A menacing chill startled Zetsume on this cold night. It woke him up from his deep slumber that he had been in for awhile. It seemed that the last few years he has been living just day to day trying to make it, not really worried about his own power gain or popularity. Those things meant little to him when money became a problem. Images of the people he has killed flashed through his head, how could he ever forget a single face mortified in horror as he took their lives without a second guess. Was the small ryo that he got worth the lives of many. Zetsume wondered how many lives he destroyed, how many families lost their dad or brother or even sister from his shots. Most of them never stood a chance, it was like shooting fish in a barrel. The feeling of grief swam through his body like a virus, eating away at his mind with the images of the dead.

Why now? Why are these images appearing now?, he thought to himself as he sat up from his bed to take a look outside. The bright moon made the snow on the ground glow, it looked magnificent and tranquil. Zetsume seemed to have stared at the moon for hours thinking about his life and the road he chose when he decided to become a shinobi. Was it worth it?, he wondered. That question will never have an answer, and just seeking it could cause more pain. Zetsume shook his head softly to try and rid himself of these things, yet he could not still his hands nor his heart. Something was out there, he could feel it in his bones. Something that wishes to bring harm to the people he cared so much about.

After giving his puppy a small pat on the head, which he responded with a small growl of approval. Zetsume got up and started to get ready for the world. He could no longer sit in this mundane life, he had to see the world. He had to embrace his life before it is lost, and everything he had tried so hard to protect will be in vain. The feeling of being powerless consumed his mind. Oh how this feeling seemed to become a demon.

It was barely bright outside when he was finally done getting ready. He had spent the remainder of the night, cleaning and sharpening his arrows. He gave a small wave to Repede before setting off into the sunrise.

It was only a matter of minutes of walking before his stomach began to ache from hunger. Zetsume decided he would have some ramen and went to the closest shop to order some. There was a cute little waitress there, she had beautiful maroon hair that set her off from other people. He could not help himself but to stare at her while she worked. Though when she brought him his food, she was no longer in his mind. Zetsume thanked the waitress before digging into his hot and ready meal.

Bokuden inhaled deeply as he held his cup at his lips, taking in the steaming aroma of the freshly brewed tea. He felt the warmth flow through his body, slowly melting away the chill that came along with the bitter cold of the mountain nights of Kumogakure, as he took the first sip. He exhaled with a relieved sigh as he pulled the cup down back to the counter of the bar. He had found himself in an interesting situation this morning. Due to another bout with insomnia Bokuden found himself wandering the streets of Kumogakure all night. Just before sunrise he stumbled across a small ramen shop, which immediately drew his attention. He found it strange that a ramen shop would be open at that time, but he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

After spending a short while enjoying his tea and shaking off the cold Bokuden noticed another man enter the shop and sit just a few chairs down from him at the bar and order a bowl of ramen. Nothing out of the ordinary. The man's eyes followed the waitress around the restaurant as he awaited his order. Clearly someone had a bit of a crush. Bokuden waited until after the waitress had walked away after delivering the man's order before he decided to speak up. "She's quite a beauty, isn't she? At this hour the shop is practically a ghost town. Not a bad opportunity to go and talk to her." Bokuden took another sip of his tea before turning to face the man once again. Bokuden was just trying to make conversation at this point. No one liked eating or drinking alone and he figured with the way the man's eyes followed the waitress around the store earlier that a mutual appreciation for the fairer sex was the most obvious common ground.

Zetsume gave a small prayer on his food before he started to devour it. The juices mixed along with the noodles added a nice warm feeling in his belly on this cold night. Being alone was something he enjoyed, having to not worry about how others are thinking or trying to manipulate a situation to fit their needs. Zetsume made a loud slurping noise when the voice of an unfamiliar male, it seemed he had realized that he was staring at the woman by the words he spoke. He was a well dressed individual who looked like he never had a cold night. His hair was slick back with a silver-white look in it. From the colors he bore it seemed he enjoyed blue more than the others. Though one of the most peculiar things was the sword that rested on his side. It seemed he was a kenjutsu user.

Talk to her?, he thought while he finished what was in his mouth before he tried to speak so he did not talk with food in his mouth and seem rude. That was unacceptable in his clan, well mostly anything that could hurt the pride of his people. He could feel the spirit of his father standing over him with a hand raised to smack him in the back of the head if he ever brought shame to his people.
The thought of talking to her did make his heart slightly flutter towards the feeling of what he used to think was love. Though the scar on his face would prove as testimony towards his defense. How could someone love a monster? was his next thought. All through his years as a shinobi he has had to slaughter many people for the sake of a village. A flower such as precious as that should never be tainted by a man like him.

Zetsume whipped his mouth from the ramen juices that was trickling down his chin. It slightly tickled. "No thanks, I have no interest in relationships in this stage of life."
Zetsume spoke in a low tone which had an icy side to it. He was used to giving anyone this tone, as he did not like many people, especially one that randomly speaks to him like they are old buddies.

Zetsume ate some more ramen before speaking again, "Oh, where are my manners?My name is Zetsume Zix. May I ask what yours is? Now his tone seemed friendlier now than before. The nightmares were still on his mind and it seemed to make him slightly moody even when he was trying not to be. Though this did not really bother him, he kept eating without hardly looking at the man who spoke to him.

"No thanks, I have no interest in relationships in this stage of life." The man replied in a cold and emotionless tone.

"Okay..." Bokuden thought to himself as he turned back to face the bar and took another sip of his tea. "I can understand that sentiment I suppose," Bokuden answered still facing the counter, "The life of a shinobi is not an easy one and is very often inflexible. It must be difficult for you to make the time to settle down."

"Oh, where are my manners? My name is Zetsume Zix. May I ask what yours is?" Zix said after gulping down another mouthful of noodles. His tone was a bit more welcoming at this point, but Bokuden was still a bit skeptical about him.

"Bokuden," he answered plainly, giving only his given name. Bokuden was never one to bring up his clan unnecessarily, he was largely ashamed of what they had degenerated to and would rather keep his identity a 'need to know basis' kind of thing. This whole conversation had pretty much come with no eye contact and Bokuden felt no need to change that as he remained facing forward and motioned to the waitress for a refill. When she came around to pour him more tea Bokuden grabbed here by the hand and motioned with his finger for her to lean down a bit to his level before whispering into her ear. A shocked expression came onto her face for a second before she began to giggle and looked over at Zix. Bokuden then held out his cup to be refilled, prompting her to do so and continue on with her work.

"To ashamed to tell me your clan's name?", Zetsume spoke while finishing off the last of his noodles. He proceeded to poke at the man a bit to see what kind of reaction could come from it. It seemed that the man who calls himself Bokuden spoke to the waitress that Zetsume was eyeballing. After she filled his glass she came over towards Zetsume and became much more flirtatious than usual, but Zetsume threw that aside, smiling while asking for only a refill. Apparently Bokuden thinks he is cupid. No matter how bad he really wanted to make that woman happy, he knew in the end he would only break his heart. Zetsume thanked the chefs and payed for his food. He left a ridiculous tip for the waitress. It was three times as much as his meal alone. Zetsume did that because he felt like she needed a pick me up, plus she was cute. Zetsume went to walk out and stopped to speak to Bokuden.

"Thanks for the company, no one likes to eat alone. Take it easy. ", with that being said, Zetsume exited.

"Too ashamed to tell me your clan's name?" Zix prodded, resulting in Bokuden raising an eyebrow at the presumptuousness of the question. Bokuden offered no answer to the question as he merely went about drinking his tea. The waitress Bokuden had spoken to approached Zix, but was met with a rather cold neglect, much to Bokuden's annoyance. He didn't pay much attention to Zix after that, letting the man eat in peace. He obviously was not in the mood to socialize. A short while after, Zix could be heard getting up from his seat and  beginning to work his way out of the restaurant. Before he left however, he did stop where Bokuden was sitting and spoke, "Thanks for the company, no one likes to eat alone. Take it easy. "

"Hmph," Bokuden thought to himself, never turning from the counter at which he was seated, "Maybe he is a more interesting character than I originally thought."

[Thread Closed]