back on the mainland

The  sound of a loud bell rang loud and clear along the misty shore line of the unknown land, only to show a dim light of torches  lining a merchant ship about to set off after gathering fresh water from a stream nearby. zaled was having freindly discussion among the captain, and crew then waved them off on their way. Soon he was alone with his own stuff and some rations to suffice him and another for a few weeks. It was enough or thievery would work as well.

Now his gaze fell onto the unknown land that this map spoke of. Swampy by the looks of it, and while the map was aged and still challenging to read due to its age and decay. the man sighed smelling the flora and moss filled air mixed with sea water. He was back on the mainland.

so now to see what we could do at this moment. survey, study, or otherwise kick back among a local area and determine from there if it is suitable to enhance in a economical way.

zaleds thought as he headed through the clearing into the marshy area. It was not the easiest terrain to travel As it was unlike any terrain he has encountered. the ground was soft, but so were the trees, and even fallen trees were considered only a means to fuel the land just a little further. well to a means. As he discovered in the volcano lands nature tended to keep itself content and healthy. However, Thankfully he could now take a proper breath of air now.  Several hours have passed and he noted many small things, the land seemed tranquil, and even in rare cases this area while fertile was best left to its devices. Even the few small huts were filled with mere storage goods and quiet induviduals merely seeking the tranquil environment, and nothing of physical monetary value.

It was oddly comforting to the man as what he needed was less of something as annoying as running errands and eyeing the youth, but more spiritual. it reminded him of the times of peace in hoshi  before the needless duties of shinobi. but it was obvious that these people held a desire for more.

setting up for camp zaled set up a small parameter of  and studied the map by moonlight. for its value, it became clear why  this was only partially useful. it was merely donated as its use was in part worthless. it wasn't the only disappointment he ran into but it didn't help that it left nothing worth for head space.  To get away from responsibility and petty nonsense of modern youth. one could only wish of course.

you know maybe this isn't nessccary  constantly needing to run this all over. like what is there to fight as shinobi, or knights?  perhaps the human nature of some other person and superiority complexes?  

zaled glanced at his puppet glumly and in thought it was merely another means to create senseless bloodshed. At his age and time, he admit he got tired of the nonsense. fighting, preparing and only deal with being old men to create another means to fight a new war, but it was boring to those who really reflected on it.

i guess i could simply discard this for something more useful at the end of the day. or something that isn't so important. i won't need to fight much more besides self defense.

he thought as he glanced at the rusted blade of the puppet, and  the blade shone dimly in the moonlight among  cricket chirps. it was not easy to change oneself. nor let go of the past, or regrets. it in itself was a paradox. He was raised a warrior now grown tired. Even the puppet he carried felt a burden over the past few years, as was the blade he carried. these were tools yes, but tools to defend at the cost of others, tools pointless to hypocritical nature of the tired. why swing something without strength. why run to fighting when it is all one knows.That was his thought in his youth. And only his subconscious drive up to now. Uniform and diligence? it truly meant nothing at the end of the day. A lie to drive young men to waste time away fighting for nothing.

it was why he left his nation in the first place, and now why he was going to leave passion he had for decades for a new venture. still his hand shook and he caught his reflection in the blade and sighed. Grey hairs, and linned wrinkles showed the stress and wear both duty had. it wasnt the scars of pride, but longing to keep the fight going,only to know there was no enemy. except the thing he was observing. a puppet that took lives,a craft that killed unessccarily.

of course full of regrets and this is what i look towards. my life's work nothing, and a reminder that i am getting old. Time is to precious to waste. so we must let go, out with the old and brittle weakened nature, and in with the younger stronger view. or perspective? does it matter? i highly doubt it. If it is true. then this puppet must simply be disassembled to change right?

Of course easier said then done he cherished himself too much for this puppet to be easy to retire. it was like those who died at the bottle. the promised and swore an old song, but could never drop the venom that put them in their grave. some even at deaths door obediently walked into the  confines of a bar and tapped the counter. He once joked when he was younger, but now older it truly was no laughing manner to sit there and drop his own weapon for another. could an old dog learn new tricks? well that was his question he now struggled for.

with a heart zaled lowered his hand to the trusty puppet and sighed. He could've rolled over to sleep, but even the thought gave him an feeling if it was not now, it would never happen. he recalled building it. in it's glory, a sickening nostalgic feeling came over him. As he recalled even drawing up the idea alone as always.  His name in his youth was why he was the way he was now. but in its grip came all else. the screws the pins, and metal lining. it all came back. For its worth with a single swing of his hand he placed it on top of the puppet pooling chakra to form the threads.

it was time. he maneuvered the puppet safely away from him and with a little pooling of chakra into the puppet the puppet split into 3 tops and remained motionless. the core was in the smaller of the tops as he stopped pooling chakra into the tops and left them as they were. glancing at the conflux core the key to his puppet, the man reached for some common tools in his bag, and fetched the  nessccary materials to disassemble to weapon, while glancing at the core.

A few moments later the core was free of its shell as it was cracked. A crack he was reminded of making the puppet. failed attempts to perfect it. Who knew that the attempts to perfect where the means to merely destroy his work, and go back on  his work. Now it was numbing work now. it hurt. he could fix it easily, but it would not repair the hole he had still in him from breaking promises of peace for nothing but holding an easy weapon. Another tool to point and spill blood. he had to keep his promise to himself.

with the pain of unmasking his possession the next was simple. the blades were slotted  requiring mere internal buttons pressed to safely disassemble them from each disk. and then he was reminded of his last kill. the poinless boy severed in half because of mindless thoughts of he supposed valor. maybe a promise of riches deafened and dumbed him from reason. Still clear splatter from the boys guts remained.

great now we have more reason to simply quit. this boy and his reminder to me why these kids are doomed to return back to another age of sad useless violence.  Another sad reason why they train to kill once more, another reason why i cannot protect an idea i grew tired of.

A small tear fell from his eye as he gazed at the mess. it was nothing he wanted nor believed, but once more he automatically went for the kill like an trained dog. it was sad to say he would've stopped if there was no blood on there. but in reality is all blood from a killers hands truly washed clean? the man gave a sad chuckle as he sniffled a bit.

imagine that this old soldier wondering if disassembling a weapon cleans bloody hands. that would bring a laugh to the bar mates at home. if they were still alive. perhaps they too thought the same. we won't know.

pouring a little whine on a white shirt from his wares zaled wiped the old red crust off and it was a rough work. leaving none of it really gone and instead smeared over the bladed parts. but it was effort that counted hopefully right? or so he believed. Eventually he grew bored of the cleaning after setting each blade off to the side softly. The soft clink of the blades meeting small rocks, or wood lifted his spirits slightly. change was hard, but was good. After some slow painstalking time  of removing, and cleaning the puppet, and its ends. zaled glanced over the now disfigured mess of the puppet a bit of sadness still lingering, but like the village he had to move on.

if i linger with these attachments they will only bring an end to me, and for my own sake i cannot allow that. i once was a knight, and this was my craft, it was my heart filled way to cope with the past, it was nothing without its merits, but now... i could just go and move forward, and for my own peace, and mind i dissassembled the puppet, my mask, i sheathed my blade, and reason to draw for war, and blood. I am like i was when i turned from the blade and armor, but now i am old. I cannot change anymore, i am weary of the pointless war filled minds of the youth. i cannot go and take another life so willimgly. it is like taking away my own child, or her own children whenever she decides to settle away. So move away i must, and instead forge another way to peace, because each life i cut down from hence forth just doesnt deserve its existance. I try to force peace, but not call justice as a means of ending a life, because a bloody hand cannot accuse a murderer. nor can a sinner, be called a saint by full stature.[/]

he thought, unlike his youth it was an easy sigh, but now he was not easily sighing, he gave a slight grim grunt as he looked at the puppets remains, he did not desire to bury the past away, some could accept it, but he did not feel it was in his favor, nor was it his fate to merely call it a happy story book. His peace was disturbed, and further the peace of others was ruined,but not by that young person, nor was it anything of his own volation, but by the very nature of this land running with shinobi, blindly running to and fro for nothing, but he couldnt blame them. Zaled could only relate.

kings, queens, kages, village elders. it is easy to put a figure or idea in front of our own ignorance. Exodus of belief, reason, desire, hopes, greed, and even vengence and the blind sense of the right and wrong. We made excuses, and even the old men like myself pitted others to blindly fight a justufiable cause, but i suppose that if anything this idea of ending in peace is just as impossible, but it is better to find a way to heal the wounds long since lost. Or at least make it easier to recover... like the poor and descolate villages, raided endlessly, or otherwise subjigated, if anyone could do much. I suppose i could merely  makeva way to keep these things safe. And if i could, it would be one less problem, who will miss these small things anyway. the past will best be left where it is, away, and  in their respective ages of gold. So they too could grow. in peace, and it would've been nice if i set this up long ago, but i suppose it'll work out to a certain degree.

the man thought as he took a look over the puppets disassembled remains with a tad bit more sadness, but now resolved to take care of the deed. Through and through his brand of handling things through assertsion of force wasnt taking it. Fate was as he discovered was not freindly. Neither to the ones whom desired to walk off from most things,or even take a quiet back seat in things. Instead perhaps pushing people to a solution required more of an  outside approach. After several meters back out of range of any trees and annoying shrubbery. zaled weaved a sequence of seals which upon completion the trees and earth within the 50 meter large cone in front of him violently shook,and quaked as an simply focused earthquake created  by his own creation went to work as he walked away from the mess ensuring.

the earth made sounds cracked like rolling thunder in this centralized area, as the puppet and the blades shook and were soon engulfed into the now loosened earth in which they lay, burried under tons of earth and crushed under the weight beyond recovery and repair. zaled leaning against a tree outside of the effective zone studied the mess, knowing with it he burried both his means of the past, and something more, an false purpose, and a crutch which he left to himself. A sad reminder of what was a time where he once felt the drive, and thrill of battle, but now instead felt the weariness behind it in its wake.

A few moments later the rumblimg  subsided, and now he gazed with a sour taste in his mouth at the remains of his work. Some would've felt relived, maybe a sense of new beginnings. Some may have appluaded their efforts, a joyous celebration even in light of change,but zaled was not that such person, instead it was a feeling of once more the same feeling he had when he was a knight turning shinobi, betrayal of his willingness to stand by tradition, or otherwise constantly jump into some unknown variable which he did not enjoy with the nagging nature of dishonorable work, but sometimes as he knew it, one  had to dive themselves into the unknown world, to get their results. It was why he dropped his tools of enjoyment, and finally chose to apply himself, it was why he destroyed his puppet,and still why he did not happily enjoy the change, he did not enjoy the unknown, nor did he feel it was any good to stay within this feeling.

instead zaled knew he had to once more apply his own strengths to himself.  Therefore instead of merely looking at this simply the puppetry works was different, instead he wished and desired a more innate and intuitive approach, instead he recalled the basis of sensory and its various applications  within its nature. Some called it dull, or otherwise easily to overlook, but its value was within the knowledge it possessed, and enabled one to use. He could've simply put it under a liking of the innate sharingan abilities, but where it was only visual powers this merely broadened the horizon significantly.  But that in his youth was much more passive in application. Something that now he needed much more.

Zaled expanded his senses a tad bit more, instead tapping into the basic principles of sensory, expanding and growing with each second, where base sensory for unattuned, by its basic  applications, alone it  was maybe useful upclose, but to grow  in general was the goal. The point was to ensure its expansive utility, along with the use of his other jutsu, it was imperative. inch by inch he  expanded the basic sense, it was a bit easier with the use of not focusing heavily on other stuff.

After sometime he felt a bit of a diffrence, he could feel that the senses have expanded slightly, by a small margine, but results were results, the vast nothingness beyond was being peeled back, foot by foot, and in its growth came an thought on ways to ensure he could detect and hide his presence. Nothing  was going to be simple, but it is like when he was younger, if he did not have the means to improve then, he wouldn't see the next day, nor now as he would've given up.

it is easy to see how the recruits surendered in the early days of shinobi intergration. the mind set to only a blade and the stigma existed within
why use another source when the strength of 5 men and induvidual effort was more then enough.  But thats where adaptation falls, the unwilling to change as a man only leads them to die, because they are not like a mountain, a body,and heart will only run into the wall and never change. unless willing to. Still i am willing to at least one thing will lead to it, and surely inch by inch it will happen.  still i wish the others were as flexible, perhaps thats why we failed in general, when stuck in a way what more could you do?


In his opinion not much, but if it was easier with others then zaled would've cherished the idea behind This, but perhaps he could simply suppliment it eventually, through other means, So by hammerimg down on the efforts, would not be so rough on him later.  By simply pulling baby steps, expansion therefore could wait  as it was not important. To top it off for the evening zaled decided to keep this up till he slept Although more in a passive manner. However sleep soon feel upon him as soon as an hour or so, and therefore he headed back towards the encampment of the strangers.

The fire was roaring and a pot of as he assumed was the catches and mixture of herbs, and grain were added in. The equivalent of grain and a boiledcfish, and tenderize animal hide was presented. A step or 3 up from the standardized grub in his time as an soldier. But a welcome meal that went far to supply the nessccary nutrients.  The steam lifted off the meat and a small bowl was offered carved from wood.  As precautionary zaled rummaged through his small pack and produced a pair eating utensils  and dug in, grafting up conversation with the group as they ate.

Through this he learned a bit more, the scattered remains of a once small nation of shinobi, through expulsion of routes, and even the lack of communication. The corruption took over by greedy and less then adequate leaders and lenders of money. The supporting system of shinobi all but sank in the cesspool of its own creation. zaled through bites considered the information given. It was sort of similar to his own experiences in volcano, and to lightest degree of his own home, although people enjoy large cities of white stone, better then the dark black volcano's that would otherwise show no difference.

"eets only natural that shinobi just work as blood soldiers in the shadows. Not as peacekeepers or holders of order. Otherwise why else  do systems fail. blame a leader, sure, but who's to say the next wouldn't be the last?"

the drawl of the elderly man who cooked the meal spoke up and it prompted zaled to sip the borth in thought.

"i suppose you are right. age old grudge matches and spitting out fire, water, wind, rocking earth, shooting lightning. nothing any more different then bandits in different colors, and ultimately kicking the eventual collapse  of their own society, it is our fault by default as humans. We are sefish by nature, nothing more or less. it is just the scope,and how gullible some may be."

zaled replied,

"it doesn't hurt with good intentions, but a good man  is also another mans obstacles,  we choose to conquer, or overcome such obstacles, and therefore begin from square one. smaller communities are far better, much better to align with, and does not build a dependency on blind leadership. it took me awhile to pick this up.  The current will just be buried, and its better i solely exist for myself for the most part."

the elder man grunted and smiled.

"it would grant you as long a life as i did, and these other ones, versus the bravado and supposed glory of sacrifice for nothing but a commemoration. Had many younglings in thoes day's just die in missions, blimdly proving themselves for rank and stature, over close to nothing. Mere children running for the glory of a mature man. Praised for supposed experience, instead of true experience. The lill boys barely had chest hair some, and called leaders of grown men."

the two men laughed at the obscene thought.  But zaled thought to the boy Dante and his twins, All in all they did not let time do it's work on them. Instead, birthright, and supposed few years of the works. Kings came from liniages, and leaders forged on countless failures,imperfection  at its finest. The boy at the gate in armor was nothing but a child, and this reaffirmed him. Zaled was more in the time of reflecting life and tying knots, not needing to sit behind policy for a shield, but instead wander and do as he pleased.

"i suppose the land around here is rich  for such a delicious meal. It's good to leave it be so that it could be undisturbed, not bothered with by neither the hunting progress of others, and otherwise the  bother of other nations. It is of no problem,i want this land to heal and recover. Just a lone man wandering through here. And rewarded with a meal fit for many."

zaled finished the bowl quietly although gleaming through the conversations. Nothing more of interest was picked up or revealed,As even as far as this land the people merely knew only small bits. But that was one annoying little situation. Information was small, and non existent, it couldn't easily be controlled, or denied, but this further detailed his main issue. Like as the kage, he did not see the info desired, A world full if various induvidual, criminals, and better yet the unworthy. But still quiet, no sign from the other targets too  like the boy from konoha.

It was all quiet and unsettling, was that armored boy merely an rebound from the konoha boy's successful message from the mysterious leader there? it left zaled to wonder if it was like if people were able to probe a body for reaction but instead a world wide  poke.But for what, and what was it in connection with the boy he killed, and the boy he vaulted past his attempts to provoke him, and ultimately cause more harm then intended good.

it was all annoyances he merely desired to walk away from, instead of actively address. Although it was almost as if they each merely picked a bone without thought or consideration of collateral. It was not war declared in his eyes, but  zaled could not speak for the masses in that sense. It was almost pointless. The hunger for fights, or to prove a point although blind was useless.  He streached and tossed his utensils in his traveling bag, and thanked the group for the meal.

Later among distant snores from the group zaled thought about it a bit more, He did not really need to be aligned with anything or anyone. It was like freedom  empty and not needing to do  do much more then exist. Ryo held little meaning to him otherwise, but he did miss the old kingdom that was hoshi, perhaps a visit temporarily to admire the land once more was in order. He did not want to get bothered or caught up in anymore childish politics. Instead he deemed it nessccary to merely keep playing roles for nothing.

The stars glistened, and it made him wonder if perhaps some other timeline, or fold of reality itself, he would've been the opposite of himself. Perhaps dead even As in his younger days he was reckless, took nothing too far, but knew   somehow, someway, most exploits would've left him crippled, or worse. But it was clear many things did work out to various degrees. But he was uncertain, would it always work out? no most defiantly not zaled knew this fully. it mattered to him however, how long untill things would turn it, and would he make the right choices to his knowledge, as it was merely perspective in the end.

There was a saying where "one never knew unless they tried," in this case it was wrong when you had an sense of awareness to complacency. In either case it was the thing he opposed the most. Somethings you cannot just try, but do, or do not, and even then it was probberly wise in his eyes to walk away. He had time however, but decided that before hoshi and looking at the land. Zaled only wanted to confirm what he suspected, was konoha merely attacking volcano for nothing? and if so it was an easy fix, to simply put the village in its rightful place. metaphorically of course. unless pressed. He did not want  useless harm.  but of course if unjust ranifications were not out of the question. Still it was a peaceful night, he struggled through letting go of his past habits, although it would be difficult to move on, like the sun rising each other day over the horizon, he too would make the changes nessccary. Of course was this to unforseen consequences?  this he did not know  for certain.

Zaled was up before dawn. The habit engrained in him from his days of youth. The time was obviously near the crack of dawn, and he took a sip of wine from his canister in his traveling pack. He was ready to take back to traveling once more, and the thought of only one thing pushed him now. Simply  to move forward  and to keep it going. Time was not going to stop for him, and while the past was the past it was gone, but not forgotton. The early morning dew was a refreshing reminder that progress was yet to be stopped. Zaled  bit down on some seasoned meat, and rummaged through his rations noting there were various meals set, but only for a bit. Following that he would need to hunt, and catch his prey for the next bits of food for survivability. He wagered that there were a few weeks worth, but outside of that it would with sparring need last him longer, so long as he was careful with his consumption,and rest. More then enough time to  be set and ready for his next major adventure. For now the journey home  for a mere look would pave his goals, along with  stopping along the way to various sites of potential  interest. Nothing short of his original goal of merely studying the land.



By the time the sun rose up to mid morning, zaled had come to the mossey exterior of the village that was in this area. He merely observed the now noteable emcampment of the area. Fitted with various induviduals, each tasked with tasks to keep the community going. Another cog in the ongoing system they had was of course a good thing. So zaled decided he would eventually return and assist with them, giving the head of the encampment a freindly wave,  before he headed off into the wilderness, off towards the now east, and towards the inlands of the continent.  The difference between air quality was a healthy change, but otherwise he desired To take an cruise control ride home. Through a scenic route.

passing a stream a few hours later zaled sipped the free water source. Noting these streams while rich, were defiantly not contaminated through other means, confirming  that while this nation was small it kept to itself. Which was good, instead of the smokey tastes of volcano's and progress, or the mixture of nitty grainy sand from hoshi. This was healthy natural water. A smile emerged softly then a from. From here on it would be potentially mixing with other nations of interests. Some that did not enjoy the finer smaller things in life, but more so conflict.

i should figure a way to keep their annoying quarrels off my mind. If only there was a way to simply create simple cease fires, or otherwise keep the conflicts isolated, its almost as if some would be better on another plane of existence in that case... hm


He thought,  but that was to be handled another time. The first stop was well within his boundaries before paying another founding look to his home once more. And then back to this area. In a small round trip of sorts, but more so to keep himself entertained, and busy. Some shinobi called it mere missions, but for himself he was merely traveling on a long needed break from the daily annoyances of shinobi buisness, and reassociating himself with his own goals and values.


(exit)

twc: 5064

claims

*destroyed puppet: the sheild*

swapping nin and space time tecs: 3k
swapping puppetry spec with sensory: 2k

remaing 64 words to ms.

Approved