"I'm getting tired of eating mud," the boy grumbled, picking himself back up again and trying to scrape off as much of the sticky mess as he could. It soaked into his stonewashed cloak and stained the knees of his pants. Worst of all, he was scraping skin off his elbows every time he hit the gravel, jacket sleeves or no.
Figures this would be his job, running back and forth to every outpost to gather information. Everyone else got to fight, even Kikuchiyo got to lead his own small army of archers. Every one except him. Here he was just running around, ducking swords and dodging bullets to tell Kambei they were using bombs. As if the continual thunderous roars and sharp cracks hadn't told him that much already.
The mounted soldier wheeled his mount around, the tortoise scraping its large feet in preparation for another charge. Torn between completing his duty and running or staying to slay this rather determined enemy, Katsushiro hesitated and nearly earned himself a face plant again.
Stumbling sideways and sucking his stomach in to avoid the glittering tip of the sword, the young samurai scrabbled for his own blade. His mud coated fingers were gritty and slid along the cherry wood handle, nearly dropping it as he yanked it clear of its sheath. Still he recovered quick enough the slap the animal on the rear and crack part of it shell. Skipping about in agony, the beast unseated its rider and limped off between the trees, whining.
The downed shinobi flailed about in the thick mud and clawed madly about for some sort of hand hold to get him up quick enough. He didn't stand a chance. Katsushiro's sword punched through the neck armor, cutting the machine's head off with a clean swipe.
With a sigh, he spat into the waterlogged dirt that sucked at his boots and winced again at the nasty taste in his mouth. A kill was a kill, but he wished they didn't have to be rendered helpless before he could kill them.
Another explosion rocked the ground, sending the already lightheaded samurai reeling. No time for self pity, he had a job to do, thankless or not. Kicking to free his feet, he skipped off again, sprinting towards the center of the village where Kambei waited, no doubt still hunched over his map.
As he entered the open clearing, wading through the thick field of amber rice, he saw Kyuzo out of the corner of his eye. The scarlet clad shadow darted in and out of the deeper grains, vanishing and reappearing in a dizzying blur. Katsushiro paused to watch in pure awe as he charged the giant Nobuseri, cleanly severing its most vital pieces and sending the beast tumbling to the ground.
His hands trembled on the hilt of his blade and a chill ran down his spine. Excitedly, he made his own way across the field. All he was doing was asking Kyuzo how things were going at his post. It was the job Kambei had given him right? Smiling impishly, the young samurai charged out into the clearing where the man stoically over the smoking machinery.
"Kyuzo that was amazing!" he panted, sheathing his sword and hurriedly wiping his hands on the cleaner parts of his jacket.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm to run between the posts and collect information. I wanted to ask you how-" The crimson samurai moved in a blur, swinging his right arm around to slap Katsushiro hard across the mouth with the flat of his blade and cut his words sharply off.
Tears stinging at the corners of his eyes, the boy lurched backwards with his hand over his mouth and his legs trembling something horrible. He tasted blood and he could feel it, hot and sticky, between his fingers. Hurt and confused he stared balefully back up at the man who bore down on him, catching him by the collar.
The older man did not shake him and lift him, though, as the he thought he would. No, Kyuzo shook his head and his eyes flashed. "You can do better. Draw. Join the fight."
Slowly, the young samurai dropped his hands from his lips and nodded affirmatively. With a quick salute, he drew his sword again and charged off in the direction of the village, his heart pounding and his chest warm. He could do better! Kyuzo did see potential in him! Despite the blood, he grinned and let out a small laugh. Let anyone challenge him now. Bring on the entire army! He could take them.
Brushing his blond hair back in the face of the wind, Kyuzo did pause to watch him leave. Outwardly, his lips twitched only slightly upwards in that unnerving smirk of a grin. All he needed to be told was that he had potential, that he was a samurai. The more he fed the young man, the more fiercely loyal he became. It was all too easy. Katsushiro made an excellent pawn and Kambei just hated, absolutely loathed, to lose control of anything that loyal to him.
Still, as he turned back his eyes lingered briefly on the smear of blood across his sword, bright and still warm even in the chilly, damp air. The grin faded as he stared at it. Quickly, the man tugged his sleeve up over his hand and self consciously wiped it off. Biting his lip, he turned back and stared off in that direction again though the boy had long sprinted out of sight.
xxxxx
"He's awfully late reporting back this time. Do you think he got himself hurt?" Shichiroji murmured softly as he stood over his long time friend.
"Knowing Katsushiro." Kambei did not continue, just marked another symbol in red. The already damp pages caused it to bleed down and onto one of the crop fields. It was obvious from the tone what he meant.
"Should I go look for him?" The blond's voice was layered with concern and he lifted his head again, eyes straining as he searched the horizon.
"Katsushiro needs to learn, Shichiroji, that life is not handed to you on a platter." His hands pressed just a little too hard on the map as he applied yet another symbol in the upper margins and consequently he stabbed a hole through the parchment.
The motion did not go unnoticed, but it did pass unmentioned.
It was nearly an hour later when the small figure reappeared. When he was close enough to see, Kambei noted his hood had enough of a tear in it that the boy had simply pushed it back over his shoulders and let the rain soak him. His green hair was coming loose from its binding and the tiny silver crown was just slightly askew. His jacket was soaked with mud and oil and his pupils were dilated again.
"Sensei," he rasped, still panting from either his run or the battle rush or possibly both. Blood was drying on his lips and it stained his teeth red, dripping as he leaned over to catch his breath.
"You are very late reporting back," the older man responded coolly.
"I ran into trouble."
The tone was just a tad more defiant than he cared for and his hand tightened on his sword. "Ran into trouble, or went looking for it?" Without giving the young samurai chance to answer he redirected. "Where's Kyuzo?"
"Kyuzo is at his post, Sensei," he breathed, eyes narrowing. "As are all the others. We're about to be attacked, I suggest you prepare for it."
The silver eyes widened then narrowed sharply, his brows furrowing as he stared at the insolent whelp in outrage. "You're not the Katsushiro I know," Kambei said softly. "And I liked him much better."
As the two stared each other down, Shichiroji sensed the mounting tension and nervously stepped between them, clapping his companion on the shoulder with one hand and squeezing Katsushiro's arm tightly and warningly with the other. "If he is correct, then we do need to prepare."
"Do not trust in him, Katsushiro. He is not looking out for your welfare, I can promise you that." As he turned to leave, the young man balled his fists and strained violently against the metal arm holding his own.
"And you do? He's the only one here who has even bothered to help me. If I shouldn't trust anyone, it's you Sensei!"
With a heavy sigh, Kambei closed his eyes. "You'll learn soon enough."
Feeling betrayed, he angrily threw Shichiroji off him and stalked away. Or he started to at least when Kyuzo reentered the village square with Heihachi on his heels. Both looked unharmed for the moment, but behind the mechanic stumbled half a dozen battered villagers that were all leaning on each other.
All five samurai paused to look between each other, the later two sending questioning looks out as they took in what had obviously been a conflict among the group. The crimson samurai need only look into Katsushiro's emerald eyes to understand what had passed between the boy and his Sensei.
Convincing himself that it was all part of the game, he took a deliberate and protective step in front of him before he addressed his rival. "Three ranks of mounted soldiers headed here from the south wall."
Kambei noted the move and stared unflinchingly into Kyuzo's eyes. "Then gather the others. We retreat back here to prepare for the final stand."
As he turned away to speak with Heihachi, the blond pulled Katsushiro to him by the shoulder and murmured in his ear. "Go rinse your mouth out."
"Yes Master," he whispered back, bowing and quickly heading to one of the empty huts. Master? Sensei? Two very heavy titles to two now bitter rivals. The young man sighed and fished around for a bowl. He wasn't completely oblivious to the rising tension between Kambei and his new master and he knew Kyuzo was using him to heat it up. Still he knew there was another feeling there, he could see it in the man's eyes.
"I'm not just a pawn," he whispered before tipping the bowl of rainwater into his mouth and gingerly swishing it about. When the stinging grew too intense, he spat it back and watched the blood drift inside the porcelain.
He hoped he was right. Maybe he was just seeing things he was desperately hoping were there instead of things that actually were.
"I'm not just a pawn," he chanted again, wiping his lips on his sleeve, the blood blending into the red fabric. He glanced back up into the mirror, blinking as his disheveled self greeted him.
Sad and embarrassing though it was, Katsushiro could honestly never remember a time he had been untidy. Even on the city streets his hair had always been neatly combed and as clean as he could possibly keep it. Now, here he was, as messy and unkempt as could be.
With a sigh that was both melancholy and exasperated, he reached back to pull his hair loose from the silvery clip, letting the damp strings tumble down onto the back of his neck. They felt stick and icy cold as they stuck to his shoulders and dripped down his nape. The dark green was dulled with dirt and greasy with oil, turned more of a grayish brown now even with the rain pounding down on his head.
Even with that uncomfortable thought, there was a smile. He resembled a war battered samurai now. He looked like he'd been in a fight. With a rebellious 'hmph' he threw down the clip and let his hair flow loose down his back.
Feeling refreshed he hurried back outside and into a torrent of rain. The cool shower rinsed the dirt from his face and flattened his hair to his neck, but he could hardly see a few feet in front of his face. He was not the only one with that issue obviously for Heihachi was not but a few feet away hiding under an overhang with his goggles down. With a small wave, he beckoned Katsushiro over.
"Well at least we know the bandits with just as handicapped as we are," he jovially with one of his trademark laughs.
"Have you seen Sensei or Kuyzo?" he said quickly.
"You still focused on those two? Just leave them alone for right now. It's not exactly healthy for you to be involved in that." His tone turned suddenly serious and he lifted up his goggles to make eye contact. "I say this as a friend, Katsushiro. Playing between a hurricane and a tornado is not safe and I'm afraid those two will tear you apart without even meaning to."
"Eloquent. I'll keep that in mind." He crept to the edge of the house and peered around the wall. He was met with solid white mist at every turn and enough rain to flood the entire village.
"Each to his own, but I'd do more than brush that off," the red head said sharply. "That's the last I'll say of it." With that he pulled his goggles back down and darted off through the downpour, leaving Katsushiro alone in the deafening roar of the rain, searching for someone he could not see.
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Thanks so much for the reviews I've gotten in though the opinions are just as conflicting as the choices I gave. Still, never worry, I'll try and tailor the story to fit most's expectations. I was going to try and keep it fairly on tack with the episodes, but from here on I'm deviating into my own plot line and settings, so be warned.
So keep the reviews coming, I always love to hear from people and I'll try and update as much as possible.
I have a few tests and essays coming up, so progress may not be as speedy as it has been, but I will try and move it along.
Thanks again!
