Hey! ARGH! Bye.(p)

The rain bore on endlessly, pounding on the rooftops and turning the sidewalks and roads into vast lakes of dull, muddy water. CoRin's boots sloshed through the shallow puddles as she mad eher way through the village. It's vast towers hung over her. Despite the multiple covered bridges and underground ways she perfered to walk the moist way through the city. Dark gray clouds covered the sky, only letting a few rays of feeble sun slip past the barrier. were it not already for teh fact that CoRin war white make up at all times she would have been as pale as a sea shell. A sand dollar, tha'ts what they called it. The monotonous sound of raindrops beating on the sidewalk blended in with the occasional whoosh of the breeze through the tower tops. Everything was bleak, gray, and dreary even the atmosphere. A palpable feeling of dread had washed over the city. Youka had made himself known in the village, that missing ninja had attacked and now life just seemed helpless. People dressed in heavy coats and bearing large umbrellas walking quickly with purpose, not stopping to look at anything or anyone. IT was sad to see. Like a horse with a broken neck that hangs limply in front of it as if it had lost it's will to fight.
CoRin stuck her hands into her outfit as they traveled on. Well it wasn't just them that traveled on. CoRin was going with them. One has to be able to keep up with their hands or who knows where they would end up leading you? The city seemed more grey than usual to her, and she was growing tired of the rain. At least of the constant application to her make up that it required from her. Really she'd done what it was that she wanted to get done with Ame. She built it. Brought it back, and that was fun. She enjoyed it when it was all about hope, and starting a new. And now things were getting complicated, and CoRin did not do complicated. She did simple. Justice good, everything else bad. REally the only reason she stayed anymore was because of Li. She didn't love him. However she was madly in love with the little twerp. Not that she loved him or anything. Because she didn't.  Baka.
Her journey game to an end once the pavement of ame gave way to silt and mud that also represented ame. Only this ground belong to the fields and rice patties that surrounded the city rather than the city itself. She was here to visit someone special today. Once she'd exited the city through it's gates she did an about face and faced the huddle of spears and heads on spears you know... the gorey stuff. Mainly she was here to morn the loss of Jun and thank him for his sacrifice and gift to her and to ame as a while. She'd hardly known the man but he'd given her so much. Everything really. She honestly still couldn't believe it. She took a deep sigh as she looked up at Jun's final resting place. Hardly gracious, and deserving of a man who in life had been so truly noble. Now the crows and carrion of the wild were feasting upon his flesh and blood and CoRin had a great sense of injustice about the situation. Not only that but he still had a grand daughter to take on a little trip to the earth kingdom. Geez what did the schedule of her life look like lately? Cramped probably.
"You did good work." A voice announced from behind her, even through the rain it was loud crips, and clear. You know, like the sound affect of rain was dimmed just so their character could make their appearance. CoRin gasped and turned on her heel. Only to see a tall grey haired man, in a suit and a large umbrella smiling her way. His feeth perfectly white, and his demeanor at once was both intenstly professional, and as cuddily as a stuffed bear. CoRin could hardly believe her eyes.
"Daddy!" CoRin chipred upon seeing her father for the first time in months, not since she'd left for ame had she seen him. "I can't believe it's you!" She shook her head, and jumped into her fathers arms giving him a big ol' hug. "What are you doing here?"
Increase Kura gave a smile of his own, and looked to his painted face daughter. "Why i came to see the village that my daughter helped build. As of yet i've gotten no invitations to come visit my daughters new home. So I decided to pay you a visit whether you like it or not. And I must say, I've quite impressed." He stroked his chin as he looked to the heads on pikes that stood in front of the gates.
"Pardon?" CoRin asked slightly confused.
"Your task, I've heard of it. Ten heads by the end of the weak or else. A commando of a tyrant of tha  I have no doubt. However you managed to turn it around. Use it as an excuse to execute those ninja in your village who were just a little too high to be touched by what leaders call Justice. I'm quite proud actually."
Ah of course. Justice. The thing which the Kura clan has long stood for. None were more intact with it than them. And few were more intact with it than Increase Kura. Except for maybe his wife...
CoRin nodded in understanding. She could see how her father would view that as a victory, but she couldn't. She knew at least a third of those who were currently stuck up there. Three of them had been volunteers for the execution. "Thank you father, but I can't accept your praise without confessing. Three of the people up there were innocent volunteers. I would have been one of them, but one took my place. They committed no crime or sin, they were simply fulfilling their duty."
Increase nodded, and frowned in the slightest. "I see." He mused looking to the heads. "Well in that case I'm quite dissapointed."
Co Rin lowered her head in shame. He had every right to be. "I'm sorry father. I've shamed our family."
"Not because you killed those how you called innocent, but because you thought they were innocent. Every man has his vices. Even if they did not commit a crime which you sentenced them to death for, they un doubtibly did commit a crime, of that I have no doubt. Further more to sacrafice yourself? Foolish to say the least. Of everyone on this planet it is only the Kura who do the good work. Justice that is. Your life is not worth anothers. We see the corruption that inhabits ourselves and others and only we work to right it. So a few 'innocents' die on the way to true justice that's just how it is. As long as end the end we manage to stop a small amount of injustice we've done our job." He nodded at his daughter. "Do you understand?"
"Yeah." CoRin announced with a nod of her own head. Her dad always had a way of putting things in perspective for eher. He knew just how she thought, because it was how he thought. More than anything even more than she was an instrument for justice she was her father's daughter.
"Now." Increae announced drawing his free hand into his coat, pocket and  pulling out two bright read and gold tickets. "I got us two tickets to the opera tonight. Does it need mentioning that you're my first pick on who shall accompany me?" He crooked his arm, and presented it to her.
She accepted happily. "Of course it does." She announced slipping her hand through his. "And what play shall we be partaking in today my dear?" She and her father always used pretty familiar pet names for each other. It was dumb, but CoRin always liked that about their relationship. She never really talked to anyone in such familiar terms. Only Li Dian from time to time.
Increase Kura let loose one of his trade mark chuckles. Though he laughed long loud and often he was still a man who was ever on the chase of villainy. "The fall of Ma Dai." He announced stowing away his tickets, and leading his daughter back into the village. "A story of how a vile village rose to power on the back of crime, but soon enough justice catches up with them, and they see their black empire fall before them. It's a monument to everything we as a clan stand for. From what I've read from the book at least. I do hope the on stage adaptation lives up to the expectations I have for it." He sighed dreamily and continued off.
Sounded like a glorious little play to CoRin. very up beat, and exactly what she was in the mood for. 
xxx
CoRin in her balcony seat her hear going through palpitations. She was dressed elegantly in a kimono. Gone was her normal formal armor, instead she wore an elegant floral kimono that would fit just as well on a kabuki set as her normal makeup would. Today however her make up was still pale and wild but it was a much more formal version of the mask.
It was a wonderful play, really it was. The set was on point, the costuming beautiful, and the actors were superb. However at the very start of the show it became apparent that the villians were actual the good guys in this tale. CoRin already knew that thses lobable rouges would end up meeting thier just end and that was okay with her. While to most it would be a tragedy  to her it was a wonderful maserpiece that beautifully displayed the outcome ot true vice and crime. She watched with disgust as he heroes built their empire on scum, and villainy. Then as their sinful empire grew fat and started to split at he edges she happily watched as it tore itself apart. it was elegant and oh so beautiful. The Fall almost moonlighted the fall of Camelot, and it was almost beautiful in a way. Other than the fact that the fall of camelot was based on true and just characters and this was simply based on human filth!
The end of the criminal empire came swiftly and without mercy. As it always should be. CoRin was quite moved by the way the whole cast turned aginst one another like the animals they wre. However when the survivors were finally captured there was a scene which she could not quite bare to watch. The main characters were all lined and and presented to a headsmen. An ax was brought down upon their heads, and they were killed. She did not have enough knowledge of the interworking's of theater to know how they did the effects, but boy oh boy they did it. And she couldn't stand it. Memories were much to fresh in her mind.
"Daddy." she breathed turning to her father. "Can we go?" Her father looked at her with a raised eyebrow. His expression clearly pointed to a bit of confusion. "Please?"
He looked t her for one further moment, before nodding his head. "Yes of course." Without another word he arose from his seat, and lead CoRin away from the play. Weather he knew what emotions were storming through his daughter or not would be a matter of debate for historians for years to come. However we do know that he honored his only daughters wish and lead her out of the exit of the theater. "Well it was certainly realistic if nothing else." Increase announced stepping out from the theater and leading his daughter out. "Besides I think we got the point, enough to not feel too bad about losing a few minutes. I mean we all no where the path of injutsuce leads.
CoRin simply nodded with a Solemn stare.
"Hey hold it right there." They'd only been outside of the theater for a moment when a man approached them from the alley. He wore a heavy brown jacket, and knitcap and an ugly look on his face. "Wallet. Now." It was only then that CoRin was able to see the bright sheen of metal that the man's knife gave off.
Increase was unphased. Very calmly he nodded and reached into his coat pocket to bring out a leather wallet. "Sure thing no problem." He held the wallet out for the man to take. "There's five hundred ryo in there, and the wallet is worth more than that. Just take it and go."
The theif nodded. He lunged forward and in a single action swiped the wallet from Increases' hands and buried the knife within in gut.
Increase could only let out a quick gasp, while CoRin let out a long and hard scream.
Increase stumbled back falling into his daughter's arms. He would look up to his daughter one last time and let out a shaky breath. CoRin could feel her clothing soaking up the blood that was seeping from Increase's body. He was like a fountain by this point. "Well I just don't think I deserved that." He let out a small laugh. "I always knew I'd die to crime somehow. Daughter please kill that man. I'd like to see that Justice executed before I die. You know, one last chance to see my just daughter at work before I pass on."
CoRin nodded. He face lifted upwards hit's pale complexion glowing in the moon's light. Her eyes lifted up from her father and revealed that their red and black irisis had transformed. They took on the shape that looked very similar to a three pedaled daisy. "It'd be my pleasure."

(2300 gonna claim, MS)
exit