Disclaimer: This rewrite with more than 2000 words belongs to me. The characters however, do not. Enjoy.

Chapter One:

The Three heads of the Crane

Part One: Chaozu

At first there was nothing but black. Though he could hear sounds around him, he was blind, or really his eyes were just covered. Entire body stiff as a board, he forced his arms up to his face, and with his hands, he felt a smooth, rough substance on him. The thing that was blinding him; It was paper. His hands tried to clasp it, but they couldn't, as if the paper was stuck on him. It was painful, forcing his hands to clap the parchment.

It seems he doesn't have a voice, because as he wanted to shout out, a heaving wheeze came out instead, followed by a cough.. He tore the parchment off of his face. Something bright was hurting his eyes, making him unable to focus as if he was just newly born. He couldn't read the paper, and yet…

"CHAOZU!"

The boy slowly opened his eyes, awake, and awaiting orders. Wiping his eyes from the last remaining sand, he noticed that he was in Tsurusennin's vehicle. Looking out, he saw the setting sun reflecting its last warmth into the bright blue ocean, where magical red carps began flying into the air.

Tsurusennin gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the rainbow that started to appear. "Kami I hate going this way at this time, though if I didn't we wouldn't get to base until tomorrow morning." He looked to Chaozu and shook his head. "You should never be moved by such things. That is the first lesson you'll heed from the Crane master."

Immediately Chaozu turned his head. "Yes master." Not even initially moved by the display, Chaozu was just looking, and to please his master, stated:

"My training as an assassin will begin immediately, right sir?"

"No. First you must train in martial arts..."

"Yes sir." Eventually, the two got to land, and just when the sun finally went down, Tsurusennin stopped the craft.

"Let's go."

"Yes Sir."

When the two got out of the hovercraft, Tsurusennin casually tossed an orange container capsule at the machine. In just one second, and a giant 'BOOM!' the hovercraft was gone, inserted in the small capsule. Tsurusennin picked up the capsule, and started walking to the woods of the island, with Chaozu trailing.

"You may call me Master Shen." Stated Tsurusennin.

"Yes, Master Shen." Chaozu looked through the woods, feeling familiarity. The chirping of the tiny birds, and flittering of the giant insects, made him feel at ease. Suddenly, not paying attention he floated right into Master Shen. Chaozu jumped back, embarrassed. Master Shen turned, gave him a stern look, and turned back around.

"We're here!" called Master Shen out to the camp in front of them. There were several tents, and a small fire already started. Suddenly, a young man jumped out from one of the tents, and doing flips in the air, lands on one knee, eyes closed. Master Shen turned to Chaozu, and grinned. Chaozu took a good look at the young man. He was pretty tall, leaning over his knee. He was wearing black sweats, and was barefoot. He had a serious look in all of his three eyes.

"Wait." Thought Chaozu. "Three!"

The triclops opened his eyes, looking to Shen. "Master, you've returned- he then looked to the pale boy to his side-what in Kami's name is that?"

Though his face was unmoved, Chaozu immediately felt unnerved and angry at the words.

"Jerk. I am not an object!"

Part Two: Tsurusennin…Less than 24 hours Prior…

Deep in the world's wondrous chasm, you could find Tsurusennin, held firm to Meditation. Beads of sweat were forming on his brow, and grew larger until falling to his lap. What was the meaning for this? Why mediate?

...To find peace?

No.

...Then to become enlightened?

One can't become enlightened through meditation.

...Then why?

...Boredom.

...What?

Yes, boredom. Tsurusennin was bored. For the past 20 years, not a single pupil, or contract call has been sent to him. The thought of no one needing an ancient master to teach them kung fu, or hire to kill infuriated him. HE was the one who taught Tao Pie Pie, his own brother! Now he runs around as 'THE WORLD's GREATEST ASSASSIN!' and he gets a post card, with him on a beach, sometimes around beautiful women, asking him "Wish you were here?"

Jerk.

Tsurusennin roared out of his thoughts and jetted out of the cavern, enraged, and feeling crazy. He flew out so quickly, that he didn't even see the human blur coming his way and sure wasn't able to move in time.

"Holy..." The words followed were hard to hear, but the meaning was still clear. The young man who was the blur, rubbed his eyes sorely, but stood up, and walked to the still cursing Tsurusennin.

"Master Shen." Though quite nervous, the man knew first impressions were everything, and needed to show his courage if he was to learn from the Crane.

"You can't call me master if I never accepted to train you." grumbled Tsurusennin. Standing up, and suddenly pointing at the man's forehead, asked. "Is that an eye?"

Not exactly what the man expected the hermit to ask, or even expected him to POINT at him, the man kept his cool. "Yes sir. My name is Tenshinhan and-

"Why did you tell me your name?"

"Wha? W-w-well I-

"Why are you stumbling on speech?" Instantly Tenshinhan knew was being tested, and went silent



"...Good, you're quiet. It took others at least ten minutes to shut it." Tsurusennin smiled, and slowly entered the man's mind. Through the darkness, Tsurusennin found the answers.

"You want to become the greatest assassin of the world, so you spent every waking moment for 15 years studying martial arts including Karate, Kenpo, and Shotokan…Your name is a pun off of fried rice……Your favorite hobbies excluding fighting and training is photography…You hate sweet things, yet you surround yourself with people who love them……… You turn 17 next month……….You idolize my brother, and would willingly fight him in a no holds match, to the death if need be..." He looked into Tenshinhan's shocked and awed expression. "……………Did I get everything?"

Tenshinhan coughed and knelt down, with his stomach to the ground. "Please sir. I have been searching the mountains high and low for you. Though I am not worthy, wish to-

"Yeah, ok." interrupted Tsurusennin. "You may call me Master Shen. Looking at the boy's questioned face, he admitted. "I'm bored; I don't feel like pretending to reject you." At this, a helicopter like craft came into view. It slowed down and as it landed, a young woman jumped out.

"Excuse me, are you the Crane Master?"



"Yes." stated Tsurusennin. He knew what the deal was without even reading her mind. "Is this about a contract?"

"Yes sir."

Tsurusennin looked to Tenshinhan. "About 10 miles east of here is my camp. I'll be back tomorrow evening." At this he followed the woman in the vehicle, leaving Tenshinhan, alone.

"So what's the hit?" questioned Shen. Immediately, he was given a picture.

"That is the demon of Mango City." stated the woman, her craft on auto. "The city was a bustling, and growing city, yet no one knew that the entire population was massacred until last week, when a couple-the ones who hired you-were going to visit family. At first it seemed deserted, until they started finding human bones. Then they saw him. They escaped with the picture, and I was sent to look for either you, or assassin Tao.

Tao again. Still, they found him, and when he gets back, he'll have a new student to abuse- I mean teach. Tsurusennin looked at the photo one last time. The thing that bothered him the most was the demon's white skin…

……………….Back to the present……………

"Master, you've returned…what in Kami's name is that?" pointed Tenshinhan at what seemed to be, a midget clown?

"This..." smiled Tsurusennin, rubbing the boys head, "...Is Chaozu, the demon of Mango City, and my newest pupil." Chaozu's eyes seemed as soulless as a black hole. He wasn't a demon. He was WORSE. One thought came to Tenshinhan's mind.

'Abomination. I will destroy you first chance I get.'

Part Three: Tenshinhan

"Master Shen? Is this the other student?" Chaozu wondered, looking at Tenshinhan. "Hello. My name is Chaozu."

He looked up at the giant towering above him, with not a sign of emotion, not a sign of feeling. Just soulless. Tenshinhan squinted his eyes slowly, huffed, and looked away, considering manners a waste of time. Still with no emotion, Chaozu retorted.



"Freak." An instant later the "freak" did more than just roll his eyes. Who the flip does this poor excuse of a china doll think to call someone a freak? Feeling petty and just to humiliate him, Tenshinhan purposely stood over him, and with a grimace started:

"Who you're calling a freak you bleached monster!" 'That had to have got him. Maybe he'll cry if I continue.' "I don't know what's worse, the eye liner you wear to look pretty, or that after seventeen years you would have still need an adult to go in theatres!"

Tenshinhan sneered at the little clown, his face starting to twist up into cute strange shapes, breathing hard...Cry you spawn, cry.

And then, Chaozu...smiled?

Chaozu then levitated ever so slowly to Tenshinhan's normal eyes, his eyes with an endless void, and a mouth full of smack.



"So when people ask, do you tell them that cliché 'Oh that's just my third eye' when it's actually a deformity? That your mother smoked Rainben while sinning on her father, and that's how you became? Or is it something else, entirely?" He moved to touch Tenshinhan's third eye.

"Is this...really?" Tenshinhan, in utter disbelief at Chaozu's calmness, and his quickness to insults didn't react until it was too late. His eye didn't even close. It was squishy, and soft like a fresh banana, newly peeled. O, and yes the pain was excruciating.

"YOU LITTLE BAS-

"That's enough." Master Shen only had to state it once, and they went quiet. Chaozu looked to Master Shen, and floated to the side of Tenshinhan, eye still smarting, but tolerable.

"This is going to be tough." Master Shen thought. "They believe the other is a waste of time. Thoughts like these can cause setbacks, and next thing you know, one of them would have an 'accident.'"

"Tenshinhan, honestly, how do you feel about Chaozu?"



Tenshinhan didn't even try to hide his contempt. "Master, how can we harbor a demon such as this? It's shameful." He turned to Chaozu with a look of disgust. Chaozu continued staring at Master Shen, unmoved.

"What do you believe is the reason for me to have Chaozu here?" Master Shen was almost cut off with a very quick answer.

"To prove my worth by taking this thing's life."

"You talk too much." Stated Chaozu as he picked up a bit grass. "I am not like you, and I am not what you claim I am." He then threw the grass into the air, and stooped down to grab more grass, stating:

"Your life is mine to take. Not the other way around." Tenshinhan muttered to himself, smiling.

"I show you soon enough what happens to those who speak like that."

Tsurusennin's frown was almost dripping to the ground like old cottage cheese. He was expecting Chaozu to defend himself, but he went a bit over board. "Wow. Not even Kame and I felt this way, when our master was still alive. Maybe this idea will work."



"Before you two can go to bed, you two will have a friendly spar." Tenshinhan's eyes went from looking down to lighting up. "By seeing the other in battle, it will mean you can learn a little of each other." He paused before adding. "I think."

"Sound like a plan." answered Tenshinhan. He looked to Chaozu, his opponent, and grinned.

"You're dead." He stepped away about 25 feet, and turned. Chaozu didn't even move, let alone turn to his opponent.

"He's really starting to make me mad." Tenshinhan immediately went into an offensive stance, and waited.

Shen looked to Tenshinhan, eyes full of murderous intent. A chi of hate so thick you can cut slabs of it with a butcher's knife. Then Shen looked to Chaozu, who was staring into space; Shen felt the pull of his own signature chi rise, though no one would consider it chi.



"This boy...Tenshinhan has the skills and potential, but the true assassin of the two is this boy here. It's all because of what he is...I just hope they don't leave each others as corpses when this is over"

"BEGIN!" Tenshinhan was already to Chaozu, ready for the first strike kill...

To be continued

Kame- Master Roshi's real name. Read the manga.

Tsurusennin/Master Shen- The hermit's real name and title. READ the manga.

Tenshinhan- Not Tien. Are you reading the manga yet?