Suteki Da Ne?

[Isu]

When I was a little boy..., my mother took me and my little brother to the seventh tier. We lived on the first floor, so we could never find a reason to go above the fourth. But today, for fun, my mother took us to the seventh. That was the best day of my life. I finally could see the Great Faces.

"We'll soon rule this village... we're so close."

His waist-length raven hair swung through the breeze. His face was soft, almost baby-like. So innocent. Large beady hazel eyes shivered back and forth. His eyes reddened with stress. So innocent. Blood dripped from his bare hands. So much for innocence. He dropped his head back on his shoulders, staring up at the earthen ceiling of the building. He ran his bloody hands through his hair, soaking his hair with the blood.

Screams ran through the air. Terror was heavy on the atmosphere. Children, woman and man alike fled the razor sharp edge of the executioner's sword. For the last two months, things like this would happen quite often. The Rebel forces of Iwagakure challenged the Council-loyals. Makido's disappearance brought terror to the village he once ruled. Who would save it this time?

Later that day... my brother and I made a pact. We would be the strongest ninja to ever come from Iwagakure. And then, when we became sure that we were the strongest, we would battle atop the Great Faces. And whoever won would become the Tsuchikage. My mother said that the day her child became a Kage, she would throw him a great banquet. And she'd give us sake and fried chicken.

His shoulder-length raven hair glistened in the sunlight. His face was hard, accented by stubbly facial hairs. He looked as though he'd seen everything there was to see. Large beady hazel eyes rested still. His eyes reddened from the water in them. Water dripped from his hands. So much for having seen everything. He dropped his head back on his shoulders, staring up at the blue sky. He ran his water soaked hands through his hair, futher imbuing his hair with the water.

The gurgling of a small waterfall resounding through the air. Tranquility was embodied through and through. He fell back onto the waters, floating upon the face of the water. He breathed calmly, off putting the stress he felt. He hadn't bathed since the day he left Tsuki no Kuni. Now, he was just 100 meters from Iwagakure. This would be his last time to shower. If what he heard was true, he wouldn't be showering until he ended a war. Makido was gone. He had to save Iwa. He would save Iwagakure.

"Taiko-san... we're almost there."

My mother became very ill the month after she took us to the seventh tier. My father wasn't around to see her. I think it was better that he didn't see her that way. It was hard enough for me to see my little brother so angry. But I couldn't stand to see my father so angry. When my mother died, just a week after being diagnosed with her disease, I didn't cry. My brother cried and I had to comfort him. When my father came back, it wasn't so bad because he didn't see her suffer. I lost a part of me. We all did. But my brother didn't just lose a part of him. I felt that from that day forward, he lost something greater. Lost his heart.

He walked eerily slowly up the stairs from the sixth tier of the western mountain. His bloodied blade rested in his hand, dripping the mixed blood of those it slayed onto the stone steps. His face was dyed pink from the residue of blood. His hazel eyes shook unstably as he continued to walk up the staircase. As he reached the top, he took in a deep breath.

He swam to the edge of the spring, pulling himself from the waters. Quickly, he wrung out his hair, drying himself with a towel he left at the edge of the pool. He walked to a nearby tree, donning the clothes he hung there to air out. No longer naked, the man smiled at his cleanness. He stared up to the sky once more.

Iso-chan. Suteki da ne?

"Isu-sempai. Suteki da ne?"

[—moodz™]

Among the Chaos

---

[/i] to pity. Still, I knew had I never left in this village in the first place, the blood spilled today could have been my own.

Now I found myself on the third floor. It is at this point I find the most bodies laid out before me. Whoever was responsible was precise, and allowed none to survive. It was at this moment I prepared for battle, both mentally, and physically. My hand slipped to my side, quickly retrieving a kunai from my right pocket, held tightly in my hand. The blade dangled from my right arm. I also carried all of my other equipment as I normally would. Now upon the fifth floor, the scent of blood not only became stronger, but much more fresh. Was I nearing him? Did he already sense my presence? Was this a trap, with some sort of backwards twist? I was unaware of either of the previous thoughts, so I sealed my bet and continued through the hall to the next staircase unaware of what was to come.

"Wait..."

I was hesitating, something I hadn't done in a long time. This blood not only gave off the smell of a true killer, but a bloodlust I had never seen before in even the darkest of men. It was more twisted and insane than most, so what made me want to even approach such a thing. My mind thought, but soon my body overpowered such thoughts and continued up to the six floor. It was at this point I began to realize where I was headed. The Great Faces, but why? It seemed like the perfect setting to end one's life, or to reach the next level of greatness. I inhaled deeply this time, though the smell was horrid, the oxygen relaxed me and put my mind at ease as I reached the staircase leading to the top floor. I treaded much more careful than I did on the previous levels.

"Isu-sempai. Suteki da ne?"

"...beautiful, eh?"

I appeared from the staircase, almost as if I had stumbled upon this place by accident. I no longer held the kunai in my hand, but my eyes did focus upon the bloody floor laid out before me. Then, I looked up at the man before me at a distance with both hands at my side. I wore a black overcoat, black pants, my normal attire. My expressions were never honest, or at least, no one could really predict how I felt. My face showed more of a blank expression, no fear, no confusion, no anger, no happiness. The blood trail ended across from me now, but would my blood be next to spill?

"Its an artistic effort. I sensed it when I first saw the crowd running from this place. I guess art is meant to move people."

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