Disappointment

Upon arriving in the Shadow Country Akane would look around in disappointment as she didn't see too many people that were ninja, which means that Ezra the man she had just met lied to her. After looking around for a little bit she'd turn around slowly with a fake smile slapped across her face and would say, "So where are those powerful travellers you were talking about Ezra?" 

The pair of travelers would arrive after a 'short' spat of walking. Gasping for breath, the Terumi would drop the cart of supplies, placing his hands on his knees, catching his breath for a second before responding to the girl's inquiry. She seemed... less than happy, honestly. What, did she expect uber powerful warriors to just be ever present at all times?

"Come on now, we've only just arrived Akane. Powerful fighters aren't going to be everywhere, with giant neon signs around their necks. As I said, this is a quiet and peaceful isolationist country. If you want a powerful mentor, you'll most likely have to seek one out. What in the hell are the odds one will just fall into your lap?" the boy would say, regaining his composure and posture as he spoke, catching his breath mid surprisingly calm tirade. Seriously, did she just expect some powerful warrior to just appear out of nowhere? What utter insanity.

Kazuo Kemuri was a man with a difficult past. A difficult life. Raised by an honorable Samurai and an outcast Shinobi of the Shinkou clan, he never quite fit in in his small village, where he would some day learn the way of the samurai. No, he never really did fit in. He fought differently. There was that same practicality of the Samurai, that same straight-cut attitude, but there was also something more. Kazuo fought differently. He was faster, less headstrong and more adaptable, quicker to retreat from a bad situation, less likely to let his armor protect him, but also more aggressive. That was his Shinobi training, and for all he hated to admit it, he was one of them. A Shinobi and a Samurai, Kazuo had the benefit of learning from a great many masters. His mother taught him tricks that the Samurai rarely used. She taught him the substitution technique, to save him from sticky situations, the clone technique, to mask his advances, and the way to break genjutsu. Furthermore, she taught him the Body Flicker for escaping or advancing quickly, and how to effectively control his chakra. He had learned ninjutsu from his mother. Raiton, Fuuton, Katon. None of this was ever taught to him as a Samurai.

As a Samurai, however, he learned honor, even if he never was the best of them. He learned how to use a blade, how to dominate in close quarters like no other. He learned respect, and he learned how to teach respect. This was where he developed his largest resentment of the weakest of warriors, the Shinobi. They hid in the shadows, betraying one another for power in an instant. No Samurai would break his code and strike down a friend for power, but the Shinobi of the world did so seemingly without warning. Or at least, so Kazuo had thought. Being framed for the death of his sensei, Miyamoto, and sentenced to death, Kazuo saw a side of his village that he had not seen. When he left, he thought he would start a new life with Aika.

Oh, Aika…

Kazuo looked to the scar across his hand. Not a day went by that he didn’t think of her, the woman he loved most in the world. With her passing, a great darkness fell over Kazuo, and his life would never be the same. They were supposed to live a great life together, supposed to start a family and live long, happy lives. They were supposed to grow old together. Not a day went by that Kazuo did not miss her. Not a day went by that Kazuo did not long for her to be returned to him. Not a day went by that Kazuo did not wish he would have stayed and traded his life for hers.

You’re always so hard on yourself, Kazuo. Really, it isn't your fault. You know this. Came the voice of Yomi, stirring Kazuo from his thoughts. He often drifted off like this, often lost himself to his thoughts, thoughts of what might have been, and what never could be. He wished he could turn back time, wished he could undo it all and stop this madness. Wished he could wake up from it all as if it were a bad dream.
Come on, Kazuo. Stop moping. It’s been three years, and you still haven’t accepted it. There’s no changing it. There’s no way to undo it, so why bother? What we really need to do is find you a new lover. Someone to keep you warm at night. Yomi cooed, trying to calm Kazuo. She was quite good at this. Still, her words only infuriated Kazuo more. How could he ever let go? How could he ever forget? The only woman he’d ever loved was gone now, taken from him by the powers of corruption. There was no way to turn back time.
That won’t happen. I married Aika for life. Kazuo said, raising his hand to stare. The same hand that bore his scar, the one that reminded him of her each and every day, was the one on which he wore his wedding ring.
You’re always so dramatic, Kazuo. She would want you to be happy. Yomi retorted.
Nobody else could ever make me happy like she did. If I tried again with someone else, it would be nothing but more pain. Every time I’ve tried to move on, Aika’s face comes back to me. I can’t let her go, even if she is gone. Even if I can’t get her back. He told her, growing tired of this conversation. Now, enough of this. This conversation is over. He commanded. Yomi seemed to shrug, though Kazuo wasn’t currently within his mindscape, so he had no way of knowing.

You can’t make me be quiet, Kazuo. She said after a while. I’m always here, you know. She said, and while at first Kazuo thought she was speaking in an attempt to antagonize him, he realized that her words were sincere, meant to comfort, not to challenge.
Please, drop it. I do not want to talk about this. He told her, practically pleading. She obliged him. Kazuo felt her presence disappear, and just like that, the Samurai was alone once again. What was he doing? What was he trying to accomplish by living like this? Wallowing in pain had done him no favors. Indeed, his life had become rather meaningless. Aside from the odd task here and there, where Kazuo committed crimes against corrupt individuals, trying to make a name for himself as a sort of Robin Hood, he did very little. He had accomplished, well, hardly anything in the past few years. His half hearted attack on the Kumogakure military outpost was nothing more than an angered outburst, not a calculated strike, not even a well executed plan. It was like a temper tantrum. He was like a child, in a way. Frustrated with what he could not change, determined to do nothing but wallow in the pain… What if he could change the past? What if he could bring her back? He wondered if there was a way, there had to be a way, somehow.

...And that was how it came to be that Kazuo was standing outside of a building with a neon sign that read “Powerful Swordsman and Mentor”

Huh. What are the odds? came Yomi’s voice.

Kazuo entered the building, an old shop with books across the walls and various ninja memorabilia. Old swords, kunai, the whole nine yards. There were all sorts of amusing titles. An empty stand with a label that read ”The Invisible Book of Invisibility. A hilt to a sword that had no blade. A set of trench knives and some black armor hung up uniformly. It was all very interesting.

As Kazuo stepped towards the  man who sat at the desk, idly writing, his eyes fell upon a book, sitting on a stand.

”Space, Time, and You! Three Sasy Steps to Traverse the Multiverse and Revive the Dead!”

He reached out towards the book, and as the shopkeeper looked up, reaching out, he barely heard the old man scream at him to stop as his fingers touched the pages and he felt himself blasted back out of the shop, the book in hand. He felt his hand pass through the neon sign and then, suddenly, the scene around him changed.

And that was the story of how a strapping gentleman appeared out of thin air above the two travellers, with a neon sign wrapped around his neck like an oversized clock necklace of sorts that read “Powerful Swordsman and Mentor,” flashing bright colors everywhere. As his body fell towards the earth, he was thankful to find that there was something to break his fall. Two objects, in fact, one taller than the other, one followed by a cart of some sort. No, wait, those were people. Shit. Kazuo twisted his body, so that he didn’t land face first on these two. Consequently, he landed on one hand, the blades clanking at his side as he doubled back, pushing himself up and flipping once, twice, three times in the air, landing on his feet, his arms over his head in perfect gymnast’s form.

How the hell did you do that?
How the hell did I do that?

”Hello.” Kazuo spoke to his two witnesses, lowering his hands to his sides as he usually did, the two blades on each of his hips and the two across his back in their uniform positions, his jacket donned, as well as any of his other gear. His extra sword was at his left hip and his kunai and shuriken pouches were at his thighs. All in all he looked like a grizzled shinobi, as much as he hated to say so.

Akane would sigh and would say, "There are no odds that would actually happen, I wish it did though. I need someone to help me get stronger, I need to return to Suna and show Haruki that I'm strong enough to protect himself..." Then Akane would turn back around and begin walking again while looking and hoping that she'd find someone to train her.

Then suddenly as she was walking a man would fall out of the sky and would land straight in front of them with a giant neon sign stating "Powerful Swordsman and Mentor". Who the hell would know the odds of that actually happenining? Akane would look at the man in disbelief before turning around to look at Ezra and would then turn back around to look at the man. Akane was so shocked she stuttered as she spoke, "D-D-Did yo-you j-j-just fall out of the s-s-sky?" 

As the man fell from the sky, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, there was a brief moment in time where Ezra looked upon himself, thinking in his mind about how this man had appeared in exactly the way thought, out of nowhere what so ever.

Was he... Ezra Terumi... a god?

Nah, that was ridiculous. It was probably some theatrical thing or space time magic or some such bullshit. Anyways, as the man appeared, flipped a few times and landed, he would extend a greeting, and Akane would extend her quite visible state of shock. Not surprising.

"Well. I didn't see that coming, actually. Nice to meet you, skyfallen stranger." the Terumi would say, brushing the bangs from his face and waving a hand at the man before crossing his arms and shuffling to the side of his cart. There was nothing valuable on it, of course, but the tools were his livelihood. It was natural he felt overprotective, especially after hauling them all the way out here.

The way that the two strangers reacted to Kazuo’s physics defying entrance was most interesting. The man seemed to have a sort of existential crisis before doing a cool guy hair brush thing and moving protectively before his cart. Kazuo paid him little attention for now, for he had no desire to rob them. The girl, on the other hand, seemed to be at a loss for words, stammering her surprise at his sudden arrival. When she asked if he fell from the sky, Kazuo grinned.

”I reckon so.” He replied, looking up at the sky quizzically. ”Teleportation is a helluva thing.” He sighed, as the man greeted him. “Skyfallen Stranger.” Hah. That one was funny. Kazuo smirked and waved back in greeting. ”The same to you, cart carrying stranger.” He said, giving a bow that befit a trained samurai. Looking up at his two new acquaintances, he shrugged. ”Well, I have no clue where on earth I am. Do either of you know where we are? Is this still shadow country?” He asked, pulling off the neon sign that was wrapped around his neck and setting it aside.

”And, for that matter, are you two shinobi? You have that look about you.” He asked, curious. While he had a general distaste for the shinobi of the hidden villages, he didn’t mind them in general, and these two appeared to be travellers of some sort.

(1727)

Akane would straighten herself up as the man began to speak and would listen to him as he spoke, it seemed that he didn't know where he currently was which was quite unusual because teleportation doesn't generally just happen randomly. Akane didn't think too much of it and just answered his question about where he was and the follow-up question that he had just presented to them, "You're still in the Shadow Country and yes, I am a shinobi. Although I don't know if he's a shinobi or not, he seems to be a craftsman or something." 

It was weird that what Akane was hoping for presented itself right in front of her, someone who would possibly be able to train her so that she could get stronger. She was much weaker than most Shinobi of her age and that upset her. Although, it was primarily her fault considering she just wandered the Land of Wind instead of training for more than half her life.

When presented with the bow of the strange man, looking much like that of a well trained samurai, Ezra would bow back in much the same way, albeit a little less stiff. The gesture was more muscle memory than anything, as that was how he greeted his father when he was young when the wandering shinobi returned home, it was how they started their many training sessions, and it was one part of the Land of Iron that seemed everpresent in it's people. The boy didn't have a thought of making the bow in return. It more or less just... happened.

So, this man was a samurai, most likely of the Land of Iron.

When asked if they were shinobi, Ezra would run a hand along the back of his head while Akane replied, waiting his turn in what seemed to be an informal speaking order to talk.

"I'm... a shinobi of sorts. I hail from Tea Country. While I fancy myself a crafstman and blacksmith, my mother was more political in her life, and my father was a wandering shinobi. He actually visited the Land of Iron many times, claiming it was his favorite place to go in the world. The samurai intrigued him to no end, and of course through his stories, they came to have the same effect on me. He trained me in the ways of both lifestyles." the boy would say, giving a surprisingly long winded explanation to the man's simple question. He hadn't meant to talk that much about himself, honestly, and he was lucky he hadn't given away his clan name. But the idea of meeting an actual samurai from the Land of Iron had excited him more than he'd ever admit.

Kazuo nodded sagely when informed that he was indeed still within the land of shadow. It was good that he hadn’t gone that far yet. Sighing, he shrugged.
”Well, I suppose that’s good. I didn’t go somewhere I’ve never been before.” He said, his hand gracing his chin as he thought. It seemed that these two were shinobi. Well, at least, one of them was. Just when he nearly dismissed the other kid as nothing more than a common laborer, he explained his father’s love of the Land of Iron and his apparent training in the art of the sword. This pleased Kazuo.

Kazuo smiled now, his arms folded, as he spoke.
”It’s always good to meet a fellow swordsmen. Well, you two might be in luck.” He said, his eyes rising as if he were deep in consideration. ”I am looking for a few extra hands. Apprentices, proteges, interns, whatever term you prefer.” He offered to the two. ”Assuming you don’t have somewhere to be…” He added.

”The name’s Kemuri, by the way. Kemuri Kazuo.”

Akane would stand there and wonder why Ezra didn't tell her that he was a shinobi but that didn't matter too much to her, she was more focused on the fact that a man who just fell from the sky was offering to take on the both of them as students. It was intriguing that this "Kemuri Kazuo" was just out here looking for someone to teach but it didn't bother her, she could never pass up an offer to get taught by someone who seemed to know quite a lot.

"I don't have anywhere to be so I'd love to be your student!", Akane would say enthusiastically with a smile smacked across her face. This was her chance to get strong, to prove to Haruki that she was strong enough to defend him. That was the reason why she left Suna and went on this journey after all. She couldn't wait to get back and show him how much she'd grown in a year or two.