Here we go again! What's poppin? My name is Jiro Uchiha, and I'm here to have some fun, and I hope that you have some fun with me. I've been thinking and doing research for this one for a while, so I seriously appreciate you reading this, and I appreciate everyone that likes it. I thank you all, and appreciate everyone's continued views and support, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc.
Edit: Also, don't be upset or surprised if any current or future references to other Tokusatsu programs are spoilers. Just puttin it out there.
It's chilly again it seems. He thought, walking along the street he became accustomed to walking. He stretched his toes as he stopped at a corner, still unaccustomed to wearing shoes on a daily basis, footwear being an option where he was from. Looking both ways, he crossed the street while still deep in thought. He rubbed his chin, feeling small, wiry hairs against the flesh of his hands. Should I shave my facial hair off? Or should I keep it until I go home? He wondered, shrugging as he looked ahead, noticing his destination in the distance. Wonder what the old man called me in for. Usually he only needs me when he runs errands. He thought to himself, humming as he approached the property. He reached behind his back, feeling the weapons he carried with him everywhere, his lips twitching upwards at the thought of finally using them.
When he finally reached the property, he noticed that the usual entrance was slightly ajar, his feet hitting the ground at an increased speed as he jogged over to the door, pushing it open and stepping into the dojo, making sure to close the door behind him. He turned around, noticing 'the old man' standing in the center of the room, looking slightly flustered. "Something wrong Mr. Igasaki?" he asked, his tongue barely accustomed to speaking Japanese, his foreign accent rather noticeable. The man sighed, adjusting his glasses. "Ata-San, would you mind watching over the dojo while I run some errands? It seems the Kids ate a lot more than usual, so I need to go out and pick up something for dinner." he said, and the foreigner nodded, not minding the task.
"Will any of them be back soon? I'd like to start training whenever possible." he said, and the man chuckled nervously. "I don't think so. They decided to take the day off after fighting a really strong Yokai, so I should be back before them." he said, and Ata frowned ever so slightly. He nodded, his brown eyes not not belying any emotion. "That's fine. I can always train by myself. How long will you be gone?" he asked, and the older male hummed. "A couple of hours. I should be back before three." he said, and Ata nodded, finding the few hours with the dojo to himself decent compensation. The man smiled, bowing before walking off, leaving Ata by himself in the large open room. "Alone again, huh?" he asked, no one around to respond to him.
Moments later, he stood in the center of the dojo's main room, exhaling as his mind slowly cleared. He crouched slightly, spreading his arms out and opening his hands broadly, a fighting stance that he had used for a while now, his body moving automatically as his mind began to wander. I've been here for at least a month, haven't I? He asked himself, weaving from side to side before throwing a volley of hooking palms at the air, jumping back and closing his fists as he switched his fighting style, his hands coming up to his face as his left leg bent and rose off the ground slightly. They agreed to train me in return for me helping them care for their property and helping them with injuries, but it's already been a month. He said, a slight hint of frustration in his training.
The pictures sitting on a dresser shook, the force of his spinning elbow much more than he intended. He shook his head, trying to calm down as he retook his fighting stance, a deep breath all he needed to relax. I understand them though, they have to fight monsters on a regular basis. Training a foreigner over one's self wouldn't be ideal. He thought to himself, standing straight after a small volley of butterfly kicks. He spun, his leg bent as he came down, his body freezing as his leg locked up, his posture straightening as he bowed and exhaled. "My apologies for that. Didn't mean to swing at you." he said, the young ninja waving his hands. "No no, it's fine. I should've said something when I walked in."
Ata chuckled, stepping back as he watched the ninja walk over to a corner and sit down. "Did Uncle Tsumuji ask you to watch the dojo?" he asked, and Ata nodded as he continued training, practicing combinations of punches and elbows. "Yes. Mr. Igasaki requested that I watch over the dojo while he went food shopping. He mentioned that you guys would be gone longer than him. So why are you back so early, Nagi-San?" he asked, the yellow Ninger shrugging. "I just felt like coming home. Everyone else is out eating." he said, and Ata nodded, throwing a left kick straight up, bending his leg before calmly placing it down, his leg hitting the ground and his hands opening as he transitioned fighting styles again.
"You train a lot. Is there something you're training for?" the yellow Ninja asked, and Ata hummed, shaking his head. "No. I train because I wish to become stronger. My tribe are descended from a great warrior, and I was interested in fighting and becoming a warrior from a very young age." he explained, and Nagi hummed. "So why come to Japan?" he asked, and Ata shrugged. "Australia was less successful than I anticipated and genuinely not a pleasant experience, so I came to Japan to learn as much as possible about it's culture and battle styles." he explained, his stance becoming more mobile as he started to bounce while talking. "I trained under two great teachers that taught me the styles I use now. I also learned a little about Samurai battle tactics and even had a few sumo matches. I figured that before I move on to China and Mongolia, I would learn what Ninja had to offer." he explained, spinning and jumping as he came down with his right elbow.
Bouncing back to a standing position, he frowned slightly. "Of course, the Igasaki were the most famed and powerful ninja I could find. And after a month of aiding them in various ways, I figured that I would have at least learned how they wield a blade." He said, sounding slightly bitter. Nagi chuckled, almost nervously. "I would try and help, but I'm honestly not even as strong as Kasumi yet." he said, causing the foreigner to raise a brow, the statement a bit hard to believe. He exhaled, running his fingers though his long black hair before reaching for his ponytail to pull it tighter, the ring of hair around it also pulled tighter. He glanced to the ninja, realizing that the statement wasn't so farfetched after all, remembering that the yellow ninja was infact younger than him.
A ringtone sounded, Nagi standing as he pulled his phone from his pocket and answered it. Ata watched the boy sigh before nodding. He closed the phone and looked to Ata. "There's another Yokai." he said, and Ata nodded. "Far be it from me to keep you." he said, and Nagi squeezed the phone in his hands. "I know, why don't you come with me? You can watch us fight and stuff. I'll tell Uncle Tsumuji so you don't get in trouble." he said, and Ata rose a brow. So now one of them shows an interest in my progress? He wondered, nodding with a smile. "I'd be glad too. Just don't move too fast, not all of us are ninja." he said, Nagi laughing nervously as the duo set out.
When they reached the scene, near a fountain in the city, Ata noticed that Nagi had already pulled a sword from someplace he couldn't honestly pinpoint, pulling a shuriken from his pocket and placing it inside a hole in the blade. He spun the blade, laying the spine against his shoulder and placing his thumb on the shuriken. "Shuriken Change!" he called, spinning the shuriken as bright yellow energy covered his body, his clothing replaced with a bright yellow suit, a blocky four pointed star on a helmet he wore as he leapt into battle, Ata watching with genuine interest.
Noticing that there were four other ninjas in colored suits, he began to watch as they fought off a horde of blue soldiers, all armed with large blades, their swordsmanship impressing the foreigner. He noticed a single warrior, a demonic man with a pair of horns and unusual blade like white hair walk through the horde, the five ninjas all turning to him, this demon swordsman drawing his attention as his blood began to boil, his heart racing as his hands began to quiver, his teeth grinding together. I want to fight him. He thought, the fact that he was no match for the demon swordsman something that didn't cross his mind. However, Ata's almost bloodthirsty trance was broken by a scream.
He spun, seeing a small group of the blue soldiers attacking a woman and her teenage son, the boy trying to defend his mother and failing. The boy was kicked away, the woman scrambling over to her injured son, Ata's heart only beating once before he sprung into action, running over to the woman and her son. He dropped down to the woman, who looked at him with surprise on her features, the large, bronze skinned man an unexpected presence. "Get out of here and get him to a doctor." he said, the woman nodding as she pulled the boy to his feet and began to scramble off, the five blue soldiers all brandishing their large blades at him, his eyes widening as his body tensed. His left hand came up to his throat, his hand closing into a thumbs up as he rolled his shoulders.
He turned his hand sideways and placed it at the right side of his throat. He inhaled, screaming loudly as he pulled his thumb across his own throat, sticking his tongue out as both a taunt and declaration. "Come on! I'll send you back to the Underworld from whence ye came!" He screamed in his native tongue, reaching behind his back to his waist, pulling his weapons from his belt and gripping them tightly. He crouched slightly, his eyes briefly glancing to the pair of greenstone clubs in his hands, their flat, round shape so familiar to him. He watched them spread out, his eyes facing forward as he felt them out, the one behind him to the left making the first move.
He spun, weaving around the large blade as it came down, trying to keep his breathing even as he swung his left club, striking the creature in the throat, twisting his body to the left as he threw his right arm forward, jabbing the creature in the face repeatedly. He shoved the creature back, putting his clubs back in his belt as he grabbed the large sword the creature used and spun, dropping down to one knee as he blocked a pair of downward swings from two more of the creatures. He rose up, shoving the creatures back before gripping the blade in both hands, swinging in a broad arc from right to left, the two targets of his attack falling back clutching their chests. Feeling one of the two remaining creatures approaching from behind, he continued the swing, a broad spin that caused the creatures to take a step back.
Ata jumped back, spinning the blade in his hands as he glanced down, seeing the two injured creatures at his feet. As fast as he could, he slammed the blade into each of their faces, their bodies going limp as he dropped the blade and redrew his clubs, his breathing still under control as he glanced behind him. Beneath the bridge like archway he was on, the demon swordsman was easily combating all five of the ninja that were supposed to be his teachers. He snickered as he rolled around another swing from the large blade the creatures all seemed to have, a left straight jab striking the creature in the throat, his body moving forward as it stumbled back, his body turning to the left suddenly as he put both of his clubs up, blocking another downward swing. He began to grow irritated at how linear the fighting style of the creatures was, lifting his arms to expose both of their chests as he kicked the creature back.
"Can you idiots do anything than basic overhead swings?" he asked, forgetting that the things likely couldn't understand him. Two left, neither in peak condition. He thought, moving to his right and somehow surprising the creature, showing Ata that they had some form of sentience. Tightening his grip on the clubs he held, he swung his arms out wide, slamming the clubs into the creature's temples, it's body going limp immediately as it fell back. Sensing the remaining creature come from behind, Ata leaned forward, pushing the body of the dead soldier back as he rolled over it and returned to his feet, exhaling.
Ata readjusted his stance, preparing himself to fight the final soldier. So these are the things the Ninja face on a daily basis, huh? They aren't that strong it seems. He thought to himself, his left leg coming up to take a step forward when the ground shook, his posture wavering as he stumbled back, his attention shifting to the battle beneath him, the demon swordsman laughing as four of the ninjas fell, seemingly defeated, only the red ninja remaining on his feet, and barely at that. How could they have been defeated so easily? He wondered, not paying attention to the remaining soldier approaching him. His feet shifted, his grip on his clubs tightening as he spun, dropping down to one knee and jabbing out with both clubs, piercing the armor like flesh of the creature, who dropped it's blade as Ata grit his teeth, pushing upwards and lifting the creature off the ground.
"So you dare attack me from behind? Are you creatures not honorable enough to face me?" he asked, throwing the creature overhead as he pulled the clubs from it's abdomen, turning and looking beneath him to see the demon swordsman looking at the blue creature that was spasming on the ground, dying from the wounds Ata inflicted. The demon looked up to where Ata was, the foreign fighter locking eyes with the monster, his grip on the bloodstained clubs as tight as ever as the demon jabbed his chin at him, Ata turning around to see the original blue creature, the one he thought he defeated first, swinging in a broad arc from Ata's right to his left. He warned me? He wondered briefly, bending his arms and crossing his clubs in a block akin to a two bladed block. The smooth surface of the clubs stopped the large blade momentarily, but the creature grabbed the blade with his other hand.
This added force broke Ata's guard, his arms and the clubs sliding to the left as the edge of the blade struck the center of his right upper arm, tearing his flesh open from the center of his upper arm to the underside of his elbow, his body's instinctive reaction being to throw a right kick that struck the creature, whose left elbow must have been shattered based on the shout he let out before dropping his blade. His body taking a fight or flight response to the wound, Ata dropped both of his clubs and ran forward, his entire body tensing up as he caught the creature in a tight clinch, striking it in the face with a string of hard knees before releasing his right arm from the clinch, holding the creature tight as he released a flurry of hard elbows, the stimulation from these elbows causing his bloodied arm to secrete more plasma than necessary.
Ata was enraged, losing count of how many elbows he struck the creature with, or how much blood he'd lost. The creature's skull was coated with both his blood and Ata's own, and the gray shirt the foreigner wore was stained red from the fight, the bronze skinned man standing over the creature's limp, lifeless body. He looked to the wound, noticing that it was in a spot he didn't want it to be in. He reached into his left pocket and pulled out a small roll of bandages he carried, wrapping the wound tightly as he walked over to his clubs, picking them up and flicking the blood from their rounded edges before wiping any remaining blood off on his shirt. He placed them back on his belt, his thoughts on the demon swordsman as he headed back to the Igasaki Dojo.
When the five ninja entered the dojo, the first thing they noticed was that Tsumuji, the older male that owned the dojo was there and that Ata, the foreigner charged with watching over said dojo, was not. They spread out, all wounded and worn from their recent battle, Tsumuji sighing with worry as he shook his head. "Do any of you know where Ata-San is? He said he'd watch the dojo for me, but I can't find him." he asked, and Nagi glanced to the floor. "I… sorta told him to follow me when Kasumi called me." he said, and the other four looked to him in surprise. "Nagi, why would you go and do something like that? He could have gotten seriously hurt, or worse." Kasumi said, the pink ninja rather disappointed. "You think I'll let something like that kill me?" a voice asked, the five turning to see Ata walk into the dojo.
"Ata-San, are you alright?" Nagi asked, the bronze skinned man nodding and exhaling. "Forgive me for arriving after you. Do any of you require medical treatment?" he asked, and each of them shook their head, rather surprised at the amount of blood on his shirt. "What happened to you?" Fuuka asked, Ata chuckling as he glanced to the white ninja. "I got into a little scuffle with some of those blue soldiers. Rather unimpressed at how linear their fighting is." he said, and Yakumo scoffed, Ata's eyes locking onto the blue ninja. "If it was so unimpressive, why are you covered in blood?" he asked, and Ata blinked. "I got distracted by the guy that handed you your ass on a silver platter and one of them snuck up on me. I got mad and beat him with the injured arm." he said, the blue ninja seeming rather uncomfortable with the latter part of that statement.
"Why did Gabi Raizou distract you?" Takaharu asked, Ata raising a brow at the red ninja. "So that's his name? Interesting." he said, scratching his chin as he glanced to his injured arm, shaking his head. "Oi! I asked you a question." Takaharu said, Ata exhaling. "I came to Japan to learn from the strongest Japanese warriors I could. Since that man not only defeated all five of you, but got my blood rushing, I was far too interested in him to notice the creature stalking me." he said, and Nagi chuckled nervously, drawing Ata's attention. "I sincerely thank you for this opportunity Nagi-San. Gauging both the power of the Igasaki ninja and their foes was quite the pleasant experience." he said, and the yellow ninja smiled nervously, nodding.
"Aren't you hurt? That wound seems pretty large." he asked, and Ata glanced to his arm. "It pains me, but I've been tattooed with chisels and cut with obsidian before. The only problem I have with this wound is that any scar will get in the way of more moko." he said, and Kasumi blinked, tilting her head. "Moko?" Ata nodded, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling down, revealing intricate tattoos on his chest. "Moko is the traditional tattooing of my people. The word means everything from 'Marking' to 'Skin Carving' depending on tribal dialect and translation. Usually males receive moko on their faces, but since I spoke to my father and fellow tribesmen, we came to the consensus that if I was to travel outside of New Zealand, or Aotearoa as my people call it, that facial tattoos were not a good idea." he explained, the pink ninja nodding.
"And a scar will get in the way of this tribal tattooing?" she asked, and he nodded. "Of course. Because of my status as my 'Iwi', or tribe's 'Ariki Ariki', or the eldest son of the High Chief, my tattoos would be much more detailed and elaborate than say my cousin's or Uncle's, so any blemishes on my flesh pose an obstacle." Kasumi nodded to this, watching Ata glance to the sun, which had begun it's descent in the sky. "Regardless, since you are all home, and none of you require medical attention, or at least don't think you do, I will be on my way. Mr. Tsumuji, please don't hesitate to contact me if needed. Regardless of whether I'm being trained or not, observing a group of ninja is rather amusing." he said, bowing before he turned and departed, the older man sighing and shaking his head.
"He's a rather confusing fellow, isn't he?" the older man asked, and Takaharu snickered, shaking his head. "I don't know about confusing, but he makes me mad." he said, and Yakumo sighed. "For once, Takaharu is right. He had no reason to be condescending about our loss when he got injured by a Jukkarage." he said, bitterness audible in his tone. "There's no need to be bitter you two. Don't take out your anger on Ata-San when it's Gabi Raizou we lost to." Kasumi said, and the two sighed, seeming rather irritated regardless. "Kasumi is right you know." they heard, looking up to see their grandfather sitting on a beam above them as usual. "If you take out your anger on the wrong person, it will come back to bite you." he said, and Takaharu shook his head. "Yeah well tell Ata to not rub salt in the wound." he said, making the Last ninja shake his head at how immature his grandson was being.
On his walk home, Ata slowly began to wonder exactly what he was doing with himself, this thought sparked by the fact that he walked the streets of Japan with a bandaged arm, a bloodied shirt and a pair of greenstone clubs attack to the back of his pants. Yes, he was a warrior, his love of fighting reflected by every aspect of his life, from his name and background to the way he thought and carried himself. However, his respect for warriors worldwide caused him to be rather gullible, as evidenced by his status as a glorified housekeeper and his injuries, which wouldn't have happened if he was properly trained. This thought made him grit his teeth. Did I really just think that ninja training was necessary regardless of all of my other skills and training? He shook his head, noticing that the area around him was rather empty, his absentminded wandering leading him to what seemed to be an abandoned hotel, the windows mostly boarded and the front entrance not attached to it's hinges.
He sighed, glancing around to see if he could find out where he was, groaning when he realized that he was actually lost. Damn confusing ass country. He cursed inwardly, remembering how easy it was to maneuver through New Zealand and Australia in comparison. "Hey! You lost pal?" Ata heard, turning his head to see a group of people walking towards him. Black slacks, white buttoned shirts and black jackets. Hair slicked back, jewelry and a bad attitude. Stereotypical Yakuza or delinquents at the least. He thought to himself, turning to the group, who at the moment numbered eight, ranging in height from slightly over five feet to slightly under six, Ata guessing the heaviest member of the group was one hundred and ninety pounds at the heaviest, much smaller than him at 6'3" and 275lbs. Size advantage as always. Japan is rather lacking when it comes to large folk. He thought with a chuckle.
"I am actually. I was wondering if you could direct me to my place. I recently moved to Japan, so I'm not familiar with everything yet." he said, speaking casually as he handed the man that spoke a slip of paper with his address. The man chuckled. "You really are stupid. You just gave us your address, which means that you won't be safe ever again." he said, Ata resisting the urge to roll his eyes when he heard cliché chuckles and knuckle cracking. Ata shook his head, feeling the urge to fight begin to rise up within him. "I'm looking for directions. Unfortunately, you lot are my only options since I have no idea where I am. Now why don't you be some good chaps and just give me directions?" he wondered, the man handing him the piece of paper back calmly.
"I guess you don't know how we work. See, we're Yakuza, so if you want directions, you'll hand over all of your money and valuable belongings. If not, we'll kick your ass and take it." he said, and Ata took a broad step back. "All of you have martial arts training, correct?" he asked, hearing that the Yakuza were more skilled than many other lesser known gangs in Japan. The men nodded, and Ata rolled his neck, spreading his hands and lifting them up to his face. "There's 50,000 yen in my wallet and two jade clubs in the back of my pants. Come get 'em." he said, taunting the men, who began to spread out. Ata began to smile, happy for a chance to clear his mind.
The first man moved forward, Ata watching him throw a straight left kick, his left hand shooting down and catching the man by the calf, his right palm slamming into his face as he lifted the man up and tossed him back. He turned to his right, catching the left fist of the second man, watching his right fist ball up and come in his direction, catching it with ease as he pulled the man forward while spreading his arms, jabbing his head forward and slamming his skull into the man's face, releasing his hands and kicking him back. He leaned to the right, seeing a boot fly past his vision, sighing as he dropped down and swept the man's other leg out with his right leg, rising up to a vertical base to see the man was screaming in pain, his face contorted by the split he was forced into. Ata swung his left leg, his foot colliding with the man's face as his screaming silenced.
Ata's forearms came up, blocking a pair of fists as his mind began to clear, his thoughts much more coherent as he rolled his arms around his foes', turning his hands and slamming his palms into the chest of the two men, catching their wrists and tugging them forward, sending them stumbling into the man he could tell was coming up from behind. Using the temporary malfunction in the strategy of the three men, Ata shifted his focus to the two men that remained, his broad, open hands slapping away each of their strikes with ease, the foreigner's strategy separating the men, each of them on either side of him. A right jab from the man on his left. He leaned forward, his right palm coming up and slapping away the right leg of the man on his right. He straightened his posture, the man on the right throwing a left cross. Ata spun and leaned back, watching the right leg of the man to his left begin to move.
Ata jabbed his left palm out, showing away the man on the right's extended arm, his offset posture only allowing him to respond with a broad right kick. Ata smiled, ducking as the two men collided, their legs hooking together as he shot up, rolling his arms in a monkey like fashion to hook around their legs and pull them off of the ground. He spun, the three men he shoved away having recovered and closed in, Ata using the two men dangling around his shoulders like chains as a shield, spinning his body to block strikes, the men taking out their companions for him, the much larger fighter spinning in a circle to create space as he loosed the two men, who crashed dazed and wounded to the ground. Ata noticed the three remaining men were cautious, the bronze skinned man having a chance to roll his shoulders and check on his wound.
"Is this really what the Yakuza are capable of? No wonder you guys are only threats to civilians." he said, and the three men all seemed rather aggravated by that statement. Well, at least I can think straight again. Shouldn't end up wandering anymore unless I want to. He thought to himself as he retook his fighting stance. "There's just the three of you guys left. Who wants to go first?" he asked, the men huddling up and whispering amongst each other, Ata most interested in the largest member of the trio, the near six foot tall man who was also likely the heaviest. Both of the small men stepped forward, reaching into their pockets and pulling out knives, Ata exhaling as he reached behind his back. "You guys sure you wanna use weapons?" he asked, and the men grinned before stepping forward. Ata pulled upwards, spinning the clubs in his grip and lifting his hands.
He noted that the two men hesitated, glancing to each other before shouting and dashing forward wildly. Ata merely ducked, jabbing his clubs forward as the two men stumbled and hit the ground, clutching their thighs as he flicked the blood from his clubs and put them away. "I missed your thyroid artery on purpose, but note that if you get up I won't be so kind." he said, turning to the last remaining man. "Since you're the last one standing, I assume that it would be fair to suggest a simple one on one match?" he asked, the man nodding silently, running his hands through his short, dark brown hair as he took a stance that seemed familiar to Ata. "I believe I've heard this fighting style be referred to as 'Rhinoceros Fist', correct?" he asked, the man once more nodding silently.
Ata spread his palms, raising his hands up as he exhaled. If this is the famed Rhinoceros Fist, I might actually have to take him seriously. He thought, the two taking a single step forward in respect, nodding to each other before moving. Ata watched the man throw a left jab, blocking with his right palm, shoving the man's hand back and spinning, throwing a left backfist that was blocked by a left forearm, Ata throwing an overhand right cross that was avoided, a right cross striking his right shoulder, the recoil from the strike allowing him to readjust his hands, clenching them tight as he threw a right jab that struck his opponent, following up with a left jab and a right cross, his breathing slightly ragged as he continued to enjoy himself.
He watched his opponent cough before taking his stance, Ata's left leg starting to twitch, a signal that he wanted to take the fight seriously, his mind still in control as he spread his hands, regulating his breathing as he chose to make the first move. Ata threw an overhanded left palm, watching his opponent's posture adjust to respond, his body jerking as he twisted to jab his right palm up, striking his foe in the temple, using the recoil to follow up with a left kick, his opponent recovering and chopping his leg away with his right hand, an almost instinctual left chop striking Ata in the chest, who caught his wrist in his right hand, stepping to the left and turning to the right as he pulled the man back, striking him in the face with a left palm, releasing his wrist as he struck him in the stomach with his right palm, broadening his stance as he pulled back and slammed both of his palms into his opponent's chest, watching his foe stumble back.
Ata knew that the small combination wouldn't take out his opponent, something that made Ata happy, as not many people could honestly keep pace with him besides a small cluster of people he'd encountered. "You're rather strong. What's your name?" he asked, the man rubbing his jaw as he took his fighting stance again. "Kentaro, what about you?" he asked, and Ata smiled, rolling his neck. "My name is Ata. I appreciate your skill and endurance. It's rather nice to see that not all Japanese fighters are pushovers." he said, and the man laughed. "And it's nice to see someone with some guts and some skill that can keep up with me." he said, and Ata chuckled, his leg's odd twitch settling down, his mind free of all of his worries, the fact that he was lost completely forgotten.
Ata closed his fists, extending his arms outward more than before, his left leg lifting up off the ground slightly, his fighting style and attitude changed as he opened his left hand, gesturing for Kentaro to attack him, the other fighter more than happy to oblige. Ata watched him throw a single straight right punch, his body reacting on instinct, his chest twisting to the right slightly before curving back as he came down with a right elbow, striking Kentaro's forearm and causing him to stumble forward, a quick left elbow, right jab combination striking him in the face and causing him to stumble back. Ata followed up with a left high step kick, Kentaro blocking with his right forearm, his left hand jabbing forward. Ata leaned into the kick, avoiding the hard jab as he bent his body, leaning forward and catching Kentaro in a half clinch with his left hand, the muscles of his right arm tensing.
He threw one elbow, staggering the Yakuza, allowing him to place his leg back on the ground, a second elbow causing him to notice that his bandages were pink, the blood bleeding through the bandages. A third elbow knocked him back further, the length of the battle beginning to get to the injured foreigner, a quick combination being loosed from Ata, consisting of a left jab, right jab, left elbow and right elbow. Kentaro nearly fell over, Ata catching him by the left wrist, tugging him forward and catching him in a standing arm triangle. He leaned forward, shouting as he swung back and fell, dropping Kentaro face first on the ground, his heart throbbing as he rolled back to his feet and retook his fighting stance. Kentaro rolled over, panting as he shook his head, conceding to the bronze skinned male.
Ata exhaled, relaxing his posture as he glanced about, the thought that he was lost returning to his mind. "Damn it. I got distracted again." he said to himself, hearing a chuckle, turning to see some form of demonic creature behind him, this one donning a white fox mask. "That was rather impressive, Foreigner." it said, in a voice that was androgynous to his ears. He exhaled again, not bothering to pay attention to the demonic fox, instead choosing to walk over to Kentaro and hold his hand out. The man seemed confused, but took the help, Ata pulling him to his feet. The foreigner pulled the blood coated shirt from his chest, handing it to the Yakuza. "Clean the blood out of your eyes, Haumi." he said, the man using the cloth to clean the metallic liquid from his beaten and battered features. "Haumi?" he asked, and Ata hummed in acknowledgment.
"It means 'ally' in my native language. Plus it sounds similar to the English 'homie', a slang term for a friend." he said, and the man laughed. "You really are big on fighting, calling me a friend when I tried to beat you up and steal your money." he said, and Ata shrugged, waving him off. "I learned from the fight that the Fox over there put you up to it. Probably used some kind of ninja magick to redirect me here too. The question is, why?" he asked, turning back to the fox, Ata's mind immediately gauging how much of a fight he could put up with his multiple fights against groups of increasing power and numbers. The fox laughed, Ata able to tell that he could draw his clubs and defend himself before the fox could reach him with any form of physical attack. "Gabi Raizou asked me to test you for some reason. I would say that you passed with flying colors." he said, and Ata rose a brow.
"The swordsman that defeated the Igasaki? What reason would he have to test me?" he asked, and the fox shrugged. "The brute didn't explain it to me, but if he tries to contact you directly, don't be surprised." Ata flexed his right arm, the limb still in decent condition despite the amount of blood he'd lost. He turned to Kentaro, rubbing his neck as he sighed. "Do you know how to get back to my place? I can tell from fighting you that you aren't a bad dude, so I figured that you'd be the one who could help me." he said, making the man raise a brow. "You learned all of this from fighting?" he asked, and Ata nodded, glancing to the fox. "Kyuuemon, right? The Igasaki mentioned that you were a huge pain in their ass, and I understand why. You told me what you needed to tell me, so begone." he said, the fox snickering before vanishing in a puff of smoke.
"I've fought my entire life, and Japan is the third country I've traveled learning about fighting. Seems that if I get involved with the fox and the Igasaki idiots I'll need to practice using mid range and long range weapons more." he grumbled to himself. The Yakuza walked over to each of his friends, checking on them. "You want me to help you move them into the building? They'll all be fine. I beat each of them in a fashion that would inflict the least damage." he said, and the man chuckled as he threw two of his friends over his shoulders, nodding in appreciation as Ata grabbed another pair of the unconscious men. "You know that fox thing?" Kentaro asked, Ata shaking his head and exhaling. "Nope. You see, I was supposed to be trained by a group of ninjas, and the fox just so happens to be an enemy of theirs. What about you?" he asked, and the man grunted.
"Fucker showed up with a horde of these blue guys and told us to beat down a big foreigner. When we asked why it was us, the bastard said 'You are the most capable fighters in the area' like he was settling on us." he said, and Ata could hear the insulted irritation in his voice. "Do all of you know some form of Juuken, or just you?" he asked, and Kentaro chuckled as they entered the abandoned hotel, dropping the four men on the ground. "These guys were all former students of that famous company, SCRTC, so I assume they know some form of Juuken. Based off the few times I've seen them train, likely Jaguar Fist. What about you? Those two styles you use are rather interesting." he asked as they left the hotel, walking over to the three men remaining scattered across the ground.
"My preferred fighting style is called 'Pea Kapunga', which means 'Bear Palm' in my native language. It's a slightly more defensive version of Bear Fist." he said, throwing the final man over his shoulder, Kentaro rather surprised. "Bear Fist? Last I heard, the only Bear Fist master was Jan Kando." he said, and Ata nodded. "Jan-sensei was a rather interesting individual. Much friendlier than Gou." he said, and Kentaro grunted as he dropped the men in the hotel, rolling his shoulders. "Gou? You mean Gou Fukami, the master of Wolf Fist, right?" he asked, and Ata nodded. "Yup. If you noticed my leg twitching, it's because I want to switch to 'Wuhuri Kapunga', a form of Wolf Fist that I optimized for usage with the weapons from my homeland." he explained.
"If you've mastered two forms of Juuken, there's not really anything left in Japan to be honest. Learning from ninja is a bitch, especially if that 'Council to Protect the Honor of Ninja' or whatever gets involved and deems you unworthy." he said, pulling his phone from his pocket. Ata rose a brow. "An entire Council? Are there truly that many ninja in Japan?" he asked, and Kentaro nodded. "Of course. They're still in infancy, trying to find a President, but once fully established and acknowledged, they'll be the end all, be all for the thousands of ninja across the country and possibly worldwide." he explained, handing the phone to the foreigner. "Here's how to get back to your place from here. Hope you get home safe. I didn't really want to have to fight you." he said, and Ata glanced to the screen, memorizing the directions before handing the phone back.
"I appreciate it, Haumi. Feel free to stop by, I wouldn't mind guests, even if you're asking for help." he said, waving to the other martial artist before walking from the hotel, turning to the right and setting off.
Ata glanced up when he reached the large building complex he was staying in, sighing as he noticed that the sun had begin to set, the temperature having already dropped to a brisk chill, Ata's thoughts traveling to how pleasant his heated room would be as he entered the building. He nodded to the elderly man behind the counter, who was watching over the entrance while his wife cooked, the two sharing a happy, healthy relationship that Ata enjoyed seeing. "Goodness Ata-Chan, are you alright?" the man asked, the usage of the 'chan' suffix something he had yet to get used to. "Of course Mr. Fumi, just a little fight is all." he said, the old man shaking his head as Ata headed up to his room. On the way, he actually decided to look at his wounds, noticing that various bruises coated his chest and arms besides the large cut. His shoulders were also sore, and his clubs needed to be cleaned. Reaching his door, he inhaled as he twisted the nob.
Entering the room, he smiled at how plain everything was. The living room was a small room with light brown walls that matched the wooden floor, the only things adorning the room being a small group of cushions surrounding a small table, a small television set hanging on the right wall, a large shelf beneath it holding all of Ata's weapons and photos of his family. He kicked his shoes off, leaving them by the door like usual as he reached into his belt, pulling the two jade clubs from his waist and holding them as he glanced to his small sitting area, freezing as he noticed something rather off about the table. Ata rubbed his eyes, wondering if he had blood clouding his vision, checking his own pulse to make sure it wasn't an exhaustion or near death induced illusion. Confirming that he was in decent health, he inhaled.
"How did you get in here?" he asked, the figure sitting at the table turning to him before laughing. "There you are Boy! I've been waiting for you." Ata exhaled, walking over to the shelf and picking up a small red feather as he dropped the clubs on the shelf next to a jade bladed axe known as a 'Toki'. Reaching to the top shelf, he grabbed the jade tipped spear and gripped it tightly, walking over to the table and placing the feather on it. He jumped back, gripping the spear in both hands and pointing the tip at his uninvited guest. "This is a form of greeting where I'm from, called a Powhiri. Pick up the feather and hand it to me. If you don't, I will exorcize you from my dwelling." he explained, a loud laugh ringing out through the house as his guest slapped the table, picking up the feather and walking over to him. Ata watched him hold out the feather, his posture relaxing as he took the object back.
Walking over to the shelf, he put the feather and the spear back, shaking his head. "Welcome to my humble abode. What can I do for you, Gabi Raizou?" he asked, turning to the demon swordsman as he took a seat at the small table across from him. The swordsman grunted, his blue clawed hand pointing in Ata's direction. "I like you, Boy. You've got the kind of fighting spirit that only comes once a century." he said, and Ata folded his arms. "And this interests you?" he asked, the man nodding. "Of course. When the Fox told me that you beat the guys I picked out, I had to see you personally." he said, and Ata tilted his head slightly, glancing behind Gabi. "Poe, take a seat. There's no reason to be stingy." he said, the Oni turning to the other inhuman creature in the room, shaking his head at the black suited creature.
"Tell me, how did you come by a Kurous?" he asked, referring to the dapper creature that sat with them, closer to Ata. "I stopped back at my village before heading to Australia and we came under attack from a rogue 'Shadow' as it called itself, talking about bringing back the 'Shadow Line' or what have you. Me and the men of my village defeated the thing and it's forces, but Poe here surrender peacefully after watching me take out 5 more of his brothers with my Toki and Taiaha, the pickaxe and spear behind me." he said, and Gabi Raizou laughed. "See? That's the kind of fighting spirit that gets me excited!" he said, the fedora wearing creature next to Ata leaning over and whispering in his ear. Ata hummed, watching the Oni carefully.
"That kind of fighting spirit is also familiar to me too. I once fought a man who almost lived to fight. However, his will wasn't as strong as yours, and his power took him over. Probably because he fought for his God. Religious fighters always turn out weaker than fighters like us." he said, in a very matter of fact tone that almost suggested a form of camaraderie between the two. "'Like us?'" Ata asked, Gabi Raizou nodding. "I can tell that you fight because you love it, much like me. I came here to make you an offer, since we seem to be kindred spirits." he said, Ata nodding in anticipation. "I want you to join me, and work for Kibaoni Gengetsu. There's an artifact amongst my personal belongings that I think you could make great use of. Of course, I will personally train you." he said, and Ata seemed rather taken aback.
Trained by a kindred spirit? Something's off. "What's the catch?" he asked, and Gabi Raizou sighed. "Unfortunately, you have to make it look good. I can train you and help you gain power beyond anything some human in a colorful suit could hope to grasp, but in return, you'll need to bring one of the Igasaki brats to our castle to prove yourself." he said, and Ata shook his head. "No dice then, Tai. The Igasaki agreed to train me and I have observed them fighting, but there's no way I can defeat any of them in open combat. And, assuming you are a kindred spirit of mine, you would know that open combat is the only combat we find acceptable." he said, and the demon man nodded.
He remained silent for a moment, as if pondering something rather heavy. "Very well then. Three days. Come to the mountains to the… east of here, I believe. No later than sunset. I will take matters into my own hands. Unless of course, you wish to fight with the brats who couldn't hope to comprehend you." he said, almost taunting Ata, who smiled. "Fighting with them might be worth the chance to fight against you, Tai. Deciding which weapons to use against you will be quite the fun pass time." he said, the man chuckling as he watched Ata stand and walk over to the shelf that displayed the various weapons. "Should I use a combination of Patu? My Taiaha? My Toki? Or perhaps…. Perhaps I should fight you with my bare hands?" he asked, turning to the demon man with a smile, the man slapping the table and standing, his demonic features contorted in happiness.
"That's it! This is what I've been waiting for! A human that thinks he can defeat me unarmed! I hope that you'll give my blades the chance to taste your flesh! Prepare yourself, Boy! These next three days might just be your last!" he shouted, Ata's blood beginning to rush as the demon vanished into thin air, the adrenaline causing him to forget about how worn his body was. He grabbed his Taiaha and the jade clubs, known as Patu Pounamu or simply Mere, shoving the latter in his belt once more, he headed to the door, a shout from the dapper creature causing him to hesitate. "I understand Poe. I should change my bandages and get some rest, but you know that I can't right now. How long have we been friends, Parata? You should know that I never take care of myself." he said, the Kurou shaking his head before waving his friend off, Ata once more off to train.
That night, Tsumuji tended to the dojo, putting away scattered books and straighten shelves shaken by indoor training, something he swore he told the kids to cut down on. "Father, were we wrong to tell Ata we would train him?" he asked, glancing up to where he knew his father would be sitting, the elderly man opening his eyes and sighing. "I do not believe so. However, if they don't at least teach him a shred of the basics, I fear that he might turn to our enemies in spite." he said, and Tsumuji laughed. "That's nonsense. Ata isn't that kind of person." he said, and the elderly man rose a brow, looking down to his son. "Are you so sure? Do you even know of the traditions of Ata's homeland, any part of it?" he asked, and Tsumuji opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't. He shook his head. "I can't say I do."
The old man nodded. "That's the problem. No one knows him well personally. That's the most dangerous thing about Ata. He knows where the Dojo is, has reason to turn against us, and is not close enough to any of us to care about our wellbeing. You'd do well to remember that." he said, Tsumuji sighing as he began to shake his head, deep in thought.
Ata panted, not paying attention to how much time passed as he continued to train, his body beginning to ache from the non stop activity. The wound on his arm had assumably bled dry, the tight bandaging minimizing the damage his usage of the wounded limb might have caused. He spun the spear overhead, striking the ground with the blunt end as he exhaled. He looked to the sky, noticing that the stars were out, the foreigner having arrived at this empty field before the sun had finished setting, signaling that he'd been here for a couple hours at least. He thought to Gabi Raizou, surprised that the demon swordsman would pay him a visit personally, his offer still troubling him. Could I beat them? He wondered, his immediate thought being that he couldn't, the smarter part of his brain questioning that.
It's not that I can't beat them. I can't beat the 'Ninningers'. I can beat the Igasaki Clan. He thought, realizing that without their unusual super suits, the only one who posed a problem was Yakumo, who had access to magick, something that made Ata sneer to himself. I'd like to see him try and cast a spell when I'm at close range. He thought, blinking as he realized how antagonistic his thoughts were. I can't be thinking like that. They are still my teachers for now. He reminded himself, rolling his neck. Although, at the moment, Ata had a more interesting concern. He turned his head to the right, glancing behind him. "How long are you going to watch me?" he asked, turning to face a rather oddly dressed fellow.
"What's with the Wild West outfit? You just get out of an American costume party?" he asked, the young man chuckling. "This is how I look everyday, Partner." he said, his Japanese having an odd drawl to it, Ata exhaling. "Sorry about that." he said, the cowboy blinking in confusion before the insult registered. He opened his mouth to respond, but Ata spun the spear in his grip, pointing it at his witness. "I asked you why you were watching me. Now tell me or get lost, partner." he said, speaking the last word in English. He sighed, stepping on something laying in the grass, catching what looked like a guitar in his hand before pointing it in his direction. "I saw you talking to Kyuuemon, and I've seen you at the Igasaki household. I just want to warn you to not try any funny business, cuz I reckon that I'm the only one that's gonna defeat them." he said, and Ata rose a brow.
"So you think I'm trying to take them out from the inside? That's rather funny. It's quite the opposite really. I merely want to learn how ninja fight and live. The Fox was telling me that I did a good job taking out the guys he sent after me. And, partner, I reckon that that Fox would be impressed if I added you to the list of people I've defeated." he said, spinning the staff in his left hand to catch it in both hands. He watched the cowboy grip the guitar by a black handle, holding it in both hands before disappearing in a puff of smoke, Ata spinning his body to the right while shifting the spear in his hands, both hands near the tip as he blocked the guitar with the broad, flat end, which could double as a club. "So your guitar is also a sword, huh? And based on this opening at the tip, I assume it also serves as a firearm. Rather impressive, especially if you've mastered it's usage." he said, shoving the cowboy back.
Ata held the staff in both hands near the tip, jabbing forward as he let the staff slide down through his palms, the cowboy blocking with his blade, Ata stepping back from an upward diagonal slash, twirling the spear in his hands and coming down with the tip from right to left, leaving a slight wound on the cowboy's left shoulder. Ata took a step back, exhaling as he watched the man's face, which was a combination of worry and determination, a mixture Ata found unpleasant. "You're a ninja, that much I can tell. There is no reason for you to worry. Fight me with a light, unbothered heart or begone from my sight." he said, the 'ninja cowboy', something Ata found as ridiculous as his weapon, furrowing his brow and tightening his grip on his blade, jabbing forward.
Ata stepped to his left, jabbing forward and piercing his foe's right shoulder, pulling back and spinning the spear in his hand and swinging in a high broad arc, smacking the cowboy in the left side of the face and knocking him to the ground, his hat flying off of his head, an odd clattering coming from the hat. Ata glanced to it, noticing an odd, gold shuriken inside of it, the hiding place for such an object coming off as odd to him. However, the shuriken was very similar to the one he witnessed Nagi use to don the bright 'super suit', as he referred to it. "So you're also one of those 'Ningers', huh?" he asked, turning away and exhaling as the cowboy rose to his feet. Ata looked back to him and sighed. "I'm going home. This fight bores me. If you follow I reckon that we'll have to throw down, partner." he said, using the terminology he could tell the cowboy used every day.
The cowboy panted as he picked up his hat, looking to Ata. "So you're going to run away?" he asked, and Ata laughed. "Of course not. Your heart is far too clouded to interest me. Preaching that you will defeat the Igasaki while fighting to seemingly protect them? My Gods wouldn't look kindly upon me defeating someone with such conflicting interests." he said, spinning the staff in his grip before sliding it through the belt loops on the back of his pants and folding his arms. "I hope that if you plan on fighting me again, that your heart and mind are unclouded. Because a warrior in turmoil isn't worth fighting, and your flesh wouldn't be worthy to be sacrificed to my Gods." he said, leaving the cowboy ninja alone in the small field.
"Don't give me that shit Poe, you know I like fighting." he said, the Kurou tending to his bandages shaking his head. "Turns out there's a sixth Ninger, and this one is a cowboy of all things." he said, the Kurou tilting his head before sighing. "Oh yeah, you never told me how you got us all the money we have. Do you have some kind of connections?" he asked, and the always open mouth of the creature spread in a broader smile, causing Ata to blink. "I'm gonna act like I never asked since you're giving me that look." he said, the Kurou chuckling as he tightened the bandage over the wound. "How's it look by the way? Will I be able to get tattooed there in the future?" he asked, the Kurou hesitating before shaking his head. Ata sighed, looking to the ceiling. "So my lack of training cost me moko on my right arm. That blows." he said, the Kurou chuckling as he stood, taking the first aid materials from the living room.
They don't train me, I get used as a housekeeper, and now I have a permanent injury that could have been prevented either with training or at least telling me about those blue fuckers. He thought to himself, trying to remain positive as Poe came over, placing a plate of food in front of him as he sat down with his own. "So how was your day Poe?" he asked, the creature shrugging. "My day was fine. Having the house to myself most of the time is great since I can keep the place organized." the Kurou said, Ata smiling at the sound of his native language, something that Poe could somehow learn. "That's great. Just try not to throw any insane parties. I don't want any of my belongings stolen or damaged." he said, and Poe looked to him, shaking his head. "Sure thing, as long as you keep demon swordsmen from showing up unexpectedly." he said, and Ata laughed, shaking hands with his friend.
"It's a deal. I probably would've tore the place up if he didn't vanish." he said, and the Kurou sent him a slightly cross look. "Exactly, and then you would've went off to do something stupid and I would've had to clean up after you." he said, making Ata laugh. "I'll pay you back one day mate. Just give me a little time to figure out how." he said, and the Kurou sighed. "I look forward to it." he said, the duo enjoying their dinner, Ata looking out the far window to the starlit sky, inhaling.
Power beyond anything a human in a colorful suit could hope for, huh? Sounds interesting. He thought, shaking his head. Three days is actually all I need to make this decision. He thought, noticing that Poe was staring at him. "You aren't thinking about what that brute said seriously, are you?" he asked, and Ata shrugged. "I might be. It's certainly an alternative to being a glorified housekeeper. Especially to people who have a super suit that lets them beat me with ease." he said, the Kurou putting his head in his hands. "At least take all three days. A lot can happen in that span of time. They could train you, give you one of their super suit shuriken and so on. That or you can get to know them better and actually make some friends besides me and those things behind me." he said, referring to the shelf of weapons.
Ata shook his head. "I know them quite well. None of them are worth my time. And besides, every one of my weapons has a spirit inside of it, so it's like having friends." he said, a look of confusion coming over Poe's face. "You can't be serious about that." he said, and Ata nodded. "I am. Besides, as sure as my name is Te-Ata-O-Tu-Ka-Nguha Nga Rauru Kitahi, the only friend I really need is Atua Whiowhio Kenga Teone Nga Rauru Kitahi." he said, referring to both himself and the Kurou by their full names. The train robber shook his head. "You're lucky we're best friends or I'd never believe you." he said, both of them engaging in a hearty round of laughter.
Finished! I do hope you enjoyed it, as it was rather fun to write. If any New Zealanders or those that are more familiar with Maori Culture than me find any discrepancies, from improper usage of the language to improper terminology, I would appreciate it if you let me know, because a couple weeks of research isn't going to make me some kind of expert on everything haha. I thank you for reading, and appreciate your support, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc.
Pronunciation: Tai – Tie-E
Haumi – Hah-oo-me
Whiowhio -fee-yo-fee-yo
Iwi -E-wee
Ariki -ah-ree-key
the rest should be fairly simple to pronounce, since it's pronounced as it looks iirc. Thanks, J 'TGS' U