He waits behind a building, watching the battle unfold. He is calm, but his body is tense, ready to leave at a moment notice. The battle is one sided, a man against two monstrous beasts with blue skin and bulging yellow eyes. One is a shape of a large male lion with sharp grey spikes of hair around his neck and a scythe like tail that is clutching a wooden figure. The other monster beside the lion appears to be a mix of the top half a coyote and the bottom half a fox. Within the mix breed's mouth is what appears to be a plush toy. He assumes the two stank'd monsters used to be children, vulnerable to their parents' expectations, and having to deal with the harsh reality.
He watches with interest as the fight reaches its climax from the way the black and red clad man is posed. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike as the feline like monster charges toward him. The man jumps in the air and throws throwing stars at the tail—aiming for the wooden toy—and he sees the canine pounce to the man who is in the air. A gasp of horror comes from a barrel, the trusty squire of the man hiding inside, as the predicament unfolds. The man with the hat thinks that there isn't anything to worry about, as the man fighting takes out his trusty katana, swinging at the canine hybrid's paws.
Green stank is released from the object behind the combating human and monster; the man narrows his eyes as he watches a boy with ripped up clothes appear in the spot of the fallen lion monster. Should he go out in the open to rescue the boy from the claws of the other monster? Weighing that thought he decides not to, the fight will end shortly or the man will make sure the child is not near the claws of the other monster.
The man with the katana strikes his sword between the teeth of the beast, ripping the plush animal between the jaws. Similarly to the other, green stank is released, and the influence of the Sorcerer is gone. Once the area is clear from any danger—as all the citizens flee when they see or hear the victim's roars as they destroy property—the plump man in the barrel gets out.
"Excellent fight like always Hayashi-sama," the short male said formally as he walks up to the man who sheaths his katana.
"It is troubling that his influence is still present here," Hayashi mused aloud as he starts walking out of the town. "Come my trusty squire Plop Plop, we mustn't waste time. The Sorcerer's chaos will spread farther if we waste time."
The two foreigners leave the two children behind and the man trails behind them. As he is about to pass the two children he silently offers them a hand up. He comforts the two, they remind him of his own child who resides in a northern town, living with his mother. The expression of confusion is something he is familiar with, along with fear. He sympathizes with the children's fear—of not remembering what happened to them minutes prior as to why a man with weapons stand over them—to the fear of his own child not knowing when he'll come back. The two children whimper, but they manage to get up when he offers them his hand. He is a familiar face to them, as the two traveling Japanese men quest to defeat the being who is causing ill will toward humanity.
"Thank you Mr. Collins," the girl says, clutching her ripped doll.
"Yeah thanks Mr. Collins. Can I have a new wooden soldier? The last one, well see." The boy asked, holding his toy out to him.
He tilts his hat and nods, reaching into his rut sack and pulls out a hand whittled toy soldier, giving it to the boy. He ruffles the girl's hair and salutes them off, trailing after the two English accented immigrants at a languid pace.
He's been following the two of them since Europe, when he first saw Hayashi Isamu; although, in the past he referred to the man as a wandering exorcist instead of a ninja avenging his family. Apparently word has gone around that toward the center of the new country is a small colony where there is a harmony of Japanese and other immigrants from all around the world. Vastly different from people who are willing to alienate fellow immigrants just because they are different, not even from the same region as them. One day he will take his family with him to the colony, once he finds it as he assists the duo from the shadows. Perhaps he can train his son to assist the duo if the Sorcerer's reign is still present. Make sure that he is safe and that he needs to ask Isamu—Hayashi's first name as Plop always is respectful of the man—if he plans on training anyone the art of being a ninja.
He barely seen the Sorcerer in person, only managing to catch a glimpse of the being flinging stank across town, destroying homes and churches of old. No one truly knows where the being came from, but he is only to be combatted by Isamu. No guns or cannons were able to even harm the non-human, only a warrior with great agility, strength, and cunning can ever hope to defeat him.
That is the only problem: defeat. Will the Sorcerer survive the battle or will he be trapped. Depending on Isamu's decision—and talent of a masked warrior—time will tell. That means that he will either start training a student in the ways of the ninja, have a family to guard where the Sorcerer lies—which Alec doubts due to his constant travels—or finding a way to kill mankind's enemy. From the last conversation with the man he had, the man is keeping a close eye on the more mythical aspects of the world. While he may be a firm believer of magic—positive and negative—he doesn't dare to cross ancient beings who care for only hedonistic primitive joys of food, pleasure, and destruction.
He keeps the two in sight, and makes sure to hide when he sees Plop Plop turning around. The young man still thinks it is a coincidence that he occasionally shows up where they are at. Sometimes it cannot be avoided when he has to find another place to hide. Those times are hard when he has to get away from his perch of watching the two, keeping an eye on the civilian who keeps his companion company. Plop Plop doesn't know how to handle himself, he cannot fight like Isamu. He is more of a healer, one meant to bandage up Isamu's minor wounds and occasionally major. A young man who was practicing to be a doctor using herbal remedies he brewed himself.
Alec continues to follow the two of them until the sky starts to darken. As the two are make camp—setting a fire, leaving their bed mats on the ground with blankets on top and pillows—Isamu leaves the camp.
"I will be back. There are some berries nearby you can pick and see if any herbs are medical or edible."
"You got it Hayashi-sama." Plop Plop salutes as he goes to search around the grass.
"Please just call me Isamu, we are in a new land," The ninja sighs.
"Isamu-sama it is then."
"You do enjoy being difficult don't you?"
"Only for my best master and friend." The doctor breaks his respective tone and the other snorts.
Isamu walks in the direction to him, and he moves to the right, a bit farther away from where the fire is. He has a candle in his pocket he can use after he puts up a small fire with a flint and steel. He quickly ignites it and takes out dry grass, and it makes a small fire. Dropping the steel and flint he grabs the candle and puts the lit grass on it. Then he blows out the fire on the tinder, and looks up. The ninja is already there, staring at him, and he probably was doing that for about a minute.
"Good evening Alec," the other man starts, "I see that you have a kinder heart than you let on."
Alec grunts before he says, "Couldn't leave the kid weeping."
"Unfortunately the Sorcerer's magic possesses a beloved object that must be broken. What questions do you have since you followed closer than usual?" Isamu states as he steps closer to the light, so he can see is whole profile instead of just his red sash and a few red accents on his suit.
"Some of my thoughts troubled me. How exactly do you plan on getting your revenge?" He bluntly asks as he sees Isamu's eyes narrow.
"By trapping him in an inescapable prison. It is unlikely that I can kill him when my brothers couldn't." His voice grows cold and he nods. "State what you really wish to ask. I know when someone attempts to darken my vision."
He is going to take a wild guess that the ninja meant he knows when someone is hiding important information from him. To be fair, he did touch on a nerve as he attempts to ask the other in a roundabout way. "I was wondering if you would take on a student once you capture the Sorcerer. To have him guard the prison and teach him your mystic ways in case an unfortunate event happens."
Isamu sits down to meditate, something he has done to visualize his problems and situations. Only when he has no immediate response he acts like that.
Alec brings the candle closer to the male, and sees his dark brown eyes snap own before he calmly responds, "I will need to pass down my secrets only to those who are worthy. Perhaps friend you can assist me in picking out my students. Foremost I must create a tome of my knowledge enchanted with my magic."
"Are you sure you do not want to entrust the tome to Plop Plop? He has been your companion for longer than me."
"A shadow must remain that, for those who seek power will go into the light. It means that people know about him traveling with me and not with you." The ninja explained when he saw his confused expression.
The Scotsman nods his head. That explanation makes sense. The two of them are constantly hovering around one another, making sure their traveling companion is uninjured.
"So do you accept my offer?"
"Of course."
"Splendid, now I need to find a way to enchant a tome where only those worthy can open. Not that I don't trust you Alec, but many trails can lead to unsuspecting people to use the power foolhardy. I do not want another uncontrollable magic after I pass walking the ground."
With that being said the ninja goes back to the camp and Alec stays where he's at. He looks at the flickering flame in the darkness before glancing in the direction of the fire. He turns his eyes back onto the wax, slowly melting as the wick goes down. He takes out a piece of bread from his pocket, stale, and wets his lips on it before taking a bite. After a mouthful he blows out the candle and stares at the stars above. He wonders how often he wishes for a peaceful time in the world, with no magic madman—or any madman—out causing chaos. That after these years he can finally rest with his family.
As he closes his eyes to rest, tilting his hat in front of his eyes from tomorrow's rising sun, he has a few lingering thoughts for the night. His son, his son's son, his whole family line will need to guard the tome once the Sorcerer is defeated. He refuses to acknowledge the small voice in the back of his head that Hayashi Isamu might fail in capturing the elusive wicked magic user.
A/N: I shouldn't be writing this, in fact I should be studying for my exam today or actually working on my other fic. Oh well. For now it is complete, but if I do continue on, it would be one-shots throughout the timeline. This fic has no correlation with Hidden Bun and Phoenix. Although, if you do read it, I would love it if you guys read it at least to chapter 2.
Isamu- courage bravery
Hayashi- forest (surname)
Alec Collins (Messenger # 1)