Chapter 34 Surveillance

The hour of seven came slowly as the five of us stood idly around the snowy village, occasionally stopping to wander through a shop. I had never figured Mizuko to be a shop fiend but she would squeal at every clothing shop and run in to inspect. From her behavior, you would have guessed the kunoichi was the feminine one of the group, when in reality, she was more of a tomboy than me.

While Mizuko ran into a t-shirt store, dragging in Hiko behind her, I dropped into an art shop around the corner. It was a small place, packed with creativity. The shop owner was a old, but rather tall man, with an almost naked face. Only a few scrappy hairs decorated his balding head. Two half-circle glasses sat lowly upon his sharp nose. Underneath unsteady hands he flipped through a book, running his shaky hands along the pages, his lips muttering silence every now and again.

When I entered the shop the standard door bell chimed but the old clerk did not look up from his book. I looked at him, expecting a greeting but got none. Shrugging I began to weave through the isles, eyeing everything in my line of sight at the moment. I continued to wind through until I found myself back at the main desk. It wasn't until then the old man looked over at me for the first time. A side glace where he fixed a milky looking brown eye on me.

"Who's there?" He said in a low, raspy voice. "Lisha? Is that you? Oh, then you too have survived! Thank god I was not the only. I have so much to tell you, what have-"

"Um…" I cut in, halting his ramblings. "I'm sorry but I-I'm not who you are thinking…sir."

The turned his whole head towards me, now starring at me with a misty brown eye, and a eye with a nearly faded iris. He peered at me closer, squinting his eyes and leaning in till his nose nearly touched mine. I backed away slightly. The man's face fell.

"You are not Lisha." He said, backing away. "Forgive me, I lost sight in my right eye many years ago and now old age is beginning to repeat the process, only much slower, in my left. Forgive me, dear, but you're blurred figure looked like that of a dear, dear friend of mine. She was a strong-willed beauty with eyes both passionate and lively and…and sometimes cruel." His already distant eyes stretched out farther into his memories and a faint smile came over his cracked lips as he remembered the mysterious girl. "I still remember how she looked, mounted on the magnificent steeds we would often steal, her face would be thrown up with freedom, just like the horse, her dark auburn hair pulled back into a loose pony tail, whipping in the breeze. And here smile…so honest…so pure."

Though the man continued to ramble, I found myself intrigued by this Lisha. With such a detailed description, I could almost picture the women.

"And when she would swoop down from a roof or high-surface," He continued, his voice getting excited. "the look of determination on her face. Oh, such magnificence."

A tear streamed down the old man's face. Slowing passing over the folds of skin around his face.

"But then she…she had always loved…." The old man shook his head and his dreams ended. "But you are not Lisha, you are far too young."

I felt as though the bubble of memories that surrounded us had been popped and left us falling into the cold snow outside. The man turned his face back towards his book and he continued to stroke the pages. His lips moved silently as he read some unseen verse.

"Sir?"

He turned up his face. "Yes?"

"What is your name?"

He looked at me hard and something glinted in his unseeing eyes.

"I have no name, child, but you may call me Lou."

"Lou." I repeated, tasting the foreign name, feeling the "L" roll off my tongue as my language rejected the strange letter.

"Now, what may I call you, dear?"

"Uh, my name is Ka-"

The man held up his hand.

"I asked what I may call you, not your name, child."

I stopped to think. Wasn't that the same as a name?

"A name is what is given to us, but it says nothing about ourselves." Lou explained. "Who are you, child? A daughter of none?"

I stared at him, confused. I couldn't quite grasp what the man was saying. A title that explains me? A daughter of none?

"Shura…" I mumbled. "You can call me Shura, if I'm understanding you correctly."

"Ah, a good strong name, daughter, very strong but dark. Why such a title?" Lou asked, cocking his elderly head to the side.

"Because it's the name of someone who…well, defines me I guess."

The man nodded. "Though you still misunderstand my question, it's a good start."

He turned his face back to his book and did not look up for several minutes. I turned away and was about to leave but he held a hand out that brushed my shoulder.

"What can I get you, daughter?" He asked.

I suddenly found it strange that he was still not using the name I had given him. I thought for a second then turned back around towards him.

"A canvas, some paints and an easel."

Lou smiled and turned his back to me. When he turned around he had a box of paints in his hands.

"Choose your colors, child, and choose wisely for that too, define the nature of a painting."

------------------------------------

I found Sasuke and the others waiting for me back at the shop in which Mizuko had run into. Mizuko was chatting with Hiko and pointing at stuff in a box but the miniature shinobi seemed much more interested in the ball of snow in her hands. At some point Mizuko made a comment about Hiko's lack of fashion sense, which was silenced when Hiko shoved the cold substance into her friend's face.

"Where have you been?" Hiko asked as I approached and Mizuko tried to get the snow of her face as quickly as possible.

I smiled. "Taking a trip down the memory lane of an art store owner."

Everyone looked at me confused, but I gave them a satisfied look and said nothing else.

"Did you ask for information?" Sasuke asked.

I felt my expression drop. Damn, hadn't thought of that. I bet Lou would've talked. Apparently my silence was a good enough answer because Sasuke let out a sigh.

"Of course."

I prepared to snap back at him with some epic comeback but I became distracted by the almost empty streets.

"Er, where is everyone?" I asked.

"Well, it is seven o'clock, Karasu." Mizuko answered. "People are packing up and we were waiting for you so we could track the baker."

"Oh." I said, feeling my face turning red. "Oh, okay."

I lead the way back to the bakery and we waited outside, doing our best to look like we were doing anything else then what we actually were. At five after seven, the baker stepped out of his shop and shuffled through the snow. His large boots left very definite tracks. We all head in the opposite direction until we felt we weren't being watched, then we slipped into shadows and alleyways. We didn't follow the baker in a large clump, but rather scattered ourselves to the point of only being visible to one another.

The man led us to a small district of homes in the outskirts of the village. Had it not been for the scattered trees, we would've been black rabbits in the snow. The district was made up of thirty homes at the least. Most families seemed to have returned here and were already preparing the evening meal. I wondered if Lou was in any of them.

The baker led us to a small cottage style home, painted chestnut brown with black shingles and a white picket fence. The kind of home you saw in western style children books. We watched him enter the house through a foot tall porch, stamping the snow of his boots before stepping inside, and we waited. After a good ten minutes, snuck around to the back and stopped at the rear door to look around.

"This could be a trap." Mizuko whispered.

"We've already made it this far." I whispered back. "Besides, what's more fun than springing the trap? At least we'll be able to see this organization face to face and Mizuko can get the ass-whopping she's been waiting for."

Mizuko smiled. "I hope it's a trap then."

I nodded as I smiled back and swung open the door quietly. We waited. Nothing. No one jumped out at us. A bunch of weapons and fire didn't come flying out at as. Only the warmth from the inside. A temptation I gave into easily.

We stepped inside and walked around cautiously but still nothing happened. We found our way to the living room where the baker was seated in front of the fire place. He looked up and smiled. It was probably the first real smile we had received all day. He stood up and put his meaty hands together.

"Glad to see you got here un-noticed." He held out his hands. "You can shed the layers, I'll take them."

We pulled off our coats, gloves, boots and any other clothing that was separate from the main article, and placed them in the arms of the baker. For the first time I saw how large of a man he truly was. He was not only wide but tall, his hands were large enough to grab my entire head. With another smile, the baker took our clothing and began to hang it up.

"You can take a seat in the dinning room, kids, I've already made dinner." I called over his shoulder.

We all made our way to the dinning room. It was small with a long table. The first thing I noticed were the amount of chairs. No single man would have so many unless he invited friends over often. I looked over to the left wall where several pictures were hung. I walked over and looked at the framed photos of a family. A friendly women with colorless brown hair, three girls that deeply resembled the women and the man that stood behind them. A man that looked like a thinner version of the baker.

When the baker entered the room we all took a seat around. Bread and corn soup was passed around. We talked and got to know the baker more, as he learned as much about us as we allowed. His name was Himoru, like many of the other village residents, his ancestors had come to settle here from a variety of foreign lands. Himoru, however, had been born and raised here. His mother was Japanese and his father was from somewhere in Europe. His grandmother had been the first to open the bakery and now he ran it. He enjoyed living on Shirayuki but he dreamed of visiting the mainland one day.

I took a sip of the hot chocolate that had followed the evening meal. My eyes wandered over to the pictures on the wall as Mizuko began to explain everything from bed sheets to knives to Himoru.

"I-is this your family?" Yukimaru asked, pointing to one of the pictures.

All eyes shifted to the boy then to Himoru. The man was starring down at his hands and he let out a long sigh.

"I guess that as good a place to start as any." Himoru shifted in his seat and looked around at us. "Two years ago, a shady looking ship pulled into our pier. We, being famous for our hospitality, welcomed them to our inns and provisions. They were some sort of organization with a nasty looking man leading them. I had never liked the look in his eyes.

"After they stayed here for almost a month, they began to take over the village, well, they had already began to terrorized the villagers but they began to cut off our trades. They only allowed ships to leave with their permission. Eventually, a group of rebellions rose and began to fight against the organization, they call themselves the Kyu, but in the end, mere villagers don't stand a chance against shinobi. But during the rebellion, families were gathered and sent off the island. I sent my wife and daughters." -he gestured a hand towards the hanging pictures- "and stayed to help the rebels. As I said, though, we lost and were forced into submission. We were all put under surveillance during work hours, and every now and then they come to check on us in our houses. Anyone makes a wrong move, they're killed, sometimes right there in front of everyone. That's why I had a spark of hope when you two walked into my shop. I don't know if some of the people who escaped sent you but I don't care, your obviously here to take down this organization. I have faith that the five of you can do it."

I exchanged guilty glances with my team members. It was true we were her to take down the Kyu but we were doing it for man who I can guarantee was much worse. Here was this man who was putting his heart in our success, and I felt like a shit. He had no idea of his motives. I gave him a sad look.

"Himoru-san…" I began.

"You can count on us, Ojii-san!!!" Mizuko cried, slapping her hands on the table as she stood. Himoru was startled by the action but Mizuko gave in a wide smile. "We'll take the bastards down with more than just a slap on the hand, and you're gonna get your village back."

I felt a smile form on my face and I nodded with the rest of my team. Himoru looked around the room at the rest of us and I swear I saw a tears come to his eyes.

"I thank you, kids." He said. "I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart."

----------------------------------------

After being allowed the chance to wash up, Himoru showed us were we could sleep during our stay. Since he had three daughters, Hiko, Mizuko and I each got our own room, while Sasuke and Yukimaru slept out in the living room where they could keep watch just in case. I was staying in the oldest girls room. She had obviously like cool colors because her room was many blues and greens, unlike Mizuko's room which was all yellows. Poor Hiko was stuck in the youngest's because of her size, something Mizuko could resist making a big deal out of.

It was strange to me, sleeping in a strange place once again but knowing that no one had any weird intentions for me. Here I knew I was safe for the most part. Plus, the room was mostly western styled with a slight Japanese feel to it. It was comfortable. I curled under the blankets, which were thick and layered, a sense of security washed over me and I drifted off.

I was bothered by dreams of the room filled with water and darkness. Only, instead of seeing myself I saw a boy with wavy, shoulder length hair, the color of raven wings. His eyes were a pale gold color, similar to my own. His clothing consisted of all black, his cloak, his t-shirt, his pants. He nearly blended into the surrounding nothingness. He watched me but said nothing. I tried my best to remain calm, hold his stare, but I had trained myself to face my reflection, This boy was different. There was something dark and intimidating about his presence. I soon realized I had broken into a cold sweat.

"W-who are you?" I asked. "Where did the girl-my reflection-go?"

"There is nothing different between me and the girl you saw before." He said.

There was something about his voice felt like cold, black water sliding through my veins. The hairs on that back of my neck rose and goose bumps made their way down my arm.

"As for who I am," He continued. "I'm the new being that was born in your mind, in your soul, on that day in the Forest of Death. I was born in the darkness of your conscious and raised by your fear, hatred and suffering. I have no name, Karasu. Only you can give me that."

I felt everything freeze in some kind of invisible ice. Sweat poured down my face like rain.

"You're the curse mark…" I breathed out.

Author Notes: Yes, yes I haven't written anything in awhile. I've been sick and busy with school. Plus, I'm going through a video game faze.

That's right, I just brought another character from my other fanfic into this one. I'm cool like that. No, actually, I was typing and that typed itself out. I have no intention of doing something like that again, but there's a tiny detail in there that's a spoiler for my AC fic. I really like scenes when a character is able to go in themselves and confront an inner nature, I find it adds a lot to a story and a character.

I have uploaded the character profiles for Yoshimitsu, Hiko and Karasu on my Deviant art if you want to check them out.

.com/