Chapter 11: 'Death-Scythe' of the Mist and the Phantom Uchiha

-40 years ago two powerful shinobi, one Mist and one Leaf, walked together as partners. Now the two stands again…resurrected-

-Somewhere in Hot Springs country. Three days later, time: 2110-

(For most dramatic sense, play 'Senya - Many Nights', when ~! Appears [replay as necessary or just look up Itachi's theme.])

Zikito felt weary to open his eyes again especially after seeing that pale-orange sky, black clouds, and empty landscape... but the worst by far, the blood red moon. No way was he in the Land of the Living any longer, he knew it, but he couldn't accept it. Zikito Hoshigaki was dead and in Hell.

'Hell…I guess that "Nobody" wasn't able to save me after all. I'm not all that surprised actually. Anybody with my injuries couldn't have survived. So I'm dead… this sucks.'

Zikito wanted to move his fingers and limbs but at the same time, didn't want to. He didn't want to confirm where he was, but he knew that he could not prolong the inevitable. Once you're in Hell, you can't leave. Deciding to embrace the afterlife, and punishments that would follow, Zikito opened his eyes-

OPEN

-and was met not by the screams and destruction of the Underworld. But by a starry sky, illuminated by a half moon, and various sounds of insects and wildlife. Trees akin to a forest surrounding him, illuminated by the light, as well as the sound, of a clacking fire.

'What?'

CLINCK

Zikito heard the sound of metal. Lifting his head up, he saw someone. The same armor clad ninja tending to the fire and something else. Acting on training Zikito stayed down, but looked around for his scythe, though he was still in pain, he knew his body could withstand one full force strike. He found it, next to the tree he lay beside. Reaching for it, Zikito kept an eye on the ninja. Still oblivious to Zikito's presence, as he grabbed his scythe and proceeded to cut him down.

The nameless shinobi fell to the earth, in two bloody armored halves, as his blood colored the ground in a thick crimson. Zikito suddenly felt a tinge of guilt. Though he never expressed it, the shinobi had probably just wanted to help Zikito but it was quickly dismissed. By helping Zikito, the shinobi had merely signed his own death warrant. The Mist hunter-nin are notoriously hard to fool and lose, any who assisted a criminal to the Mist was considered an enemy. In Zikito's mind, he had done the nameless shinobi a favor by killing him painlessly.

"Besides" Zikito said, blood gleaming off of his scythe. "Any shinobi foolish enough to let his guard down around another is not worthy of living in this world."

"Is that so?"

Zikito turned his head toward the sound, but was blinded when the body the shinobi he just killed, burst into flames.

"You should practice what you preach, Mist Shinobi."

Again the same voice spoke but it echoed this time. Though he had closed his eyes, Zikito was certain that nothing around them would create an echo.

"Who are you?" Zikito spoke finally opening his eyes, but in that moment he wished he hadn't. He found himself in that same place as before: Pale-orange sky, black clouds, empty landscape, and blood red moon, along with the same armor wearing ninja from before.

"Keeping one's guard is sound advice, but striking at one who means no harm is just plain rude." The shinobi wore a Leaf headband but it was slashed through the insignia, and his armor was not of this era.

'Just who was this guy?'

As he spoke, his voice, almost conversational, had a tone of anger quickly arise in it. "And if one strikes a helping hand…one will be met with the same." The shinobi eyes glowed red as a blinding searing pain engulfed Zikito, he was being burned alive and he could do nothing about it.

SNAP

Zikito's eyes popped open as a single noise broke through the pain of his flesh burning. He was back in the forest, the sound of flames snapping, along with various insects and critters flooded his ears. His arms was still extended, reaching for his scythe, not wanting to hazard another trip through Hell, he decided to speak to the shinobi, still tending to the fire. Before he could though, the same voice from before spoke again.

"You gonna try to kill me again?" It came from the shinobi in front of him.

"No, I think that be unwise." Zikito answered.

"Good." The shinobi finally turned to face Zikito, a bowl with a spoon in it, gripped in his hand. Approaching Zikito, the ninja spoke again. "I'd hate to have to kill you after tending to your wounds."

Putting the bowl down casually next to Zikito, he gave a smile before turning back towards the fire. "It's hot but it is not poisoned, you look hungry. Eat up." Zikito was cautious but his growling stomach told him to trust the man as he reached for the bowl. It was a simple mixture of meat and vegetables in a thick broth; soup. It looked okay and smelled okay, so Zikito took a bit in the spoon, blew on it to cool it down, and placed the spoon in his month. Surprisingly, it was good. His fears alleviated, Zikito began scarfing it down, as the stranger came back, this time with another bowl and a cup. "Here's another serving and a cup of tea." He said.

Zikito took note of both as he continued to eat. The stranger served himself and sat against the tree opposite the one next to Zikito, and ate silently, his eyes closed. For over five minutes the two sat and ate in absolute silence. Save for the snapping of the fire and the crickets chirping, till at last Zikito, having finished both bowls and spoke up.

~!

"You should leave me here and get as far away as you can from me." Zikito stated flatly as the shinobi simply sat but not looking at Zikito, as his eyes were closed.

"I am a wanted man. I'll be hunted all cross the nations, I appreciate your help and the food… but it would be better if you and I forget we ever met each other. No one else need get involved in a fight that doesn't concern them. I know you helped me and I am not ungrateful, however, I do not believe a shinobi of your caliber can be of any use to me, only a burden. So, get lost."

Zikito chose his words carefully, and he didn't care if the shinobi thought him a rude and unkind bastard. This wasn't something he need to get involved-

"You talk a lot." The shinobi finally said, his words sounding, more like an observation than anything else. Zikito gave a wicked smirk before replying. "I'm off duty."

The shinobi's expression didn't change nor did his eyes open, nonetheless, he continued to speak. "If you think I do not know that, you give me too little credit. Such a force sent after a single ninja is either overcompensation…"

Zikito's smirk widened a bit.

"…or an accurate assessment of a shinobi's skill. From what I saw, I believe it was the former."

THUNK

Zikito stood up and leveled his tip of the shaft of his scythe with the shinobi face, his eye.

'This one…'

"Do you know why they were after me? Because a traitor, from my village, pinned an attack on me. I had no choice but to flee from my home, if only to protect my family, but I won't hand him an easy victory. So long as I live, he can't enact his plan any further. I will find a way clear my name; stop whatever he and his cohorts have planned, and see justice served. I will find a way to take him down if you want to come along for the ride I won't stop you, but know this: I will not be your baby-sitter and I won't allow you to slow me down. Keep up or die."

Zikito words rung like a steel chorus, emanating only truth and coldness, but if it bothered the nameless shinobi, he didn't show it.

"Isolation and solitude, they grow very weary after the first day; let alone the first year. Might as well have someone to talk to."

Were the only words that answered Zikito's statement. It came off as cheery but from the stranger's lackluster way of saying it, made it less than such. Knowing he would get nothing more from it, Zikito added only one more thing.

"Very well, you and I are partners from this day forward. My name is Zikito Hoshigaki, Please be wary of me."

Then the shinobi opened his eyes and looked Zikito right in the eyes, as he pupils suddenly changed…

'So the rumors were true.'

…from a normal onyx into a red iris with three interlaced tomoe around the central pupil.

'The Sharingan does exist… The Uchiha still live.'

"Xevhiroth Uchiha, that goes for you too."

With nothing more to say. Zikito put down his scythe against the tree, back where it was, and laid back on the cold dirt, while Xevhiroth laid back against the tree, and the two fell asleep.

(You can stop playing the music now….)

-The next morning-

Xevhiroth kicked some dirt on the embers that remained alight from the fire he made the night before. He wasn't happy about leaving his cooking pot but he did acquire it from a traveling merchant for that purpose and there were plenty more where those came from, so it would pass. His armor clinked and shifted as he moved about but that never bothered him. He too was a wanted man and as such had more than his fair share of people after him, though not recently. Maybe his profile had disappeared but with helping Zikito escape the Hunter-nin, he was certain that he would be on the radar of several groups once again.

'Well I made the choice to save him, now I must live with that choice. Not that I mind, at least I got someone to talk to.'

Looking at Zikito, a man of tall stature and of considerable bulk, perhaps due to the way he practiced with that scythe of his.

Standing at a height 5'11, with short black hair, of dark skin, and strangely piercing yellow eyes, he must have been an ANBU. He wore the standard ANBU uniform complete with arm guards and a flak jacket. Xevhiroth wondered just how long it would last; their partnership. From Zikito's words the night prior, Xevhiroth could discern that he was not the easiest person to get along with, and he didn't seem like the type who mellowed with age. Most likely as far as the nearest town but Xevhiroth was a man who liked long odds so he put his money that this partnership would be lasting till one of them ended up dead…or till they kill each other. Zikito had already got up and grabbed his scythe and though he wasn't flinching nor favoring any part of his body, Xevhiroth could still see that he was in pain. He had done his best to patch up the wounds but he wasn't a doctor or medical ninja, so it was barely passible but Zikito didn't look the kind to die from a few wounds. Xevhiroth walked over to him, staying a step or two out of his reach.

"Ready?"

Zikito merely flipped his scythe over his shoulder and started down the road without a word.

XxX

-10 minutes later-

Zikito didn't like the idea of having idea of having someone from the hated and vilified Uchiha clan as a partner; they were the ones who not only caused much unrest in their own village, but in his as well and not only that, they caused a damn war.

'And here I am, trying to clear my name, bring a killer to justice, and foil a plot to overthrow the Ninja world…. and I'm hanging out with quite possibly the last of the most despised clan to ever walk the Earth?! I hope he's the last' otherwise, I'm helping those who fan the flames of war start another one.'

"Aww geez… What am I doing?" Zikito asked himslef as he put his left hand over his face. "I think you're about to walk into a tree."

Zikito stopped walking as another voice broke his thought; and it was right, he was about three steps from walking square into a tree. Zikito merely turned his attention to the voice.

It was a man of average height, standing at 5'6, having jet black hair with a blue tint to it that ran to the middle of his back; tied via a black string in a ponytail. His eyes were onyx colored, visible since his Sharingan was not active. He also had distinctive features which included pronounced tear-troughs and a strange tattoo on his right arm that stretched from his elbow to his hand. With a tanned complexion, but only visible by his face and right arm as he keeps the rest of his body covered in maroon armor with numerous metal plates, forming protective guards along his chest, waist, shoulders and thighs. Under the armor was an indigo long-sleeved shirt with a knee-length mantle, pants, open-toed boots, gloves, and the right sleeve was rolled up to his elbow.

That alone was annoying in it of itself, but the face that went with it all just wore a smile on his face that said 'watch where you're going'. Zikito said nothing as he stepped back on the dirt path that the two had been traveling on for the past half mile, and the armored Uchiha followed right behind.

"You're not like what I'd expected of the Uchiha Clan." Zikito said at last.

"Oh, so you what it means? My name?" The shinobi asked in surprise and high intrigue.

"You don't? Now that's a shocker, didn't your parents teach you of your clan's history?"

"…Nope. Didn't have any."

"What? Were you grown in a tube?"

"Don't know about grown but I woke up in one."

"Huh?"

"The only memory I have before I woke up in a tube was darkness, cold and empty darkness. Then the darkness broke, and then the tube followed, and finally I found myself in a lab or something like that. I found what I'm wearing and somehow got out of there. I have no memories of my childhood or of this Uchiha clan that everyone assumes I'm a part of. I don't even know who they are."

Zikito wasn't sure how to process this information. This Uchiha had no knowledge of his own kin, none of their past, yet he wore armor of their linage and had the Sharingan.

'I always thought that the Uchiha Clan taught the use of the Sharingan to their kin or perhaps it was self-taught by experience. And what did he mean by "a tube"?'

Zikito had no knowledge of the Uchiha, outside of what he had been told and read about in files detailing the time leading up to and during the last Ninja War. He wasn't too keen on sharing such intel with an Uchiha. After all, whether he was captured and left to rot or was really grown in tube, he had no memory of the Uchiha clan, and Zikito wasn't about to throw oil on that fire.

The one thing he could be certain about was the Uchiha affinity for violence and destruction via their 'Curse of Hatred'. The Uchiha had received their Sharingan in a strange way and it was influenced by emotion, most notably: Anger, Envy, Rage, Fear, and, of course, Hate. Zikito recalled last night, when he saw the Sharingan form in his eyes, and it looked like a full version. So, most likely he has already felt an extreme loss or something, but Zikito was not going to tell, quite possible, the last Uchiha all the secrets of his clan.

'I don't think he needs to know all that much about his kin'.

"Well, I know the Uchiha have access to a rare dōjutsu, the Sharingan and use fire style ninjutsu." Zikito, doing his best to sound sincere, spoke out in earnest. Zikito didn't want to tell Xevhiroth everything yet, there was still too much about him that was unknown, too many red flags. So for now, tell only what was necessary.

"Hmm…I take it that there are some things you don't to tell me?" Xevhiroth asked, in a knowing manner.

"Well, I can tell you about those eyes of your's. It is one of the Three Great Dōjutsu, being able to see chakra flow and is able to tell if a person is under a genjutsu. Its second prominent ability grants the user an incredible clarity of perception, allowing them to easily recognize genjutsu and different forms of chakra and allows the user to pick up on subtle or minute details. The Sharingan's third and most well-known ability is that it grants the user the ability to copy almost any technique that he or she witnesses, apart from other kekkei genkai techniques. Lastly, The Sharingan's final commonly-used ability is capable of inducing a unique brand of hypnosis that involves suggesting actions and thoughts to the opponent through genjutsu cast by simple eye contact…. Sorry that's all I know."

Xevhiroth seemed to take this information with great expectance, like a child receiving a gift. He seemed pleased to meet someone who was willing to tell him of his clan and more so since that person knew such information. Zikito wasn't willing to disclose this but his grandfather walked with one of the last members of that very clan for several years and as such, the two were almost synonymous with each other. Zikito casted a glance at Xevhiroth, and he looked as if deep in thought, most likely mulling over the information he had just received and trying his best to absorb it all. Having a spare moment, Zikito used it to remember his grandfather…

He was a member of the Cyber Division who served under Fuguki Suikazan who, then, was one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist who wielded Samehada. Until, Kisame killed him for betraying the Mist, where he took Samehada for himself. Zikito's mom told him, that her mother, Zikito's grandmother, said that he seemed disillusioned; like the world seemed to no longer mean anything, he told her that it was all a lie. Soon after he left the village and became a missing-nin, one of the most notorious in the history of the Hidden Mist.

Sometime after, he reappeared partnered with the man who carried out a massacre; Itachi Uchiha. The two committed many vile acts throughout their travels until Itachi was killed by his younger brother and Kisame ultimately, committed suicide. After the forth ninja war ended, tales of their exploits were collected and published. The two were known together by a moniker, Zikito closed his eyes as he tried to remember then it came to him: Dangerous Characters.

'Yeah, they were called the Dangerous Characters if I remember correctly.'

The duo were part of the criminal organization called the Akatsuki, a group of rogue ninja, all S-rank, criminals. Under the direction of Obito Uchiha, who sought the tailed beats to recreate the Ten-tails and enact an eternal Tsukuyomi to 'bring an end to the harsh reality of this world' put forth by his predecessor, Madara Uchiha. Madara felt that this world was not worth existing due to the philosophy 'for every winner, there is a loser' and wished for reality to be changed.

'Now I understand my grandfather a bit more, too many liars in the Mist… Though, he was a traitor, my Grandfather…lost faith in the system but I haven't and I won't let a scum sucking, scheming, lying bastard throw my name into the mud. Like Obito did with my grandfather.'

Zikito clenched his fist at the thought of Ryo speaking before others declaring that the man known as Zikito Hoshigaki has followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and became a traitor by attempting to kill a high ranking elder. His proclamation that he was now a rogue-nin and he should be hunted down, like the vile scum that Kisame Hoshigaki was in the days of Obito Uchiha and their ilk. He felt a sudden rush of pure fury at the thought of a traitor, who had long since been the very enemy that Zikito himself had hunted, telling others, with a straight face that he, Zikito had become a rogue ninja. His sister, most likely felt the same but she had a much cooler head then Zikito did. So most likely whatever plan Ryo had for branding Zikito, she would see to it that it would not come to pass…and that made him smile.

'Whatever he has planned, so long as I can draw air, he'll be wondering just what am I doing to stop him…'

"What are you doing?"

Zikito was brought out of his thoughts as Xevhiroth asked a simple question directed at him. Shaking his head, Zikito looked at Xevhiroth, who was looking at him with an expression of concern, one eyebrow was raised and his mouth was open a little.

"Umm, just thinking to myself." Zikito responded.

"Something enjoyable I take it?"

"You could say that."

"Glad to hear, because we have company."

Before Zikito could answer, a group of armed mercenaries seemed to appear from the forest itself, and quickly surrounded the duo. They didn't have any identifying marks on them, so most likely they were freelancers looking to make a quick buck.

"Where did these guys come from?"

"Oh, from quite a ways away, I sensed them coming but you looked like you were deep in thought so I decided not to tell you; didn't want to interrupt whatever it was that you were doing."

Zikito merely looked at Xevhiroth in disbelief, as he said all this with a straight face with nary a flinch or laugh, like it was no big deal. He shook his head as he breathed out a sigh of irritation.

"Well since you saw them first, you can take care of them."

"Okay. You go sit down somewhere and rest, old man."

Zikito only cast a wayward glance at the retort made by the smart-alecky Uchiha. "I'm not that old." He said.

"You're older than me."

Zikito didn't say anything more but instead took several steps away from the Uchiha. Zikito was more than capable of handling some untrained mercs but his injuries would most likely reopen and he wasn't looking forward to being even more indebted to the Uchiha before him.

So for now, he'd let him handle them. Zikito quickly disappeared but not before he heard the sound of knuckles being popped and a voice filled with confidence say: "Who wants to go first?"

XxX

-5 minutes later-

Xevhiroth stood with his arms crisscrossed over his chest and a grin on his face. He was standing amongst well over twenty bodies, all dead by various means but dead nonetheless. They all were just street thugs who relied on sheer numbers and intimidation, now they were nothing more than stains on his boots.

"That looks like it." He said, smugly.

Xevhiroth had quickly dispatched all the mercs, they might have been a challenge to an untrained opponent but to a ninja as powerful as himself, they were fodder. None had any real training, so they recklessly charged at Xevhiroth and were met by blade, jutsu, or fist; in the end, it was more of a nuisance than anything else. Now that it was done, on to more pressing matters.

"Now where did he-

THUD

Xevhiroth quickly turned around as a sound reached his ears. A body, not there a moment earlier, had suddenly appeared on the ground, his gaze turning upwards, Xevhiroth saw the cause: Zikito, on a branch in the tree, his scythe in hand with blood on the blade.

"Not bad- he started- a full five minutes without stopping and you got almost all of 'em. We need to get out of here though, I'm still not a hundred percent and there's more on the way." He finished, still high up in the tree.

Xevhiroth looked up to fully face him and pointed off in direction; West.

"Pathway not more than 50 meters, opposite the direction these guys came from. It's clear all the way to a small village nearby, maybe a hundred meters north. Just follow the path to the right when you get to it."

"Alright, it'll have to do for now, let's move."

Xevhiroth said nothing more as his arms unfolded and he brought them to the center and made a hand seal.

"Alright, see you up ahead. Release!"

And with that he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

'A clone huh? Wonder how long he was fighting as a clone…'

"Most likely the whole time." Zikito answered himself, as he performed a few hand signs and spoke out loud.

"Teh, Kids these days…no need to be so flashy."

And like Xevhiroth, this led to his body disappearing completely.

-25 minutes later, 50 meters west by 25 meters north, time: 0945-

Xevhiroth had been standing under the tree for the past 15 minutes. He had expected for Zikito to show up already, so that alone was annoying but the calm of the forest made it easier.

He was a nature lover at heart and always preferred the vastness of a very big forest or marshlands, heck, anything in nature, merely because it made him feel at peace. His eyes were closed as he absorbed all the sounds and atmosphere around him: the birds, bugs, animals; all things that one would hear inside a forest. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and looked up.

"Oii, gramps! Pick up the pace!" He shouted.

Zikito stood on the lowest branch, merely looking down on Xevhiroth with a smirk on his face.

"You know you're just talking to a clone right? I didn't see you in town. You need to pick up the pace yourself kid."

Xevhiroth wanted to correct him but resisted the urge to do so; instead he let out a sigh before speaking.

"Go to the only Inn in town, I already got a room for you. Rest up, eat something, and bathe for heaven's sake. Meet you here in two days."

Zikito, above him, merely looked at Xevhiroth with a scowl then brought his hands together.

"You try fighting for a week straight without sleep or food on the open sea, while running from a band of ninja, hell-bent on killing you." And he said no more and disappeared.

Xevhiroth meanwhile, just moved his back off the tree he had been against and started for deeper into the forest. As he did, a smile formed on his lips.

'…A week…'

Then it vanished and was replaced by a frown.

'…try a month.' And he walked into the woods, disappeared from sight, and into darkness.

XxX

-In a small village, Hot Spring Country, two days later; time: 0830-

Zikito stood in the small bathroom of the room he was given, in front of the mirror. Slowly, he furled the wraps that had been used to bandage his wounds from his encounters over a week ago. The ones along his arms and legs had healed quite nicely; they no longer hurt and were almost completely healed, the ones along his chest were not as far along. They still stung but no longer to the point where he had to stop moving for a spell to let the pain pass. Now it was more like an uncomfortable itch that he couldn't scratch because he might very well reopen them. It was a hassle but he knew that they would eventually heal up as well.

Finished taking off the bandages, he looked at himself in the bathroom's mirror. He had shaved, bathed, and had a haircut. All together; he looked like a human being again. He was reluctant to let his guard down but two good night's sleep and a few hot meals later, he was glad he did. It doesn't matter who you are or how much you rough it, an actual bed was a godsend after a week of running, meager rations, and sleeping on a rocking ship and cold ground.

The room had been paid for two full days and Zikito had enough money to pick up a few things, such as a change of clothes. His old ANBU gear was ripped to shreds and bloodied, so it was surprising that the manager didn't comment on it when he first arrived.

Walking out the bathroom, Zikito put on his new outfit; it was a simpler than his ANBU attire but it was all he could afford at the moment. Black pants, with white wraps securing his ankles and boots for his lower body and a white undershirt and black shirt with the same kind of wrap around his waist; which also secured his pouch that held his kunai and scrolls. There were also gloves which covered his four fingers but left his thumbs exposed and extended to almost his elbow along with metal guards that extended from his elbow to the middle part of the back of each hand.

Fully dressed, Zikito was ready to meet up with the Uchiha in the forest but before he left the Inn, he walked over to a table. On it were two scrolls, ones he would be damned to leave behind: One was a weapon's seal he used to carry his scythe when he entered a city or village, after all, carrying a huge scythe tended to be counterproductive when remaining covert. While the other was a summoning contract, which reminded him, that he wasn't alone.

'Wonder if he wants to play?'

Zikito thought to himself, as he walked towards the door….

-Five minutes later-

Zikito wasted no time in checking out and quickly leaving the village. He wasn't sure how long he'd have before word of who he was reached the ears of the townspeople, but he wasn't going to give them any kind of lead time. He had avoided looking most people directly in the face and used alleyways and side streets to get out quickly. Now he was on that same dirt road he had taken into the village, now heading into the direction of wherever that Uchiha had said to be a rendezvous point. But there wasn't anything he could see, he saw no actual sign or post or-

"Hmm?"

Zikito stopped when he noticed a kunai lodged in a tree. It looked out of place, and was an obvious sign after all.

Skraww…

Zikito quickly looked up into the tree, as a sharp piercing call sounded from above. An eagle, sat perched on the lowest branch. It was slightly bigger than most eagles he had seen in his youth, and though he couldn't be certain, it didn't look like it belonged in this forest. The eagle looked down towards him, it didn't behave like a normal eagle; it didn't peck underneath its feathers, or fly away, even as Zikito pulled the kunai from the tree. Instead, turned itself around on the tree branch and flapped its left wing slowly forward, almost like it was beckoning Zikito to follow it. Then, with a high-pitched screech, it flew off into the forest.

"Well that was a sign if I ever saw one, but I don't like walking headlong into a trap." Zikito said as he reached into his pouch for a certain scroll.

XxX

-Somewhere in a forest, Hot Spring Country, time: 1000-

Xevhiroth waited against the tree, his arms folded across his chest, waiting for Zikito to arrive. It had been the requisite two days since he left Zikito in that Inn to rest, eat, and bathe. The smell from him was bloody awful, a mix of decaying flesh and fish guts, soaked in vinegar and wrapped in bile, might be what an artistic person might describe it, when in fact it was just blood, salt, sweat, mud, and dreadful BO. But regardless the combination was enough to make one vomit.

'I hope he really took the time to clean himself thoroughly. I don't give a damn if I'm the loneliest person on the planet, I'm not sticking with that stench for years to come.' Xevhiroth mused to himself.

Maybe it was because he had grown used to his own stench from long battles that the mere thought of smelling somebody else in such a way, was not only off-putting but downright revolting to him.

CRUNCH

Xevhiroth's eyes shifted behind him as leaves, were being crunched underfoot or in this case, paw, as a wolf stepped into his view.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr….

"A wolf… a snow wolf no less. What the hell is one doing all the way out here?" Xevhiroth seemingly asked no one, as the wolf started to take a few steps closer. It was a white wolf; its fur was full white, entirely. It had a holster wrapped around the front half of its body, in that holster was a dagger on the right side and, on the left, was a pouch, but what it contained was a mystery to Xevhiroth. It looked like it had seen some action, evident by the pretty sizable scar over where its right eye should have been. It must've been somebody's pet, as a black eye patch covered its right eye, it must've lost it in combat, during some kind of fight and tended to by its owner afterward. Xevhiroth didn't see or sense any human presence nearby, maybe it broke with its owner and fled into the woods. Regardless, it was here and it didn't look none too friendly.

Kiiiiiii!

Something flew down from above, as the wolf suddenly took two steps backwards. Xevhiroth knew what it was, but said nothing as whatever had just flown in flew back down again. The wolf was prepared as it lowered its body and suddenly jumped attempting to claw at the eagle that was currently charging at. However fast they may have been, their blows didn't connect.

"Lupus, enough."

The wolf heard someone call as did Xevhiroth, and it quickly walked over to a figure that had come from the woods. Zikito had emerged from the woods not a moment earlier as the wolf immediately went to his side.

'Must've been his animal then, probably a summoning.'

"Apologies sir, I was merely retaliating to that cowardly attack made by that flying rat with wings." The wolf spoke in a gruff tone, confirming Xevhiroth's suspicions. It had indeed been a summoned animal, most likely sent out to conduct recon by Zikito.

Kii!

A loud shriek resonated as that same eagle flew down and came to rest on Xevhiroth's shoulder.

"How dare you! You're one to talk you overgrown mangy mutt!"

Instantly the wolf let out a vicious growl and the eagle spread her wings, ready to take flight.

"Aquila, please settle down." Xevhiroth said. Aquila typically wasn't this fiery. Normally, the docile Golden Eagle would fly about, doing what he asked of her, be that reconnaissance or guiding somebody to him. Rarely, would she ever engage in combat as she has said that she despised it. Maybe it was because of this particular wolf or something else that caused her ire to boil over. Though, she did as he asked, closing her wings, she still maintained at death glare with the snow wolf at Zikito's side.

"Thank you Aquila, that'll be all for now." Xevhiroth said to the feathered companion upon his shoulder. She responded by merely closing her eyes and perching just a little bit straighter.

"As you wish, but please take care." And with that the eagle on his shoulder vanished in a puff of smoke.

Xevhiroth locked eyes with Zikito as he merely spoke out in orderly fashion.

"That is all Lupus, you may go."

The wolf at his aside offered no reply instead just gave what sounded like a grunt before also disappearing, leaving the two in a perhaps unnecessary silence.

"Your partner I take it?" Zikito asked.

"Aquila, she means well, quite reserved too but I've never seen her act like that towards any creature before," Xevhiroth answered. "That wolf yours?"

"Yes. His name is Lupus, been my companion for quite a while. He typically follows what I say, never seen him react like that before though." It sounded more or less like he was stumped at the behavior of his animal, they both were.

Xevhiroth merely shrugged because he had no explanation for their behavior. It may have been animal instinct. Or may have been their own natures. Maybe it was something they ate. It didn't really matter, at least not now anyway.

"Doesn't really matter now does it?" Xevhiroth asked.

"Nope" Zikito answered.

With nary another word the two started to traverse the forest. Xevhiroth wasn't certain whether it was because he was well rested now or because he had quickly come to trust in him, Zikito felt a little bit different now. He wasn't hostile like before nor did he backlash, or perhaps it was because he realized that the two of them would be allies or partners for quite some time that he decided to make the most of it.

"So how do you figure we're going to pass the amounts of time we are going to have on our hands?"

"Man, I can tell already that you are going to drive me crazy."

Author's note: By the way, the technique that Xevhiroth used to burn Zikito in the opening, has a name, Dōjutsu: Inferno.

Omake 1: Interviews

"Cut!"

"That's a warp folks."

(BBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG)

While walking to dressing room…

Unknown #1: "Excuse me."

…: "Hmm?"

UN#1: "I'm with a certain blog site, could I trouble you for an interview?"

…: "Certainly."

-5 minutes later-

UN#1: "So Mr. O01X…"

…: "Xemnas will do fine."

UN#1: "Okay, Xemnas, You mind answering a few questions for us?"

Me: "Not at all."

UN#1: "Question #1- How is it that you came about this role in this play?"

Me: "Well, the producer and I interviewed countless people to take on the role of Xevhiroth and after a while it seemed like we would have to delay production due to not finding someone suitable for the role. The producer often said because no one seemed to fit that I should take it because I seemed to portray him quite well when our auditions asked how to emote the proper tone or ambiance, so I did."

UN#1: "Question #2- How about Zinmaster24? How did he come about the role of Zikito?"

Me: "Sorry but you'll have to ask him about that."

UN#1: "Okay. Question #3…."

-15 Minutes later-

UN#1: "Xemnas this is our Final question- Our panel has recently taken it upon itself to find out what things may come for you in the future, would you care to elaborate on a few?"

Me: "Well I can't say much but I can say that I am currently shopping for a producer to set up another fiction I'm working on but no hints you'll just have to wait for an official word from me."

UN#1: "Well thank you for your time, XemnasO01X."

Me: "The pleasure was all mine, Milady. (Kisses her hand)"

UN#1: (blushes) "Umm…Thank you. S-So from us at SnL(Shadows and Light).com. This has been our interview with XemnasO01X and we will see you all next time, Ja-Ne."

Me: "Later."