Gemini

The hot sun hung high in the sky, beating down rays of fire upon Choku's body. It certainly was a change of pace for him, being more of an indoors guy and living in a country that rained all the time, but it was of no inconvenience really. The sands shifted beneath his feet as he walked, trekking across the desert in the Land of Wind. He could really go for some water right now, something he could produce easily, but decided against it, seeing it as a waste of chakra and time. Surely he was to find civilization soon, right? That is, if there was any in this hot, barren wasteland. He suspected there should be, as almost anywhere you went you could always find people strange enough to be there no matter what the conditions of the environment were. Otherwise scorpions wouldn't live in the desert........

Choku wiped beads of sweat from his brow, his hand rubbing across the now damp bandages that covered the left side of his face and his eye. Speaking of his eye, it was best right now if he concealed it. Hyuuga here would be far from home, and anyone he came across had the possibility of having sensory abilities. You never know. He performed a couple hand seals and molded his chakra. After doing so, he raised his right hand to his face and touched the area where his left eye socket should be. A couple black seals formed on the bandages and glowed for a second, then disappeared. The seal was complete, and now his Byakugan eye would be virtually undetectable to all around him. One could never be too careful, especially this far from home.

Speaking of home, why had he left it? He had heard rumors recently of a strange man lurking in the desert, said to be a puppeteer at first glance, traveling in strange looking bodies. They were described as artificial looking and heavily armed by appearance. Choku didn't know much about puppeteers, as he had never really encountered any in his travels. That was a strange thing, now that he thought about it. He had seen many different types of people from all kinds of clans, been to all kinds of places, and yet, he had never seen a puppeteer before.

Puppeteers were people that used Ninjutsu to manipulate and fight using artificial constructs known as puppets. It was an old fighting style that had apparently originated from the very desert he was crossing at this moment, created by a man who hailed from a large village that had once inhabited these lands. But now all it looked like inhabited the land was wind, dunes, and desert creatures.

Choku rose to the top of a hill of sand and stopped, standing ever so still. The sight before him was strange, it had an eerie emptiness to it. And yet, there was lots of detail to it. It was as though he could differentiate between the different shades of the individual grains of sand that formed the land. He could visibly see all the heat around him as it rippled the air, slithering across the desert slowly. There was so much in this land, yet somehow so little. But then he noticed something. If he squinted his open eye he thought he might just barely be able to make something out in the distance......

[Jutsu Used: Rain Man Sealing Method: Half Zatoichi]

A group of three would begin to break across the horizon. These men were identical in appearance leaving no evidence that they would actually be puppets. It was the first time these puppets would see the day of light. It never would be a normal day to see these three out and about. The "lead" puppet lifted his head as he made more dynamic movements, delivering orders to the other two. The two branched out, flanking the right and left side. The main puppet continued down the middle, ahead of the other two, about 10 feet.

" These parts don't get many visitors. What brings you here?" Hissed the lead puppet.

The trio was still about 30 feet from the man, but it was enough feet for them to engage in a conversation. Oddly enough, Amenoru wasn't in the mood to kill. He wasn't sure what the reason was, but it did seem pointless to kill something he wouldn't add to his collection. Maybe he was inquiring about his prey? It was never certain when dealing with Amenoru.

The trio halted as a light breeze would scan across the desert, lifting their cloaks a bit. It revealed a bit of "wood" but at the distance they would be at, normal human eyes wouldn't notice a difference. Amenoru's head would stare, blankly. His eyes were picking about his body, endlessly. It was a habit he adopted from performing so many Hitokugutsu conversions.

The heat continued to beat against the surface of the 3, yet they were not perspiring. It was one aspect Amenoru never truly thought about concealing. His obsession with being a puppet, preventing him from caring about the aesthetics of still being a human.

He has a strong build. I am intrigued for sure. It seems like he works with his hands alot. He doesn't seem like the type to attack from the "comfort" of the shadows. Its rare to see someone with such a build and they not use it in a "up close and personal" manner.

Choku, his right hand already resting on the scabbard of his katana that was strapped on his hip, moved his right thumb up, ready to push the blade out of its sheath at any moment. He activated his Byakugan secretly, the eye being hidden and undetectable under the bandages and seal he had placed over it. Yet he could still see with it, and could make out the figures in the distance. There were three of them, and when Choku focused on each of them, at first glance they appeared very much so similar. But there was still something different about one of them.

None of them had any tenketsu points on them or any chakra flow, that much was certain. Choku didn't need to move his eyes to look at different people with his Byakugan, nor did he need turn his head. He simply zoomed in and out on the different figures as they approached slowly. Two of them split from one in the middle, attempting to get a form of flanking position on him. It was futile, as Choku would be able to detect any motion or action within a very, very long range distance. Upon closer examination, the bodies of the three were fake, artificial, crafted. They were not flesh, but strange machines created through fire and craft. So this is a puppet, huh? he thought to himself.

But the middle one, who continued to approach, was different indeed. First, Choku could see with his Byakugan that he had multiple armaments on and within him that the other two puppets didn't. He was not very well versed with machines though, so it was really guesswork to try and determine what the weapons were. Some sort of guns, chambers, was that gasoline? It was a very strange combination of lethal weapons that was carried within the puppet a bit across the dunes from him. But probably the strangest thing was his chest. On one side of his chest, Choku saw something strange. It was a chakra source, small and compact into a cylindrical shape. That was quite eerie to see.......

"I've heard rumors floating about of a strange puppet man roaming these lands, some say he was committing deeds that were.....well.......let's say not too good. By puppet man I thought they meant a puppeteer, like the ones I had heard about before, but clearly if this is you, that description was a bit more literal, huh?" Choku shouted across to the man, naked eye focused on the man, Byakugan constantly focused on the two other puppets who had strange shaped swords on them, right hand at the ready with his katana, and left hand ready at any time to snap up to grab his sword case. In all respects, Choku was ready for any and all danger. He was even molding chakra in case he needed to perform a ninjutsu or kenjutsu technique, should the situation warrant. Even in this hot desert, he was still very versatile and dangerous, clearly not a man to be trifled with.

"Deeds that are not very good? How does one define what is good and what is not? What is considered good? I consider things done in the need to survive, required. They don't have positive or negative associations. But I am flattered that my legacy still lives on beyond its time. So you found me....Now what?" Concluded the "man". He remained still. It was not like him to not attack this late in their conversation. He stared aimlessly at the man. It seem like he was threatened by the appearance of Amenoru.

Amenoru wasn't in the mindset to kill, so he wanted to try to progress this conversation to gain more knowledge about the outside world. He had been so secluded from everyone that he had lost all knowledge of what trouble his name caused. It seemed to please him a bit know that his name still carried some value within this world.

The twins, continued walk forward stop about 30 feet from each of. They were now surrounding Choku in a "triangle" formation, leaving him at the center. He aligned his puppets in such a manner to allow him to scan around the man. It was a tactic he was using to "further" get to know the guest.

I need to to go out and explore, reintroduce myself to the present world. Maybe i'll set my sights on the Hyuuga Clan. It seems that in this day and age, I believe should be a great grandfather by now.

He never really gave much thought to his "extended" family, but it did seem to be quite the touchy topic. His relationship with the rest of the clan was not "ideal". It it became any more strained, Amenoru might actually lay seige to the entire clan. He felt that the clan was overly traditional and left no room for acceptance of "out of the norm" situations.

Choku remained still, all the while observing the two puppets effortlessly as they "flanked" the man. He let loose his grip on the scabbard of his sword. Despite the "strategic position" they "had" on him, he suspected that if a fight did break out, he would not even require the use of his sword. Hidden tricks and tactics and protection were of no use against Choku, as he could see through deception and analyze with great clarity the threat of his opponents and the proper ways to counter dangerous situations. He did not perceive any real threat to himself from this man. Choku molded chakra and formed a one handed seal, the sign of the Ram.

In an instant he was much closer to the man, now only but ten feet away, having changed position in a flicker of intensely quick movement. He still had his special gaze directed on the two puppets now behind quite a ways in relation to his new position, and would watch any movement they made in reaction to Choku's movements, ready to counter at any time with his own reactions.

"I suppose you have a good point. I often find myself pondering the rationality of such abstract concepts as 'good' or 'evil'. What is right for one man may be found wrong for another. The opposite too can be said. It is the general consensus of society that murder is a horrible thing if it is brought about to an innocent man, but who says the man who committed the so-called crime thinks the same way? It's all about your upbringing I suppose. But then again, my upbringing tells me to follow a path of dishonor is no way to live your life, and the things I've heard identify a path without such privileges as honor or glory. That's how I see it though....." Choku spoke, intensity and seriousness in his voice as he spoke to the man, now looking him over with his naked eye considering he got the chance now to see the individual up close and in person. He was a little short for a man, being about the same height as a woman who was tall. Choku estimated it to be about five feet and nine inches or so in height. The man's eyes were colored slightly lavender, a shade darker than his skin. Colored was actually a very good way to put it, painted might even be accurate, seeing as the "man" was indeed a colored chunk of machinery and artificial mass. His hair was a color that couldn't really decide between a pale white or a slightly dark shade of lavender, as if his eyes had had paint from his hair drip down during the creation of his body.

After evaluating the man's appearance in those very few seconds, he thought back to the second thing he had said. If the man had no proper, organic body, it was very much so possible he could have been in this state for awhile. And the stranger thing was his chakra. The fact that it was all compacted and compressed into one spot on his body meant that in some respect he was "living". But how could he have stayed alive while putting this chakra and living essence into the artificial body. It made one wonder whether or not he had help with the difficult task, and if not, the man must be incredibly skilled to do so by himself.

The living puppet left to words fall upon his ears. It moved him slightly to hear someone who understood his same mentality. He actually was enjoying this man alot. It did seem to be a small problem that he didn't know his name. As the man finished his brief background, Amenoru began speaking.

"It's quite delightful to hear someone with a similar view on life. I will change this world, one way or another. I've lived far too long to not make a change. I used to belief that living forever was starting to become pointless, but then I had a moment of "enlightenment". I have been given an opportunity to shape the world in the way I see it. A world I can call, Mine..."

He concluded his speech, instantly thinking about the fact he still didn't get the man's name.

"Ahh, It almost slipped my mind. I do not know your name. If my instincts are right about you, I think we might actually work well together. I can use a partner to help me carry out some "jobs" coming up. I had thought of recruiting a "team" together. Though, I am very analytical about those who I deem my "associates". Even now, I am taking a big leap of faith to extend this "invitation"."

Surprisingly enough, Amen never addressed the man coming closer. It didn't seem to phase him in the slightest bit. Distance was not a concern for him. He's blinking became more of an afterthought, since he could honestly go the rest of his "life" without doing so. He blinked once. Releasing a bit of the awkwardness of his "existence"

"In fact, I do have a task I am heading to go do. I could use the help, that is, If your interested."

Click. Click

His head rotated around in a 360 degree motion, unlocking the joints on his neck. The puppets around the back remained still and eventually sat on top of the sand. They were clearly machine in their movements and left no doubt that he was indeed controlling them. Two chakra threads were leading from his chest to the puppets, linking them in mind, body and spirit. Amenoru was infact a Trinity. The father, the spirit and the son.

"I am Choku, a samurai that hails from the Land of Rain, leader of the great Shoshinku clan.......But you probably wouldn't know them would you?" Choku introduced himself, squinting at the man in suspicion. If the man was effectively "immortalized" he probably had been around for quite awhile. Quite a long time spent in this land of sand. This fact including also the fact that the Shoshinku clan were not very well known would explain if the peculiar man had not heard of him or his clan before. They were quite small time as a matter of fact......And did not hold much power in the world.........Unlike clans such as the Hyuuga...........The family that had taken Choku's eye long ago...................

These thoughts pounded at the back of Choku's head like high tides threatening to breach the floodgates of a small coastal town. The waters of his mind were dark, and swirled with negatives such as anger, hatred, and pride. He suppressed these kinds of thoughts for now, not wishing to submit to the evils that lurked in his head. The evils that had gathered in his mind from years upon years of contemplation of the horrors and sins and such that he had seen. The pondering of these kinds of things were what led to the birth of the terrors that lurked deep in his soul.

Speaking of which, Choku thought it was time for his clan to secure some power in the world. Too long had they spent their existence in the shadows, only "getting by". Too long had they stolen from the powerful clans and given to themselves. Why couldn't the Shoshinku be world known for their power? Why couldn't bandits try to steal from the Shoshinku and the rewards they had reaped? What ever happened to Choku's promise to lead his clan to glory? All of that would change now.

"At the moment, I don't care enough for you or your plights to be concerned with the risk you take in inviting me or whatever. However, I do like the sound of some jobs, if they are rewarding and dangerous that is. Don't mistake me for some wandering, lowly bandit with a couple weapons and getting by in the world though, lest you be remarked forever as a fool," Choku shrugged and spoke, venom slipping into his tone at the last remainder of the sentence. He would not be taken lightly or as some disposable work force by anyone. He was an extremely skilled, and highly honorable man of the sword, and certainly not one to trifle with. Despite his lack of enthusiasm for the man's "cause" or whatever, he also was interested in the "team" he had spoken of. It could be an entertaining experience to battle and kill with other powerful men, assuming this person was powerful that is. Maybe that was a couple drops of pride spilling over the walls into Choku's mind. Or perhaps it was some strange variant of anger. Choku didn't know, and at the moment, though it was scary for him to acknowledge, he didn't really care.......

"Samurai?"

He said, in amazement. He has not heard the word uttered in over 50 years. He assumed that the modern age caught up and they died off. Choku was quite the novelty, in the eyes of Amenoru.

"I'd introduce myself but it seems you already have an idea about who I am. I will say this, my name is Amenoru Neferet. I have become my own god, through making my own destiny and investing in my own future."

He paused slightly but begin speaking again.

"I will be heading to the Hyuuga Compound. I have some issues I need to exterminate. I will be heading there as soon as we finish up. Do you have any other things to do before you come with me? I'd suggest you make sure you are ready for a small war."

He concluded his speech as he focuses a bit more on the man's face. The bandage. He had seen this plenty of times throughout his life. The man either was hurt severely or hiding something. If indeed he was hiding something, that would be interesting to find out what it is. Respecting the fact that the had just became acquainted he deemed it a stretch to find out all he could about the man. Granted, the eye was not of big importance to him.

As he awaited for the samurai to respond and figure out his plan of action, Amen began to think about his arsenal and any missing components he needed. He looked up to the sky, still keeping Choku within sight in case he was ready.

Clouds. Air. Spa--

That was it. Space. Space was practically one big vacuum that deprives oxygen. Quite deadly infact. Hypoxia stemming from exposure to space vacuum's. Nature had its own way of inspiring Amenoru and staying creative. He would need to create a controlled form of this, one that would allow him to take out masses.

Hyuuga. Choku hadn't heard anything about the Hyuuga in a long time, nor had he seen or encountered any in an equally large amount of time. An uptight, noble clan that seemed very secretive about anything they did and had a knack for hating outsiders, they also possessed one of the greatest Doujutsu, possibly the greatest kekkei genkai ability even, in all the lands. The Byakugan, an ability Choku had access to himself after having his lost eye replaced with that of the very man who had taken his from him. Sure it had enabled him sight and extreme prowess and power in combat, but he would forever be different from who he was when he was born. He was a changed man because of this cursed little eye of his, much different yet quite similar to the man that had gone into the fight with that Hyuuga bastard.........

Anger. Hatred. Vengeance. These were overpowering his mind now, and Choku fought back with his will. These emotions left him nauseous. But nevertheless he still had no qualms about killing Hyuuga. What better way, after all, to secure power and glory in the lands than taking down one of the greatest clans in existence to date. That seemed pretty glorious to him. It could also supply much needed "material" for that one thing he was working on.......

"Sure, I'll do it. But speak not to me of gods or ascension, for there are no gods in this world. To believe so is to have a sickening amount of pride and confidence in yourself, and down that path comes no honor to those who travel it. Every man is self-made, and still only a man," Choku spoke, looking him over and supposing that this man was a bit self-made more than others. Literally.

He caught Amenoru's gaze shifting up to the left side of his face. Curious bastard, aren't you? Choku thought, squinting at the man with his naked eye.

"I noticed you looking at my eye? Or I suppose, lack thereof," Choku said, reaching his left hand up to the bandages on his face and readying to form a hand sign with his right. "It was taken from me in battle with a man, the sole survivor of my assault on a group of him and his clansmen in the Land of Fire. Yes I know, I am very well traveled aren't I? Anyway, this man was of a great, once powerful clan with a powerful ability," Choku formed a seal and released the technique concealing his eye. With his left hand he ripped the bandages from the left side of his face, leaving visible a large, milky white eye. An eye that was his own, but also not. A dead man's eye, a belonging that belonged really to nobody anymore.

"As you might suspect, this man was of the Hyuuga. A right powerful bastard he was, but I killed him and his clansmen that day long ago, and as a reward I got myself this little biological trophy," referring to his empty, soulless looking eye as he spoke. "So to answer your warning, I would say that I'm quite prepared for any task of killing, as I doubt there is a single man in existence in this world I could not slay, perhaps not even myself......." Choku said as he thought about the darkness that ebbed and flowed in the sea of his mind everyday. It was a dark and twisted realization to think about the fact that if tasked with bringing down the greatest monster of all, himself, Choku likely could not succeed. Might this be a metaphor for him being immortal? Never to be brought down by man? That would be the supreme curse, never to die, never to attain the honor of being brought down in battle, destined to live forever in a dead state.........

The self proclaimed God nodded in understanding. He was not bothered by the different in view between the two of them. He took 2 steps back lowering himself, kneeling down to the ground. He formed a bird seal and began speaking as he continued to creation process. It was quite the story, but what stuck out to Amen was not the obvious. Choku had been through a implanting process. Much like Amen, himself. Choku could tolerate pain to a high extent, it was a endearing thing to know this. That byakugan would indeed be useful for the task they were on. The byakugan's visual prowess was something to lust over. It would also be a problem for them. He needed to create a seal to conceal their presence, later that is.

"Then let us be on our way. I will create a bridge between here and Fire Country. This will allow us jump back and forth without having to labor ourselves with traveling. We'll have to fly on my puppets initial, to get to the Fire Country. Then I can establish the second "door". Once the second "door" is created i'll give you access to travel through the "bridge" without holding my hand."

His left hand lowered to the ground, channeling chakra. A massive seal inscribed itself on the ground, about 10 feet in diameter. The seal was one large, circular gate. Amenoru dragged his finger down the center about 10 inches activating the door. It quickly flashed brightly, producing a few light rays from it before, returning to its "dormat" state.

He stood up after creating the first door, followed by a slow extension of his hand.

"I can transport us to any neighboring country within 1 hour if we take a sphinx."

After concluding his words, he used his left hand to lift up his right arm's sleeve. It revealed an intricate tattoo, in fact it was a seal. It was Amen's signature technique. Seal of the Thief King.

Ram → Snake → Extend Hand

The seal glew white, before excreting a small cloud of smoke. A scroll spontaneously manifested itself infront of his palm, before he grabbed it. He opened the scroll, sliding his finger across it. 2 Puppets spawned next to him. They were 3 feet in height and 6 feet in length. Each was large enough to hold atleast 1-2 people. Amenoru, saddled onto #1. He waited for the samurai to get onto #2.

"Do we need to make any stops before he depart?"

Amenoru began mapping out the way they would take out this clan. Close range fighting was going to be a big advantage for them, although Amen had calculated that into his plan. All of his puppets were linked with a defensive "self-destruct" mechanism that will remove unwanted Hyuuga from continuing to destroy puppets. All measure have been accounted for. Atleast as of now they would be till something new would pop up that Amen would have to put down.

Techniques Used:

Choku's cursed eye flicked back and forth across different details of Amenoru and his actions. Interestingly enough, the man seemed quite good at Fuuinjutsu, a skill that Choku himself was also adept at. He observed as the man created an object that appeared as a gate. This technique appeared to be what he was referencing by talking about the creation of doors to go back and forth between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire. Choku grimaced. The man was awfully confident in himself, to already be eager to travel to and take on a famous, presumably powerful clan. He didn't like that about this man, as over confidence and pride led to downfall and dishonor.

"Sure, I'll come with you, but don't expect me to gladly go along right this moment to exterminate the Hyuuga. I'm not too confident in your skills, first of all, and I need time to prepare myself and my forces. Speaking of which, make a stop in the Land of Rain. Seems good to create a quick method of travel between your domain and mine, right?" Choku spoke, trying not to sound too insulting to the man. He didn't mean these things in a hurtful way after all, Choku had only just met him, and if they were to be great allies to forge a road to victory, he must have confidence that his allies had the strength to take down their enemies. This was just something he couldn't be sure of at the moment, and perhaps he could convince Amenoru to wait. Who knows, maybe the puppet would want to evaluate the Rain Man as well? Though, he was certain there would be no doubt once he saw Choku in battle of his immense power.

Choku climbed onto the unused Sphinx and assumed a comfortable position on the vehicle. Another thought popped into his head, as he reached to grab the case of swords strapped to his back. He tossed the case to the man, not turning to look at him and tilting his sugegasa down over his face to block the sun.

"By the way, you're good with machines, right? See if you can't make this a more worthy weapon somehow. Think of it as my request for a gift, like a housewarming present for new friends, eh? Be sure to be careful though, those crimson swords are very dear to me......." Choku requested. Speaking of crimson, he suspected the weeks ahead were to be drenched with the color. A dark urge and lust back in the back of his mind, on the edge of the nautical territory known as sanity, craved the entertainment of the thoughts of the blood to be shed in due time.........

This time Choku didn't suppress the dark side.

The samurai was skeptical. It was not something Amen was surprised about. He knew it would creep up in conversation sooner or later. He nodded, not really responding to the uncertainty of the man. Trust was a key component between the two of them. It was the only way there were going to be able to accomplish anything. Amen knew of the major things that caused great kingdoms to fall. Greed was something that Amen was going to make sure never began a problem. It was too much of a risk to manage a Kingdom and continue to expand beyond the walls.


"Amegakure it is."

He lifted his wrist, elevating them into the air. The puppets would begin to click and gears would begin to rotate quickly. The wings of the sphinxes would begin flapping keeping them propelled in the air. He turned to acknowledge the man once again. He extended his hands grabbing the case. It was fairly heavy, so he set it down on the sphinx.

"I'll see what I can do. I think I understand what you might want."

Ram → Snake → Extend Hand

The Thief King Seal would again glow. The mysterious smoke would emerge from it, and tendrils would sprout from his palm. They would latch onto the case, sealing it within the seal. He was quite pleased to see the usefulness of his seal. It made his job much more efficient. He turned back around facing the direction they would be heading. He flicked his wrist and the puppets rocketed forward. They were moving faster than he would move by foot. It was remarkable to see pieces within his collection being used in diverse ways.

"We should make it to there in less than an hour. If you have anything else you need to know about me before he start our mission, it would be best to ask now."

He was comfortably saddled upon the puppet, linking himself to it to prevent himself from being carried off by the winds. They were covering alot of ground in a short amount of time. It was gonna be a very short journey to Amegakure, one that was going to be short lived.

"So prepare for a chance of a lifetime
Be prepared for sensational news
A shining new era
Is tiptoeing nearer
I know it sounds sordid
But you'll be rewarded
When at last I am given my dues
And injustice deliciously squared
Be prepared!"

He sound aloud, not directly to anyone. Amenoru had a way of preaching to himself. He was speaking aloud, since it was hard to him to grasp his own thoughts. He didn't entirely feel comfortable with the idea of self evaluation. He had a goal and it was going to be achieved. They were going to attack, in such a manner to cause problems. If they were able to wipe them from existence, then they would. If not, casualties of war would still be evident, but not on a massive scale.

"We can call this mission a success if we either: 1. Claim a Body, 2. Kill atleast 2 people 3. Kill the current Leader 4. Wipe them from existence. Which ever route we take, will be the first step in my plan. History will do the rest. Hyuuga's have had tension between alot of the "former" Konoha allied clans. I've lived long enough to know that the Uchiha clan have no true, allies. Attacking the Hyuuga, will show a clear weakness in their forces. This should draw the Uchiha by word of mouth. They're crude and unspeakably plain, But maybe they've a glimmer of potential. If allied to my vision and brain. Once we get a few pawn pieces involved in the mix, we shall evaluate from there."

He concluded his words not bothering to face the samurai as he spoke. He continued to look ahead, making sure they were on the right track. The sands had a way of hypnotizing people that trekked through it. Many lives were lost traveling into Sunagakure, but Amenoru was born in these sands. The Wind Country was not meant for everyone. It was quite the quiet land and it was not one that was home to "welcoming" people. People who lived in the Wind Country were either born there or escaping from their problems. Amenoru had had the privilege to meet alot of people, and similar stories seemed to emerge constantly.

[Exit Post 743 WC]

Choku was slightly annoyed by several qualities of the man. The first and foremost was that damn god complex. Self-proclaimed godhood led to pride and greed, which were both dishonorable qualities that led to death and destruction, and then finally doom to those "gods". Most of the time they were also just not warranted, as most men with god complexes couldn't even beat some of the people they traveled with. The second thing was the way he talked. When he spoke as though he was recounting a song of glory, it bothered Choku. Nothing they had done so far was glorious or amazing, and nothing they were going to do was either. He should probably save the celebrating and monologues for when they actually set off to do something more notable. People were slaughtered and killed everyday, this would only be slightly more prestigious of an achievement than most slaughters, as this time it would be of a very powerful clan with powerful kekkei genkai. Well, other than Uchiha that is. At least the experience would be unique in that respect.

And then he listened to Amenoru's explanation on whether or not the mission would be a success. To Choku it didn't really matter. There was no true objective for him but to achieve power and glory. Besides, even if the objectives weren't met, it's not like failure was even possible for Choku. Failure would usually entail death, and death was something this samurai just did not do. As for "drawing out" the Uchiha, Choku cared little for them. He was joining this "mission" really on a whim, so further planning was of little concern. Besides, it's not as though the Uchiha were really big power players in the world. Last he had heard the Uchiha's numbers were thinning these past years, and in power really the Hyuuga was better than the famed clan of the Sharingan.

Thinking these things over, Choku contemplated why he had even joined this strange, arrogant man in the first place. The decision had been made not but a couple minutes ago, but he had already forgotten why. Any logic to his decision making had probably drowned in the flood of darkness that had roared through his mind. Likely, his reason even for existence would soon sink to the bottom of the ocean in his head in due time. But for now at least he had some purpose. Glory. Power. Fame. Honor.

He remembered his need for respect and honor. Choku hoped, prayed even that in the events to come he wouldn't lose sight of those. His way of life, the Bushido code, the way of the samurai. These were all important to him, perhaps even more than leading his clan to glory. They likely didn't even want to tread the path of honor and glory, complacent simply existing and living in the world. But as Choku had grown and matured, he realized he wasn't happy settling for anything. He needed more, he wanted more. He craved the fame that would be brought about only through glorious war, knowledge that all people throughout the lands would know and respect his name. It was his utmost important desire in fact.

These thoughts were those that ran through Choku's head, and before he knew it, they were already in the clouds, soaring higher. He placed his hand on his sugegasa, holding it to his head. At least that could stay on his head, unlike purity or sanity. Choku laughed.

[WC: 582. Exit]