Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale
The Ringenkai Plant
Chapter 12: Dark Reflections
A light rush of weary rain came trickling down at the break of early night, with the stars in space making out a bright connection of beautiful constellations soon to be complete within the next few hours before the moon with its scorching but smooth surface making its presence known to the earth on which it bore down upon on a daily basis. The raindrops bounced off the leaves of the trees, making a dampening sound as they all splashed at a constant and continuous rate onto the already soaked ground.
However this foreshadowing to an expected harsh type of weather did not keep Inuyasha and his friends from moving along their way, as the entire gang were currently seeking refuge inside a small open space within a small forest, only a few miles away from an uphill slope above a vast range of natural fields. The rain slowly fell harder at a steady pace on Inuyasha's shoulders as he blankly stared at the Tetsusaiga that he held in his hand, the chipped blade seemingly corroded with a coat of demonic energy that could not be removed by any means.
"I don't understand it at all. Why is it that I can no longer transform the Tetsusaiga? At first I thought it may been due to my loss of energy during that last fight with Sesshoumaru, but now I'm starting to think its a whole different case." Inuyasha was sitting in a crouched position in the grass, his body physically worn and his thoughts cluttered with the same question that pressed inside his mind over and over again.
"Inuyasha, why do you keep staring at your sword so much? Ever since we dragged you out here you've been pretty silent for as long as I can remember. Is there something wrong?" Shippo questioned as he hopped over to Inuyasha's side.
"Its not that you wouldn't be bitter about us saving your hide and bringing you to safety, is it?" Miroku gently poked.
"Grrr! Come off it already! I'm not even thinking about that! I'm concerned about the Tetsusaiga. In case you hadn't noticed by now, I can't transform it anymore for some strange reason. Its been stuck this way in its dormant original state ever since I bested Sesshoumaru back in that battle." Inuyasha snapped, rising to his feet and holding the Tetsusaiga out to Miroku and the others. He further made his example by swinging the rusty blade through the air a few times with flashes of small electricity shooting out.
"The Tetsusaiga can't transform? Now that is strange. You would think after fighting your brother and pulling off the Bakuryuuha at the last minute the cause would just be your own energy having been too low to use it properly." Sango said, walking up next to Miroku. "Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with that?"
"The injuries you've sustained may still take another few hours to heal. You have to keep in mind that facing off against Sesshoumaru while he wields the Toukijin one of the biggest risks you can take. You saw the destruction he caused with the few swipes of the sword he's done alone. If it wasn't for us you may have not made it if Sesshoumaru made a come back from the Bakuryuuha attack." Miroku commented as he took the Tetsusaiga from Inuyasha's hand and inspected it closely.
"Heh! Who cares how strong he was with that sword? The bottom line is that even though the odds were against me I still came out on top. But the chances are that if I could still use Tetsusaiga in its stronger form I could have taken the opportunity to easily finish Sesshoumaru off." Inuyasha arrogantly crossed his arms.
"Yeah, but the case in point is, you didn't. You were too weakened to continue fighting so that's why we all had to drag you off, right?" corrected Shippo. Inuyasha punched the fox boy hard in the head, knocking him to the ground.
"Owwwwwww!!!!! Hey, what did you do THAT for!? I was only trying to help!" Shippo squealed angrily, as a huge bump appeared on top of his head. He tried to rub the irritating pain away furiously as Inuyasha leaned forward and shook a tight fist in the air.
"I was NOT weak! I still had enough strength left! Maybe if you hadn't interfered I would have been in a TOTALLY different position right about now!!!" Inuyasha yelled. "Keep your ridiculous helpful comments to yourself, Shippo! Nobody asked you!"
"There's no need to be so brutal with everyone! Calm down! Let's concentrate on the matter at hand, alright?" Sango said, holding Inuyasha's fist back and putting it down.
"Geez, I don't know why I even bother anymore! His violent temper is going to get the best of him one of these days!" Shippo said, as Kirara came up and nudged the boy's nasty head bump. "Yow! Kirara, stop! Its sensitive enough as it is!"
"Hmm. This is very interesting." Miroku announced, ignoring the rest of the party's banter as he stared at the Tetsusaiga's blade. Inuyasha and the others turned to attention, everyone startled by the monk's words.
"Hm? What's going on, Miroku? Is something the matter?" Inuyasha asked, his ears twitching nervously at what he was about to hear next.
"Well, from what can I tell... I can easily sense an evil aura surrounding the Tetsusaiga. As a matter of fact if memory serves me well, this would be the exact same kind of power that Sesshoumaru's Toukijin can release. Did you not sense it earlier, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.
"What? An evil aura? Now that you mention it... I may have not been able to sense it since most of energy is still trying to recover right now as we speak. So are you saying Sesshoumaru somehow brazed the Tetsusaiga with Toukijin's power? But that can't be possible at all. I wasn't anywhere near Sesshoumaru when I finished him off with the Bakuryuuha! It can't have anything to do with the Kaze no Kizu either, as that attack always worked for me." Inuyasha said in a surprised tone.
"I can't necessarily explain it myself either. While it remains true that the proximity between you and your brother was quite a far distance during the closing of the fight, I still can't shake the fact that the Tetsusaiga is siphoning off a great deal of outright dead energy." Miroku replied, as he saw a faint glimmer of purplish light surrounding the blade.
"Which would explain why Inuyasha cannot transform the sword to begin with. Its the only logical conclusion that's apparent." Sango added. "But isn't there anyway to even get rid of the aura at all? Couldn't you use your powers to try to exorcise it from the Tetsusaiga, Miroku?"
"Although it would be possible, I'm afraid Toukijin's excess energy, or whatever circumstances caused this to happen, is far too strong beyond my own power to even attempt such an act. A mere talisman spell would not nearly be enough to do away with this kind of aura if it can muster up the ability to disallow the sword from being used the way its supposed to." Miroku said.
"Terrific. This is really terrific!" an annoyed Inuyasha expressed. "The Tetsusaiga is virtually useless right about now and I certainly can't make the mistake of trying to use it against an enemy. I thought it was challenge enough wielding it before I defeated Ryuukotsusei, but now you're actually telling me that somehow the Toukijin renders my sword powerless? This is really a load of pure bullshit if I've heard it."
"I'm afraid there is really nothing I can do, even with my expertise in these kinds of spells." Miroku said while putting the Tetsusaiga back into Inuyasha's hands. He stepped back and crossed his arms, closing his eyes in deep thought. "But you're forgetting one thing. While this situation isn't going very well, have you given consideration that maybe Toutousai could possibly help you? Perhaps he may be able to discover the reasoning behind this occurrence."
"Heh, that old fart? Come on, Miroku. He's a sword smith, not a magician. Its bad enough I would have to hear his pointless blabbing about the sword let alone some other crap about my not being able to use it right now. Is that one of the best ideas you could come up with?" Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he placed the Tetsusaiga back in its sheath.
"It wouldn't hurt to try though, would it? This is the same man who's forged a sword from your own fang. Maybe he can come up with a way to disperse Toukijin's aura. He has come through for you many times before, admittedly." Sango quietly said, looking at her dog demon friend straight in the eye.
"You're giving him too much credit, Sango. But fine! I won't argue about it. What choice do I have at this point, anyway? But the only problem that remains is this puts a serious dent in our search for Mount Harunai. The longer we stand around here talking the night away, the more we're heavily pressed for time." Inuyasha said, his amber eyes twitching out of concern and worry. Miroku and the others became silent, all of them exchanging forlorn glances with each other.
"Yes, that does indeed pose a halt to our progress. It is imperative that we at least find the next village before the next day break. A highly significant amount has noticeably passed and if we don't push ourselves to move any further than... I would have to say that we may not make it to the northern mountains on time." Miroku said with regret.
"Miroku, don't say that! We can do it, right? We've come this far, and even with all of the distractions we've been facing its still highly possible we can find that mountain... right?" Shippo bounced to his feet, angry at his friends for almost turning pessimistic about the current situation.
"We won't fail, Shippo! I'm not even going to say it or let the thought run across my mind. I don't care what happens. I've already stated that I'm going to do whatever it takes to find that Ringenkai Plant... and rest assured none of us is going to turn our backs from any kind of hope that would be able to help right now." Inuyasha said.
"Yes, but what are we going to do at this point? Are we going to continue to press on?" Sango asked.
"Look, I have an idea. Why don't I go to see Toutousai while the rest of you guys go on without me? I know this is a risk we're taking but things are getting tight and I'm certainly not going to be caught with my tail between my legs if we happen to run into another unexpected trap or two along the way. Without the Tetsusaiga's use this would only leave my defenses wide open to anything." Inuyasha announced to his friends.
"Inuyasha, are you sure this is wise? Perhaps we may be better off concentrating on our original task at hand." Miroku questioned.
"I'm sure, alright. There's no other way to go around this if I'm going to find a way to restore my sword back to its full power. Since I already know the direction you're heading in I should be able to catch up with you easily. That's provided that this problem can even be solved. But hey, I'm not one to spread bad karma am I? Alright, I'm going now!" Inuyasha said as he turned around and stormed off into the misty rain. Exiting the forest, Inuyasha darted through the flooded plains and leapt away into the distance until he was no longer visible.
"There he goes... I really hope Toutousai might be able to see what's wrong." said Shippo.
"I still don't know about this, Miroku. Should we really let him go at this alone?" Sango asked, still staring at the path where Inuyasha had left the group.
"He'll be fine. I wouldn't place any worries about this, as by the time we get back on track Inuyasha won't be left far behind. He will find us as we're only going on straight path." Miroku said, exchanging his staff from one hand to the other and turning to Sango. "Are you able to walk or shall my assistance still be needed?"
"Thank you, but I should be alright for now. We had better keep our word and move along before noon hits. Even if it may seem the weather says entirely different." Sango said tiredly, her eyes obviously evading Miroku's concerning glance as they shifted towards the grassy ground.
"Hmm... Sango is most likely worried about how Inuyasha will fare from our group's separation as much as I am. Besides, without the use of the Tetsusaiga we don't what other dangers could be lurking while Inuyasha's defenses are cut down. If it weren't for him being a half demon things certainly wouldn't have gotten as far as they did at this point." Miroku thought to himself as he and Shippo gently climbed onto Kirara's back.
Sango bent over and strapped her Hiraikotsu onto her back and joined Miroku and Shippo. As she sat down she realized Miroku's sudden silence. "Miroku? Is something the matter?"
"Oh! Its nothing at all. Just lost in my thoughts is all..." Miroku's voice trailed off as he turned his head to peek back at Sango right behind him. "The less worrying everyone does the more work that can be completed. So let's go." the monk said, not a moment soon before Kirara bolted up into the cloudy skies carrying her weary passengers with her into the mystified nothingness.
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About twenty miles away to the west somewhere near a grand pool of water where the old age acre of a drenched bamboo forest, a downpour of frequent rain was breaking down into the area joining in unison with a stream of the clear liquid splashing down at the feet of a young man that stood shrouded in the dim fog.
His appearance blending almost perfectly with the surrounding and infinitesimal whiteness that served as camouflage to anyone who dared to guess so upon trespassing into the area. The light whoosh of the wind combined with the trickling patter of rain bathed the man in its pristine natural happenings. It was only three seconds later that same man took a step forward as the fog pulled aside to reveal his fragile but seasoned face. That face belonged to Tarensei, one of the five members of the Shinkantetsu.
"Ahhh... It has been such a long time ever since I had last drew in a single breath of the fresh dewy air. One of the coming attractions before the winter hits, I would have thought that the place I was standing in was actually frozen in the season of Spring." Tarensei said softly, raising one hand in front of him and sighing as he felt the droplets of rain crash down onto the smooth palm of his right hand.
Tarensei blinked, drawing another sigh before putting his hand back down to his side. His socks only being slightly drenched by the mystical water he stood upon with long dead and decayed cherry blossoms floating upon the surface. An expansive swarm of fireflies buzzed silently in the air above some of the blooming flowers sprouting from the grassy shore, giving off their yellow flashes of light as if they were signaling an oncoming period of nirvana.
"Alas, all living things in this world must die eventually. But legend has it that for every death that occurs someone is born soon after. So is life truly ever truly wasted? I feel that despite my being banished for nearly five hundred centuries, my life has probably been destined to end far before it even began." Tarensei thought to himself, walking over to the shore of the tiny dreamlike oasis and sitting down at its edge.
Releasing the sheath that contained his masamune sword and setting it aside onto the grass, Tarensei kicked his feet into the air like how a small child would for no reason. The soles of his red slippers dangled since his heels were elevated higher. Hoisting himself back up he turned and picked a dandelion from the ground. His emerald eyes still as time itself, he lovingly caressed the tiny gift of nature with his pupils.
"I've always asked myself, why are we given life just to have it taken away from us before we could even decipher the whole idea of what the future may hold for us? I never actually wanted a future. If I could start my life all over again, I would personally opt to not be born at all. But then again had it not for me being alive I would have never been able to enjoy the wonders of this world, basking in its wonderful and peaceful sights." Tarensei thought, pinching the stem of the dandelion between his thumb and index finger.
"Like this flower, it signifies the event of how long life can possibly last... Plants live shortly, humans live, demons live longer, yet this Earth itself lives forever. Quite an interesting concept to say the least... But what I am to worry? Perhaps this was my second calling to be alive again, just as it was for my other four fellow warriors. Had it not been for Naraku specifically, I may as well have remained in that accursed obelisk until the end of time. Frozen in a state of unconscious..." Tarensei then suddenly giggled, flicking his long purple hair to the right while narrowing his eyes.
"I've always asked too many questions. Ever since I was a child at that. But if it was one thing that made me turn the other cheek to the life I live now... correction, to the life I previously lived... is all to the bastard events of my childhood. Growing up the way I was... was not particularly easy as anyone would expect. In fact it wasn't beautiful at all, and the toils and nightmares that tormented me for as long as I can remember was shunned off as being quite ugly. Horrible even..." Tarensei's thoughts trailed off as he found himself mentally drawing back to his childhood many centuries ago...
"Far before I've joined the ranks of the Shinkantetsu..."
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"Ahhh!!!" Tarensei loudly squealed in pain. He was pushed to the dirt ground with great force, nearly breaking his arm upon the hard impact. "Ow!!! That hurt!!! Stop it!!!" the little boy screamed defensively as a taller and stronger boy stood before him.
"You're not one of us at all, you freak! You're definitely not a boy, you're just a girl... and just like all girls they hurt easily!" the boy accused, being the one who pushed Tarensei down.
"Yeah, he's just a sissy girl who can't fight back. Freak!" a second kid chimed in, who was standing behind the first boy. "Why don't you just go play with the other girls instead of always trying to follow us all the time?"
"But... but I'm not a girl! You don't understand! Why do you keep calling me something that I'm not!?" an innocent but battered Tarensei said, the corner of his soft lips stained with blood and his cheek grazed with bruise from having a rock thrown at him earlier by the same group of boys that were harassing him on a daily basis.
"Liar! We don't care what the heck you say! You're a girl freak and nothing more! Come on guys, let's get him!" a third boy said as he grabbed a stray piece of wood lying on the ground and proceeded to beat Tarensei with it. The other boys joined in as well, slamming stones and sticks onto the poor bishounen child for what seemed like an eternity.
"It all started with me being orphaned into a tiny village located just off an old plantation with poor housing and not many other kids who resided there, but at least they actually had a family to always go back home to. I was deemed as the unlucky one as none of the adults specifically cared for me but this one man. But even then I can't say he cared for me, because basically he almost treated me the same just as much as the village kids."
"Goddamn it!!! Look at you! You look awful as usual. Tch, I'm not the least bit surprised as you end up coming home looking like this every damned day." Tarensei's caretaker said, an old man with a vicious attitude. The man threw down a bowl of half eaten porridge and meat onto the table that Tarensei sat at, the spoon nearly flying out of it and hitting the boy in the face.
"It wasn't my fault, sir... Every day I just try to fit in, but its no use. They just keep on beating me and there's so many of them. They call me all sorts of names and hit me with things. I hate it, I really do!" Tarensei said, his glazed eyes falling onto the cold food in front of him. Realizing that he no longer had an appetite, he grew tired of eating after whatever the old man left behind. The caretaker was too lazy to ever cook the small lad a decent meal nevertheless give him something other than the same sickening dish of porridge and meat every day.
"Same old excuses! That's all I ever hear. I swear, off all the kids I've considered taking in it had to be a purple haired pansy. What kind of boy grows up having purple hair, anyway? Of course the other boys are going to hit you! Prancing around looking like anything less of the gender you were born as is going to attract the attention of bullies. If you ask me I'm just plain sick of telling you this over and over again, so when are you going to toughen up!?" the old man snapped as slammed a dirty chipped cup onto the table. "Hey, are you listening to me boy?"
Tarensei nearly jumped at the man's outburst. His little heart pounding faster than he could take and his face flushed red out of anger, sadness, and just plain embarrassment Tarensei couldn't even respond. His hands were shaking and he kept clenching and unclenching them to maintain his composure.
"Falling on deaf ears, boy? Maybe my words are finally gettin' through to ya. Instead of staring into the mirror and fixing your wounds maybe you'll finally start learning how to fight back. I'm sick of all your whining and complaining, and what do expect an old man like me to do about it? Shit, one punch in the gut and I'll be on the ground suffering from a heart attack. Kids these days..." the man muttered, turning his back to the boy and leaning over the wash basin the corner of the room. Tarensei sat silent as he heard the man mumble to himself while washing some rags and clothes. The boy sighed while holding back his tears and then soon forced himself to eat the cold leftover food he was given.
"Constantly on the hour I teetered on the verge between either running away or committing suicide and just ending it all right there. How much longer could I take any of it? I wanted to get away from it all but yet I still stayed at the village. One day I would have my mouth busted or my hair yanked or given a black eye or having my nose broken. I was used to the pain soon enough, and no matter how many times I was roughly manhandled by my peers and orally disciplined by my caretaker I grew insensitive and oblivious to all types of pain. I could endure anything as long as I put my mind to it. I could have been burned at the stake and I could have ignored it all..."
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A few years later one morning, Tarensei was walking through the village just coming back from gathering some water from the spring when suddenly he felt an immense pain shoot through his stomach. With no one seeing him, the sickly boy stumbled into a small alley between two huts, collapsing to his knees and the pail of water long dropped to the ground behind him.
"Nnnghhh... wh... what's wrong with me? I... I feel like I'm going to explode!!! Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!" Tarensei cried out loud in the darkness of the alley, as he felt a pulsating vibration shoot through his entire body straight from his head to his toes. His green eyes flashed red for just about a moment and he felt a pang of pain rivet through his hands. Tarensei stared at them and noticed that his normal fingernails were replaced by long claws, and right after that his front teeth were pushed down to reveal two sharp grown fangs in their place.
"What's happening to me!?!? What could be causing this... to happen to me?" Tarensei uttered, as he crawled to a stop near a shard of glass leaning against the clay wall to his right. The boy was mortified at seeing his own reflection from within the glass, the being on the other side of his own image having completely replaced the handsome face that he was so accustomed to have known.
"Gah!!! That... that can't be me! I look like... a total monster!!!" Tarensei reared back, unable to make himself continue to stare at the glass any further. He could not help but howl loudly at the top of his lungs, the newfound unbarring pain tearing through his body like a hot knife through butter. Little did the boy suspect that a certain group of older children just happened to hear the strange noises nearby, their curiosity causing them to investigate.
"Hey, what was that?" one of the boys in the group said, who was part of the exact same group of kids that insulted and picked on Tarensei almost daily.
"Sounds like a dead animal or something. Let's check it out! It came from over there!" the leader of the group said, apparently being the one that Tarensei had grown to hate most of all.
The pack of six boys soon arrived at the same alleyway from where the howls of pain were emanating from, and their faces turned into nasty scowls of despise as they laid eyes on Tarensei. The purple haired child's back was turned to them, and this made the leader angry.
"Well, if it isn't the weak little baby girl! On your knees crying as usual. Should have known someone like you would probably sneak into this little place to wank off that thing you call a dick! What, did you cut it off and turned into that thing girls have?" the leader mocked, as the other boys behind him laughed as they picked up some stray pebbles and stones lying on the ground.
"Grrrrrrr..... leave... m... me alone... leave!!!" Tarensei growled under his breath, the pain in his body continuing to grow stronger with each passing second getting up to the point where it was inhumanly unbearable. The foolish boys ignored the child's warnings and slowly closed in on Tarensei, their mocking cackles putting a strain on his sensitive ears.
"Ha ha ha!!! The girl isn't even listening to us! Pretending to make like we're not here, huh? Well, let me tell you something! Using your little imagination isn't going to save you from what we're going to do you next!" the leader said, walking up and kicking Tarensei in the side and sending the shuddering child sprawling a few inches away. One of the boys saw the glass shard and kicked it hard, shattering into several pieces. One particular long shard clattered onto the floor and one of the other boys picked it up.
"Why don't we show this girl what happens when you show the tough kids disrespect!" the boy said, walking up to Tarensei and grabbing him by the back of his tattered tunic. However, the boy's face contorted into a look of horror and disgust on his face as he saw Tarensei's newly transformed face, consisting of the ugly sharp fangs and long claws in addition to the startling red eyes and blood curdling growl that was let out.
"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! WH...WHAT... GYAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!" the boy's final moment came when Tarensei suddenly jumped up and violently yanked the glass shard away. Tarensei then proceeded to plunge the edge of the glass shard into both of the boy's eyes, gouging them both out in an almost instantaneous movement. The boy screamed at the top of his lungs as two fountains of blood came spraying out of his eye sockets.
"MY EYESSSSSS!!!!! MY EYEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!" The boy cried to no avail as he crumpled to the floor in a pool of his own blood. Tarensei then leapt forward and slashed his claws through two of the other boys, slicing their torsos right off their bodies in a bloody explosion. The leader of the group was immediately struck with over shock, unable to move or run from seeing his friends being massacred right before his very eyes.
Tarensei grabbed the last boy that remained and snapped his neck, then ripped it off with very little effort as yet another gushing flow of blood sprayed out. The red liquid splashed onto the walls of the narrow alley, and also onto the leader's face and clothes. In an instant, the kid leader was the only one left standing and was attempting to scream, but no sound came out due to the shock still bearing down on him, the gruesome deaths of his friends replaying in his mind over and over again like a broken record.
"Ah... ah... ahhhhh..." a weak cry escaped the kid's lips as he stared at the brooding Tarensei that stalked slowly towards him with an evil murderous look of intent on his darkened face.
"What's wrong? I thought you were tough when it comes to hitting girls." Tarensei said in the most deepest and evil sounding voice that put a jolt of fear shivering down the boy's spine, as if it were a confirmation in setting him in place for the next murder that was about to occur.
"No... no please!!! D... don't kill me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry that I made fun of you! Just don't kill me!!!" the boy pleaded, as tears began to form and fall from his eyes. Panic struck as hard as the tension that Tarensei's ghastly appearance spread like wildfire onto the deciding situation. Tarensei's inner conflicted debated within himself whether he wanted to continue killing or not.
Should he spare the boy's life? A question that kept zooming in and out of his mind faster than nanoseconds could count, although he seemed time had actually slowed down as he waited to discover the answer to his foregoing question. For a moment, what was left of his human essence suddenly disappeared and drowned into a murky sea of a new entity that controlled his every thought and emotion. Perhaps that of a becoming demon.
But sympathy for the weak was no longer an option or a route that Tarensei's newer side did not want to take. Snarling like the evil beast that he has becoming, he sprang forward and performed one single slash with his right claw, slicing the boy into three separate vertical cuts. The severed parts of the boy's body collapsed onto the ground in one grand burst of blood, with internal organs, broken bones, and brain matter all sprayed out and releasing a distinctive smell of a rotten body.
Dragging a tangled amount of intestines and who knew what other bloody pieces of human flesh torn between the demon child's fingers, the confused transformed being quickly barraged himself out of the alley and back into the streets, plowing his way past an approaching man and woman who were coming back into the village.
"And so I was going to fetch some live chickens from the yard next door and.... hey! Oof! Watch where you're going, kid!!!" the man said as Tarensei bumped into his leg and continued to run away while covering his face.
"Grrrrr.... Out of the way!!!" Tarensei roared into the air, his tattered clothes still covered with blood.
"Kids these days! They surely should learn better manners these days! Why, I should... Wait a moment! Wasn't that blood I saw on him? What's going on?" the woman said, turning around in the direction of the nearby alley.
"I saw that rowdy kid running from there. It was probably just mud he was playing in or something. Let's just get home, okay? I have a lot of work to in the fields this evening and..." the man's words were cut off by the woman's sudden screaming, his eyes blinking rapidly from seeing her raise her hands to her face. She was stricken in pure horror at the sight of the scene as he sprinted up to her side.
"AIYEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!" the woman nearly fainted at what she saw what was remaining of the boys' bodies in the alley, and the man was teetering on the verge between throwing up vomit from his mouth and falling to the ground out of disbelief himself.
"Wh... what the hell had happened... here?! What could have possibly... done something like this?" the man said, holding his throat to keep down the oncoming feeling that attempted to rush up from his stomach. The woman turned away and almost broke out in a frenzied state, running to the main village to tell the other people of the incident. As the man followed her, it turned out that Tarensei was hiding in the bushes a few feet away, keeping a watchful eye on the escaping couple.
"A creature or a foul demon was responsible for something like this! No human could have ever done such a sick action to any children! We have a demon around here!" a voice could be heard in the far distance thanks to Tarensei's increased hearing ability. But he did not necessarily care as to who said what because he was far too distracted by the amount of tears running down his cheeks.
"A foul demon! A monster! A creature! A freak!" so many voices echoed throughout Tarensei's mind he didn't even realize which words belonged to whom. It seemed that his own head was stemming the same kind of atrocities that he was forced to live with for as long as he's been orphaned. But he could not take it anymore.
Before he even could be found and hunted down by the villagers and be punished for the murder crime he's committed, Tarensei's legs took him away further than he could imagine. The young child ran and ran into the woods, off of the main path and disappearing into the green shrubbery that concealed his repulsive appearance.
The more he thought about the consequences of what he had just done, the more scared he became. He kept on running and not caring where he was going. Just as long as he escaped from that village he wasn't concerned where his fate would take him. Away from the bad memories, away from the physical and emotional abuse he was put through, and away from the knowledge that no one ever cared for him.
"Ahhhhh!!!!" Tarensei's thoughts were broken up when his foot accidentally hit an upturned root, causing him to tumble over and fallen down a steep hill. He crashed down several feet past some vines and bushes, feeling small amounts of pain as he slammed into some rocks and with some sharp wooden sticks tearing into his arms and legs. Upon falling further down into the abyss which was a gaping hole of no return, he heard a small trickling of water. The next thing he knew, everything around him had been swallowed up into infinite darkness.
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Tarensei awoke to the same familiar trickling water he heard before he had lost consciousness. He was awakened due to a light rush of whooshing rain, his eyes opening to a beautiful view of clear gray skies above with the liquid blades of water falling straight at his face. He had apparently fallen into a shallow ravine from a mud slide whose remnants were apparent from the edge of the cliff he plummeted from.
"Nnnghhh... wh... where am I? How long have I been here?" Tarensei groaned, slowly rising up to his knees. From what he could tell, he must have blacked out upon impact of hitting the hard ground, but strangely enough none of his bones were broken nor did he feel any kind of extreme pain.
"That's weird... if I had fell from such an immense height I shouldn't have even survived. Was it because... my monster form prevented me from being hurt? No... I'm not a monster! That was just a nightmare I had. That's all... a nightmare." Tarensei thought, what was once his sparkling emerald eyes now a dull color from his weariness. He stumbled a few feet forward, staggering while trying to regain his bearings. The hollow sound of the running water at his feet was soothing to his ears, but his entire body felt cold and clammy from the weather. The skies only became darker as he sensed an oncoming heavy storm of rain.
"I'd better find some sort of shelter or at least something to keep warm." the boy said, flattening his palm against the cool wall of the ravine. Upon coming to terms that he wasn't a creature less than human, his clothes were still caked with dried blood. That of his own and his victims, the fabric torn from his own claws and stretched out slightly out of proportion. He was once again in the state of a human but deep down in his mind there was a portion that knew he was only fooling himself to avoid the real truth. However the only thing Tarensei was concerned about was finding a safe place to reside.
"I must have been knocked out for days. I feel like I've slept for a thousand years and I can barely move an inch of my body. I don't even know how I'm even able to walk right now. Uhhhh...." Tarensei groaned mentally, pushing his way past a few outstretched branches as he climbed out of the ravine and deeper into the forest.
Soon enough a few minutes later, it was then that he heard the sound of footsteps crunching against some dry leaves followed by a few gruff voices. Tarensei peeked out from behind a downed tree bark and saw a group of men walking towards a small open cave.
"Who are they? And what are they doing way out here? Are they lost too?" Tarensei foolishly thought, and closely watched the men gather together at the foot of the cave.
"Heh heh heh! We made quite a steal from those hikers, didn't we? For a few people only taking a walk to the mountains I have to admit, they were pretty damn loaded." said Beshi, a thin man holding a large sack against his back.
"Hmph, quit making our steals seem like murder, Beshi. They should have had way more. Half of the crap they had was barely enough to buy a small loaf of bread. Better of stealing it than buying it." a taller man said, seemingly to be the leader of the three man group.
"Yeah, boss! Maybe when this storm passes we can go hit up a few other villagers for some food or something. I've been starving for days on end and its starting to make me go nuts." Sanjo, a short pudgy man said, having a sheathed knife attached to his makeshift armor.
"Alright, enough bickering, Sanjo. Set the stuff up and make a fire. Its going to be a cold one tonight. We have now should last us enough until morning. Then we can move on to bigger things." Boss said, motioning for Beshi to put down the sack.
"Man, I feel like catching some wild boar and cooking it over the fire. I can't tell you how hungry I am." Sanjo said, picking some twigs off the ground in preparation for the fire.
"Go on ahead and try. What makes you think there's going to be any wild boars way out here, fool? We couldn't even find a decent hideout ourselves, that's why we came all the way down here. And I tell you, it wasn't easy in the first place." Boss said, walking over and sitting down directly on the same fallen tree log that Tarensei was hiding right next to. The young boy tried his best to keep quiet, unsure of whether to stay there or try and get away from the area. Questioning if they were good or bad had the most obvious answer as he was aware they were some kind of bandits looting for nothing but food and pleasure.
"If I stay here they're bound to find me... Maybe I'd better find a way out of here before..." Tarensei let out a small yell of pain as he staggered back against a large rock that was near his feet. He collapsed to the ground and ended up giving away his hiding spot, causing the leader of the bandits to turn and draw a rusty sword from his belt.
"Who's there!? Show yourself now unless you're looking to get killed!" Boss said, pointing his sword in a threatening manner. Tarensei reluctantly rose from behind the log, raising his hands slowly into the air.
"S... stop! I didn't mean any harm! I was just walking by and I saw you guys... I wasn't spying or anything!" Tarensei protested, his little heart pumping faster out of fear than it ever did. His pulse had increased significantly and his lips were trembling. He did not know what the bandits were going do upon discovering him. He drew silent as Sanjo and Beshi came clambering over.
"Well, well! What have we got here! If it isn't some kid. For a moment there I thought it could have been a wild animal. Kind cute for a little girl." Boss said, smirking as he drew his sword.
"What the hell is a girl doing way out here?" Beshi said, walking over to Tarensei and bending down on his knees, lining up his bloodshot eyes directly with the boy's, scaring him even further than he already was. "What business you got snooping around here, huh?"
"Um... I... I'm not a..." Tarensei stuttered, afraid of whatever he was going to say next would warrant his own execution by the bandits. Just then, a loud growling erupted from his stomach. He quickly grabbed his abdomen, his voice lost and his bravery nonexistent.
"Ha ha ha! Looks like we ain't the only hungry ones here. Looks like this little sweetie doesn't have much of a tongue, but I guess she's not adept at finding any food!" Sanjo said, opening the sack and releasing all of the stolen valuables and food that was stored inside. What little there was, a few pieces of bread, cooked meat and some morsels of fish and bits of rice was laid out. Tarensei couldn't help but lust after the food with his eyes upon not having fulfilled his nourishment in so long.
"Guess it wouldn't hurt to share a bit. Go on kid. Have at least some of the bread and meat. Skinny little thing aren't you?" Boss commented, watching the long haired boy slowly wander towards the openly displayed food. It wasn't long before the child's hunger got the best of him as he grabbed the strips of meat and stuffed it into his waiting mouth, not even taking the time to chew it.
"W... water!" Tarensei blurted out. Beshi turned and took a canteen full of water, handing it to the child. Tarensei grabbed it and drank it, although it was disgusting river water with bits of grain and other mysterious bits laced within it, he didn't care as long as his thirst was quenched. The dirty water splashed over his stained clothing and drenched his legs, all damage being ignored by the power hungry boy.
A few moments later, Tarensei fell backwards, his stomach full from what little rations the bandits had given him. Although it was odd how the men just simply stared at him as he ate, with the occasional snickering from Sanjo, Tarensei was starting to think they were no harm after all. If they had been willing to give him food out of pity, then why should he be frightened?
"Enjoyed your meal, honey?" Sanjo asked him, letting out a big burp after chewing through a piece of fish and taking a swig of alcohol.
"Mmm... yes, I was really hungry. Thank you for giving me this food, sir. I don't hold it against you for stealing it from someone else... But I am grateful for your sympathies." Tarensei politely implored, and this only brought out a laugh from the bandits. The boy only stared back in confusion.
"Ha ha ha ha! Well, at least she knows its every man for himself. Guess her bitch of a mother must have taught her that!" Beshi said, slapping his knee. "This kid is too much."
Boss then walked up, his arms crossed with a strange sneer on his face. "So, now that you've had your fill, I take it that you'll be paying us back handsomely with some money?"
"M... money? But I don't have any money! I can't pay for the food. I'm sorry, sir." Tarensei honestly replied, motioning to his empty pockets to prove that he wasn't lying.
"But surely you didn't think we'd just give you the food for free, right?" Sanjo said with a serious and threatening tone, rising to his feet. "After all the hard work we did to take it, we don't let good food like this go unwarranted, you understand little girl?"
Tarensei's heart skipped a beat and his face was flushed red. Somehow he could clearly sense that the bandits were not being sympathetic and that these were men made of not honesty but vicious lies. He heard Boss unsheathed his sword and saw Sanjo take the small knife from his belt, making it visually clear that were possibly going to kill the boy.
"Ahhhh!!!! Help!!! Help me!!!" Tarensei yelled, springing up from his feet about to run, but in a blur Beshi roughly grabbed his arm and swung him into the stone cavern wall. A quick surge of pain shot up Tarensei's spine, causing him to double over.
"Oh no, you don't!!! You're not going anywhere! You're not getting off without paying us back, even if it means a little pain in the process!!!" Beshi swung his fist and punched Tarensei hard in the stomach, causing an eruption of blood and vomit to shoot from the boy's mouth. Half digested pieces of meat splattered onto the ground and partially on Beshi's clothes.
"Argh! Shit! Stupid little bitch threw up on me!" Beshi yelled in disgust, with Sanjo laughing at the situation. "Hey, that shit isn't funny, Sanjo! I oughta throw your face in it!"
"Ha ha ha! Fool! You're doing it all wrong. You need to show the girl some respect if you want them to pay their dues. Ain't nothing wrong with a little fuck to go along with the pain, am I right?" Sanjo said, smiling evilly as he pulled off the cloth skin at his crotch as he bare his naked shame. Beshi smiled in response.
"Yeah, I see what you mean. I like your thinking." Beshi said as he stripped his clothing off as well, half baring himself his disgusting naked and scarred body and holding his genitalia firmly in his hand as he yanked Tarensei up with his other free hand. The boy was still half vomiting and coughing up blood from the single punch he was given, and showed now signs of stopping.
"I'll do you guys a favor and hold him down so he doesn't struggle. We want her to remember this moment for a lifetime - provided that she's still alive after this! Soon to be a dead little virgin." Boss said, pinning Tarensei's arms to the ground so he was unable to fight back as Sanjo and Beshi ripped the boy's clothing off to reveal his manhood.
"What the hell is this!? This ain't no goddamned girl! Its a fucking boy!" Beshi exploded, making him even angrier than before. His face turning red, Sanjo wasn't even expressing any shock, as he was induced into a high sexual lust that didn't seem to shake him from the reality of what was happening.
"So fucking what?! Move the hell over aside - I'm going to make this kid scream my name by the time I'm finished with him. Hell, if you're lucky I might make him swallow everything you give him if you're willing to go through with this!" Sanjo said, pressing his genitalia against Tarensei's bare naked buttocks. He was becoming frustrated because it was almost impossible to perform any kind of penetration with the young child to engage in, but tried his best to force it in and still no decent results.
"Come on, what are you waiting for? Don't tell me you can't even fit it in!" Boss yelled, obviously becoming excited at the sight of the raping of a boy. "Do you plan on making him pay for our food or not?"
"Help... please, someone help me...!!!" Tarensei weakly gurgled, his voice distorted by the blood that gushed from his red coated mouth.
"I'm trying, goddamn it! I can't get it in!!! Get a stick so I can stretch this kid's ass wider!" Sanjo said, grunting forcibly as he kept grinding against Tarensei's buttocks. However, Sanjo's grunting was soon cut off with a nasty scream as he was swiftly stabbed directly through the chest with a sharp blade from behind. Beshi turned around in surprise, caught off guard.
"ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Sanjo screamed, with blood shooting up like a fountain through his chest as he was violently pulled backwards. The blade was attached to a chain and was cleanly ripped out from the bandit's chest, killing him instantly. A man shrouded in the darkness of the rain was standing on the tree log a few feet away, his identity a complete mystery.
"SANJO!!!" Beshi yelled, left in horror at the long trail of blood splattered on the ground that led up to Sanjo's motionless naked body.
Before Beshi could even say anymore, the mysterious figure threw a small pointed knife through the air, crashing right into Beshi's throat in a mere instant. Beshi could say no more or even breathe as his throat was slashed open by the knife, with blood flowing out freely and causing the bandit to crumple to the ground. Making various attempts to scream, he only made the pain even worse as he felt his life slowly draining away.
"What the!? Who the hell are you!?" Boss demanded, letting go of Tarensei. Everything happened so ridiculously fast even Boss could not defend himself the moment the man in the darkness leapt into the air, doing a somersault and using the same chain blade attack on Boss, this time tearing the bandit's head off with a single swipe.
"URKKKKKKK----!!!!!!!!!" Boss' scream was cut vaguely short as his decapitated head flew into the air and bounced away into the dense thickness of the rainy night. The figure that had apparently saved Tarensei landed quietly onto the ground, revealing his masked face and black tight clothing with golden armor guards. Rounding up his morning star, which was the chain blade, he walked over to the shivering boy and picked him up gently.
".............." the man's eyes were stone cold through his mask as he looked over Tarensei's seeing the boy's flowing tears and bloodied battered body. Saying nothing, he carried the child in his arms in a fatherly manner as he walked away into the woods.
"Help... please... help me..." Tarensei kept repeating over and over as if he were stuck in some sort of trance. Mentally he could still hear the screams and voices of hatred that paralyzed him for so long, not even aware that he was being whisked away from it all by who could have been his only savior and guide to a better and more defensive life.
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One bright early morning, the sun's rays shone upon Tarensei's face like a scorching wake up call that felt as if it came from heaven itself. The boy yawned peacefully, his mind etched with peace and rid of the constant reminders of his inner demonic self. Waking up from what seemed like an eternal slumber that his spirit would have chosen not to emerge from, Tarensei was greeted with a thoroughly cooked piece of meat sitting above a small fire on a stick.
"Huh? Where am I?" Tarensei awakened to see that he was lying on a large pile of soft leaves just built right for a child of his size, and that he was sitting inside of a very tiny limestone cavern. Only having one opening, Tarensei slid himself out of the comfort of the leaf bed and gazed upon how neatly kept the cave was. There were several candles lit up against the edges of the walls, all giving off a beautiful orange glow to the area. The sweet smell of cherry incense filled the air, and some old age weapons were sitting in a stack in the corner of the cavern.
For a place such as this, it was considerably well kept for either a temporary hiding spot or a makeshift home for a mountain hermit. But Tarensei could have never considered any of these things provided the fact that his memory was completely devoid of what previously happened to him and yet that was only one night ago. His brain racked of mixed up thoughts and fragments of amnesia were only getting the best of him, but now that he felt safe wherever he was, that was the only thing that could keep him at ease for the moment.
"Must eat..." Tarensei said, reaching for the cooked meat above the fire and taking the stick from the wooden handle, biting into the rich and juicy loin. The boy's sustenance had experienced a brand new kind of taste he had never been exposed to before, with his tongue being so normally used to porridge and stale bread. Having actual cooked meat that tasted like a piece of a dream to him was only the beginning.
"Oh, I see you are already awake. That was quite fast." A deep voice announced from the cave entranced, making Tarensei spin around out of fright. He was ready to drop the food and run, part of his broken memory recalling something about "not paying for stolen food". Just as Tarensei glared at him angrily while getting up to his feet, the man gestured his hand out, waving it.
"Please, do not be frightened, boy. I do not mean any harm towards you. The food is all for you. I can safely assume that you do not have anyone to take care of you. I was the one who had brought you all the way out here to the wilderness for your safety." the man said calmly, still dressed in his black clothing and gold armor. However this time, his mask was removed, revealing an older face with a vertical scar down the right side of his face.
Tarensei calmed down unexpectedly. Somehow as he couldn't quite place it - despite how menacing the man had appeared there was something about his voice that the boy could trust without abandon. Taking in the facts that he was even still alive right now and being treated properly, Tarensei had gained the courage to finally speak openly, his own fear now having dispersed.
"Who are you, sir? If you... don't mind my asking." Tarensei asked quietly.
"I am Hanzou. Being that am I normally to refrain from sharing such information with outsiders, there is no need to be so cautious with a young child such as yourself. I am a shinobi, a warrior that has been fleeing from his clan for quite a few years now. Having betrayed my clan, I am shunned to a life of constant escape and lurking in the shadows of the night to evade capture from my pursuers." Hanzou stated as he walked across the area and set two buckets of water down in the corner of the cave.
"Thank you for your... hospital-tality, sir. I am... in your debt." Tarensei said slowly, unable to use larger words in his limited vocabulary. Still a little shaken from last night, he could just barely remember what had happened until parts of his memory began to come back now that he had healed his wounds. He had realized that his stomach was wrapped in large bandages, most likely applied by Hanzou himself as a support brace.
"I believe the word you mean is hospitality. But I understand your words well, child. There is no need for thanks. It was my duty as a warrior... whether to save a defenseless woman or child in danger in amidst of my own personal mission in life. I would not have been able to live with myself if I had taken the option of having your cries for assistance go unheard." Hanzou replied.
"But... where did you come from? And what happened to me? The last I remember is something about owing someone a debt... then all I can recall is incredible amounts of pain..." Tarensei said, sadly looking down at his dirty bare feet. He wiggled his toes out of nervousness, his eyes caked with dried residue from his previous streams of tears.
"You were held up by a group of trash bandits. I had happened to be scouring the woods gathering needed supplies until I had thought I had heard some yelling and cries. That is when I had spotted the bandits pinning you against your will... and... " Hanzou's voice trailed off, deciding that he should leave the detailed part about the attempted rape out. He did not want the boy to suffer from any emotional trauma that may be a result of recalling his amnesia completely.
".... they were going to try to harm you with their blades, but I had stopped them in time. Saving you from danger, that is when I brought you here. You were so badly beaten that you weren't even aware that I had taken you to this place. Soon enough, your wounds were tended to and you were promptly put to bed as you can see." Hanzou said, successfully fixing the missing part of the incident.
"I... I don't know what to say... I can't thank you more than enough for saving my life. I can't remember it very well, but I believe what you say." Tarensei said sadly, his hands curled up into tight fists. His knuckles turning white, he bent over and cried in an outburst. "Thank you, Hanzou!!!" the boy said one last time before he collapsed to the floor, crying out whatever emotion was left inside his body. Hanzou helped the child up, shaking is head out of sympathy.
"And from then on, that was when my entire life changed. For the better."
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"I can teach you the ways of the shinobi. The first thing you must learn is not offense, but defense. As a result, the best offense is a good defense. As a child you could not do these things because everyone around you has treated you differently... making you feel incompetent in your own abilities. But I can see a far greater strength in you. You can learn the ways in order to become a true warrior where you can amass great strength and transform into an entirely new person. Never looking back at your past. " Hanzou said to the young Tarensei as they both stood face to face in an open grass field.
"But I don't think I'm ready to do such a thing. Why does it sound like such hard work? I can't become a strong fighter like you... I don't have what it takes... People have treated me so horrible and I've been too weak to fight back or do anything about it..." Tarensei said, his purple hair flowing in the winds.
"Your spirit exudes confidence. I can sense it within you ever since I first discovered you. Do not waste what little power you have. Take it and build upon it to grower stronger in both mind and body. Nature will take care of the rest. You have far too many abilities that you perhaps are not even aware that exists yet." Hanzou said.
"To grow stronger... confidence... nature...?" Tarensei asked.
"Yes." Hanzou said.
"I want to become stronger. I want to have confidence. I want nature to guide me. Please teach me all that you know, Hanzou-sensei." Tarensei said with a shaky voice.
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"By the age of sixteen I had quickly mastered every single aspect of the shinobi status. I grew from a dirty street child into a strong confident young man. Even Hanzou-sensei had claimed that I had surpassed everything that even he couldn't do. I've increased my strength, stamina, speed, and agility. So fast it was to the point where I could come close to breaking the calm of the gentle wind itself with just ten steps." Tarensei thought, staring at the pool of water in front of him.
"Then one day while sparring with him as he was well into the beginning of his old age, that was when the people from his clan had finally caught up with him. Telling me to flee and leave him so that I wouldn't become associated with his treachery, I could only stand by as I saw my teacher fall to the blades of the three pursuers that appeared. Feeling that I failed to protect my master, in a fit of rage I ended up killing his enemies. It was then as I heard my master's last dying breath... he had told me this one quote..."
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"Hanzou-sensei! Please, hold on! Don't die!" the teenage bishounen cried, carefully cradling his Hanzou's head in his arms. Hanzou's gaping wound could not be stopped from bleeding profusely, no matter how many times Tarensei kept pressing the cloth from his own gi to suppress the blood flow.
"Tarensei... always... remember... You may always escape the enemy. However, you can never escape your past. It is looking back at the past is what truly makes one stronger. Do not use force intertwined with anger for it only brings blindness... you can only... rectify the wrongs that were done to you by your own hand and... no one else's. Make your own future... your... mastery of the shinobi arts is complete..." Hanzou was at most exasperated as he sensed the last of his old age life leave his own body, his last vision being that of the innocent young man he's fought so hard to protect and raise as if he was his own child.
"Hanzou-sensei! Hanzou-sensei! Nooooo!!!" Tarensei wailed, near the breaking point of shedding tears. This had momentarily reminded Hanzou of when he first discovered the boy in the secluded woods whose life was being threatened by lowly bandits. It was these tears of corrected innocence is what made Hanzou see the locked potential inside of the child, although he could also sense something far greater beating within but logic could not totally explain it.
Hanzou, an escaping shinobi felt that it was his one last duty to carry out in teaching Tarensei everything about the mystic arts as he was aware it would only be a few more years before he was flushed out of hiding by the members of his old clan. Even though Hanzou had never explained why he had left his clan, it was for reasons that he felt he did not need to share with anyone else besides his own self. But what he knew was that Tarensei being his one and only disciple, could carry down the arts further than he ever could for a lifetime... and hopefully make a change for the better. That was the final thought that struck Hanzou's mind before his eyes closed softly, marking his death right in his own student's arms.
"HANZOU-SENSEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Tarensei's scream of overwhelming emotion shattered the peaceful lines of the quiet air in the middle of the wilderness, followed by a fully streaming echo of pain, remorse, and unprecedented sadness.
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"I don't even know how many days it took for me to overcome my grief for my sensei's death. It even seemed like months, years even. But perhaps it was only the exact same day I had ended up most likely going against my master's code of the warrior. I was tired of fate taking things away from me. Tired of being wrongly mistreated by common society. It had been like that ever since I was child. I couldn't bear to take on the world alone knowing that I was born a demon underneath the ruse of a human's body." Tarensei thought, as his fingers fiddled with the red ribbon tied to the hilt of his sword.
"After all, where I could run to? But that didn't matter to me at the moment - because with my newfound strength I had decided to take my vengeance back to the roots of where my personal turmoil started. My old village." Tarensei's mind flashed back to the last segment of his memories, where he had entered the old village of where he was improperly raised by his horrible caretaker and the various folk who always treated him like dirt or even abused him simply because he was known for being a freakish child.
"It was all too easy. Normally I know had Hanzou-sensei had still been alive at the time, I know for a fact deep down in my heart he would never have approved of such an action for me to do. But I was simultaneously filled with rage and sadness. More than enough to slaughter all of the people that resided in that carcass hole of a place. I hated everyone there, the old man, the many townspeople that constantly commented on my gender, and the ruffians who would harm me for their own sick kicks. None of them, now older and even twice as stupidly ignorant as before, didn't even notice my arrival." Tarensei thought.
"I walked quietly into the little residential area... in a mere manner of moments my sheer speed had played the part in assisting of the death of every single villager I had came across. I had my fun, causing a mass murdering with the several various executions I could think of on a whim. Not to describe it all, but all I could see was blood. So much blood everywhere it was to the point where the place was tainted in a crimson sea that no mortal could ever hope to rise to the surface of. Its treacherous waters so deep the first wave would devour a weak soul with relative ease." Tarensei smiled to himself.
"And of course, I had saved the old man for last. Being surprised that he was practically on his death bed, it cost him many limbs that I severed for him to finally remember I was the so called weak child he was forced to raise. Oh, that look of fear and panic on his face just before I disemboweled him all over the floor of his own home. It was truly a sight to behold. Absolutely beautiful.... well, it was until I had realized that there was one person left standing amongst the odd fifty something bodies scattered on the grounds of the village. He wasn't even normal enough to be considered human. And that's when he said those words that altered my course on the path of my future life..."
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The man simply stood there before Tarensei, his arms crossed in a prominent manner. No other gesture could announce the man's intentional audacity to face who could be considered a crazy bloodthirsty person with a sword. However, this situation was different.
"That was simply... excellent. No words can describe how amazed I am by this work of destructive art you have conceived by a single blade that you carry, stained with the blood of many humans... all mixing together to form up a striking deal of evil incarnate." the man said, still not moving from where he stood.
"And just who are you? The best advice I can possibly give you is to leave within three seconds before this sword of mine claims your blood next. And I can assure you, it is always the final slaying of the day that makes it the most wonderful sight of death." Tarensei scoffed with his eyes closed.
"I am willing to pass upon that offer. However, I think I possess a greater offer that exceeds that of yours. An offer that can take your potential and increase to further heights that is capable of providing unmatched strength. Join me, and I can make your most sought after desires come true." the man said, outstretching his hand out towards the purple haired shinobi warrior.
"Unmatched... strength?" the words struck Tarensei with high interest, and before it knew it he found himself extending his hand to meet the man's own...
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"Little did I know I was taking the hand of Kagotaru... the young leader seeking people proficient enough to join the ranks of his soon to be formed battalion to combat against an upcoming war of humans and demons alike... The Ten Thousand Demon Kings... and yet, I've been drawn down to one of the five most powerful beings left on this land. The future was deemed to be bright but faded into a pale star... our status having that of a star's last glimmer of light before it was put out." Tarensei thought.
Tarensei then lifted himself up from the grass with a light huff, picking up his masamune and reattaching it to his hakama. He set down the dandelion flower he was holding earlier and took one last long glance at the pool of water he was standing by, with dead cherry blossoms swiveling around like lost souls on the surface. Watching the light rain fall and all that came to pass, a cold chill fell upon his face.
"This wind... it feels so nice to have it whipping against my face like this. Nature has rejuvenated my body. And now that I have a second chance at life..." Tarensei unsheathed his masamune, slicing it through the air in five quick motions. "I will once again prove to Kagotaru-sama that I will be the first of the Shinkantetsu to restore our order of power to Japan and beyond!"
Tarensei then took off dashing through the bamboo forest at an impeccable rate. His feet caused splashes of water along the ground as he stepped through the many puddles scattered throughout, and his body had started to pick up such immense speed that he literally became faster than light itself, his appearance turning invisible. Even the afterimage that he left behind was an instant blur, only remaining to be seen for a split second trail.
"Beware Inuyasha!!! I'm coming for you!!! Wait for me! Ha ha ha ha ha!!!" Tarensei laughed in a maniacal deranged tone of voice, his face transforming into his horrifying demonic visage. His hair shot up into wild freakish tendrils, his green eyes became clouded with insane hatred and his sharp fangs were dripping with venomous acid. What was once an innocent looking young man had now taken the form of a vast extension of the bottled up fear and dissonance that has tortured his soul for as long as he lived. Lacking the harmony and solace that he was never exposed to in the past, Tarensei blended to become one with the atmosphere surrounding him, carrying him far and farther away into the swooshing gentle rain breeze.
The End of Chapter 12.