Recruitment: Satsugai Senju [Act 5]

Satsugai had made residence in a large forest between the fire and rain countries. He had been living there for about 2 weeks now and enjoyed the time to himself. Satsugai had made a small house for himself out of wood and he was content.

He had gotten food from journeys at night into other villages and stealing food. He hated stealing, it was low, dirty, and overall pathetic but he had to to survive. At the moment Satsugai was just putting out the fire he had used to cook his food and was about to drift off in the chair in front of his house.

Walking through the thick forest, Rokku's ill tempered face held the usual scowl. This time, he was scowling at the sun. Why did it have to be so damn bright? Around him, the forest was completely silent, as if aware of Rokku and his irate temperament. No animals crawled or ran, even the trees were dead silent.

Treading loudly and obnoxiously across an old trail, crushing whatever plants had found their way onto the trodden ground, he took a chug of his ever present bottle of beer and belched loudly. The sound echoed through the still forest, before disappearing.

Suddenly, he stopped, his beady eyes narrowed. Up ahead, there was a house, no, more like a cabin. A wolfish grin spread across his ugly face as he started going over what he might find inside this little place out in the middle of nowhere...

Satsugai had heard the man long before he was near his camp, how could he not? Satsugai had quickly moved to the trees and watched the stout man stomp his way through the forest. He wore an odd cloak with a red cloud pattern and had a large bottle of beer that was at his lips every other step.

The man had stopped belched loudly and resumed walking again. Not the brightest ninja... Satsugai thought Still, the first mistake is underestimating your enemies. The short man had stopped, Satsugai knew he had noticed the camp.

Dropping silently from the tree's Satsugai moved behind the man. Satsugai towered over the semi-midget but what had at first appeared to be fat turned out to be muscle and there was certainly ALOT of it.

"Can I help you?" Satsugai asked in an almost whisper next to the man's ear.

Completely oblivious to the man coming at him from the trees, Rokku belched once again at the exact same time as the ninja whispered, completely missing the words. He once again walked forward, stomping his way to the house, having no idea there was someone right behind him. "Well, well, what might be in here?", he muttered greedily, rubbing his hands together in sadistic glee. It looked like the house was empty, good for him. He then proceeded to walk up to the cabin, already counting the money he would get for the things he might find.

Oh dear GOD! Satsugai thought as the fowl smell entered his nose. Did something die in his mouth? For a second he thought he was going to pass out (it was seriously THAT bad).

Regaining his sense of smell Satsugai looked up again searching for the ninja. He spotted him in front of his cabin. Oh no you don't. He thought. Satsugai appeared between the door and man, blocking the way into his temporary home. "Don't even think about it short-stuff. This is my property." Satsugai said to the disgusting man.

Mildly surprised at the man appearing out of nowhere, Rokku's ears centered on two words, two very, very bad words.

"Short...Stuff?", he muttered darkly, vision already gaining a faint tint to them, as if blood had been poured over his eyes. Glaring up at the owner of this property, Rokku's face stretched into a smile of what could only promise pain and bloodshed. No...no...this bastard wasn't getting out of here alive. As his rage peaked, he suddenly bellowed, "Who the FUCK do you think you're calling SHORT-STUFF?!" He quickly drew back a fist, earth rising up to cover his knuckles and forearms, and drove it forward with enough force to plow right through the mans torso and the wall behind him.

Satsugai used his great speed to dodge the man's fist, he seamed to almost disappear and then reappear in the blink of an eye. However, his house suffered a different fate. The man's fist shattered the door and cracked the surrounding wall.

Whoa, that could have been very bad. Satsugai thought already deep into his analysis of the man, his brain working at three times the speed of an average person's. "You broke my house, I worked hard on that house."

Sastsugai preformed a quick string of hand signs and gathered chakra into his palm. A seed shaped piece of wood formed in his palm and shot towards his enemy. If the seed made a direct hit it would form a fairly good sized hole in the man's chest, as the explosion would rip through flesh and bone.

What the hell does he think he's gonna do with that pebble?, Rokku thought as the seed formed and sped towards him. "How bout using a real jutsu, eh?", he shouted, thrusting forward his stone encased hand, and caught the seed, crushing it in his fist.

However, to his surprise, the seed violently exploded, and would have blown his hand apart had he not been wearing the stone gauntlet. Even so, he jerked his hand back, smoke trailing from the cracked and crumbling glove. He glanced at his hand, then at the ninja opposite him, then leered and with a bloodthirsty chuckle muttered, "Oh...this is going to be fun..." After reforming the stone on his hand, he brought them together and preformed a few solid hand seals, before throwing his hands to the ground and shouting, "Split Earth Turn Around Palm!" The ground around the enemy instantly started to churn and crumble as jagged rocks pierced the soft forest floor, grinding it into rock and rubble. If he didn't act soon, the ninja would be devoured by the ground, like his cabin, which had already started to tumble.

Satsugai smiled at the surprised expression on the muscle heads face. That smile quickly faded as he felt the ground under him begin to churn and attempt to devour him. Satsugai created a wood clone and using it as a step ladder jumped from its shoulders to a safe distance.

The cracking and shattering of wood echoed through the forest as the clone was devoured by the very earth it had stood on. Ouch that could have been me. Satsugai gathered chakra into his palms again and after some seals raised them towards his opponent.

"Hope you don't mind a few splinters." At the completion of his words hundreds of tiny wood needles shot from his palms. This wasn't going to kill his opponent but cause some serious pain if the needles hit their mark.

Once again scowling as his jutsu failed to eat the man, he took a little pleasure in watching the quiet forest topple down as rock and stone took it's place. The cabin was gone, replaced by a spear of rock that jutted out from the ground. Though this only made him madder still, as he had just lost any profit from this little fight.

As the tiny wooden splinters came flying towards him, he threw together a few handsigns, and then raised his hands to his mouth, from which mud poured forth and formed a large wall in front of him. Easily stopping the small splinters, he once again flew threw a few handsigns, and threw his hands to the ground, which suddenly ripped apart as a deep trench opened up before him, and extended out to where the ninja was standing. As he was behind the wall, there would be no way he could foresee it coming.

Satsugai watched has his needles impaled the mud wall. Damn this guy is fast. He thought recalling how quickly he had flown through his hand signs. Then the ground began to rumble and the next thing he knew there was a large gash in the earth growing wider and deeper with every passing second.

If Satsugai didn't act quickly he was once again going to be swallowed up by the monstrous crack. After some quick hand signs a large, thick log of wood appeared from the ground. Satsugai jumped to the log, and from the log to a tree branch from there he watched a trees and bushes were swallowed by the crevice.

Satsugai dropped from the tree and stood about 15 feet behind the ninja and with some seals activated one of his favorite justus. "Cherry Bomb Barrage!" He yelled as 15 bombs shot from his hands. At this distance it was almost impossible to dodge but Satsugai would also be swallowed by the explosion.

"Wood Barrier." As a large barrier of wood formed protecting Satsugai.

As the other ninja jumped and landed behind him, he turned around, already forming handsigns as his opponent started forming his own. Finishing first, he threw his hands to the ground, and with a mighty heave, ripped the ground right out of the...ground. "Mausoleum Earth Dumpling!", he bellowed as a gigantic boulder rose in his hands, coincidentally the same land that the other man had been standing on. The seed shots going wide, and detonating somewhere else, he heaved once more and threw the mighty boulder into what remained of the forest, sending another section into rubble. There was little forest around him now, Rokku noted with satisfaction, only rocks and debris.

Satsugai felt himself rise into the air, "What the...!!" He exclaimed as the earth around him began to rose then he was moving, forward, on the boulder. What do I do? Um....wait that's it this might be a projectile but it's still a rock. Satsugai thought as he sped through the forest.

"Vine snare." He said placing his palms on the rock. 20 vines sprouted from the boulder and dug and wrapped themselves to whatever they could find. At first, it seemed to be working, but then he heard the vines, and trees that they were attached to snap and break.

"Uh-oh." Satsugai muttered to himself but then the boulder stopped the vines that had been attached the ground had burrowed deep enough to stop the boulder. Satsugai then preformed a rather long string of hand signs. When it was completed 8 wooden dragon heads went around the boulder snaking their way through the woods all headed towards the muscle head ninja.

"Son of a bitch", Rokku spat as he saw the ninja in the distance, unharmed. The crow-begotten bastard had skill, that was clear. But skill had nothing to do with strength, and Rokku was going to show that guy what strength really was.

As the dragon heads burst through the boulder, he hunched his shoulders, flew through a few handsigns, and shouted, "Earth Rampart Jutsu!" Instantly, the ground beneath him rumbled as a huge area of land shot into the sky, forming a plateau of stone, upon which Rokku stood. As the dragons centered in on him, he went threw a few more handsigns, and bellowed, "Meteor Shower Jutsu!"

The earth groaned once again, as giant chunks of rock flew out of the rampart, some smashing the wooden dragons, many more rocketing towards his enemy.

He might be loud and obnoxious but when it comes to a fight he knows what he's doing/ Satsugai thought as he watched the plateau rise into the ground. "Interesting." Satsugai muttered as rocks rained down on his dragons.

Satsugai noticed that not only had the boulders destroyed his dragons but there were still more coming towards him. "Oh boy..." He said watching in horror. Then he looked down, Oh of course. Dropping down behind the boulder under his feet he waited as the rocks slammed into his defense. Satsugai took this time to begin one of his deadliest justsus. Putting one hand to the air, small plants formed in his hand taking in the sun's energy.

"This is going to be fun." Satsugai said to himself as he began to feel the energy seep into his very being. The boulder not only created protection from his enemy's attack but his eyes as well.

If anything, Rokku's scowl deepened as he watched the enemy ninja use his own fucking jutsu to protect himself. Cracking his knuckles once again, and then taking a quick chug from his beer, he glared at where he presumed the other ninja was hiding. "You son of a bitch...you fucking crow begotten bastard...", he muttered under his breath, as his fingers twitched. "I'm gonna gut you like a pig with my own two hands."

He then formed a few handsigns, and sunk into the ground, the Underground Projection Fish technique allowing him to speed through the earth as if it was water. He quickly arrived at what he took to be the spot where the man was hiding, but he wasn't sure, as he could not see him after he jumped behind the boulder. Already focusing his chakra for a jutsu, he jumped out of the ground, feet away from the man, a clump of earth in his hands forming into a large and very heavy stone club. Raising it above his head, he came in and brought it flying down in a swing that would crush the ninja's entire body if he didn't do anything.

Satsugai sensed the ninja's movements but became worried when they had vanished. Where did he? To be safe stasugai had moved to the trees until he found the ninja again. He had completed his charging and was ready to release his attack at any time. That's when the boulder exploded.

It had caught satsugai by total surprise and he didn't have enough time to dodge. He felt the small pieces of rock slice through his skin from the boulder. "Ah damn." He cursed under his breath placing a hand on a gash in his cheek.

"I'm so done with this guy." With that said he released his attack. A great beam of chakra and solar energy, right at his opponent who now stood where the boulder once was.

Hikato looked toward the beam of energy that Satsugai had made, then moved her had forward in thought. Her tessen in hand formed a massive gust of wind, which smothered the life from the beam of light. Looking forward as a wind howled around them, the woman tipped her head to the side. That had been hard to take out seeing as how her winds seemed to be dulling fast. Letting out a chuckle she lightly jumped to Rokku's side. "Who's this, Rokku?" She asked brightly. Her green eyes fixated on the man before her, and the wild winds blew her cloak open.

Smiling she closed the fan in her hand, the winds around them vanishing as if they had never been there. Her head held high the woman narrowed her eyes, she eyed Satsugai, before awaiting Rokku's answer. And she wanted a good answer too.

As he realized that he had missed and smashed the boulder instead of his target, he looked back to see a bright light form in his enemies hands, when suddenly a huge gust of wind came through and completely erased whatever jutsu that had just been about to be unleashed. "Hikato...", he grumbled as he raised the over sized club to his shoulder and watched as his co-worker step into view. Barely acknowledging her presence, he grunted, "Where the fuck did you come from?"

His eyes then traveled to his opponent. For once, he decided to humor Hikato, he would actually give her the information he wanted. Spitting first on the ground, he drawled, "How the fuck should I know who this bastard is? I didn't sit down for a chat with him, he stood in the way of something I wanted. And...", as his mind went back to their encounter, he once again heard those same two words in his head, and his rage started to boil, all over again. Shifting his grip on his club, he squinted at his enemy, and growled, "Just let me crush his head in, and let's get out of here."

Satsugai had watched in nothing less than amazement as the girl, destroyed his attack with almost no effort. "Ubelievable." Satsugai whispered under his breath. He noticed the girls cloak, same color, same pattern. Another one? Satsugai was already deep into plans of escape when he heard Rokku speak.

"So short stuff you have a name? Rokku? Hm... How fitting." Satsugai couldn't help but to make jokes of the short man, his reactions were just too funny. "My name is Satsugai Senju and your little friend here broke my house." Satsugai said addressing the girl now.

Laughing with pure amusement, the woman tipped her head toward the the ruined house. Her green eyes scanned over the ruins for a moment. "And you fought over it? I hope that was one damn good house if you're fighting for it." She said after a moment, smiling with a vicious look in her eyes. Peering toward Rokku, she tipped her head. "You know, that's the first time I've gotten an answer from you that wasn't rude." She mused for a moment, before letting out a giggle looking utterly pleased.

Stepping toward Satsugi the air around her seemed heavy, and devoid of any motion. The fiery red head smiled. "Do not insult my comrades." She said softly, kuani in her hand and a warm smile on her face. The look in her eyes was of pure interest, striding toward the man now she stops till she's about an inch from him. "Also, I would like to remain on good terms, with people that love their homes, so dearly." She teased, her eyes holding a violent look to them. She stepped to the left circling the man for a moment eying him.

"Rokku, how much do you want to kill him?" She asked happily.

Rokku glanced at Hikato with a bit of an incredulous look. "Bah, of course I want to kill him. I want to kill you, too. But he's nothing special. Just another bag of meat." Grunting, he brought his club down into an underhand grip. When Hikato gave him the go ahead, that bastard would find himself flying through the air, if he didn't die on impact.

Satsugai could do nothing but watch as the red haired girl approached him. Although she was somewhat cute and acted harmless Satsugai knew that saying the wrong thing or making the wrong move was a one way ticket to hell. These people, whoever they were, should not be
messed with he had already figured that much out.

Then he heard Rokku speak. Are they going to attack? I can probably hold off Rokku for awhile at least until I get a chance to escape but not the girl. Thoughts were racing through his head.

"Before you kill me, may I ask what your name is? It seems only fair to know the women's name who gave the go-ahead for my death right?" Satsugai asked trying to draw this out as long as possible.

"Pfft, as if I care about your life, dear little mistaken man." hikato winked, with a warm smile on her face, her deep green eyes held a dark angry look to them. "I know Rokku, you want to kill me. You have made me aware of this your angry little man." She said with a playful smile on her face, before tipping her head to the man she was circling like a caged tiger. Her eyes held a soft look now as she started thinking, "Why try to prolong your death?" She asked now with a laugh in her voice.

"Unless you fear death?" She asked blandly, looking bored. "Then you are no fun." She said, but then winked. "I kid, but I want your name before I give my own." A smile lit up her face.

"My name is Satsugai Senju, ex-leaf ninja. I am not afraid of death because quite frankly, I have no reason to still exist but is it wrong that I don't want to die? That I don't embrace death and try to die?" Satsugai locked eyes with the girl.

"Also, if you don't care about my life then what are you trying to prolong? Why haven't you sent your grizzly bear of a friend after me yet?" Satsugai paused for nothing more than dramatic effect. "What exactly do you want to know about me?" He knew that with these words the girls response would either be to slit his throat or give him some answers. He had a bad feeling it was going to be the first one.