Hi! I've got another chapter ready for you. I would like to note right now that this is THE longest chapter that I have made YET. Feedback is appreciated.
Supaiku woke up immediately when his alarm went off. Alright, it was 3 a.m. That should be MORE than enough time to set up traps for when Surudoi got there. Quickly getting all of his ninja tools packed, Supaiku was soon ready to leave. With a cruel grin on his face, he walked for the door. When he opened it, he flinched as he found himself face-to-face with his father. "Supaiku"
His father looked troubled. He and the rest of the clan had been acting strange after the Rensakage made that new law that would result in them getting banished if Supaiku, or any of them for that matter, killed a member of the kusarigama clan. Supaiku frowned as his father looked him in the eye. His expression was unreadable, so many different emotions were present that Supaiku was in no way certain he knew what was about to happen. Eventually, his father cleared his throat. "Supaiku . . . you can't kill her."
Supaiku grinned. "Don't underestimate me father. I am certain I can best her."
To Supaiku's shock, his father shook his head. Supaiku couldn't believe it when he saw the tear streaks going down his father's face. "Supaiku, you don't understand. It's not worth getting banished just to kill one from their clan."
Supaiku gnashed his teeth. "Of course it is. Now which one is blackmailing you into trying to get me to stop, and what the hell did they blackmail you with that is capable of making you of all people try to stop me?"
Supaiku's father sighed as he leaned against the railing of the porch for support. "I've been up all night, looking back at your actions both during and before yesterday's . . . meeting with the Rensakage. I . . . I don't know how to say this Supaiku, but . . . I'm sorry."
Supaiku flinched as his father nodded. "Yes, that's it. I'm so sorry. The Rensakage was right. All I've ever done is turn you into a weapon against the kusarigama clan. Even now, when the stakes are so high, you still put their destruction above everything else. You see them as the most diabolical thing in the world, and you are determined to eradicate them."
Supaiku cocked his head. "Of course I do. That's . . . that's all they are. You told me that yourself, you must believe it!"
Supaiku couldn't understand his father's reaction. His father tensed up, his breath catching in his throat. "That . . . there's more to them than just that, son. You two are the first ones born to our clans since this feud began. We . . . we never realized that we were . . . look son, i-it's best that we aren't banished. Do . . . do you understand?"
Supaiku frowned as he thought about his father's words. It was best that they don't be banished. So . . . a stealthy kill that can't be traced back to Supaiku . . . yeah, he could certainly try that. Supaiku grinned and nodded at his father, who sighed in relief. "Alright, make me proud son."
Supaiku nodded as he left his house, leaving his father behind him. Soon Supaiku was walking with all haste to the training grounds. He grinned as he thought about how to do this . . . how could he have her killed without it being able to be traced back to him? Oh, of course! Supaiku grabbed out his gloves and quickly put them on. If they couldn't get his fingerprints then they couldn't trace it back to him, yes!
But he still had to use something that no one would expect him to. If he used Chain Charmer or his surujin, he may as well go up to the Rensakage and tell her that he did it himself. Hmm . . . well, they didn't know that he was a good aim with a kunai . . . but then again, that wouldn't be a certain kill. He could hit his mark maybe seven out of ten shots. It was hard for him to adjust to a kunai when he was so used to using a surujin.
When Supaiku got to the training ground, he was completely startled when he saw Surudoi walking into the training grounds from the other direction. She glared at Supaiku as she got out her kusarigama, and Supaiku grinned as he got out his surujin. The two of them continued to glare at each other as they spoke, keeping their voices down. "Why, you're here early, Surudoi."
Surudoi chuckled as she started twirling the weighted chain on her kusarigama. "Why are you here, Supaiku? Intending to set traps, no doubt?"
Supaiku grinned. "My orders are to kill you without leaving behind any evidence that it was my doing."
Surudoi flinched before she spoke. "You too? My parents have been . . . acting weird."
Supaiku frowned, her clan was doing that shit too? "Weird as in . . . just, completely different? Most of the jokes and promises I used yesterday ended with me being glared at or the person almost crying."
Surudoi frowned as she lowered her weapons. "Yeah, that's . . . that's a good way to put it. Everything that once made my parents so proud now sends them into tears, I . . . I don't understand what's going on with them."
For just a moment, Supaiku wondered . . . what was going on? What strange occurrence was causing his clan to act like this? Eventually, he shook his head and got ready to strike as Surudoi did the same. Surudoi soon gave a cruel grin. "I do know this though. You are to blame, because you are one of the Surujin!"
Supaiku grinned as he got ready to strike, but they both flinched when they heard a snore. Both of them looked in the direction the snore came from, and they . . . Supaiku looked at Surudoi in shock. "Is that . . ."
Surudoi nodded, and soon the two of them were walking over to the sleeper. It was Kawaii. Seven-year-old Kawaii was sleeping on the ground, how they hadn't noticed him sooner was a question Supaiku wouldn't be able to answer. He was sleeping fully dressed, wearing a cute green shirt and a pair of dark blue pull-up pants. It was kind of funny the way his purple hair was a mess, but . . . well, it certainly wasn't caused by him tossing and turning. Overall, he was sleeping on his back. As Supaiku and Surudoi watched, his body attempted to make Kawaii turn onto his side, but all that happened was Kawaii unconsciously moved his right arm.
The pitiful act almost broke Supaiku's heart. Even when he was asleep, poor Kawaii's condition still hindered his coordination. But the big question was . . . what was he doing out here? Eventually, Supaiku turned to face Surudoi. "I thought he slept in a room in the Rensakage's building."
Surudoi nodded. "Yeah, I thought so too. I . . . she actually makes him sleep out here? Wow, the Rensakage's a bitch."
Supaiku nodded, but soon sighed. He couldn't kill Surudoi with Kawaii present, it just . . . it was wrong. Eventually Supaiku shrugged. "Well, I . . . I guess we should just wake him up and see if he can explain it."
Surudoi nodded, and soon she gently reached down and shook Kawaii's shoulder. Supaiku couldn't help but grin as Kawaii's eyes sleepily fluttered open, lazily looking around. When Kawaii saw Supaiku and Surudoi, his eyes sparkled in glee. After watching Kawaii attempt to get up once (and fail to do so), both Supaiku and Surudoi helped to get Kawaii to his feet. As always, sweet little Kawaii thanked both of them gratefully. Once he stopped, Supaiku smiled kindly at him. "Hi there, Kawaii"
Kawaii smiled at Surudoi and Supaiku, saying hi back to them. Supaiku smiled at him as Surudoi asked what Kawaii was doing here. For a moment, Supaiku thought grudgingly that Surudoi was far too much to the point, like all that were part of the kusarigama clan were. But when Kawaii spoke, Supaiku immediately began paying attention. "Well, you know how my condition makes it impossible for me to get anywhere too fast? I decided the only way I'd get here on time would be to sleep here."
Surudoi and Supaiku grinned at each other. Yeah, that was Kawaii alright. He completely missed the point of the question. As such, Supaiku cleared his throat. "Alright, and you wanted to be here to watch us during the training?"
Huh, that made sense actually. Kawaii certainly was the type of person to want to watch something exciting. However, Kawaii flinched and blushed as he weakly lifted up one arm, his hand as normal remaining limp. "Oh! Sorry, I completely . . . well, you know how the Rensakage said that she was going to find you a third squad member?"
Oh. Okay, so . . . well, it was strange, but . . . Supaiku shrugged. "Ah, so you are here to tell us who our third squad member is?"
Kawaii giggled. "No, no. I mean . . . do you remember how she said that if she found you a third squad member, she'd send them here?"
Supaiku frowned as he looked around. Besides for Kawaii, Surudoi, and Supaiku, there was no one here. "I remember that, but . . . ah! See Kawaii, we're really early for the training. So it makes sense that the other person wouldn't be here yet."
Surudoi nodded. "Yeah. We wanted to lay some traps to k . . . uh, you know, like pranks. Like a bucket of water or . . . or something."
As both Surudoi and Supaiku blushed, Supaiku thought about it. If he had set a trap, and this third member had gotten here before Surudoi . . . he would have gotten the third person hurt. Not only that, after how Natichi . . . died, the Rensakage would likely have sent someone that both Supaiku and Surudoi were friends with. But then again . . . who was there that could like a despicable demon like Surudoi? Kawaii giggled again as his eyes sparkled. "Oh, I get it! You two are super sneaky ninjas! That's so cool!"
Surudoi and Supaiku both chuckled. It was so easy to get a compliment from Kawaii. Still . . . "Okay Kawaii, so do you know who the third member of Surudoi and I's group will be?"
Kawaii nodded. "Yeah!"
Supaiku grinned as he waited, but Kawaii didn't elaborate. Surudoi chuckled as she looked at Supaiku. "He doesn't pick up on subtext, Supaiku."
With a slight chuckle Surudoi got down to eye level with Kawaii. "Ok Kawaii, who is our third group member?"
Kawaii giggled again, his entire body moving as he continued to giggle. Once he got done, he smiled at both Surudoi and Supaiku. "You two are funny! Baransu is our squad's leader, not our third group member!"
Supaiku shook his head. "We know of him, Surudoi and I want to know . . . wait. Our squad's leader?"
Kawaii smiled as he nodded. "Yeah! It's really cool that he's our squad leader. It's going to be all three of us going on missions under Baransu Manrikigusari's lead!"
Supaiku felt like he had just been slugged in the stomach. Kawaii was their third team member? "What-"
To Supaiku's surprise Surudoi suddenly covered his mouth. She gave him the 'shut the fuck up' signal before speaking sweetly to Kawaii. "I'm sorry Kawaii. Can you excuse us for a few minutes?"
Kawaii smiled sweetly. "Of course. No trouble at all."
Against Supaiku's wishes, Surudoi dragged Supaiku a little distance away from Kawaii. Once they were out of earshot, Surudoi removed her hand from Supaiku's mouth. Supaiku . . . "I don't believe it. He's our third squad member? What the hell is wrong with the Rensakage? I-I . . . we're both 13 . . . right?"
Surudoi nodded, and Supaiku continued. "He's seven, has a severe limitation to his motor skills . . . h-he barely comes up to our waists! Not only that, he's so naïve that . . . I-I can't believe she . . ."
Surudoi nodded. "What game is she playing at? This isn't hide-and-go-seek, this is . . . we need to get him to realize he's in danger. We have to get him to quit, this is suicide for him!"
Supaiku nodded. No matter what, he couldn't let Kawaii get himself hurt! After the two of them nodded to each other, they walked back over to where Kawaii was. Supaiku cleared his throat, how was he going to say this. "Hey, um . . . Kawaii. I uh . . . are . . . are you certain you want to become a ninja?"
Kawaii got Supaiku by surprise when he nodded eagerly. "Yeah, it'll be really cool! We will be all bam bam and we'll go around and complete missions together! This'll be awesome!"
Supaiku sighed, but thankfully Surudoi spoke. "Look, Kawaii. I just . . . I don't mean to be . . . well, mean, but . . . I don't think you can become a ninja."
Kawaii smiled at her. "Yeah I can. The Rensakage asked if I wanted to be on your squad and I said 'yes' so she said 'Even if your life could be in danger?' So I answered 'but they wouldn't kill me.' And she-"
Supaiku sighed. He wanted to hurry this up a little. "I'm sorry Kawaii, but . . . well . . . you can't fight. And no offense Kawaii, but I can't see you killing someone."
Kawaii got Supaiku and Surudoi by surprise when he . . . well, it was clear he was expecting that question. "There's more to being a ninja than killing enemies. I can still help, it'll be fun!"
As Surudoi paced the ground nervously, Supaiku sighed. There was no way that they were going to get Kawaii to disagree without saying that they wouldn't accept him on the team, and . . . well, that would break his little heart. After a bit of thought, Supaiku sighed again. So this was the Rensakage's second catch, huh. "Alright, Kawaii. But . . . well, if we're going to be on a squad then we need to know what you specialize in."
Kawaii frowned as he cocked his head. "Specialize?"
Supaiku grinned. "Well . . . here. You said you can still help even though you can't fight. Can you tell us how you can help?"
Kawaii's eyes sparkled as he looked around. "Yeah, but . . . well, I kind of want to play hide and go seek. I-I can't do the hiding well, but I do the seeking really good. Can we?"
Supaiku flinched at the sudden change in topic. After he looked up at the sky, he decided they had some time. "Alright, one game and then you tell us your strengths, ok?"
Kawaii nodded eagerly, and after Supaiku told Kawaii to count to 100 after closing his eyes, he motioned at Surudoi that he wanted to speak to her in the forest. As Kawaii eagerly counted, Supaiku and Surudoi slipped into the forest and got behind a log, lying low so Kawaii couldn't see them. Once hidden, Surudoi whispered to Supaiku. "How the hell are we going to get him to leave without hurting his feelings?"
Supaiku tried hard to find a way, but as Kawaii reached 90 Supaiku had to concede defeat. "I think that we have to hurt his feelings, it's not as bad since we're doing it to keep him safe . . . right?"
As Surudoi looked the other way, they both listened as Kawaii finished up counting. "95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100! Ready or not, here I come!"
Both Supaiku and Surudoi flinched when not more than ten seconds later they heard Kawaii's voice a little closer. "You both are hiding behind that log that has two branches sticking out of the top of it!"
Supaiku and Surudoi both looked up at the top of the log, and Supaiku's eyes opened wide as he counted two branches on top of the log. How . . . "Kawaii, did you peek?"
Even though Kawaii insisted he didn't, both Supaiku and Surudoi frowned. Kawaii had found them so easily . . . and he had brought up playing hide and go seek when Supaiku asked about Kawaii's abilities. Hmm . . .
Soon the two of them nodded to each other. After they blindfolded Kawaii so he 'wouldn't be able to peek', the two of them had him count again. This time they both hid in different spots, Surudoi under some bushes and Supaiku hid high in a tree, both making as little noise as possible while getting to and into their hiding spots.
To Supaiku's complete shock, Kawaii found both of them right away. Soon they both used more and more concealed hiding spots, and both of them began to realize what Kawaii had meant when they always failed to fool him. Eventually, both Surudoi and Supaiku decided Kawaii was good enough that they should try hiding 'clones' as well. Using their clones as they also used skillful traps to make different bushes and tree branches rustle to throw off Kawaii's hearing, they both felt confident that Kawaii wouldn't be able to find them.
When Kawaii found them both quickly, even noting where each trick and trap was, they both were astounded at Kawaii's skill. After they worked hard on trying to trick Kawaii, failing to do so again and again, Supaiku and Surudoi had to admit defeat. They just couldn't beat him. As Surudoi took the blindfold off of Kawaii, Supaiku thought of what they had just learned. Kawaii may not have been able to fight, but he didn't NEED to. His skill at locating hidden targets-not falling for tricks or traps while doing so-certainly would come in handy.
As they told Kawaii he had convinced them, Kawaii suddenly noted that someone was approaching the clearing. Surudoi and Supaiku turned around to find Baransu approaching, and were quite surprised to see he didn't look surprised to see Kawaii. In fact, Baransu looked much more surprised that Surudoi and Supaiku hadn't killed each other yet.
It was only when he mentioned that when Supaiku even remembered about the fact that Surudoi was a kusarigama clan member. As the two of them glared at each other, Supaiku began to wonder . . . what in the world had made him . . . had he and Surudoi just pulled off teamwork against Kawaii? Of course, it failed, but . . . but they had worked together.
Not only that . . . Supaiku was starting to wonder. Surudoi hadn't been able to bring herself to hurt Kawaii's feelings. But . . . that went against just about everything Supaiku knew about the kusarigama clan. Hmm . . . in the end, Supaiku decided he needed more time to figure this out. She could live . . . for now. "Alright, team nine."
Surudoi, Supaiku, and Kawaii looked at Baransu, who showed them two small bells that he secured to his pants. "These bells are your targets. You need to get them by noon, or you don't get any lunch. At the end of it, each person with a bell passes."
Kawaii abruptly spoke up. "Each . . . but there are only two bells."
Baransu nodded with a slight grin. "Correct. No matter what, at least one person will fail. That person gets no lunch and gets tied to a stump while everyone else eats in front of them."
Supaiku grimaced as he realized . . . "Oh, come on! What was the real reason we weren't supposed to have breakfast?"
Baransu grinned, but besides for that he ignored the question. "You will have to come at me with the intent to kill."
As Supaiku and Surudoi nodded, subtly glaring at each other, Baransu grinned wider. "Begin!"
Both Surudoi and Supaiku practically flew into hiding, both quickly getting behind the same tree. Surudoi spoke to Supaiku as if she was speaking to dirt. "Alright, here's the plan."
Supaiku glared at her. "Hey, being of the Surujin clan I am naturally superior at strategies than you are."
Surudoi glared right back at him, but before the two of them could continue the argument they suddenly heard Kawaii. "Can I please have the bells?"
Both Surudoi and Supaiku looked at each other in complete shock, had Kawaii just . . . as they saw the dumbstruck look on Baransu's face as well the two of them began to wonder if they should reconsider having Kawaii on their squad. Kawaii . . . as Baransu shook his head, he spoke. "No, you can't."
Kawaii looked confused, and as he spoke Supaiku really began to wonder if Kawaii's hide-and-go-seek trick was a fluke. "But . . . didn't you tell us we needed to get the bells?"
Baransu's eyes narrowed and Supaiku flinched in shock as Baransu slapped Kawaii across the face. "Stop with the act you moron! Let's suppose you aren't manipulating the Rensakage, let's suppose you aren't just being a little bastard. Then why are you here? You can't be a ninja, you can't even play ninja!"
Supaiku's grip on his surujin's chain tightened with each insult Baransu used on Kawaii. Kawaii looked deeply startled as Baransu continued. Then Baransu abruptly focused quite a bit of chakra into his left foot and slammed it into Kawaii, sending him flying over to where Supaiku and Surudoi were staying. Surudoi shocked Supaiku when she spoke, her voice trembling with rage. "That fucking bastard! H-how dare he do that to Kawaii!"
Supaiku nodded, and soon the two of them went over to where Kawaii was on the ground. He still looked extremely shocked, and as Supaiku and Surudoi helped Kawaii to his feet Kawaii spoke. "I-I . . . I didn't . . . I . . ."
Supaiku forced himself to smile. "Don't listen to Baransu, Kawaii."
Surudoi nodded with a smile of her own. "We think you will make a great ninja."
Kawaii gulped but then impressed Supaiku when he managed to get a hold of himself. "A-alright, I . . . I've got an idea."
My GOODNESS! What a shock, KAWAII is on their team? I bet you NEVER saw that coming! I am SUPER sneaky, aren't I? Ok, to be honest, I'm not entirely certain. SHOULD I keep the prologue? I'm kind of thinking it may just give away a little bit TOO much, but I don't want to delete it without a second opinion. Again, feedback would be appreciated. The next chapter should be done ready to go soon.
Update: 2/29/12
I'm going to assume that the lack of commentary or personal messages is either being caused by a lack of interest in my question or the idea that my PM settings may be blocking everyone from responding. I'll work on my settings for my private messaging and then wait patiently to see if I will get any more replies.
