The Watchers gathered as they approached a pool of water. How deep the pool was? Who knew. Save for the Watchers. Cajol reached into his robes and removed a single stone. The Watcher dropped it. Upon the impact nothing happened. By proper rights there should have been several ripples from the point of origin, but nothing happened. The other watchers said nothing except for Cajol. "The criminal tampered him. We should have expected this a long time ago. The one called Okibi and her inhuman companion Number Seven set things in motion, but this... this is unprecedented. This is far more damaging. The path we set him on has been derailed." Cajol spoke. His voice was warping all about. He at the very least sounded angered.
Illx shook his head. "The criminal will find herself in an early grave. Don't they always find themselves an early grave? Such is the way of this thing you call the Vigilante." The Watcher turned his gaze back to Cajol who shook his head. "What then? What do we do now? He hasn't been tampered with that much to drive him away from the greatest story yet to be told within our power. Drop him into a pit of chaos. Watch him fight and fight and fight. Given his abilities, one would think he would be one of the few to survive. One of the few to stop fighting because total mutually assured destru--"
"Wrong, and wrong again." Vorul interrupted. "Chaos is not a pit, it is a ladder. You merely have to climb up and establish order. That is what we can expect of the Steward to do. The victor climbs out of the pit, and takes the ladder with them. When that is done, then everyone must bend the knee if they expect to be offered a way up."
Kalni let out what was best described as a growl. "Chaos is what that ward embodies. Last time I checked, I think she failed to climb the ladder when offered a proper education." The watcher held out his hand and caused the pool of water to invert ripples. "Ladders. Pits. Dungeons. You all have such wonderfully crafted metaphors. I say let us allow this to play out. It may be of some good to let our grand hero grow some character. It has to get worse before it can get better, right? I suppose what I'm saying is ... that Ward someday may become his intellectual equal or superior. It all depends on how worse things get. "
***
It was the fifth day of the month. It was time to gather his earnings, or what little he had. The Steward skipped breaking his fast this morning and made his way to the bank. The Steward sported very simple wear. He wore a plain blue shirt, a pair of jeans, and his lab coat. Why the lab coat? Well, it was because he always wore it. The Steward strolled though the Grand Palais. Every time he had done so, he was oftentimes lectured by Raijin who asserted it was far too dangerous for him to go by himself. The Steward stopped for a moment. He was being followed, but by whom? "Report."<i></i> His voice came coldly. The follower revealed himself by lifting a cloaking genjutsu. "Wait no. You're going to advise me to change my order of business today. On orders of Mikaboshi perhaps?"<i></i>
The Anbu who wore a bird mask nodded his head. "Correct on all accounts sir. He heavily advised you from visiting the bank today. Too busy... with all the--" The Anbu stopped talking. The Steward's facial expression fell into that of a frown. The white's of the Anbu's eyes could be seen. "My Lord Steward... are you well today? I know that on the fifth day of the month you skip breaking your fast to collect your family inheritance allowance. Your face ... are you displeased sir? Certainly this could wait a day, could it not?" The Anbu even went to pinch himself as he had never seen the Steward's face change so, even if it was a frown. It was something of a visual indicator that expressed the Steward's feelings. "Sir?"
The frown lasted for some time. Eventually the Steward had worked out a theory in his mind as to why he was being adverted from visiting the bank. "The Grand Bank is being robbed, probably a heist of sorts. Mikaboshi entrusted the task to someone else as he is currently breaking down some subject of interest. The commanding anbu officer isn't well versed in heist situations... and is trying to keep a low profile."<i></i>
The Steward awaited the bird masked anbu to reply. "I-I-It's more of a hostage situation. They already know they have the funds of the current bank they occupy in their clutches, but they want more. They want all of the funds from Metro-Suna bank too... and the Kazekage Influx reserve fund." The Steward shook his head and walked past the Anbu. "Sir, this is not something you need concern yourself about, we've got the situation covered. Sir?"
The Steward approached the barricade. The Anbu were about discussing various matters. The bird masked anbu made a cough, and most of the anbu turned around. They were startled to find the Steward in the midst. Most of them stared with deadpanned expressions underneath their masks, but the shock was still apparent. An anbu with a scorpion mask approached the Steward handing him a clipboard. The Steward looked over the notes. Several small time criminals, except something caught the Steward's attention. An unknown. The Steward's eyes narrowed. "Curious."<i></i> He spoke as his eyes narrowed on the photograph of the unknown. The individual he knew, but not her ways. "The name Ijimeru Kitanai means nothing to you guys?"<i></i> All of the anbu said nothing as the Steward pulled out the photograph and showcased it. "How old is this picture?"<i></i>
"About thirty minutes." The bird masked Anbu spoke. "They took out the cameras, and have sealed the entrances. We do have those of the Amburmane clan trying to infiltrate it with this insects, but it does take some time." The Steward turned his gaze upon the building. "Best leave this matter to us Steward." The Anbu was met by an uncomfortable stare from the Steward. "Sir, we all due respect... ... okay, sir I don't wait Raijin breathing down my neck because I let you..."
"He doesn't have to know."<i></i> The Steward's eyes looked up and traced the upper part of the building. The metallic plates began to shift in covering up the Steward's body. The Stewards armoured form stepped over the barricade. From there the Steward phase shifted up to the roof in a single movement.
"I'm going to get fired for this..." The anbu spoke as he watched the Steward make his way up.
***
The Steward's investigation of the roof revealed ... not much. The roof was not their point of entry, but it was going to be his. The Steward didn't break the lock, he merely picked it. The Steward opened the door and worked his way down. Silently. None of the upper offices of the bank were tampered with. The Steward merely shook his head. Typical. This was just a matter of getting at the money. After another three floors down the Steward came across one of the robbers. He was armed with a crossbow and was slightly muscle bound. The Steward would have to engage him sooner than later. Thus the Steward had to make a plan of action. The Steward summoned the ebon blade. He phase shifted behind the criminal and placed a well calculated blow to the back of his head with the pommel of the blade. Before the person could fall and make a racket from falling the Steward caught the person. The Steward wobbled for a moment. Yes. He was stronger than the average man, but he wasn't prepared for the dead weight that came with making one unconscious.
After securing the individual in another room (being in the form of tying them up with plasma-restraints and disarming them), the Steward made his way back. With him the Steward had a microphone and was listening in on the conversations at hand.
"Well boss. I think removing the vault shouldn't be a problem. It's getting out of here is the big problem. Anbu are probably crawling the place, and infiltrating it as we speak."
"Oh we don't have to worry about that. Our exit route will be coming in the next twenty-two minutes... unless Yuki forgot to call it in."</I><i></i> This voice the Steward was famaliar with being that it belonged to Kitanai. Though something was off. The voice had some minor growls to it, and in addition there would be moments where the voice came off as slightly husky. The Steward was going to rule that it was just the equipment. The growls though belonged to that of a canine though. Number Seven, while his common was excellent, from time to time would give way to growls.
"Yuki? You heard that? You better have gotten our way out. Your connections better be worth the salary you're asking for."
Dead silence followed. In that time the Steward had figured out that he had taken out Yuki. The discussions continued on. "I'm going to go find Yuki. He must have put his headset down when he went to go take a piss or something. The idiot probably forgot to pick it back up." By this time Sousuke got to the balcony overlooking the tellers, and some more of the offices on the ground level. Remarkably one the larger vaults had been pulled out and placed in the middle. Standing next to the vault were the two having the discussion from earlier. Kitanai and another one of the small timers. The other individual was tattooed and was certainly taller. The Steward's eyes narrowed. The tattoos were of wolves and various canines. Gang markings obviously, but from what little he knew of Kitanai she didn't work in any gangs.
The Steward knelt down and accessed the situation. He wasn't so much concerned about the tattooed man. He was a thuggish brute of sorts. Taking him out from here would reveal his position. The Steward wasn't going to go about this with lethal methods. No. He had questions. Usually Kitanai's methods were ... less public, and less of a spectacle such as this. The Steward continued to plan and work out strategies on how best to engage.
"Grrhm. Hello Lover." The Steward was stunned for a moment as Kitanai's eyes shifted up to the balcony homing in on him. The Steward made no sudden movements or sounds to give away his movements. He was quite certain that Kitanai was not a Hashigaki. During their first encounter she hadn't noticed him so quickly either. This was if anything a record. The Steward's mind quickly backtracked. There it was again. The growl. The Steward heard it clearly this time. The growl was unclear the first time he heard it between communications, but it was present. This time it was... "Speechless? Seems that way. I guess I should expect such from the sped kid."
In seconds it clicked. The enemy was not Kitanai. It was a front. The Steward rose up and returned the insult with an action. The Steward opened his palm and fired a plasma bolt. "Inuzuka Shizune."<i></i> The Steward announced. It made sense. It was a transformation. "I didn't expect such a muscle bound brute as yourself to have such an elaborate plan."<i></i> The Steward's gaze shifted over to the tattooed ally of hers. "Your familiar has a clearer speech than you do."<i></i>
The transformation dropped. Shizune's form was monstrous. She was most certainly taller than the Steward. She stood 6'2 and was very much the brute the Steward remembered her to be. Perhaps the word brute was inaccurate. Shizune was muscular. Memories of the Steward's childhood ran through his mind. Yes. Shizune was very much the typical bully, and the fact she took to a life of crime did not surprise the Steward. He was surprised though that she took Kitanai's form. Shizune's lips curled into a smile. <I>"He does, doesn't he? He's a better listener than I ever was. You know that. Grrhmm... why don't you go back to your labs? I like being infamous, but if I put you in the hospital that'll put a large target on my back... or rather your new friend?"<i></i> The smile continued. "Actually that wouldn't be a bad thing. I get out clean and with a big fat pay cheque in cold cash. I assume you took out Yuki?"<i></i>The Steward didn't answer. "Well then. I merely get a fatter pay cheque. Maybe I'll retire and set up a shipping company. I've heard illegal weapon shipments are quite grhhmmm lucarruruutive."<i></i>
"Lucrative."<i></i> The Steward corrected her. That was perhaps a mistake as that set her off. Shizune threw herself forward. She jumped up to the balcony and threw a forceful punch. The Steward drew the bony blade and met the punch with his steel. To his surprise Shizune did not cut herself upon impact. She was though pushing him back towards a wall. The Steward was strong, but Shizune was stronger. She threw a second punch at the Steward which hit him in the upper shoulder. That punch sent the Steward flying through the wall and into a few offices.
"Still frail as usual. This shouldn't last long."<i></i> Shizune made her way through the holes in the wall that Sousuke made when he was hit by her punch. To her surprise she found the Steward on the floor. "I had heard you became quite the scholar these days, but to my surprise you're still that stupid SPED kid who I wanted nothing more than to beat senseless. My father bent the knee to your father, and I promised myself I would never do the same. It's so stupid. Why should I bend the knee to such a retard?"<i></i> Shizune picked up Sousuke and placed him on his feet. "Grrmmmhmm. I should give the Steward a hand. After all, should we help those less fortunate?"<i></i> Shizune rose her arm and brought it down up the Steward sending him down through the floor.
Shizune hopped down the hole she made. She looked about for the Steward. Where did he manage to crawl off? The Inuzuka sniffed the air trying to pick him up. She called out to her companion whose form was a tattooed bald headed man. "Find him."<i></i> She ordered. She made her way around the bottom floor. He was still here. His scent lingered. To her surprise she heard a large pop noise go off. "Grrhmmm... I hope that was his neck."<i></i> She called out. There was no reply back. She paused for a moment. "Grim, did you or did you not kill him?"<i></i> She paused for a moment and sniffed the air. She smelled blood, but it was no that of the Steward's. Shizune closed her eyes. "Oh damn."<i></i> She sniffed the air more. There was a burning smell. She began back tracking and came to the main room of the bank where all the tellers were. The burning smell was strongest here. She looked up and coming down crashing upon her was a grand glass chandelier. She raised her hands to cover her face. The form fell upon her and caused her to fall. Various glass shards penetrated her skin and dug deep. "RETARDED SPED KID. I'LL RIP YOUR BRAIN OUT AND FEED IT TO GRIM."<i></i>
The Steward's bleeding and broken form emerged from thin air. He was certainly worse for wear, but he had certainly leveled the playing field. "That is assuming Grim has lost the taste for human flesh. I think he has, but I can certainly say there is a lot less stupid in the room now."<i></i>The Steward opened up his palms and blasted the glass and metal structure of the chandlier. The glass proceeded to melt and with it a chain reaction of melting glass came. Shizune's screams filled the main hall as she was in effect subject to the intense heat provided by the melted glass and metal. Shizune exploded in rage. Her chakra level spiked and she threw the structure up and away. "Actually I think the room got stupider."<i></i> Shizune's moves were slower, but the pain was pushing her to attack harder. The Steward unsheathed the ebon blade. Shizune may have had the strength advantage, but she did not expel the glass shards from her body. The Steward sidestepped the first blow and super heated the ebon blade, he swung the blade missing the mark, but the heat generated from the blade was enough to melt the glass shards stuck in her right leg. In effect Shizune fell over. The pain was too great for her it seemed. She dropped, but then tried to sweep Sousuke off of his feet with a whirling kick from her left leg. The Steward back flipped quickly and swung his blade again missing, but in effect melting the glass shards again. She cried out again and was virtually immobilized.
The Steward stared at his childhood enemy. Did he feel sorry for her? "Retard. I will not bend the knee to you. You deserve nothing! My father told me to respect you! Every time he did so, I wanted to hurt you more and more! You're nothing! You're just a retarded kid who got born lucky!"<i></i> No. The Steward did not feel sorry for her. He did feel sorry for her father of course.
"What is it that I do now? Leave you to the Anbu? Leave you to the whims of Lord Mikaboshi? Let you have a permanent residence in the Obsidian Palace? I've heard that place will discintigrate certain aspects of one's character. "<i></i> The Steward's voice was neutral as it usually was. He called off the heating element of the ebon blade. He held the point of the blade under Shizune's chin. He was ridiculed so often by this girl as a child. She broke his bones, and sent him to the hospital. Even now, fifteen years later she was doing the same. The Steward felt his own injuries kick in too. He had a higher tolerance for pain, but even he had his limits. The situation was one of which the Steward had no true experience in. He was no judge, jury, or executioner. As a Steward it was his place to preserve the realm until the time in which "What do I do? The pain you caused me as a child pales in contrast to what you're going through. I want you to remember today you were bested by the SPED kid. You were bested in wits naturally. If I recollect properly, your father passed away a few months ago. It ... pleases me that he does not have to see you like this. He was a man loyal to my father, and they respected each other. I expected your father wished for a mutual friendship to have occurred in the next generation, but you misunderstood it."<i></i> The Steward thought for a time. If he were a Sunahoshi, it would have perhaps been expected of him to have an example made of her. Her head on a pike perhaps? "I'm not going to take your life Shizune. I want you to think real hard. I want you to think real hard that I could have taken your life here, the so called SPED kid having power over your life. A most frightening and disturbing thought..."<i></i> The Steward tapped her chin again with the blade and left her.
Regardless of what the Steward said. The tortured cries and insults of Shizune filled the air. As he approached the door to the bank he blasted it with a palm plasma blast. Within a moment the Steward was surrounded by Anbu who were checking in on him. "I assure you I am operational. Now go make an arrest. Check office 27B, and office 6A."<i></i> The Steward paused for a moment. He winced as the thought of hostages should have come to mind earlier. "Yes... and check the basement areas too. I suspect you will find a number of tied and gagged individuals."<i></i> The Steward spoke. Three anbu nodded and proceeded.
The bird masked Anbu glanced past them seeing the broke chandelier, and some minor carnage. "Sir... do you want to visit a hospital? I would strongly recommend it. " The Steward paused for a moment. "We heard some sounds from outside..."
"Most likely. That was perhaps the sound of me being sent through some walls, and then smashed down a few floors."<i></i> The bird masked Anbu's eyes widened. "Yes... I'll visit the hospital. Just keep this quiet."<i></i> The Steward's metallic visage retracted. He looked exhausted, and once again the frown found itself upon his face. "Oh. Don't make any notes on the record of one Ijimeru Kitanai. I was mistaken, it wasn't her merely an imposter."<i></i> At this time several screams filled the air. The Anbu were perhaps trying to arrest Shizune at this moment in time. From the sound of things they were having some minor difficulty. "Should I go back in?"<i></i>
"No sir. I would suggest you get to that hospital... the crowds are starting to form."
***
The Watchers assembled once more. Illx let out a hearty laugh. "Criminals. Some of them find early graves but this Inuzuka Shizune was most fortunate. I suppose Sousuke's lesson is starting to strike a chord with her." The Watcher produced a violin from thin air, and struck a chord. The sound resonated throughout, and then returned as a distorted echo. "Well. We'll find out what chord is struck, or perhaps it struck a nerve?"
Vorul shrugged. "Today's enemies may become tomorrow's allies? Thought in her case we shall find out. Some say mercy is for the weak, but mercy can be used to taught a lesson to others." The Watcher produced a shackle. "Criminals are punished, and some can be redeemed. Others rot."
Illix threw the instrument up, and it began to dissamble. "An entertaining diversion. An emotional one even? Hard to say. A diversion worth our time. We have seen the resolve of our hero, and I can say it is pure. He was determined to teach her a lesson. One way or another. Our hero has shown his resolve, and I am pleased. Another step in the right direction. Let us hope he continues on the path."
Illx shook his head. "The criminal will find herself in an early grave. Don't they always find themselves an early grave? Such is the way of this thing you call the Vigilante." The Watcher turned his gaze back to Cajol who shook his head. "What then? What do we do now? He hasn't been tampered with that much to drive him away from the greatest story yet to be told within our power. Drop him into a pit of chaos. Watch him fight and fight and fight. Given his abilities, one would think he would be one of the few to survive. One of the few to stop fighting because total mutually assured destru--"
"Wrong, and wrong again." Vorul interrupted. "Chaos is not a pit, it is a ladder. You merely have to climb up and establish order. That is what we can expect of the Steward to do. The victor climbs out of the pit, and takes the ladder with them. When that is done, then everyone must bend the knee if they expect to be offered a way up."
Kalni let out what was best described as a growl. "Chaos is what that ward embodies. Last time I checked, I think she failed to climb the ladder when offered a proper education." The watcher held out his hand and caused the pool of water to invert ripples. "Ladders. Pits. Dungeons. You all have such wonderfully crafted metaphors. I say let us allow this to play out. It may be of some good to let our grand hero grow some character. It has to get worse before it can get better, right? I suppose what I'm saying is ... that Ward someday may become his intellectual equal or superior. It all depends on how worse things get. "
***
It was the fifth day of the month. It was time to gather his earnings, or what little he had. The Steward skipped breaking his fast this morning and made his way to the bank. The Steward sported very simple wear. He wore a plain blue shirt, a pair of jeans, and his lab coat. Why the lab coat? Well, it was because he always wore it. The Steward strolled though the Grand Palais. Every time he had done so, he was oftentimes lectured by Raijin who asserted it was far too dangerous for him to go by himself. The Steward stopped for a moment. He was being followed, but by whom? "Report."<i></i> His voice came coldly. The follower revealed himself by lifting a cloaking genjutsu. "Wait no. You're going to advise me to change my order of business today. On orders of Mikaboshi perhaps?"<i></i>
The Anbu who wore a bird mask nodded his head. "Correct on all accounts sir. He heavily advised you from visiting the bank today. Too busy... with all the--" The Anbu stopped talking. The Steward's facial expression fell into that of a frown. The white's of the Anbu's eyes could be seen. "My Lord Steward... are you well today? I know that on the fifth day of the month you skip breaking your fast to collect your family inheritance allowance. Your face ... are you displeased sir? Certainly this could wait a day, could it not?" The Anbu even went to pinch himself as he had never seen the Steward's face change so, even if it was a frown. It was something of a visual indicator that expressed the Steward's feelings. "Sir?"
The frown lasted for some time. Eventually the Steward had worked out a theory in his mind as to why he was being adverted from visiting the bank. "The Grand Bank is being robbed, probably a heist of sorts. Mikaboshi entrusted the task to someone else as he is currently breaking down some subject of interest. The commanding anbu officer isn't well versed in heist situations... and is trying to keep a low profile."<i></i>
The Steward awaited the bird masked anbu to reply. "I-I-It's more of a hostage situation. They already know they have the funds of the current bank they occupy in their clutches, but they want more. They want all of the funds from Metro-Suna bank too... and the Kazekage Influx reserve fund." The Steward shook his head and walked past the Anbu. "Sir, this is not something you need concern yourself about, we've got the situation covered. Sir?"
The Steward approached the barricade. The Anbu were about discussing various matters. The bird masked anbu made a cough, and most of the anbu turned around. They were startled to find the Steward in the midst. Most of them stared with deadpanned expressions underneath their masks, but the shock was still apparent. An anbu with a scorpion mask approached the Steward handing him a clipboard. The Steward looked over the notes. Several small time criminals, except something caught the Steward's attention. An unknown. The Steward's eyes narrowed. "Curious."<i></i> He spoke as his eyes narrowed on the photograph of the unknown. The individual he knew, but not her ways. "The name Ijimeru Kitanai means nothing to you guys?"<i></i> All of the anbu said nothing as the Steward pulled out the photograph and showcased it. "How old is this picture?"<i></i>
"About thirty minutes." The bird masked Anbu spoke. "They took out the cameras, and have sealed the entrances. We do have those of the Amburmane clan trying to infiltrate it with this insects, but it does take some time." The Steward turned his gaze upon the building. "Best leave this matter to us Steward." The Anbu was met by an uncomfortable stare from the Steward. "Sir, we all due respect... ... okay, sir I don't wait Raijin breathing down my neck because I let you..."
"He doesn't have to know."<i></i> The Steward's eyes looked up and traced the upper part of the building. The metallic plates began to shift in covering up the Steward's body. The Stewards armoured form stepped over the barricade. From there the Steward phase shifted up to the roof in a single movement.
"I'm going to get fired for this..." The anbu spoke as he watched the Steward make his way up.
***
The Steward's investigation of the roof revealed ... not much. The roof was not their point of entry, but it was going to be his. The Steward didn't break the lock, he merely picked it. The Steward opened the door and worked his way down. Silently. None of the upper offices of the bank were tampered with. The Steward merely shook his head. Typical. This was just a matter of getting at the money. After another three floors down the Steward came across one of the robbers. He was armed with a crossbow and was slightly muscle bound. The Steward would have to engage him sooner than later. Thus the Steward had to make a plan of action. The Steward summoned the ebon blade. He phase shifted behind the criminal and placed a well calculated blow to the back of his head with the pommel of the blade. Before the person could fall and make a racket from falling the Steward caught the person. The Steward wobbled for a moment. Yes. He was stronger than the average man, but he wasn't prepared for the dead weight that came with making one unconscious.
After securing the individual in another room (being in the form of tying them up with plasma-restraints and disarming them), the Steward made his way back. With him the Steward had a microphone and was listening in on the conversations at hand.
"Well boss. I think removing the vault shouldn't be a problem. It's getting out of here is the big problem. Anbu are probably crawling the place, and infiltrating it as we speak."
"Oh we don't have to worry about that. Our exit route will be coming in the next twenty-two minutes... unless Yuki forgot to call it in."</I><i></i> This voice the Steward was famaliar with being that it belonged to Kitanai. Though something was off. The voice had some minor growls to it, and in addition there would be moments where the voice came off as slightly husky. The Steward was going to rule that it was just the equipment. The growls though belonged to that of a canine though. Number Seven, while his common was excellent, from time to time would give way to growls.
"Yuki? You heard that? You better have gotten our way out. Your connections better be worth the salary you're asking for."
Dead silence followed. In that time the Steward had figured out that he had taken out Yuki. The discussions continued on. "I'm going to go find Yuki. He must have put his headset down when he went to go take a piss or something. The idiot probably forgot to pick it back up." By this time Sousuke got to the balcony overlooking the tellers, and some more of the offices on the ground level. Remarkably one the larger vaults had been pulled out and placed in the middle. Standing next to the vault were the two having the discussion from earlier. Kitanai and another one of the small timers. The other individual was tattooed and was certainly taller. The Steward's eyes narrowed. The tattoos were of wolves and various canines. Gang markings obviously, but from what little he knew of Kitanai she didn't work in any gangs.
The Steward knelt down and accessed the situation. He wasn't so much concerned about the tattooed man. He was a thuggish brute of sorts. Taking him out from here would reveal his position. The Steward wasn't going to go about this with lethal methods. No. He had questions. Usually Kitanai's methods were ... less public, and less of a spectacle such as this. The Steward continued to plan and work out strategies on how best to engage.
"Grrhm. Hello Lover." The Steward was stunned for a moment as Kitanai's eyes shifted up to the balcony homing in on him. The Steward made no sudden movements or sounds to give away his movements. He was quite certain that Kitanai was not a Hashigaki. During their first encounter she hadn't noticed him so quickly either. This was if anything a record. The Steward's mind quickly backtracked. There it was again. The growl. The Steward heard it clearly this time. The growl was unclear the first time he heard it between communications, but it was present. This time it was... "Speechless? Seems that way. I guess I should expect such from the sped kid."
In seconds it clicked. The enemy was not Kitanai. It was a front. The Steward rose up and returned the insult with an action. The Steward opened his palm and fired a plasma bolt. "Inuzuka Shizune."<i></i> The Steward announced. It made sense. It was a transformation. "I didn't expect such a muscle bound brute as yourself to have such an elaborate plan."<i></i> The Steward's gaze shifted over to the tattooed ally of hers. "Your familiar has a clearer speech than you do."<i></i>
The transformation dropped. Shizune's form was monstrous. She was most certainly taller than the Steward. She stood 6'2 and was very much the brute the Steward remembered her to be. Perhaps the word brute was inaccurate. Shizune was muscular. Memories of the Steward's childhood ran through his mind. Yes. Shizune was very much the typical bully, and the fact she took to a life of crime did not surprise the Steward. He was surprised though that she took Kitanai's form. Shizune's lips curled into a smile. <I>"He does, doesn't he? He's a better listener than I ever was. You know that. Grrhmm... why don't you go back to your labs? I like being infamous, but if I put you in the hospital that'll put a large target on my back... or rather your new friend?"<i></i> The smile continued. "Actually that wouldn't be a bad thing. I get out clean and with a big fat pay cheque in cold cash. I assume you took out Yuki?"<i></i>The Steward didn't answer. "Well then. I merely get a fatter pay cheque. Maybe I'll retire and set up a shipping company. I've heard illegal weapon shipments are quite grhhmmm lucarruruutive."<i></i>
"Lucrative."<i></i> The Steward corrected her. That was perhaps a mistake as that set her off. Shizune threw herself forward. She jumped up to the balcony and threw a forceful punch. The Steward drew the bony blade and met the punch with his steel. To his surprise Shizune did not cut herself upon impact. She was though pushing him back towards a wall. The Steward was strong, but Shizune was stronger. She threw a second punch at the Steward which hit him in the upper shoulder. That punch sent the Steward flying through the wall and into a few offices.
"Still frail as usual. This shouldn't last long."<i></i> Shizune made her way through the holes in the wall that Sousuke made when he was hit by her punch. To her surprise she found the Steward on the floor. "I had heard you became quite the scholar these days, but to my surprise you're still that stupid SPED kid who I wanted nothing more than to beat senseless. My father bent the knee to your father, and I promised myself I would never do the same. It's so stupid. Why should I bend the knee to such a retard?"<i></i> Shizune picked up Sousuke and placed him on his feet. "Grrmmmhmm. I should give the Steward a hand. After all, should we help those less fortunate?"<i></i> Shizune rose her arm and brought it down up the Steward sending him down through the floor.
Shizune hopped down the hole she made. She looked about for the Steward. Where did he manage to crawl off? The Inuzuka sniffed the air trying to pick him up. She called out to her companion whose form was a tattooed bald headed man. "Find him."<i></i> She ordered. She made her way around the bottom floor. He was still here. His scent lingered. To her surprise she heard a large pop noise go off. "Grrhmmm... I hope that was his neck."<i></i> She called out. There was no reply back. She paused for a moment. "Grim, did you or did you not kill him?"<i></i> She paused for a moment and sniffed the air. She smelled blood, but it was no that of the Steward's. Shizune closed her eyes. "Oh damn."<i></i> She sniffed the air more. There was a burning smell. She began back tracking and came to the main room of the bank where all the tellers were. The burning smell was strongest here. She looked up and coming down crashing upon her was a grand glass chandelier. She raised her hands to cover her face. The form fell upon her and caused her to fall. Various glass shards penetrated her skin and dug deep. "RETARDED SPED KID. I'LL RIP YOUR BRAIN OUT AND FEED IT TO GRIM."<i></i>
The Steward's bleeding and broken form emerged from thin air. He was certainly worse for wear, but he had certainly leveled the playing field. "That is assuming Grim has lost the taste for human flesh. I think he has, but I can certainly say there is a lot less stupid in the room now."<i></i>The Steward opened up his palms and blasted the glass and metal structure of the chandlier. The glass proceeded to melt and with it a chain reaction of melting glass came. Shizune's screams filled the main hall as she was in effect subject to the intense heat provided by the melted glass and metal. Shizune exploded in rage. Her chakra level spiked and she threw the structure up and away. "Actually I think the room got stupider."<i></i> Shizune's moves were slower, but the pain was pushing her to attack harder. The Steward unsheathed the ebon blade. Shizune may have had the strength advantage, but she did not expel the glass shards from her body. The Steward sidestepped the first blow and super heated the ebon blade, he swung the blade missing the mark, but the heat generated from the blade was enough to melt the glass shards stuck in her right leg. In effect Shizune fell over. The pain was too great for her it seemed. She dropped, but then tried to sweep Sousuke off of his feet with a whirling kick from her left leg. The Steward back flipped quickly and swung his blade again missing, but in effect melting the glass shards again. She cried out again and was virtually immobilized.
The Steward stared at his childhood enemy. Did he feel sorry for her? "Retard. I will not bend the knee to you. You deserve nothing! My father told me to respect you! Every time he did so, I wanted to hurt you more and more! You're nothing! You're just a retarded kid who got born lucky!"<i></i> No. The Steward did not feel sorry for her. He did feel sorry for her father of course.
"What is it that I do now? Leave you to the Anbu? Leave you to the whims of Lord Mikaboshi? Let you have a permanent residence in the Obsidian Palace? I've heard that place will discintigrate certain aspects of one's character. "<i></i> The Steward's voice was neutral as it usually was. He called off the heating element of the ebon blade. He held the point of the blade under Shizune's chin. He was ridiculed so often by this girl as a child. She broke his bones, and sent him to the hospital. Even now, fifteen years later she was doing the same. The Steward felt his own injuries kick in too. He had a higher tolerance for pain, but even he had his limits. The situation was one of which the Steward had no true experience in. He was no judge, jury, or executioner. As a Steward it was his place to preserve the realm until the time in which "What do I do? The pain you caused me as a child pales in contrast to what you're going through. I want you to remember today you were bested by the SPED kid. You were bested in wits naturally. If I recollect properly, your father passed away a few months ago. It ... pleases me that he does not have to see you like this. He was a man loyal to my father, and they respected each other. I expected your father wished for a mutual friendship to have occurred in the next generation, but you misunderstood it."<i></i> The Steward thought for a time. If he were a Sunahoshi, it would have perhaps been expected of him to have an example made of her. Her head on a pike perhaps? "I'm not going to take your life Shizune. I want you to think real hard. I want you to think real hard that I could have taken your life here, the so called SPED kid having power over your life. A most frightening and disturbing thought..."<i></i> The Steward tapped her chin again with the blade and left her.
Regardless of what the Steward said. The tortured cries and insults of Shizune filled the air. As he approached the door to the bank he blasted it with a palm plasma blast. Within a moment the Steward was surrounded by Anbu who were checking in on him. "I assure you I am operational. Now go make an arrest. Check office 27B, and office 6A."<i></i> The Steward paused for a moment. He winced as the thought of hostages should have come to mind earlier. "Yes... and check the basement areas too. I suspect you will find a number of tied and gagged individuals."<i></i> The Steward spoke. Three anbu nodded and proceeded.
The bird masked Anbu glanced past them seeing the broke chandelier, and some minor carnage. "Sir... do you want to visit a hospital? I would strongly recommend it. " The Steward paused for a moment. "We heard some sounds from outside..."
"Most likely. That was perhaps the sound of me being sent through some walls, and then smashed down a few floors."<i></i> The bird masked Anbu's eyes widened. "Yes... I'll visit the hospital. Just keep this quiet."<i></i> The Steward's metallic visage retracted. He looked exhausted, and once again the frown found itself upon his face. "Oh. Don't make any notes on the record of one Ijimeru Kitanai. I was mistaken, it wasn't her merely an imposter."<i></i> At this time several screams filled the air. The Anbu were perhaps trying to arrest Shizune at this moment in time. From the sound of things they were having some minor difficulty. "Should I go back in?"<i></i>
"No sir. I would suggest you get to that hospital... the crowds are starting to form."
***
The Watchers assembled once more. Illx let out a hearty laugh. "Criminals. Some of them find early graves but this Inuzuka Shizune was most fortunate. I suppose Sousuke's lesson is starting to strike a chord with her." The Watcher produced a violin from thin air, and struck a chord. The sound resonated throughout, and then returned as a distorted echo. "Well. We'll find out what chord is struck, or perhaps it struck a nerve?"
Vorul shrugged. "Today's enemies may become tomorrow's allies? Thought in her case we shall find out. Some say mercy is for the weak, but mercy can be used to taught a lesson to others." The Watcher produced a shackle. "Criminals are punished, and some can be redeemed. Others rot."
Illix threw the instrument up, and it began to dissamble. "An entertaining diversion. An emotional one even? Hard to say. A diversion worth our time. We have seen the resolve of our hero, and I can say it is pure. He was determined to teach her a lesson. One way or another. Our hero has shown his resolve, and I am pleased. Another step in the right direction. Let us hope he continues on the path."