi is not within the statue.”
Everyone gasped when they heard what the old man said but the one who seemed most shocked by the news was Takeshi who also looked angry. The old man, however, looked calm and even smiled as he walked towards him.
“What is your name, boy?”
“Yoroshi Kai.”
“And did anything happen last night when you encountered the one who gave you the statue?”
“Well he pushed it in my arms then he was about to leave but he suddenly ducked back in and as I tried to give it back to him, he grabbed my hand, turned me around and… everything went black.”
“As I expected…” the old man said with a sigh.
“He couldn’t have… he had no right to give it to him!” Takeshi shouted looking insulted.
“Give what…? What the hell did that guy do to me?” Kai asked starting to worry.

[Crow]

Chapter 3 – Burdened

The ninja that escorted were dismissed, except for the woman who was leading them, and Kai followed the old man and the others inside the temple. They went inside a large room. The old man sat down at a table at one end of the room, Takeshi sat on his left and the monks on his right while the woman sat in the middle of the room, next to the wall with her legs crossed under her.
Kai sat down at the other end of the room, opposite to the old man and waited. He realised there was a lot going on but decided on letting them speak first. As he waited he couldn’t help examining the room. They were covered with all sorts of paintings of ninja fighting enemies both human and beast. After closer inspection, he realised it was actually the same man in every painting, wearing the same kind of armour as Takeshi. He also wore a forehead protector in the shape of a trident with two blades stretching from the forehead to the temples and a third from between the two blades, half way to the back of his head.
Kai found himself mesmerised by the look in his eyes. Cold and fierce at the same time, like a caged storm ready to be unleashed at any give moment and then retreat back in its shelter. A sudden rush of feelings came over him and the images of the nightmare he had had the previous night came back to him.
"I feel I should introduce myself first," the old man spoke, waking Kai from his trance. "I am Tsumikido Yasarane. The monk who entrusted you with the statue was Arisugawa Sorata. This young man is Mitsuhide Takeshi and I believe you have met his younger sister, Miyu."
As soon as she was introduced, the young woman took off her mask to reveal short black hair and a face Kai could only describe as angelic. He was gazing at her, lost in her beauty and while the look in her eyes was cold she could not hide that she was as confused as he was by everything.
"What I am about to say may be difficult for you to understand and believe but I assure you it is the truth. We are the descendants of an ancient group of shinobi that was trained by the great Hattori Hanzo, whose portrait you see around you."
"You mean you're… ninja?" Kai asked raising an eyebrow.
"Indeed," Yasarane confirmed. "The statue you see here was a treasure, passed down through generations. It held the very essence of the great Hanzo, his wisdom, his power, his legacy, basically… his chi."
"Right… I'll be going now," Kai said standing. "But I'll be sure to tell some nice people in white coats about you when I get home."
"Do you mock us?" Takeshi roared and stood up in a flash.
For a few minutes, the two remained fixed to the spot, glaring at each other. Kai couldn't explain it but for some reason he didn’t like that guy. He was arrogant, self-absorbed and snobby, not to mention annoying. It didn’t occur to him that Takeshi was probably able to kill him with one move.
"As I said, it is hard for someone who has never had contact with our community to believe we exist," the old man continued, ignoring the tension that had settled in the room.
His words seemed to have calmed down the young man on his left because he sat back down, with a frown and folding his arms over his chest. Kai also let his anger fade away but did not sit down and remained standing.
"Let's assume I'm buying all this bullshit, 'the hell does it have to do with me?" Kai asked starting to lose his patience.
"Well, everything," Yasarane replied. "You see, when Sorata knocked you out last night he performed the ritual of transition and transferred the chi from the statue into you."
"Come again?"
"You now hold all the power of the great shinobi Hattori Hanzo."

[Crow]

Chapter 4 – Sudden change

After everyone calmed down, the old man took Kai on a tour of the compound. It turned out to be a small city where they had lived for generations. They had schools and gardens and workshops and even a hospital. As they walked, the old master explained their world to him.
Kai was about how, on his deathbed, Hanzo asked the monks to preserve his power so he could always watch over their tradition. Then about the ancient statue and how it had been passed down through generations and each generation, a young man was chosen to receive the power.
"So that’s why he's an ass?" Kai interrupted.
"Takeshi? Yes… he is our strongest of the young ones and thus very proud. When he was told he had been chosen was probably the happiest day of his life."
"Power hungry psycho," the young man commented.
"Do not be so quick to judge unless you are prepared to be judged. I do not deny that he craves power but there is more to it than simple vanity. He has a strong sense of duty and a great love for his people."
Kai did not agree but did not argue further and listened silently to the rest of their history. Apparently, over three hundred years ago, when the one to receive the power was to be chosen there was a great argument. One side voted for a young philosopher who would have a higher understanding of their ancestor’s wisdom while the other side rooted for their strongest warrior. In the end, the warrior was chosen but he ended up making the wrong decisions and almost condemned their people to death. Seeing their mistake, the statue was given to a group of monks to keep safe until all agreed on only one person.
As the sun was starting to set he realised how simple but peaceful their lives were and how disrupted they had become because of the Black Snakes. The people that still followed the teachings of Hanzo Hattori had always been at war with them and Takeshi was the only hope they had for a peace. Even though he had entered their world by mistake he couldn’t help feeling responsible for the fear they saw in their eyes. Seeing him so disturbed by everything, Yasarane left him alone by the waterfall.
Kai stood there until midnight, too afraid to return to town and tell them he wanted to leave. Although he possessed something that did not belong to him he had no obligation to take Takeshi's place and he doubted they would use force to keep him there.
Just as he stood up and was about to leave he heard someone crying close by. Searching around the edge of the water, he saw Miyu but for a second eh didn’t recognise her. the armour he had first seen her in had been replaced by a light blue kimono decorated with green and red flowers. It was obvious that she was the one who had been crying but the moment she saw him, she stood up, turned around, to hide her face, and was about to walk away.
"Wait!" he called. "What's wrong, why were you crying?"
"It is not your concern," she quickly answered, her cone as cold as when he had first heard her voice.
"If it's personal I didn't mean to pry but if it isn't… maybe talking about it would make you feel better."
"It is personal… but I doubt talking would do anything."
"You never know until you try," he persisted. "Maybe I can help…"
"You can't!” she interrupted abruptly but then froze, turned around and bowed her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be disrespectful."
"It's ok, I know you guys were all hoping your brother would get those snake-skins out of your hair," he replied smiling. "But all of this… it's a lot to handle, ya' know?"
"I understand," she said and straightened. "And it would be unfair of us to ask you to bear such a responsibility because of an unforeseen chain of events. The elders have agreed that if you wish it, you may leave tomorrow. A room has been prepared for you. Good night."
With those last words she turned around and left him alone feeling even worse than before but still without a reason why he should remain. He kept contradicting himself on what was the right and what was easy all the way to the guestroom that they had arranged for him. Even as he lay down to sleep his conscience and his reason continued to argue with each other on what he should do in the morning.
When he woke up in the morning he was still not sure about what he should do but one thing he was sure about, he could not remain there and abuse of their hospitality. He planned to go to them and ask for more time to think about it but to be allowed to leave first. But when he went to the temple and saw Miyu’s face with signs that she had cried the night before still visible, all doubt was erased from his mind.
"Alright, old man!" he said with a confident smile on his face. "When do we start with this shinobi training?"

[Crow]

Chapter 5 - Tested

The rest of the day he was allowed to familiarise himself with the tools of a ninja and was outfitted for a completely new wardrobe. First he was given five sets of clothes similar to the ones he had seen the others wear, next three kimonos of his choosing, to have something to wear when he didn’t train and last two armours like the ones Takeshi and Miyu wore.
After picking out his clothes, he was given a full set of weapons he had to learn and get used to by the following morning. His weapons were a short sword, kodachi, with a leather belt tied to the sheath to keep it on his back; ten small daggers that looked weird to him and when he asked for their name, the ones assisting him giggled before giving him the answer: kunai. Next a holster that he had to attach to his belt where he was to keep his smaller weapons and equipment. The holster was small but it still held two dozen shuriken, a pair of claws used for climbing and ten smoke bombs.
Finally he received two arm-pads that stretched from his wrist to his elbow. On his left he was supposed to attach three of his kunai, while the others were spread all around his body, and ten poisonous needles on his right one.
With so many lethal weapons in his possession, Kai had a sudden feeling of power. He knew that the old man and the others planned on him making him an expert in using all of them. However, he realised that most of the people there already knew how to use them, which meant he had to watch his step and not anger anyone.
He spent the whole day examining every detail of the weapons and stayed up late at night wondering how his training would be like. In the morning, as soon as he was finished with his breakfast, two women helped him put on his armour while one of the tour guides from yesterday showed him where each weapon went.
As soon as he was ready, his guide led him to the training grounds where Yasarane, Miyu, Takeshi, a few monks, a man reading a scroll and a teenager were waiting for him. The old man told him he first had to be tested, the first test being an obstacle course, so they could judge how comfortable he was in the armour, with all the weapons.
If he was excited when he woke up, his morale fell every time he did. The obstacle course took him twice as much time as it should have, as the old man informed him, and he had managed to fall or get knocked to the ground ten times, the average being three times; five times for children.
His second test was marksmanship. Although he managed to his the dummies, outside the markers, with his kunai and shuriken, when it was time to use the needles, his morale took another fall. He was not able to even throw them with enough strength to even reach the dummies and when he went closer, being very frustrated, and tried again he didn’t even scratch the surface.
"You know, the skin is a lot softer so it would have penetrated the skin," Kai said in his defence.
"You'd be dead by the time you get that close to the target," Takeshi commented and the old man did not argue.
His next tests were to measure his stamina by making him run with weights tied to his arms and legs while the last four tests: speed, strength, combat and being able to keep a clear mind under pressure were grouped into one test. They had him fight twenty other ninja one after the other without stopping to even catch his breath. It didn't matter if he lost; he had to keep fighting so he ended up being defeated by every opponent.
When the tests were over Kai couldn’t even look them in the eyes but he caught glances of the expressions on their faces. Most of them showed disappointment and he was too ashamed to even speak so he left without a word. He walked around the surrounding woods to try and avoid meeting anyone.
"Why the hell am I even here?" he asked himself sitting down by the waterfall. "I didn't ask for this!"
"Then I first must apologise…" came a voice from a few feet behind him.
Kai jumped to his feet and quickly turned around to confront whoever was trying to sneak up on him only to find that behind him stood the monk whom had started everything. He was leaning against a tree because he didn't seem able to stand on his own. Bruises and cuts covered his body, especially his face, and he was almost unrecognisable. Before Kai could say anything the man collapsed on the ground, unconscious.
When the sun came up, Kai was already awake but didn't want to leave his room. After his terrible performance the previous day he was still too ashamed to face them. When the woman who was bringing his breakfast knocked on his door he didn't answer but she stayed there for almost half an hour when someone else showed up and dismissed her.
A knock came at the door and before Kai could tell him to leave, the door and the monk entered. His entire body was covered in bandages but he was still able to walk, though with great difficulty.
"You shouldn't be out of bed," Kai said looking away from the man's bruised face.
In response, Sorata placed the tray with food on the floor then kneeled, put his hands on in front of him and then lowered his head until his forehead was almost touching the floor. Then he shouted at the top of his lungs: "I am sorry for placing this burden on you."
The young man looked at him surprised then turned his head away from him. "Get up man, you look ridiculous."
"I cannot, I have done you a terrible harm for which I can never make up for and…"
"Can it!" Kai interrupted. "Listen I know it’s your fault I’m here but you’re not the reason why I screwed up yesterday."
"I wish I could turn back time and rethink my decision," Sorata said sitting up. "My life is yours, do with me as you please."
"Are all of you loonies? I don’t want your life… I don't even know what I want. Not to be a screw up maybe.”
"If I may, Kai-dono. But few have been able to use the power of the one of the shadows on the very first try. You will need training, should you choose to continue your life here."
"You'd better be right," Kai replied with a sigh. "Cause this is your screw up if you're wrong about this as well."

[sungoddess]

Boy...he got beat up bad..

[Crow]

Chapter 6 - Mesmerised

Feeling encouraged by the monk’s words, Kai started training day and night under the close supervision of the old sensei. The young man seemed determined to do his best and prove his worth, no matter how many times he failed in his tasks. With only the old man watching, and the occasional passer-by, he did not feel as embarrassed as before.
His schedule consisted of waking up early in the morning, having a quick breakfast then get dressed in his armour and then off to training. He began every session with a sparring match with one of the other ninja, which he always lost. Next it was a ten mile run with a large backpack full of rocks on his back.
By lunchtime he was already exhausted but he only had time to eat because the old man did not let him rest for more than twenty minutes. With a full stomach he had to fight in another sparing match, which often made him throw up what he had just eaten. Beaten and bruised he had to go through the entire obstacle course again which was followed by hours of practising what he had failed at the most. The whole day he had to wear weights attached to his arms and legs that weighed a total of seven kilograms.
After only four days of such a cruel regime, he was allowed to rest on Sunday but slept the whole day and only woke up when the sun was already setting. His muscles were still sore so he only left his room and sat on the porch. Ten minutes an old woman brought him something to eat and he saw a change in the way she looked at him, with compassion.
He started eating feeling a little proud of himself for being able to change fear to compassion. At least they saw that he was doing his best. But as he was eating he suddenly had a strange feeling that he was being watched. He waited for a few minutes to make sure then suddenly turned his head and saw the old man, a few feet away from where he sat.
“There is hope for you yet,” the old man said smiling.
“Can’t I even eat without you around?”
“Speak with respect to your sensei!” Yasarane said and hit him over the head with his walking stick.
“Sorry… sensei,” Kai said rubbing his head. “You really think so?”
“Of course I do,” the old man answered sitting down two feet away from him. “When one gives up hope and faces cruel reality then one is truly doomed.”
“Thanks for the pep-talk…” Kai said sarcastically.
“Do not mock your sensei!” the old man said and landed another blow to the young man’s head with the walking stick.
“Yes sensei… I mean no sensei.”
“It is true that when you met Sorata in town that night he was desperate to find a solution for his predicament, however, he is a wise man and he would not have entrusted the chi to someone he believed would lead us to ruin.”
“You have a funny way of cheering people up… I think I’ll go for a walk,” Kai said standing.
“A mind thinks best when the body is occupied,” Yasarane said looking at the stars.
“Whatever…”
“Speak with respect to your sensei!” the old man said and threw a rice bowl that hit him in the back of his head.
Still rubbing his head and cursing the crazy old man, Kai walked around the grounds without an exact target. He walked slowly because his muscles were still sore and he was feeling a bit dizzy from the beating his head had just gone through. With the moon shining so brightly and with so few clouds in the sky, he figured the waterfall would be the one place that could calm him down and release the pressure.
As he walked towards the water he could hear splashing and wondered who else was awake at that late hour, and taking a bath too. He walked slowly, so as not to startle whoever it was and the first thing that caught his eyes was the light blue kimono he had seen Miyu wear, lying on the ground.
He moved even slower as he approached the water and hid behind the bushes when he was close enough. At first he saw no one in the water and when she still didn’t show up he feared she might be drowning. Just as he was about to jump out from behind the bushes, she suddenly burst out of the water. She was not looking his way and walked through the shallow water with nothing to cover her.
Kai found himself glued to the spot, gazing at her. Her skin glistened with a silver glow in the moonlight. As she slowly moved through the shallows, he couldn’t help but study her forms. His eyes moved up and down her smooth skin, gazing silently at her beauty. Her shoulders were white, her back was perfectly curved, her hips would have entranced any man and as she turned, he had a glimpse of her breasts, round and firm. He could feel his heart beating faster and faster and fearing he would be tempted to leave his hiding place, he slowly backed away and went back to his room. On the way back he was still smiling and his face was as red as a radish.
“I see your stealth skills are more advanced than I previously though,” came the old man’s voice, startling him so much that he almost yelled.
“Jeez… give me heart-attack why don’t you?”
“You find yourself attracted to my granddaughter?”
“She’s your… look it’s not like that… I just went for a walk and stumbled onto her… and I didn’t want to disturb her and…”
“Do not lie to your sensei!” the old man yelled and hit him on the head again with the walking stick. “There is nothing wrong with having feelings for her, you are both young.”
“Really?” Kai asked looking suspicious.
“Of course, now go to sleep. You need your rest… starting tomorrow you’ll double the weights.”

[Crow]

Chapter 7 – Mind and body

Just as he was starting to get used to the cruel regime he had to go through every day, his training took a turn for the worst. Only three weeks had passed since he had went through the tests and he was barely starting to get accustomed to feeling tired and even ignore how much his muscles ached when his trainer brought change.
One morning, just as he was preparing for his ten mile march, the old man showed up, riding a pony and holding a large scroll in his hand. He told the young man that a ninja’s most powerful weapon was his or her own body and to be able to make full use of it, his mind had to be sharper than a kodachi.
What followed only worked Kai’s nerves more and more. He had to learn mathematics, physics, biology, history and literature. To make matters worse, the old man was starting to make a habit of punishing him with his walking stick every time he got an answer wrong. At the end of each day Kai wasn’t sure what hurt the most, his muscles or his head.
As if to lower his morale even more, he saw less and less of Miyu because she was to busy with her own duties and training to stick around. Although glad she was not around to see that he was barely improving at all, he was still upset that he could not at least see her at the end of the day. Even when he walked around at night, she was nowhere to be found, not by the waterfall or anywhere else.
“Sensei, what does Miyu do all day?” Kai asked one day, while eating lunch.
“She has responsibilities just like all the rest.”
“What responsibilities? I don’t see her around anymore.”
“Miyu is a sentry, she spends most of her time in the forest,” the old man replied finishing his lunch. “She often spends several days outside the safety of our village. In those times she sleeps and eats in the forest.”
“How old is she?”
“My granddaughter is eighteen, Takeshi is four years older than her. You know I just realised, we never asked your age or if you had a family,” Yasarane said amused.
“Oh now you realise…”
“Speak with respect to your sensei!” the old trainer yelled and a hit over the head with the walking stick immediately followed. “Now, would you like to share?”
“Yes sensei…” Kai said rubbing his head. “I’m twenty, if you must know. And I don’t have a family.”
“Well if you have time to talk it means you’ve finished eating. Back to work!” Yasarane bellowed and got on his pony.
By the end of the first month of training, not only was his body aching but so was his head, both on the outside and on the inside. The old man filled his head with so much information he couldn’t memorise it all while his body was so busy and he had to take the scrolls with him at the end of the day and revise everything. Every time he had to read what he was supposed to learn during the day meant he would sleep a lot less.
His aim was not improving at all and the same could be said about his performance in basically everything else he did. The only apparent improvement was his endurance for pain because he had to bear with sore muscles, fractured limbs and a migraine every night, which only got worse the next day. If not for his stamina they would have given up on him a long time ago, however, Yasarane and the other elders were not pleased.
“Already a month and not the smallest sign of improvement,” one of the elders, with a long scar across his left cheek, said while they were all gathered one night.
“This radical training of yours does not seem to be effective, Tsumikido,” said another, that looked as old as the trainer.
“The boy needs more time,” the sensei said in his pupil’s defence.
“I agree,” said a third, the youngest in the room. “But time is not something we have in abundance. You promised us quick results and seeing as in your lifetime you have been both pupil and teammate of the one of the shadows, we were confident you would be true to your word.”
“We give you two more months, Yasarane,” the one with the scar said firmly. “Not a day more.”
Leaving the council room, the old man had a grim and worried look on his face. He left the temple and went for a walk in the grounds. Reaching the gardens, he saw Sorata, sitting on a bench and looking at something very intently. The monk has a smile on his face and almost didn’t notice the old man approaching. Following his gaze, Yasarane saw what he had been looking at. Kai was walking around the gardens, reading a scroll in the moonlight, he even had his weights on.
“The boy is trying,” Yasarane stated sitting down.
“He is not at fault here, I am.”
“No, Arisugawa… we are all to blame for ending up in a situation where we have come to depend on Hattori’s power,” the old man said and sighed. “When he left his power it was so he could be a guide, an insurance even so that we would never stray from the right path. He wanted to help shape future generations not turn them into a parasite that would have to continually feed on his successors.”
“The order of shadows is not what it once was… is there nothing we can do about him?”
“I think he needs… a stimulant,” the old man answered with a shrewd smile on his face.

[sungoddess]

  hmmm...eram sigura ca kai are mai putin de 20..

[Crow]

Chapter 8 – Competition

As he entered his fifth week of training, Kai was starting to get used to all the extra work the scrolls were giving him, even though he still could not memorise them all. If he were at school he would be failing but although the old man was relentless during the day, when the sun was starting to set he always left him to do whatever he wanted, whether he had finished his workload for the day or not.
On the upside, Miyu was seen more and more often in the village and even though he only saw her for a few minutes a day, it made all the hardships more bearable. Whenever he saw her during the day, it would give him more energy to keep on going, something that did not go unnoticed by his sensei who always made the training harder every time it happened.
The weight he had to carry with him all day had already reached twenty five kilograms and he was slower than ever. The added weight made the ten mile march take twice as long and it exhausted him to the point where he could not even attempt to defend himself in the sparring matches that followed.
Just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse, one morning the teenager and the man with the scroll he saw when he was tested were with the old man at the training grounds. The youngest of them was wearing the same armour as his while the other one held the bunch of scrolls Yasarane usually carried.
“Am I being tested again?” Kai asked looking at the two new faces.
“Not at all my boy,” his sensei said smiling. “I figured you could use a little company during the day.”
“What’s really going on here?”
“Do not question your sensei!” the old man and the smack to the head with the walking stick immediately followed with lightning speed.
“No sensei…” Kai said annoyed that he had started the day with Yasarane’s favourite form of punishment.
“This is Gintama Seto,” Yasarane said pointing at the teenager with short, light brown hair and green eyes. “And his older brother Tenzou,” he added turning to the older sibling who had a short pony tail and eyes of the same colour, only he was wearing a leisurely outfit.
“Well let’s get started!” Seto said enthusiastically walking to the sparring circle where Kai usually started off his day.
“Starting to day, Seto will be your sparring partner and he’ll go through the same physical regime you go through, while his brother will handle the intellectual part,” Yasarane explained.
Seeing his opponent younger than the his usual ones, Kai started feeling a bit more confident and took and offensive stance. However ten seconds into the fight, he started wishing he were facing the others instead. Though four years younger, as he learned later on, Seto was a lot faster than the ninja he had faced previously. Moreover, the difference between them and the teenage boy was the same as between them and Kai.
The idea of someone so young to be such a skilled fighter would have been unbelievable had he not seen it with his own eyes. The boy seemed to have no trouble in knocking him to the ground every time. His skills did not stop there, Seto easily out-classed him at everything they did. While Kai took over two hours to finish the march, Seto was enjoying a break, having finished in less than an hour.
His humiliation, because that was what Kai guessed his sensei was trying to do, did not stop with the younger brother. Tenzou was not just a scholar but a genius and whatever mathematical or physics problem that gave Kai between ten minutes and half an hour to solve, he would answer in under a minute. He also had an extensive knowledge of biology, history, geography and all the other subjects the old man added every day.
Though he never would have thought it possible, Kai started missing the days of the training where he was alone with Yasarane the whole day. More so when Miyu showed up and saw the two brothers show him up. Ever since they started training with him, she was seen more and more in the village and often brought them lunch.
Kai noticed that she would flinch every time she saw him injured and bleeding but she immediately hid her emotions from him and left. He also saw that he was not the only one who had an affection for her. His sparring partner kept watching her with the corner of his eyes and whenever she was around he was always a little clumsy.
“What a day…” Kai said collapsing on the front porch one evening.
“You know what sensei says: it’ll only be worse tomorrow,” Seto said smiling. “See you in the morning.”
“Looks like you two are competing on more than one front,” Tenzou said after his brother had left.
“I doubt I’m much of a competition on any front in this place.”
“You underestimate yourself,” Tenzou said getting up and walking away.

[Crow]

Chapter 9 – Questions

As they approached the end of the second week of the last month Yasarane had to prove that his pupil could use the power locked inside him, the old man was starting to get restless. His worries were reflected by the ruthless way in which he kept pushing Kai harder and harder. Even Seto was starting to have difficulty and was not as efficient as he used to be.
When the weekend came, Kai couldn’t be happier and he slept almost the whole day Sunday. His left shoulder had been dislocated and he had over a dozen cuts that were deep enough to need stitching so almost a quarter of his body was covered in bandages. He also had to sleep to regain his strength, having lost a lot of blood because the old man wouldn’t let him stop until the sun set.
The two brothers that were training with him were also getting worried that it was getting out of hand and Kai’s life was in danger. Even Seto had a few cuts and bruises that needed looking after, which was proof enough that what the old man was subjecting Kai to was not meant for ordinary ninja.
That evening, Miyu brought him dinner but he was still asleep so she left the tray of food in his room and left. She was also worried about his condition   and as she walked towards the gardens she never noticed the old man until she was a few feet away from him. He had a grim look on his face but she couldn’t tell whether he was worried about Kai’s state or something else.
“Oh, Miyu! Out for a walk? Why so blue?”
“Sensei… I know you trained with the one of the shadows and you got to know the last one to inherit the power… but…”
“Why am I so rough on him?” he interrupted her.
“Yes…”
“I cannot answer that question, at least not with a complete explanation. All I can tell you is that I’m sure he can use the power, he only has to find a way.”
“I understand…” she said with a sigh. “But still, couldn’t you…”
“Don’t worry,” he interrupted her again smiling. “The boy is stronger than you think.”
Still confused and with no definite explanation for the way the old man was treating his pupil, Miyu wandered around the gardens until she reached the waterfall. However, she was not alone. Kai was sitting on the bank, looking at the moon’s reflection in the water. The expression on his face was not the one he usually had on, the one of someone completely laid back and without any worries whatsoever, but of someone who bore the weight of the world on his shoulders.
She couldn’t see the slightest trace of the young man she had threatened six weeks ago in the forest. If she didn’t now better, she would have thought it was a completely different person and she approached him carefully. But she barely took two more steps before he turned to her and smiled when he saw who it was, looking more like his old self.
“I just woke up, thanks for dinner.”
“You are welcome,” she replied sitting down next to him, avoiding his eyes.
“It’s so peaceful here… I see why you liked it,” he stated without realising what he was saying.
“It is… wait! How did you know I liked coming here in the evening?” she asked confused.
“Oh well… I was reading a scroll one night and I saw you sitting here so I assumed you did it all the time,” he lied trying to look calm although his heart was racing.
“I see… yes I do like it here. It helps me forget about everything.”
“Forget? What?” he asked a bit confused.
“Oh… nothing important,” she quickly answered and stood up.
“It looks important to you.”
“No it’s just… personal…” she replied and left in a hurry.
Leaving the clearing next to the pond the waterfall flowed in, Miyu almost looked like she was running way from him, which made him wonder what she was hiding. Apparently, everyone in that village had some sort of connection to the power of Hanzo Hattori or to the last one to have been granted it.
Kai started to wonder what being the one to have the power. Which of them had been friends with his predecessor, which of them had admired and looked up to him and, more importantly, which of them had been related to him? With each passing day, he felt like the world around him was getting more and more complicated and he was more and more worried that he would disappoint them.

[Crow]

Chapter 10 – Suspicion

The next week started as usual, with a very long Monday that Kai thought would never end. Not having full recovered from the last week, or the week before that, he was growing weaker and weaker, and his reaction time and concentration were diminishing. To make matters worse, the wounds that had barely closed, reopened not half way through the obstacle course.
By the end of the day he was so tired he couldn’t eat so he just sat on the porch and looked at the city around him. Just as his eyes were closing, he thought he saw Takeshi heading toward the entrance. He rubbed his eyes for a second and when he looked again, Takeshi was gone.
The next day, one of the younger monks brought them lunch, which seemed to disappoint both Kai and Seto.
“Where’s Miyu?” the latter asked.
“She left early this morning to search the forest. Takeshi-dono has not been seen since yesterday,” the monk answered.
Kai found it strange that he would go missing and was pretty sure he had seen him leave but was too hungry to think about it too much. At the end of the day he was so tired, he fell asleep before his dinner was even brought to him and did not wake up until late in the afternoon.
The following three days, Kai pushed his body to its limits to get out of the old man’s training in one piece. He was so tired and his body so bruised he went to sleep Friday evening and did not wake up until Sunday afternoon. Although still not fully recovered, he had to eat if he wanted to survive the following day.
Just as he was finishing his meal, he saw Takeshi returning from the forest. He stood up and walked towards the bushes and followed him with his eyes until he stopped outside the temple. There, Takeshi sat down and Kai was able to get a better look at him. He was tired, his clothes were dirty and he had a few bruises on his face but for some reason he was smiling.
Kai wanted to jump out and ask him a few questions but before he could, Miyu came out of the temple in a hurry. She stopped a few feet away from her brother and started asking him all sorts of questions. Though he didn’t hear what she had asked, Kai realised it was something the older sibling did not want to talk about because they started arguing. A few minutes later, Takeshi left her alone, looking very irritated by her questioning, while the young woman started crying and ran off.
Kai decided to follow Takeshi first, to find out what could cause them to have such an argument. Unfortunately, when the older man reached his house, there was no way of getting close enough to find out without being discovered. Giving up on that plan, he went back to the waterfall, where he was sure to find Miyu but was surprised to find her brother instead.
“What do you want?” Takeshi asked.
“To know what you’re up to.”
“Are you insinuating that I am involved in something that would be harmful to the people of this village?” the older man asked looking irritated.
“You tell me,” Kai replied walking closer. “You’ve been gone the past few days and no one knew were but I’m pretty sure saw you one evening when you were supposed to still be out in the forest.”
“Choose your words carefully, little man, should you wish to see the light of day again.”
“I’m just saying, there are a lot of strange things going on, and you threatening me makes them even more suspicious.”
“Believe what you will,” Takeshi said walking away. “It no longer matters.”

[Crow]

Chapter 11 – Connection of the spirit

That night, Kai had a very strange dream. Not long after he had fallen asleep that he found himself running through the forest. There was nothing strange about it, since he had dreamed about something similar not too long ago. What was more than odd was that he was very conscious, although his body was moving by itself.
Whenever his body stopped and reached for shuriken or kunai to throw at his pursuers, he could feel the cold, smooth metal and the weight of the small weapons in his hands. If it was indeed a dream, it was the best one he had had in weeks. After all the training he had gone through, to see his body act like that of a true ninja made him feel good about himself, though when he would wake up, he was sure his skills would be as lousy as ever.
With that thought in mind he enjoyed his dream as if it was a movie. It started out the same way as the one he had had the night after the chi had been transferred into his body. He ran through the forest, often stopping to fight a few inferior opponents. He moved so fast and skilful, he was sure he could not be dreaming of himself. What he found puzzling was that he could see his arms and legs move, even though his speed was greater than Seto’s, which he knew all too well.
Unfortunately for him, his dream started moving in the same direction as the first time that he had had it, though it had been longer. After he had apparently defeated all of his pursuers he knew that he only had to come face to face with the strange man and in only a few minutes it happened but not as it had happened the last time.
He heard someone ahead, he was sure of it. Moving, breathing rapidly, either due to exhaustion or excitement. When he stopped it was because the person ahead of him had done the same. His hand had involuntary grabbed the handle of a short sword and waited while someone came out from behind the bushes. It was a man, the same man with red hair and tattoos on his face. That time, Kai was able to get a good look at him. His hair was long, all the way to his waist, and braided tightly like ropes. He wore metal leg bracers on his feet, a plain pair of blue trousers but covering his torso was a strange shirt that looked more like a fishing net. The only weapons he had, as far as Kai could tell, were two gauntlets that stretched from his hands to his shoulders covered in blades and claws. They were tied to each other with belts that went over his chest and behind his back.
What that gave Kai chills down his spine were not the weapons he had, it was the look on his face that frightened him. He looked fearsome, like a demon in human form. It was the face of a man who was staring death in the face and was daring it to come after him. But there was more to it than that. The man had a sort of hunger in his eyes, like a hungry tiger staring down its prey.
“You’re not there yet, Hanzo,” the man spoke with a hoarse, unearthly voice.
“What do you mean?” Kai asked, though he was sure the man would not hear him, as it was a simple dream.
“You’ve barely started to use it, though you’re not aware of it yet,” the man answered. “But he’ll help you along, he’ll get you reach your full potential.”
“Who? What are you talking about?”
“You’ll find out who I speak off soon enough. I’m eager to meet again.”
“Wait… you can hear me?” Kai asked surprised.
“Of course,” the man replied smiling. “A good body you’ve chosen, Hanzo. Though a bit dim.”
“Why do you keep calling me that?”
“That is your name now, your real name. The rest is only a vessel, just like all the others.
“I’m not a vessel!” Kai yelled at him.
He could feel his own heart racing and his grip tightened around the handle he was holding but it was actually his grip. It was no longer an involuntary action his body made like the ones up until now, he had controlled his hand that time.
“I’m not Hanzo and who are you anyway?”
“Hanzo knows me well and so will you, soon enough.”
“I want to know now!” Kai demanded.
“Not yet… you have to wake up.”
Just then his eyes opened and he was back in his bed. He stood up and looked around then put a hand to his forehead that was full of cold sweat, as were his pyjamas. It had not been a simple dream, he was sure of it. He had learned not to take anything for granted in that place. That man knew him, or knew of him and Kai could tell he was no friend.
A knock came at the door and a monk entered before he could answer: “They are waiting for you, Kai-dono.”

[Crow]

Chapter 12 – Hope for the future

Kai thanked the man and after he left, he stood up and took off his pyjamas. Then he started to put his armour on. He had seen the others help him do it so many times he knew it by heart and no longer needed their help. Yet he felt different, comfortable for the first time since he first put it on before his tests. Something about that armour felt natural, even more so when he put each of his weapons in their place. Before he left the room he felt like something was not right then his hand moved on its own and put the mask that was a part of his shirt, which he had so far kept rolled up, over his face.
Arriving at the training grounds he saw that the whole town’s population had turned up to see his performance. They did not make him nervous, however, he even looked Miyu straight in the eyes then the old man and lastly Sorata, whom he had not seen in months. Without a word he went straight to the obstacle course and when he got the signal took off.
His body was lighter than ever, not having the weights on him any more. He avoided the blades, swinging tree trunks or darts fired by other ninjas with great ease. It was like everything had slowed down and was louder than before because he could hear the people move around him. His body was almost flying and moved in unison with his mind.
Finishing of the obstacle course took him half an hour. Not as good as Seto but it was the best time he had ever achieved. Kai was already excited by the time he reached the targets. The kunai and shuriken that went flying from his hands hit all targets, within the acceptable limits. When he grabbed the needles he started to worry but again, his hands seemed to know what they were supposed to do and sent them flying but less than half of them landed inside the marked areas.
Next came the ten-mile run that he finished in one hour. Even with the weights on, he felt full of energy and even though he was exhausted at the end, he felt confident he would be able to defend against Seto’s attacks. They gave him fifteen minutes to catch his breath before the final part of his tests began.
When they stepped inside the circle he saw that Seto was not his usual self either. He had a serious look on his face and faced him like an equal. Their fight started the moment the start was given.
Either Seto was slower than usual of he was still pumped with adrenaline. Whichever the case was, when the first fist came at him, Kai pushed it aside with the back of his hand then moved his body to strike back for the first time but he was blocked by the back of Seto’s left forearm. They both took a step back and Kai followed with a swing of his right leg which the teenager avoided but mimicked, hitting his back and almost knocking him off his feet. Kai turned around, swinging the back of his right fist at him that was blocked and he received two blows to his ribs before he could retreat.
For a few moments they stopped to look at each other. Neither one was holding back, both wanted to win that match but before they could take a step towards one another, a gong rang and they turned to look at the old man.
“The test is over,” the old man said with a proud smile and tone in his voice.
Kai did not bother to look at the rest and only saw a few surprised and pleased looks as they walked away. Takeshi, predictably, walked away angry but Miyu was still looking at him, unable to speak.
“You have tomorrow off,” Yasarane told him and walked away.
Kai would have like to hear his sensei praise him but he was still sure he had impressed him as much as everyone else. Tenzou patted him on his back but Seto looked upset and grumbled as he followed his older brother.
As soon as they were out of sight Kai sat down on the ground and sighed. “Man… I’m beat.”
“You were great,” Miyu said crouching next to him.
“Thanks but that took all I had and I’m not sure if…” he trailed off when he felt her hand on top of his and he turned to look at her.
“Thank you,” she said and walked away leaving him puzzled.