He's a child, or at least the Seven Swordsmen like to call him so. He becomes infuriated under their watchful gazes', an object of scorn whenever he fails. He works to use this as motivation. As much as he hates constructive criticism.

He'll prove himself.

Mangetsu is different. He is still his brother, still family, still blood, but all too unknown in some ways. He trains with him only once a week, now. The promotion was expected but nevertheless too sudden for Suigetsu. He wasn't ready yet. He hated their celebration and unity as a group. It's too soon. The pent-up frustration toward them and their fancy swords takes its toll, sometimes. Jealousy eats at him like a disease and he can only fight to hide the envy and resent that blossoms within.

The shadow is cold.

But his will be even colder.

He may have been younger, but dammit, he was fucking skilled. He would show them.

And if Mangetsu weren't his brother.. if they didn't share the same technique.. if they didn't resemble one another so well, he was confident he could take him down. A little competition was healthy, but a bit too stressful on an inexperienced soul. He wasn't too good at handling emotions. Particularly the negative ones.

"Hey there," Suigetsu is in a mood where he's angry at the world. Ready to take it out on somebody else. Ready to make them suffer. "you look closer to my age. Maybe even a little older. What are you doing out here all alone?.. What is it? Don't feel like talking? Fine then—you wanna dance?"

The ninja, and he can tell he is a ninja by his forehead protector, seemed shaken by his demeanor, dark eyes giving away how horrified he was. "N-No thank you, I.."

"I don't appreciate being told no," He wished he had a cool weapon to show off at the least, gripping the boy by raven hair. The yelp of pain he lets out is satisfying. Yeah, he would make a decent outlet. An easy target. His actions felt justified. "or so you'll learn. Oh, please, I don't bite. Well, maybe a little."

"Please!" His unwilling opponent cried as he twisted his hand around his scalp. "let me go! I didn't do anything!"

"No thank you," Suigetsu made fun of him, rocking his head by the strands. "for a minute there, I thought you were a girl from behind. Maybe if you didn't wear your hair so long, people wouldn't pick on you."

"Please go away," He pleaded, struggling futilely.

"Fight me then, you girly-looking.."

"Haku," A man with a deep and intimidating tone emerges from the mist, "there you are. Getting into some trouble, I see."

"I-I'm sorry!"

"This ain't your fight, old man," Suigetsu doesn't recognize him at first, the view too clouded. He held his victim tighter. "get lost."

"Release him," The self-appointed leader of the group ordered, moving like he was going to reach for his blade. "now."

Suigetsu was struck by bewilderment, fumbling backwards in order to get away. At last he recognizes the Kirigakure uniform. Of course it had to be him. But this guy.. He was twice as frightening than he could ever be.

Zabuza held Kubikiribōchō above him, half-masked face not giving away any indication that he would take pity. "You get lost, kid. Haku could take you out in an instant if he wanted. He's not much of a combatant, but we're working on that.."

His prodigy now avoided eye-contact with them both.

"I didn't know—"

"Quiet! Is this how you treat your elders, son? For your sake, I certainly hope not."

Suigetsu was still limp on the ground, speechless at being confronted by the Demon of the Hidden Mist. He could have really passed for a demon if he wanted. That face, those hateful eyes, those blood-stained clothes, that enormous blade.. but wait. Why was he protecting this kid?

Still, he has to admit, Zabuza impresses him.

"Aren't you gonna say something? Cry, scream, run?!" He barks, oblivious to the trembling excuse for admiration. "Well, I'll just kill you right here then!"

Mangetsu appeared to block the sword with his own. "Get back, Zabuza."

The Momochi scowled. He wasn't really going to hurt him. Maybe just a few bashes to the skull, nothing major. "How about you control your brother next time?"

"He's bad-tempered," Mangetsu dragged Suigetsu to his feet. "as you are."

If this kid was supposed to live up to his name as an honorable swordsman, he had a long way to go.

"Mmph," Zabuza cooled off, crossing both arms. "don't talk to me like that, brat."

"It won't happen again," The newest member gestured to his brother. "because he's very very sorry. Go on, apologize, Suigetsu."

He isn't going to.

Not in a million years.

Their confrontation gets cut short by the arrival of a few other members.

Raiga beckons, "What are you two doing? Let's get going."

So his oldest Hōzuki was good at protecting him in times of need. Big deal. It wasn't a fair fight, but he could have at least went up against that womanly companion of his. He was sure of it.

"Mangetsu," The novice stepped up to the group in protest, "I'll go too."

"No," Zabuza deadpanned, "the rest of you will finish without me. Haku and I have business to tend to."

"Then what's it matter if I come?" Suigetsu asked, immediately knocked back by the terrifying glare.

Stupid little tag-along kids.

"Suigetsu," Mangetsu took him aside privately, cerulean eyes forever calm. Patience with his sibling could be another story. "maybe.. it's best if you stay in the village. Sit this one out, and you might be able to come next time."

"Why?!" He took this personally, disappointment fueling his anger.

"Quit arguing for once. I don't have the energy for this."

"Go figure. All you have time for these days are your precious swordsmen. How are you going to choose them over your own brother?"

"Listen—"

"No!" Suigetsu went off, "I'm tired of this! I'm tired of them! I'm tired of you! I'm done trying! Fuck that, man."

Being promoted had changed him for the worst. Mangetsu was supposed to stay and become better with him, not pass him up. It wasn't his fault he was the little brother. He didn't want to be left behind. It was unbearable. And at times like this, he hated the group he wanted so desperately to be apart of. What made them so special?

Maybe he would change his destiny and leave the Hidden Mist. He would follow his own dream. Screw their plans. Maybe he would assassinate a small country's leader and start a new village. One with no Seven Swordsmen. One that he lead, one that stood alone, one where nobody could tell him what to do...

All he needed was himself.

If he didn't need those particular swords so badly..

The younger of the two went to storm away in agonized defeat. From the look his brother had given him, he at least achieved the goal of hurting him. Suigetsu couldn't stand to be left alone with the fact that he wasn't good enough. To face the fact that he was failing to live up to his name in his clan, failing while his own brother surpassed him. He has to leave before he's left alone to face the fact that the village wanted his brother. Not him. It had always been his sibling. It was never him.

"I'm sorry, Suigetsu," Mangetsu was left feeling a sense of responsibility and guilt, knowing how pointless it was to go after him. "I'm sorry.."


"Hey! Are you even listening?!" A well-earned slap to the head broke him out of his thoughts. "Suigetsu!"

The teen's focus shifts from the propped-up Kubikiribōchō back to his has-been least favorite teammate. "Huh? I am listening!"

"I swear your attention never leaves that stupid sword," Karin scooted her chair back, "and if I wanted to be stared at by half-wits all day, I'd go back to the psychiatric ward."

"Why go there when you could just look in the mirror?"

She furiously stabbed his hand with her butter knife, already cursing as water enveloped the table and a majority of her entrée.

"Damn you."

Suigetsu smirked triumphantly. "That's what you get."

"You're too annoying."

"Anyway, I was thinking that I could get used to it around here. The food is like.. so assorted. It's not half bad, 'ya know."

They're in the same spot he met her at the other day, across from one another. He resumes devouring food like he hasn't had any in years, and she can't help but recoil in disgust.

"I'll ask you again, since you clearly weren't listening," Karin hasn't changed from her former demanding self. "how is Jūgo doing?"

"Hmm," Suigetsu swallowed. "I'm a little offended you didn't ask how I've been."

"How is he?" She asked for a third time.

"He's okay, I guess," A careless shrug. "Well, as okay as Jūgo can get."

"Too bad," Her voice lowers from disappointment, absentmindedly trying to wipe away water with a napkin. "then Lord Orochimaru hasn't been successful at any sort of reversal."

"Nope," Suigetsu finally feels full, slurping down a large soft drink. "but from what I gather.. he's not trying."

"What do you mean?" Karin said indignantly, "the least he can do is return Jūgo to normal after all this time."

"How is work coming over at your hideout?"

She fell into silence at the off-topic question, struggling to maintain eye-contact. "Not well."

"And why's that?"

"I've been in Konoha for a little over a month now. I needed a break from it all."

"You're not here because they're short in the medical department, then," Suigetsu said mischievously, "liar!"

"And just what benefit would I get from lying, you dumbass excuse for a piranha?!"

"Hell if I know your motives! Anyway, I don't care. I've wanted to get away from it before the thought ever crossed your Sasuke-obsessed mind."

Karin calmed herself down at the mental reminder that they were simply colleagues trying to exchange information. Team Hawk was no more, they didn't have to work together in close quarters, and they should have been able to get along for a span of ten seconds or more. And besides, he would always prove irritating.

"I'm not lying, Suigetsu."

He believed her. "Alright, fine."

"What kind of work does he have you doing?"

"I don't know how serious he is on this project, but he's trying to create an actual kid. Made out of his own genetic makeup or some shit."

"Yes, he's told me about it," She narrowed her eyes, "I'm involved in the project over at my hideout as well. At first I thought it was impossible. But this is the man who made strides in nearly perfecting the world's forbidden reanimation jutsu. A kid should be nothing for him."

"You gotta give at least some of the credit to that sidekick of his.."

"Right, well," Karin muttered, "Kabuto still gives me the creeps."

"Apparently he's in need of some herb that grows only in the fields of Konoha's crops."

She gasps, one hand cupping her mouth. "Don't tell me that's why you're here, Suigetsu."

He is insulted, hissing in outrage, "What do you mean?! No! I wanted to leave. I thought we just talked about this! Can I not make my own fucking choices? I wish you wouldn't say things like that."

"I'm sorry, it's just—that kind of experiment can't be foolproof."

"I know," Suigetsu was still very offended. "trust me, that isn't why I'm here. I wouldn't stick my neck out like that for him. He better learn to make do without it, because those Konoha shinobi never leave the perimeter."

"Good, because we could be in some real trouble if that were the case."

The next thing he sees is a flash of neon orange leg warmer plummeting down on their table. Silverware and glass go flying, forcing the both of them on a last-minute defense.

"What the—"

Karin ends with a string of profanities, stumbling over paved ground.

Suigetsu lands beside her, not thinking in the heat of the moment to grab his sword. "What the fuck was that?"

Wasn't the Leaf supposed to be a safe place?

"How should I know?!"

"Aren't you the one with the unrivaled sensing abilities? I could've poked an eye out!"

"It was I," A voice shouts as the dust begins to clear, "yes, it was none other! I apologize for the surprise ambush—however.."

"Who is this guy?" Suigetsu questioned impatiently, using the water still dripping from the table to lure Kubikiribōchō back into his hands.

"I am your opponent now!" Their passionate foe stretches one arm back for a pose, "You will not forget the name. That's right! Rock Lee! Dubbed as the Handsome Green Devil of the Hidden Leaf Village!"

Where did he come from?

"Suigetsu, what the hell? Who manages to get into this much trouble within 48 hours?!" Karin shrieks.

Please.. you call this guy trouble?

He recognizes the unusual dude from the photograph Tenten had shown him yesterday. He looked even more like a loser in person. So, she was behind this somehow...

"Well, I don't know who told you that," He taunts happily, "they're lying. Because you're the farthest thing from handsome."

"I challenge you in hopes that you live up to your moniker as well," Lee beckons him with four fingers. "but I must say, so far, I am not yet convinced. Prove me wrong! Do not hold back!"

"What's he babbling about?" Karin gives them both a weird look.

Suigetsu snorts, going for the handle on Kubikiribōchō. Was it his lucky day or what? Two matches in one week. And this one was begging for it. "Somebody's fired up."

"After all, you are a worthy adversary from the Hidden Mist! Let me be the first of Konoha Eleven to set the highest bar there is!" Lee dug his toe into the ground, "Do your best! Second Coming of the Demon, Suigetsu Hōzuki!"

"Haven't heard that in a while," He reminisces subtly, "huh, don't I feel world-renowned."

"You will regret doubting the greatest taijutsu master in the Leaf, as the title was passed on by my sensei!"

"Man, is that all you Leaf ninja like to do," The swordsman can feel himself being put to sleep, "talk?"

He lurches back, a blur of green rushing toward them. If he didn't know better, he would've marveled at the other's quickness and then wonder just when he'd become so slow.

"Suigetsu! Your left!"

Karin stood behind, expecting her ex-teammate's first blow to be harsh. His swing makes a sickening slice through the sound barrier.

Lee merely backflipped off the edge of the sword, sliding to a graceful stop. "Yes, that's more like it!"

"What? I'm supposed to be intimidated just because you know a little about me?! My name's far and wide, buddy. Get back here!"

"Watch your blind spots now. His chakra signature is—different."

"A sensor type," The green-suited teen exclaims, "even more of a challenge!"

"What do you mean different?" Suigetsu snapped, already fed up with his never-ending enthusiasm and loudness. He hoped Tenten would be able to get over it, because she was about to lose her last teammate to a slow and painful death. Speaking of, what the fuck? How did this freak find him?

"I must fight you even though you do not verbally accept."

"Hey, it's your funeral."

"I shall defeat you with the power of youth!"

She must really not care for his well-being too much.

As if on cue, a familiar yell calls out in the distance.

"Lee!"

"Tenten, right on time!" He avoided her violent grasp, not letting the two out of his sight. "I will leave his female companion to you! The Second Coming of the Demon is all mine."

Suigetsu was busy gawking at Lee while Tenten apologized profusely to Karin. "Oh yeah? Try it, you fir! I'll cut you into youthful little pieces!"

The uniformed shinobi is drenched with water, his kick going straight through the latter, thrown terribly off-balance.

"That's what I tried to tell you!" She scolded, facepalming. "Give it up already, Lee!"

"Whoa," He is perplexed, jumping back to assess. He's too fast to be caught. "amazing! Truly amazing! I had no idea what to expect! I am stunned yet impressed."

"You're unbelievable!" Tenten hits him before anyone else gets the chance to, strangling him by the collar. "What do you think you're doing anyway?! I didn't give you permission to start a fight!"

"He's trying to kill us!" Suigetsu exaggerated, upset by the loss of his shattered beverage.

"Ouch, Tenten, please!" He shrinks away from her slaps, "I must finish what I started!"

"Hey!" Karin interjected, "even so, you two idiots can't have a fight here in the middle of town! At least take it to the training grounds or something."

Although he was sure he could win, the point was valid. "Whatever."

"You're right," Lee's guard finally seemed to be let down. "I am sorry for interrupting your date."

"Did you say date?!" The medic beats him with one fist, and it's nice to see her beating on someone else for a change.

Suigetsu just laughs in quiet bemusement.

"Again, I'm really sorry about this, Karin." The Leaf kunoichi said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it," Karin simmered, "I've had my own issues with moron teammates in the past."

"What are you, best friends with all of Konoha Eleven now?!" Suigetsu accused, having a sudden impulse to feel betrayed.

The redhead shrugs indifferently, turning on her heel. "We'll have to do this later. I'm needed elsewhere."

"Wait a minute, woman! I wasn't done—"

"Suigetsu."

Rock Lee faces him, unblinking and all too heartfelt. "We will have our day soon. Very soon! Tomorrow if you wish! Or the next day, or the next if you are not free! Any time and place is fine with me!"

"Uh, sure, okay," He would've said anything to get him out of his face, having half a mind to go after Karin. How dare she abandon a conversation he hadn't ended properly.

"Go away, Lee," Tenten hissed, "you've overdone it."

"I will respect your space. Do not expect the same leniency upon our next meeting."

If that was his definition of leniency, he hated to know what the next level consisted of.

She watched as Karin disappeared around a corner. "I didn't know you two were.."

"We're nothing more than friends," He reads her mind before she has a chance to speak it. He's disturbed that anyone could think otherwise, adjusting Kubikiribōchō hastily. "if you use the term loosely enough."

"I see," The weapons user actually sounds relieved for a second, frowning at the mess Lee had left.

"You can't take me out yourself," Suigetsu goes to leave the scene before blame can be placed, "so you send your obnoxious teammate to do it? Kind of sad, don't you think?"

"Sorry about that," Tenten said for the hundredth time, walking side by side with him. "you just have to get used to Lee. He wanted to meet you."

"Why?"

"Well," She seemed contemplative, "I'm not sure exactly. Maybe he recognized you?"

"I didn't even have to tell him who I was."

"Really? All I did was happen to mention I met you the other day and he took off," Tenten let out a small sigh, "and I don't know, I figured if I followed him I would get to know more about you, too."

"Or," Suigetsu stopped dead in his tracks, "you could've just asked me, 'ya know."

She is somewhat embarrassed, not saying a word as he rolls his eyes. Yeah, right, real open book.

He bypasses her shop, which he had already seen the most of, and stared dumbly at the neighboring building. "Who put this here?"

"It's Ino's flower shop," Tenten explained, "Yamanaka Flowers. They're closed today. It was here long before mine was."

"Lame," He decided, laughing at the irony and how out of place it was. "weapons and flowers, or flowers and weapons?"

"Oh, give me a break. It was the only location."

He's shocked he hadn't noticed it upon his last entrance. "So, you want to know about me, huh?"

"Uhm, well," The kunoichi stammered, "it isn't that really. It's just.. we talked a lot about me the other day, and that's fine.. I just—I don't want you to think I'm self-absorbed or anything. I'm not one of those girls who talks only about herself, is what I mean. It seems fair, right?"

"I thought we established this," He made his uninvited way into the greenhouse behind the shop, secretly breaking the lock.

"My name is Suigetsu Hōzuki and I like to cut shit up. What else do you need to know?"

Tenten followed behind him, nervously pacing the floor. She leaned back against one of the tables to remedy this. "I—I never really got to ask.. What brings you to Konoha? How long do you plan on staying? Are you just.. traveling?"

He dwells on these questions briefly, furrowing his brows at the overpowering scent of floral arrangements. "I guess."

"How come?"

"Because I wanted to," Suigetsu has no better answer, and it is the truth.

"Sorry," Tenten felt like she was prying, "that's what I mean. I didn't want to ask because—you seem so mysterious. Almost.. short-winded, in a sense. That's why I was surprised when Lee seemed to know more."

He doesn't understand her confusion on his personality. He could honestly be summed up in a few words. The only reason he doesn't talk about his past much, is because.. well, why would he want to?

His past was a big failure, and he was sure anyone else would agree completely.

And also, because no one had ever really asked. His contacts had been limited over the years, especially after his imprisonment. Sasuke didn't care, Jūgo knew everything already, and Karin was well.. Karin.

He had only himself to talk to for the longest time.

This girl, though. She was different. She looks at him with avid eyes, undoubtedly open to listening. They still have the uncanny power of boring holes into his.

Oddly enough, it made him want to say less.

"I don't get asked about myself often."

"Is that it?" Tenten stroked a petal delicately, already aware of the way he seemed to deflect questions with evasive answers. "or is it because I'm a girl?"

He crushed a plant underneath his foot. "Why would that matter?"

"You're afraid of opening up to a girl," She stated certainly, "Ah ha! That's funny."

"That's not it!" Suigetsu insisted a little too vehemently, "I don't open up to anyone. Because I'm a guy and guys don't do that sissy stuff."

"How masculine," Tenten retrieved a sharpened kunai from her side, "so that means you're the only one who can act tough?"

He instinctively backed up, the hotness of the greenhouse burning him up to the point where he's no longer comfortable. Was this chick off her rocker or what?

"Well, you're not."

Suigetsu watches in awe as she beheads numerous flowers off their stems and onto cement. She slashes one close to his face.

It's impossible to hold himself back from joining in, slicing a few of his own with Kubikiribōchō. He has to one-up her.

Soon the ground is covered with petals, nearly hiding their feet.

"Men and women are equals," She chided, breathing unevenly. Now he's sure she's just trying to prove something. "I thought we established this."

"Whatever," The Hōzuki isn't done, stabbing flowers left and right. "this is kinda fun."

"It is," She laughs at the picture of him swinging a cleaver-sized weapon into a swarm of helpless daisies. "you're too ruthless."

"Thank you!" Suigetsu takes the compliment, smiling as she thrusts her kunai at several more.

"Why do they call you the Second Coming of the Demon?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Are you one of the Seven?" Tenten tried again, asking in between swings.

"Pfftt," He held his sword against the wall. A while ago, he would've been ecstatic at the assumption. "no way. They're nothing but a group of dead men."

"But you have Executioner's Blade—"

"I'll collect the remaining swords and recruit even better swordsmen," Suigetsu interrupted, "but first, I'll have to let the last living one know who's boss. Might even kill him and take his blade as a trophy. I'll rebuild that group back to the top and do the Mist a favor. I'll be the leader. Just wait until I get there..."

"The leader?"

"And I could've been halfway through it already," He got carried away, sideswiping several off the table in a single blow. "if it weren't for that bastard Orochimaru! This is his fault! He cheated me out of everything! Why would I bother going back in the first place?! I guess I'm fucking stupid or something. He's the reason for it all. I wasted so much time.."

"Orochimaru?" She froze, "what did he do?"

"He trapped me for years in that goddamned lab!"

"..Why?"

"He just did, okay?!" Suigetsu is more overwhelmed than annoyed with her questions, angrily slicing through a chain that held a more elaborate display to the ceiling.

At a shocked loss for words, Tenten winces as a million pottery shards litter the ground harshly. She finally got him to talk about himself and here they were. So that was why he didn't open up.

Underlying emotional baggage, and from the looks of it.. not just a little.

"Oh, no."

She felt her heart sink as she realized what they had just done.

"Ino's going to kill us."