1 A Stranger in Distant Lands [Private | NK | Kirei] Sun May 06, 2018 10:38 pm
Watsuji
D-rank
Blue robes blustered gently in the breeze as the constant clacking and clanking of sandals and metal bits emitted from a young boy on a long path. Dark blue hair tied up into a high and bushy ponytail seemed to bounce lightly with each of this individual’s steps. It would seem to anyone that the strange youngster had absolutely no desire to be stealthy. And that was true. Beyond the repetitive clanking, very low bickering could be heard. This was not uncommon for him. The quick tempered young samurai, Watsuji of the Miyamoto, often argued with his own blade.
“Not only do I think you walk like a lazy peasant, you choose to leave your home and come in the direction of a shinobi village? I was never wrong to consider you unworthy and stupid.”
Watsuji would grit his teeth and mumble aloud “Alright. Fine. If you’re going to be a little shit, I don’t care anymore. I do not need you.” and with that, he tossed his priceless tanto onto the ground and spit on it. He kept walking, his fist now clenched along with his teeth. This repetitive bickering had not stopped in all of Watsuji’s life. He had been bonded at birth with the spirit of Hideyoshi, Kusonogi. This was the spirit of a proud and powerful Samurai warrior with many feats under his belt. In short, he was esteemed and proud to the point of arrogance, and he despised shinobi. He had been killed in his sleep by an unnamed shinobi, only increasing his hatred for them in death.
“I HAVE LIVED YOUR PATHETIC LIFE SEVERAL TIMES OVER BEFORE MY FALL. I HAD ALREADY ACHIEVED WHAT YOU HAD WHEN I WAS ONLY JUST ABLE TO WALK.” Hideyoshi boomed within Watsuji’s mind, loud to him but inaudible to all others. The boy stopped and picked up the tanto, shaking it angrily as if it were able to feel him. “If you’re so god damned better than me, why did you die in your sleep to the one thing you claimed superiority over? Our village has been waiting for years now without a successful adherent of the Bushido code and all you can do is criticize me for trying. Be more than a worthless piece of metal and help me, or something.” Only long silence provided an answer to Watsuji.
The mental and emotional abuse Watsuji had sustained over years of torment by Hideyoshi was saddening to say the least. The young boy had a strong support system and skilled parents who taught him everything he needed to know, but even they could not protect him from the spirit he was linked to. They could only strengthen his resolve and remind him of the way. Watsuji was on a pilgrimage of sorts. An adventure out into the world which he was part of in order to forge a path forward for his people, the Samurai. Hideyoshi has nothing to fear, as he was already dead, but he still couldn’t help but relive his past and the terror of the many tours and operations he had lead against the shinobi of these lands. Similarly, Watsuji had a small fear of the shinobi, but did not harbor the hatred for them as his ancestor did. He had yet to encounter one on this long and dull journey. He had no idea how much further he would need to walk before he would reach the village he sought. Kirigakure no Sato.
The weather was refreshingly beautiful, the sun had only just begun to clip the horizon as the young samurai stepped off of the path and began assembling a makeshift shelter and a small campifire. Rough and tumble training with his rogueish father had taught him how to prepare for a night.
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“Not only do I think you walk like a lazy peasant, you choose to leave your home and come in the direction of a shinobi village? I was never wrong to consider you unworthy and stupid.”
Watsuji would grit his teeth and mumble aloud “Alright. Fine. If you’re going to be a little shit, I don’t care anymore. I do not need you.” and with that, he tossed his priceless tanto onto the ground and spit on it. He kept walking, his fist now clenched along with his teeth. This repetitive bickering had not stopped in all of Watsuji’s life. He had been bonded at birth with the spirit of Hideyoshi, Kusonogi. This was the spirit of a proud and powerful Samurai warrior with many feats under his belt. In short, he was esteemed and proud to the point of arrogance, and he despised shinobi. He had been killed in his sleep by an unnamed shinobi, only increasing his hatred for them in death.
“I HAVE LIVED YOUR PATHETIC LIFE SEVERAL TIMES OVER BEFORE MY FALL. I HAD ALREADY ACHIEVED WHAT YOU HAD WHEN I WAS ONLY JUST ABLE TO WALK.” Hideyoshi boomed within Watsuji’s mind, loud to him but inaudible to all others. The boy stopped and picked up the tanto, shaking it angrily as if it were able to feel him. “If you’re so god damned better than me, why did you die in your sleep to the one thing you claimed superiority over? Our village has been waiting for years now without a successful adherent of the Bushido code and all you can do is criticize me for trying. Be more than a worthless piece of metal and help me, or something.” Only long silence provided an answer to Watsuji.
The mental and emotional abuse Watsuji had sustained over years of torment by Hideyoshi was saddening to say the least. The young boy had a strong support system and skilled parents who taught him everything he needed to know, but even they could not protect him from the spirit he was linked to. They could only strengthen his resolve and remind him of the way. Watsuji was on a pilgrimage of sorts. An adventure out into the world which he was part of in order to forge a path forward for his people, the Samurai. Hideyoshi has nothing to fear, as he was already dead, but he still couldn’t help but relive his past and the terror of the many tours and operations he had lead against the shinobi of these lands. Similarly, Watsuji had a small fear of the shinobi, but did not harbor the hatred for them as his ancestor did. He had yet to encounter one on this long and dull journey. He had no idea how much further he would need to walk before he would reach the village he sought. Kirigakure no Sato.
The weather was refreshingly beautiful, the sun had only just begun to clip the horizon as the young samurai stepped off of the path and began assembling a makeshift shelter and a small campifire. Rough and tumble training with his rogueish father had taught him how to prepare for a night.
638