Zashi sat in a tiny room as steam poured out the windows of the tiny annex. In the middle of the room sat a small cooking pot, and across from it sat Zashi’s drunken landlord, Mr. Otoki. The older man threw in a handful of cockles, looking up at the younger man.
”You did bring something, didn’t you?”
”Uh, yes sir.” Zashi removed a sack of geoduck from his bag. The old man laughed, removing some beef from the pot and cramming it whole into his mouth. ”How can a street urchin like you afford geoduck? What, was kamaboko unavailable at the time? Did the street vendors run out of fish balls?” The old man laughed, spilling his bottle of sake onto the floor.
”I bought it with the money I got from the mission I just completed, sir.”
”Oh, right, right, you’re a ninja now. Nice to see you getting out of your closet. Are you any good?” Mr. Otoki pulled some of the geoduck out of the pot, salting it in his bowl. ”Can you show me a trick?”
”I don’t think that’s responsible of me. Is that why you called me here? To ask me about geoduck?”
”I don’t appreciate that smart mouth of yours, Zashi... I called you in here, as a gentleman, to warn you that I have to raise your rent.” The man’s tone became solemn, but he couldn’t help from laughing at the awkwardness of the situation. Zashi clearly wasn’t as entertained as he was.
”May I ask you why, sir?”
”Why? Well, my wallet’s a bit thin, and the way I see things, you owe me. I’ve been like a father to you, and its time you started acting like a son to me. And a generous son pays more rent when he gets a better job.”
”The money I make isn’t expendable – this is all I could afford for now. I can barely pay for rent and food on my own, sir.”
”Well, you might just have to. Don’t be ungrateful. I took you off the streets, boy. Without me you’d be nowhere. You’d be less than nowhere. You’re a lazy boy... with no reverence. No honor, no discipline.” The man grabbed some geoduck from the pot, eating it whole and glaring at the younger man. ”After all, what’s a bit of money between a father and his son? Show some respect, you leech...”
Zashi stood up, activating his sharingan. ”I’ll do no such thing, you... you pig! You’re no father to me! If anything, you owe me for shelling out money so you can get drunk and lounge around day!”
Mr. Otoki frowned, scowling at the young man. ”You ungrateful little pig, squealing and writhing around in the mud with big talk.” He set down his chopsticks, laughing. ”Where would you go? You can master all the silly magic you want, but you’re going nowhere any time soon. You won’t amount to anything. You’re damn fortunate I let you live in the same building as me! You stink with failure, boy! You haven’t got money, you haven’t got family, what do you have?!” He stood up, reaching into his pocket. ”Now, if you won’t—“
Zashi kicked the boiling pot, splashing its contents all over the old man. Covered with searing liquid, he dropped to the ground. ”Don’t you talk about my family you monster!” Zashi raised his right hand, concentrating his chakra. ”You don’t say things like that to me! You don’t...” He lowered his hand. ”You don’t... deserve death.” The man still laid on the ground, alive, but visually horrified.
”Here’s your money.” He walked out of the room, reaching into his pocket to pull out a sizeable amount of yen. The young man tossed it all on the ground. ”I’m leaving this place. I have bigger things to move onto. The world won’t change itself – men like you...” He sneered, glaring at the man with more hate than he had exhibited before, even to that unfortunate boy so many years ago. ”Guys like you are parasites. But I’ll gladly be your host. I’ll do it with a smile. I’ll pull your weight and then some. And then... then everyone will know who’s in control."
"Thanks for the dinner.”
[Topic Entered and Left]
[Marked for Training]
[WC: 711]
”You did bring something, didn’t you?”
”Uh, yes sir.” Zashi removed a sack of geoduck from his bag. The old man laughed, removing some beef from the pot and cramming it whole into his mouth. ”How can a street urchin like you afford geoduck? What, was kamaboko unavailable at the time? Did the street vendors run out of fish balls?” The old man laughed, spilling his bottle of sake onto the floor.
”I bought it with the money I got from the mission I just completed, sir.”
”Oh, right, right, you’re a ninja now. Nice to see you getting out of your closet. Are you any good?” Mr. Otoki pulled some of the geoduck out of the pot, salting it in his bowl. ”Can you show me a trick?”
”I don’t think that’s responsible of me. Is that why you called me here? To ask me about geoduck?”
”I don’t appreciate that smart mouth of yours, Zashi... I called you in here, as a gentleman, to warn you that I have to raise your rent.” The man’s tone became solemn, but he couldn’t help from laughing at the awkwardness of the situation. Zashi clearly wasn’t as entertained as he was.
”May I ask you why, sir?”
”Why? Well, my wallet’s a bit thin, and the way I see things, you owe me. I’ve been like a father to you, and its time you started acting like a son to me. And a generous son pays more rent when he gets a better job.”
”The money I make isn’t expendable – this is all I could afford for now. I can barely pay for rent and food on my own, sir.”
”Well, you might just have to. Don’t be ungrateful. I took you off the streets, boy. Without me you’d be nowhere. You’d be less than nowhere. You’re a lazy boy... with no reverence. No honor, no discipline.” The man grabbed some geoduck from the pot, eating it whole and glaring at the younger man. ”After all, what’s a bit of money between a father and his son? Show some respect, you leech...”
Zashi stood up, activating his sharingan. ”I’ll do no such thing, you... you pig! You’re no father to me! If anything, you owe me for shelling out money so you can get drunk and lounge around day!”
Mr. Otoki frowned, scowling at the young man. ”You ungrateful little pig, squealing and writhing around in the mud with big talk.” He set down his chopsticks, laughing. ”Where would you go? You can master all the silly magic you want, but you’re going nowhere any time soon. You won’t amount to anything. You’re damn fortunate I let you live in the same building as me! You stink with failure, boy! You haven’t got money, you haven’t got family, what do you have?!” He stood up, reaching into his pocket. ”Now, if you won’t—“
Zashi kicked the boiling pot, splashing its contents all over the old man. Covered with searing liquid, he dropped to the ground. ”Don’t you talk about my family you monster!” Zashi raised his right hand, concentrating his chakra. ”You don’t say things like that to me! You don’t...” He lowered his hand. ”You don’t... deserve death.” The man still laid on the ground, alive, but visually horrified.
”Here’s your money.” He walked out of the room, reaching into his pocket to pull out a sizeable amount of yen. The young man tossed it all on the ground. ”I’m leaving this place. I have bigger things to move onto. The world won’t change itself – men like you...” He sneered, glaring at the man with more hate than he had exhibited before, even to that unfortunate boy so many years ago. ”Guys like you are parasites. But I’ll gladly be your host. I’ll do it with a smile. I’ll pull your weight and then some. And then... then everyone will know who’s in control."
"Thanks for the dinner.”
[Topic Entered and Left]
[Marked for Training]
[WC: 711]