Following a Rumor

Eliwood had always had a knack for wandering right into where he was hoping to wind up. His latest journey ended with him standing outside of a small wooden door at the bottom of some cobble steps. Behind the door his next adventure would begin. He was in dire need of an instrument of worth. He had a sound, a melody, in his heart that he wanted to unleash and yet he found himself lacking the tools.

He had heard whispered rumors in taverns across the Land of Wind of a place that sold many things. Some said there wasn't a thing that couldnt be found in this place. Not just found, but bought. Eliwood delighted at the idea of such a place but only wished the point of it all was not money. He cared very little for dealing with money. Wealth only brought darkness with it, for when one has wealth they also have fear. Fear that they will lose their wealth. That fear only breeds weariness of those around them. Eliwood did not want to be suspicious of the people he met. If he had nothing to lose then he had nothing to worry about.

But being on the road alone brought sadness to his heart and he could only do so much to fill the void. That is why he wandered to far off lands and took in all the beauty he could. He filled his days with joy and beauty so he would not feel the loneliness that dwelled deep down. If he never thought about it, it would never bother him; And so without thinking about it he walked inside this rumored place and was met with an area much larger than he had expected.

"Marvelous! Like an underground city." He cheered.

The market's denizens glanced at the stunned boy but quickly paid him no mind and returned to their business.

Truth be told it was more like an underground warehouse, although the market did seem to follow a bazaar theme. Rows of stalls selling oddities and whatnots lined the inside of the massive room. Whole buildings fit within the room on the edges of its walls. Some were dug back into the walls and many seemed to be selling liquor, although one building stood out to Eliwood. He saw a tavern called "Ryokufū"

"The Emerald Wind? A beautiful name. I must go complement the owner for gracing this place with some class." He laughed.

Upon entering the establishment he was met with several glares from the patrons. The chatter in the room went silent as drunk good-for-nothings watched to see what the stranger would do. Eliwood however did not notice the shift in the tavern's mood and happily approached the counter.

"Barkeep, I absolutely love the name of this Establishment. In thanks for brightening my day I will have a drink please. An ale of some sort, whatever you would think suits me best." He beamed a smile at the shifty eyed bartender that was too pure to seem hostile. The man behind the counter took his money and placed a bottle of beer in front of Eliwood.

"Cheers!" He said to the man sitting at the bar next to him, who was not even looking his way, and took a big sip.

(WC 550)

The city was a great place for a wanderer, or a vagabond, whatever you'd like to call someone who lives off of the scraps of others. That is how Seiichi was feeling, asking strangers for money wasn't his usually thing, but when times were tough the little change they gave was enough to survive another day. He wondered why he should try. A murderer like himself doesn't deserve to live, but non the less he sat with his back against the wall of stone buildings.

The city was fairly large. Where he sat was a little outcropping of stores on the northern side. Small town folk, they never bothered him like the big busy stores would. The larger places attempted to sweep him off their door step with a broom once, it only took one glare from Seiichi and they knew not to do it again, his eyes could show like an animals if he was desperate enough. Hunger brought out the worst in him, plus being bored, that just wasn't a great day.

But today was a bit different. Coins seemed to fall from the sky every time he looked up. He kept his palms in front of himself in a cupped manner and waited. His stomach was probably growling loud enough for everyone to hear, or he was just ugly enough people took pity on him. His scar tended to ward snotty people away and bring caring people closer. They asked questions like, "how did that happen?" or "who did this to you?" As if he couldn't defend himself and needed help. To satisfy them he always changed up the story. His father did it, he was born like this, a kid ran a rusty knife down his face, he'd never tell them the truth. No one ever wanted to hear a mundane story like that, they wanted to hear how awful the world was, they just didn't know it.

Seiichi found his hand's full of coin and stood up for the third time in the day. Back and knees popping. He rolled his shoulders forward, shifted them from side to side, cracked his neck with a snap, and headed off to the busier parts of the city. He had passed by a small place that he'd heard about, it was supposedly full of 'off colored' things. Hearing this from passer-bys on the road, he decided if he'd ever have enough money he would see what the hype was about.

The way in was paved with cobble stone and ended at a dark oak door. He ran his fingers over the grain and opened it. The wood brought back memories of home. Helping to make things out of wood or gathering it from the forest near the village hidden among dreams. His thought was interrupted by the commotion inside. It was like a village inside of a village, the image of a snow globe rang in his head as he walked. The people were busy running from one place to another. Some of them looked like everyday common folk, others wore head bands from villages he didn't recognized, and all of them had slashes through them. He stayed clear of people that looked bigger than him.

As a large group of men approached he felt uneasy, trying to escape the busy road and wandering eyes he slid inside a doorway and closed it behind him.

"Barkeep, I absolutely love the name of this Establishment. In thanks for brightening my day I will have a drink please. An ale of some sort, whatever you would think suits me best." The words seemed to echo in the establishment. Everyone was looking at this guy at the bar, all Seiichi had to do was star back and they went about their business.

"I'll take whatever he's having." Seiichi said quietly, though loud enough for the man behind the bar to notice.

Seiichi was wearing his travel cloths and carried a cloth sack beside him. In it was pretty much everything he owned. It looked a little tattered and beat up, but his clothes themselves looked fine. They might have smelled a bit from not washing them for a few days. Seiichi would keep looking at his hands till the bartender brought his drink over. He was wondering if those guys outside were trouble, maybe he could get with them, see if they have work he could handle...  

WC: 739

Eliwood sipped his drink, though he didn't care for the taste. It was too bitter and the consistency was all wrong. The liquid seemed to snake down his throat with every sip.

He finished the drink all in one go, so he could be done with it as soon as possible, and let out a hearty sigh of air. After which he began a long coughing fit before steadying himself. "Delicious sir," he choked out to the bartender before swiveling in his seat to face the stranger who had appeared next to him and ordered what he had. The alcohol already causing his head to feel light and his chest to feel warm.

"I would not do that if I were you," he said in reference to the stranger's order. The next part he leaned in and whispered, "I think he gave me piss in a bottle." He then leaned back in his stool and let bellowed out a laugh, still unaware of the leering eyes around him. His innocence had carried him so far without much trouble.

He shifted his weight to his elbows now firmly planted on the bar and perused the drinks on tap. His judgement already a little impaired due to his total lack of drinking experience the monk decided to buy another drink. He had little money and when he did have some, it would never last long.

He ordered a small gourd of sake and asked for two cups. He slid one of the cups over towards the gruff looking twenty-something man next to him. "Have a drink with me instead. I would love the company. Everyone else here seems to be afraid I will bite." That last bit he may have said a bit too loud.

He would pour some liquor in both cups and hold his up waiting for his new friend to do the same after which he would down the cup.

(WC 321)

Seiichi smiled a bit, though he tried not to be rude about it, the kid and liquor didn't seem to mesh. The younger man continued to draw attention to himself by laughing and speaking in the way he chose. It was starting to make Seiichi just a little nervous, he came in here to be away from the eyes, not be an eye magnet. He could almost feel the people glaring. What have they done? Sure the kid is loud, but is that all? He thought to himself.

The bartender was about to pour his drink when the kid ordered sake. He waved the barkeep off, and agreed to the cup of sake. It was a more simple movement, the guy just grabbed a bottle and two hard clay green tinted glasses, and filled them. When the kid raised his cup Seiichi did the same. He poured it into his mouth easily. It bit a little. He would have preferred it warm, the thought made his mouth water. So smooth..

The men behind them, the ones that sat in tables next to the wall, stood up. The noise of their chairs scrapping against the ground made a silent room even more silent, the bartender even stopped what he was doing. Setting the cup that he was washing down and looked at Seiichi and his new friend. He sent them a little nudge of his head, something like, "please get out" or "Don't make a mess". Seiichi imagined he was saying, "Lock the door and have fun." He smiled again.

As the men behind them stepped forward Seiichi asked for another drink, "I'll take another one if you can spare it." He lifted his cup. "What do these cats want?" He asked the kid next to him, shifting head back, gesturing to the small group. If anything happened Seiichi would be on his side, The way to a man's heart is through his stomach..

WC: 326
TWC: 1065

Eliwood smiled when the man took him up on his offer. "The name is Eliwood. Pleasure to meet you." The sake was actually quite good. The young monk could see himself drinking it more often. He poured himself and the stranger another cup and swiftly downed it. He had not drank this much liquor in one sitting before, the effects of which he was now feeling in full force. He looked back to see what the two new gentlemen behind them wanted.

One was quite large, Eliwood would presume at least 6 feet tall, with a chunk of his right ear missing. His nose was bulbous and hairy. Overall an ugly mug no matter which way you looked at him. The other man was shorter, roughly 5'3", and was missing several of his front teeth. His neck length brown hair hung down in matted clumps. Both men reeked of alcohol and clearly had too much to drink.

The shorter man put his hand on Eliwood's shoukder and leaned in, "What's a pretty-boy like you doing in a place like this? You lost?" He asked in a gruff voice.

Eliwood plucked the man's hand from his shoulder, "Oh no I am not lost. Thank you for the concern. I am just enjoying a drink kind sir. Please leave us be if you will." He said waving his hand at the men as if shooing them away before returning to his drink.

This however obviously upset the men. The taller man barked, "Do you know who you're talking to boy?"

Eliwood laughed and leaned back tilting his head, though not facing the men, and said "I do not, and I also do not care." The liquid courage in his veins clouding his usually polite self.

This was the final straw for the two hooligans. The shorter man spun Eliwood's stool around and cleanly socked him in the face, sending the monk to the floor.

Eliwood flopped around for a moment trying to get his bearings before propping himself back up using his stool to hold his weight. "Now that was not very kind of you." He said before another punch sent him right back to the floor.

(WC 365)

Seiichi lifted the second glass to the young man, "Seiichi." he said. It was only polite to give your name after someone else offered theirs. It was what common people did. Seiichi didn't feel common, he felt like an outsider. His life seemed to be separated from everyone else due to the gulf that his scarred face created. He thought about wearing a mask, though most would find that strange as well. So, he dealt with it, keeping to his own business and not getting involved unless he needed to.

Two on one. That wasn't really far. The guy next to him could be a little mouthy, but he was young and a few drinks in, who knows how much he had before Seiichi walked into the bar. The bigger guy touched Eliwood and smacked him to the ground. But, before he could land another punch Seiichi grabbed the man's wrist. "I think it's time you and your friend get going." He said. But as he spoke the smaller man heaved his arm up, his movements telegraphed like any drunk would. Seiichi had gotten on his feet next to his stool, his right hand was on the big guys wrist and with a quick sidekick the little man tumbled out of the door and back into the busy street.

After this it seemed like the whole bar was raising up. Five people from one table and three from another stood up and looked at Seiichi and Eliwood. Seiichi shoved the big guy back. The calm that was inside him rippled and settled, he had to force the words "We don't want trouble." saying them in a calm and quiet tone. But really his mind was aching, Why don't we just kill em all....

WC: 293
TWC: 1358

The land of missing ninja was an interesting place. You got all sorts, from cowards, to heroes of their own destinies, turncoats, and patriots whose patriotism exploded their leaders........but especially a load of bullshit is what you could expect.

The area known as the black market was a feeding ground for such people. Outside of village control, it attracted mercenaries and missing ninja alike all looking to get paid or spend the money they just got. In a word.....it felt like home. It’d been several years since he’d truly lived and indulged in such a place, and the smell of smoke, liquor, and degenerate body odor warmed a soft spot in his heart for the utter chaos of it all.

He’d lived as a village genin, a village leader, a kage, but living like this just had something None of the rest did.....a sense of true freedom. In that sense he made his way into a new bar he hadn’t visited before. Inside it was kept well enough, though he doubted for long. These places always had a tendency to round up a good bar fight, a reason he’d keep his businesses out of here to be certain. He’d made it well before most, and when he had sat down there hadn’t been much going on. Sliding the bartender some ryo he’d take his sake and been quite please to drink alone.......and then he wasn’t.

A blonde on his left, a red head on his right, another bottle of sake in front of him, and his ryo out of sight. What a life. He’d taken these moments to exercise his more lunatic side, preventing it from bleeding into the normality that had bred within the land of Fangs. It wasn’t something he was let’s say proud of, but he didn’t want to ruin anything either. Talking to the girls had left him a bit penniless as he hadn’t brought much with him, and as quick as they’d come they’d gone.

Feeling a bit dejected, though mostly feeling the sake his blue eyes watched as a young lad took some knuckles to the face and then took his face to the floor. Had he had a little less sake he would have probably recognized the man quicker, but instead his mental acuity was on a ten second delay and there was nothing he could do. It would be when the big boys all stood up that the hippo of memory wallowed in the mud of remembrance. “Eliwood!” He’d shout from the back of the bar.

Standing up he’d wander through the crowd bouncing off the bigger physical specimens as he did, their confused looks lost on him. Leaning low he’d shake Eliwood awake, and whisper in his ear, “Hey, it’s me you drunk monk, I’d ask how the hell you’d been but your more hell than been at the moment.” Laughing slightly at his joke he’d stand back up and sit on the stool waiting for his old pal to put himself back together again, though meanwhile the spell had broken and the boys where looking to rough them up again.

Now, had Maku not been drunk, this is not how it would have played out. He’d worked fairly hard to keep to himself, be a secret, but he was tired from his journey from the fishing tournament, he was drunk from the sake, and his pride hurt from the girls so his next posturing was unnecessary but honestly nothing he could do.

“Hang on lads, we don’t want anyone getting hurt, you know who these two are?” He’d ask casually pointing at the drunk monk and the other guy. “Well me neither, but I know who I am.......”. He’d say still sing song and happy. Reaching behind the counter he’d grab a bingo book and flip the pages. A bit of a joke, but a popular bar game was to see who was worth the most money, and near the front was his own name, with a smiling picture, and a lot of zeros after the deeds he was wanted for. Though it said presumed dead, he had just ruined that. His hair was different and he had a slight beard, but what did it was his mangekyo eyes that matched a pattern that couldn’t be faked. Activating them he scanned the crowd with a half smile.....”Maku is back, now............rounds on them!” He’d shout. A small pause until the entire bar erupted as well, the girls came back, the beer poured and poor Seiichi and Eliwood were about to be even more poor.

TWC - 763