#but wouldnt ronin be more fitting?

[totentnz]

every day i sit in my room and wonder why tf samurai is called samurai, i think its a weird choice for a band name considering what they stood for

[bbjhfgjngdbliy-blog]

Clash above the clouds a Saihen of the Sound story 4

The passenger area was one of the most lavish places Saihen had seen in his life. The crystal lights than hung from the ceiling cast a calming light over the ornate tables positioned between each of the plush cushioned benches. The din of chatter was admittedly slightly overwhelming so he approached a man in a uniform bearing the airship’s emblem. The man was a mountain towering over Saihen and was built like a Akimichi.

“Excuse me” The man’s eyes darted down to meet Saihens “Could you point me in the direction of the sleeping area?” “No idea” rumbled the mountain.

“Well that was super helpful” Saihen muttered before he walked off.

After a few minutes of searching he found a sign pointing up a flight of stairs with a bed on it. “Well it couldnt be any more obvious than that” His limp made the stairs more of a hassle than they truly needed to be but he still felt the disguise necessary for now at least.

Doors lined both sides of the hallway. Most of them were occupied according to the dials on the doors. Some of them judging from the muffled sounds he heard werent being used for sleeping. At last he found a open door. “Finally some peace and q-” As he stepped into the room he saw a male figure clad in a black jacket sitting on the floor in front of a Go board. The man’s jacket hung open revealing a mesh undershirt that did very little to hide the well toned body underneath. “Looking for some peace im assuming? This place is so damn crowded. You are more than welcome to stay if you want. I would enjoy some competition” The mans voice was deep and washed through the room like the waves of the ocean.

As Saihen entered the room he glanced into the corners to make sure they were actually alone. He grabbed one of the many tatami mats on the floor and slid it over in front of the board before sitting on it. He looked up at the man across from him. His wide face had gentle features to it, his eyes were a light violet. His cheeks were slightly chubby proving no matter how fit you were some people are stuck with a baby face. The only proof this man had ever seen combat was a scar on the bridge of his nose where a break had healed.

“I thank you for the invitation my name is Saihen.” He gave a slight head bow. He had no way of knowing who this man was and assumed it best to cover his bases.

The man chuckled and then his bellowing laugh filled the room it continued for a few moments before he stopped and had to suck in some air. “Sorry sorry. I mean no disrespect friend I merely find it humorous you would show me respect. My name is Mokuzai and I am what you would call a ronin. I deserve none of this song and dance of respect. Just treat me how you would a theif or beggar. For I am no higher than them.”

“All people deserve respect Mokuzai. I wouldnt judge a theif just for stealing or a beggar for having hard times I cant possibly know the events that lead up to that and as such cant form a true judgement of them” Saihen said

Mokuzai with a smile still on his lips “Careful there Saihen, people might not much like being told that beggars and theives arent the trash of society. If they have to see them as people then they might have to actually do something about it. But enough of this heavy talk let us play”

Saihen picked up a stone and placed it on the board. “So what brings you here Mokuzai?” Mokuzai thinks for a moment before placing his stone down. “Oh you know just traveling the country looking for something exciting. You?” Saihen places his stone and a stacatto clack echoes through the room. “Looking for an old friend. Hoping to get the group back together.” Clack “What kind of group? Like a band?” Clack “No. More like a…activist group” Clack “Oh? What do you guys protest?” Clack “Now we protest the unfair treatment of the lower classes by those above them. People arent all equal however thats no reason to not respect and help when its needed.” Clack “You say now. What was the goal before you guys split? What made the split? Clack "The previous members ended up becoming puppets for the very thing they were against. Then whwn the war happened none of them made it.” Clack “Jeez Saihen.  Sounds alot alike what happenend to this group I heard of. They were actually the ones behind the war. But before then they helped the smaller villages. They trained them to fight. They even lent money when needed. I cant remember their name.” Clack Saihen had to struggle to keep from reacting to his words. To keep those emations locked away he didnt know if this man was friend or foe. “Sounds like a..interesting group of individuals” Clack “Yeah they were I really thought they had the right idea.” Clack “Enough about me though. Whats your current go-”

A earsplitting screech filled the air. The two looked at each other leaping to their feet and in unison. “Stay here” “What? Me?” “You”

Saihen was incedibly confused as to why this civilian would tell him to stay. Until he looked at the wall behind Mokuzai there resting on the floor where it was hidden by his body was a katana. The sheath was a pale blue with no adornments other than a simple circle with what appeared to be a triangle in it. “Samurai” Saihen reached down and hit the emergency release on the limp boot Pidge made and lifted his foot out of it. He flicked a kunai into his hand ready to fight. “Saihen look I mean you know harm. I swear unless you are the one behind that scream we are not enemies.” Mokuzai held up his hands in surrender. “However if you want to live I need you to hit the deck right this second”

Saihen decided this man was not a threat and dove to the floor. As he did the door erupted into dozens of kunai flying through the air where he just stood. Saihen looked up to warn Mokuzai only to stop mid way. The kunai lay at his feet and his sheath in his hand. He launched himself forword through the door. A few moments later a woman came flying through head first. Clad in black pants and a matching jacket .As she reached the ground she merely pushed off her hand and landed on her feet behind Saihen.  He felt a hand yank him up. Her arm circled his throat and he felt something metal press against his temple. “One more step and your boyfriend here gets a entire clip of kunai through the head”

Mokuzai lowered his sheath slightly “Im sorry Saihen. Idont know what to do here” “Its fine you did well” The womans arm dropped from his throat and Saihen stepped forword and turned to look at her. Her entire body stood rigid her upon her face played a dance of emotions between anger fear and despair. “WHY CANT I MOVE YOU SCUM?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME” Mokuzai stood there with a look of confusion on his face.

Saihen looked her in the eyes. “Who are you and what are you doing here?” “LET ME GO WHY WOULD I TALK TO YOU” Saihen moved the fingers on his left hand and the womans arm started to aim the kunai launcher at her own stomach. “This shot will kill you it wont be fast nor will it be painless you will lay here unable to move as your body fills with its own waste and acid until youlose enough blood. Now I ask again who are you and what are you doing.”

The womans eyes were darting everywhere looking for a way out finding none the rested on saihen. “I am a pirate from the land of the sky. This was supposed to be a easy haul only civilians.” Saihen smirked “Good. Now how many are on this vessal.” She struggled and finding she was still unable to move spat at him “More than you could ever hope to defeat release me and your death will be quick”

Saihen glanced behind him at the still confused samurai. “Mokuzai in about 20 seconds she will be able to move again can you take care of her”

“What? I mean yeah of course.”

“Thank you”

Saihen released his strings from the womans body who instantly fell to her knees her legs exhausted from the struggle. Mokuzai walked over towards her and stood in front of her.

“You came here and tried to attack what you thought was a unarmed civilian with no justification other than your greed. Scum lime you dont deserve life ” he brought up his sheath and swung it down at her head. A crunch resounded through the room.

Mokuzai turned and looked at Saihen “You seem to be full of surprises.”

Saihen nodded “Did you kill her?”

Mokuzai glanced down at the body “She deserves it but for all I know she was born into this and knows nothing else. Im not the judge and executioner. So no shes not dead just a bad concussion.”

Saihen nods “A good choice. Want to go see if we can save an airship?”

Mokuzai looks down at the Go board. “Ill let you off the hook this time but next time we play. Got it?”

“Sure”

The two step outside their room into the hallway. Their footsteps silent as they glide across the floor. Saihen reaches a corner and stops. As he slowly peeks around he can see down the stairs into the main room. Bodies are everywhere kunai planted into their backs. Most of them already stripped of every valuable they have.

He whispers to Mokuzai “Its bad multiple people on the ground already stripped of valuables. At least 10 or so pirates still down there. Armed with those kunai launcher They seem to be gaurding a couple dozen prisoners. Possibly to keep as hostages incase they need them”

Mokuzai seems unperturbed by the news of suck violence. “What do we do? I mean I can fight. And quite well I think but ten on two is a bit much”

“What about ten on three? It wouldnt be for  long at all but I can get us some aid ”

Mokuzai’s forehead and after a moment whispers “Yeah I think I can hamdle that. Besides they seem to rely solely on those guns it will just be getting up close fast enough”

Saihen puts his hand on the shoulder of the samurai. “I know we just met and you know nothing about me but if you trust me we can do this. You could just run and I wouldnt blame you one bit. But these people need to be saved.”

Mokuzai smirks “I thought you would say something like that. After all, saving the down trodden, thats what the Akatsuki does isnt it?”

Saihen felt his jaw drop and before he could act Mokuzai had jumped down the stairs and started running towards the nearest enemy Saihen watched in amazement as the samurai got close to the enemy and before they could even notice him swung the sheath of his sword and with a crack the assailant was falling. Before the body even hit the ground Mokuzai was moving to the next target.

However the sound of the impact had alerted the others who were already leveling the kunai launchers towards his new ally. Saihen spread out his fingers and sent out his chakra strings into the room. The distintive thump sounded as multiple launchers fired and kunai sped through the air at Mokuzai’s back. Wha t they didnt account for was the bodies of rhe civilians they killed flying to intercapt the kunai. Two of the bodies hovered behind Mokuzai absorbing the shots. The samurai was nearly as startled as the hostage takers. A few moments later the hostages themselves noticed them and started screaming.

Saihen smirked to himself. Oraochimaru had always taught him to use what he had at his disposal whether it be smoke bombs or dead bodies. “To achieve one’s goal. One must let go of such thoughts as sacred and fair. Let those notions hinder those who arent as motivated as you Saihen”

With a flick of his fingers the bodies started flying at two of the pirates who started screaming and firing at them. So caught up in their terror that they didnt notice the sheath of a sword swinging at their heads. Saihen moved them towards the next group and the next each time either terrifying them or using his new puppets to grab and strangle them or merely keeping attention until Mokuzai could take them down. In a matter of moments all those holding weapons were incapacitated.

Saihen heard Mokuzai proclaim “You are safe now. Theres no need to be afraid.”

Saihen released the bodies from his employ and calmly walked down the stairs to join them. The second the bodies hit the ground. A young child no more than nine years old ran towords one of the kunai ridden bodies and collapsed beside it. The child wore a kimono that appeared to match the one on the famale body.

“MOMMY” the child screamed “MOMMY WAKE UP AGAIN. YOU WERE JUST HERE. DONT LEAVE ME ALONE AGAIN. I WAS SO SCARED BUT YOURE BACK NOW MOMMY MOMMY WAKE UP. PLEASE MOMMY ILL LISTEN LOOK I EVEN TIED MY KIMONO LIKE YOU WANTED SO IT LOOKS NEAT AND YOULL BE PROUD OF ME.” The childs sobs grew louder and prevented him from talking.

Saihen didnt know what to do. He had saved these people lives yet he felt them started to piece together what he was and felt the animosity growing from the crowd as more caught on to what he had done. He caught Mokuzai’s eyes and saw only sadness. He had done everything right though. Saved the people. Prevented more deaths. These were goals worth acheiving and yet they ones he saved now hated him.

Mokuzai strode over to the sobbing child and placed his sword on the ground “Your mom would be very proud of you for that.” The child looked up tears streaming down his face “She would? Then why wont she wake up again? Why is she ignoring me?”

“She is very tired. These men really hurt your mom so she had to go to sleep for good. But in her heart burned a love so strong for you that even death wouldnt keep her from protecting you.”

“Really? Sh- she  always said she would always be there for me”

“And she will be little one” Mokuzais touched the childs chest. “She will always be in here and that love will always be keeping you safe.”

A booming impact hit the sliding door that leadninto the room from the outside. Causing the samurai to look up at it.

“Now though now you have to go back over to those people over there. They are friends of your mom. Theyll keep you safe. Do you understand?”

The child nodded and ran across the room where an ederly woman held them close.

“You guys better open this door or no pay for any of you!” Roared a voice from the other side. Another impact hit the door with a boom.

Mokuzai came and stood behind Saihen.  “You figure this will be the boss?” Saihen nods “How is he outside?”

“Probably a second ship with a bridge to this one. They need somewhere to put the goods ”

“Well. After we beat him. He wont be needing that ship anymore” the samurai smirked.

“I agree” replied Saihen admittedly a little shocked

KA BOOM the door comes flying of its hinges and in comes the unhelpful mountain. Carrying a spiked club “WHERE ARE YOU FOOLS?” He spat into the room. “Cant you even open a do-” The mans eyes darted around the room taking in the scene. His men all on the ground. And two standing before him looking ready for a fight. “I dont know who you two are but your gonna pay for this”

Mokuzai whispers “Ill keep his attention. You find some crafty way to deal with him yeah?”

With that plan in place mokuzai leaped at the brute. Who swung his club faster than saihen could keep up with catching mukuzai in the ribs and sending him crashing into the ground at hiss feet. He spun the club around and started to send it crashing down

Saihen was already moving before the samurai hit the ground. Sprinting at the brute hoping to catch him off gaurd. He was already using threads to spin the knuckles on his right hand. It didnt have as many options yet since he hadnt had time to set it up but it still had the scrolls Pidge had put on it. He felt static fill the air as the lighting formed at his palm. He reached the brute and spun around behind him. He swung it at the brute’s neck hoping the shock would scramble his central nervous system. Instead what happenend was the brute spun around and punched Saihen in the head causing stars to fill his vision and his knees to crumple. The lightning in his palm fizzled out.

“No handsigns yet a fully functional lightning blade. How interesting.” He grabbed the sleeve of Saihens jacket and tore the sleeve off. Revealing his puppet arm. “Now it makes sense. Let me guess scrolls inbedded in the arm? You got alot of bite for a cripple. And it appears I have some openings in my crew. What do you say? Want to join ?”

Saihen weakly shook his head no.

“Well thats too bad looks like I have to kill you.”

Saihen was still to stunned to move. He dimly saw the club falling. Then Mokuzai was there his arms around him carrying him away before the club could hit. He placed Saihen on the ground and put something in his mouth. It tasted like warm tea. “Wha-” “Its a food pill. Itll give you something to focus on while your head stops rattling. Now quickly do you know how he is so fast? With that giant thing he really shouldnt be.”

“Shinobi..he sends all of his chakra to his legs to spin himself around. Probably cant run fast. Just fast moves” Saihen explained his head feeling better as he got to his feet.

“Mokuzai”

The samurai looked at him. “Yes”

“Was your hair always white?”

The samurai smiled “No.”

Then he picked up his katana and unsheathed the blade. Leveling the dark blue sword at his foe “Its your lucky day my friend”

“Oh?” Rumbled the EXTREMELY unhelpful mountain

“You get to meet the greatest being to ever exsist”

“And who might that be?”

“He goes by many names to many different people.  The destroyer. The bringer of salvation. He who waits for all. But to those that have a personal relationship with him he as but one name ”

“And what is that?”

“Jashin”

With that white tattoos spiraled down the samurais arms as he leaped at the brute once again. The club swung up at him only to be blocked by the sword as Mokuzai shot his fist into his opponents face. Actually knocking him back a bit. The man quickly recovered and swung a fist back at Mokuzai who caught it in his hand like he was grabbing a leaf. He leaped up and using the arm as a support kicked with both his legs launching him back to Saihen.

“So mister akatsuki ready to help?”

Up close the tattos apeared to be dragons wrapped around his arms.

“Yes lets finish him I have a plan”

“Of course you do”

“Can you keep fighting him like this?”

“Not for a extended period of time but for abit longer yes”

“Keep doing that then”

The samurai smirked and leaped back into battle keeping up with his for blow for blow. His sword landing cuts at each opening. His opponent roaring in pain and frustration as he keep trying to fight.

Saihen openend the palm of his right hand and focused his chakra threads through it weaving them together into a ball hanging from a single thread. He gave it a few test swings then waited until Mokuzai blocked the club “HOLD IT” He commanded. The samurai nodded and held the club in place as Saihen leapt into the fight swinging his arm towords the head of the brute. Who easily blocked it with his free hand.

“Really cripple I thought you would learn fast”

Saihen couldn’t keep the smirk off his face. This foe for all his strength and speed was just another idiot.

“Oh I do. And before you die ill give you the honor of knowing my name.”

“And what makes you think ill die”

“Well you blocked my arm. Which was smart dont get me wrong. You saw a fist and you blocked. What you didnt see was rhe ball of chakra threads that were hanging from it and once you blocked my attack the moment of the ball sent it wrapping around your throat and head before  I dispersed the threads all over the back of your body. Even now youll find you cant move. I cant hold you for long admittedly. But I dont need to”

Saihen felt the man trying to move to no avail.

“Who are you?”

Saihen moved the threads causing the man to fall to his hands and knees.

“I am Saihen  of the Akatsuki.”

He steps back knowing from his interactions with hidan what is about to come

“And I am Mokuzai of the Akatsuki” As the samurai swung his blade cleaving head from shoulders and spinning in same motion sheathing his blade.

Saihen looked at him “Of the Akatsuki? You know its a shinobi organization?”

The samurai smiled “It used to be. Besides we have a game of Go to finish and I cant be seen with the head of a criminal organization. I mean unless I too was a member”

“Fair enough”

From outside the heard a amplified voice. “We have received your distress signal this is Mai of the leaf anbu unit we are coming aboard to assist.”

“Shit not again ” Saihen muttered

“Friends of yours?”

“You could say that. Wanna steal a ship?”

“I thought youd never ask”

Saihen ran and picked up a kunai launcher before running across the rope bridge connecting the leaf airship to the sleeker pirate one. He glanced up to see a anbu airship hovering above the leaf ship with anbu sprinting down the side.

Mai was leading them of course. Saihen gestured once they were across the bridge and Mokuzai sliced it detaching the two. The leader of anbu stopped and looked at Saihen “YOU WONT GET AWAY AGAIN”

“Get this ship moving if you would Mokuzai” he commanded. “Of course” the samurai enetered the ship and a few moments later Saihen felt it start to move.

The Anbu leader shouted “OUR SHIP CAN CATCH YOU.YOU SCUM”

Saihen inserted on of his kunai into the launcher “Perhaps”

He fired it up towords the anbu.  It missed them all by dozens of feet.

“YOU MISSED”

“If it had a engine that is”

The tag on the kunai ingnited on impact sending lightning through the engines of the anbu ship.

Saihen turned and walked into his new ship and moved into the control room. Taking a seat beside his new partner. The samurai looked up “Where to?”

Saihen pulled out the map he got from Kaika. And pointed to the spot she had circled. “Here”

The samurai nodded and adjusted the controls. “You got it.”

Saihen relaxed as the ship moved towards the horizon.

“Its a good day Mokuzai”