A Lesson

The pungent, pitiful stench of mediocrity permeated the town's air.  Sheep often herded together, insignificant and lacking purpose. The ire of the public would often melt one's visage into indignant defiance, but not Anei. His specious poker face was blank and indifferent as he slowly strolled the streets at nighttime. He could hear their hushed murmurs in the dead of night like ghosts whispering from the grave. The porcelain moon was stunning amidst the starless curtain of night. Anei couldn't help but admire its enigmatic beauty. How it glowed hauntingly up there alone, where the unknown lie or even stretched further. The moons allure truly was it's unfathomable existence. Placing his hands in his pockets, Anei stopped, making sure he was at the right place. His eyes gave the area a cursory glance. "What were his words? A shoddy place next to the dump in the middle of town. Can't miss it!" Well he wasn't lying, the half run-down building across from it had seen surely better days. As for the particular home of interest to Anei? Lifeless and abandoned, but surely the roaches thrived in such conditions. Anei couldn't think of a single reason to make a living out here. In a small, isolated town like this. Where meaning and purpose were absent from the minds of the people. It was a laughably sad assertion, but who was he to judge the aspirations of others when he was still searching.? Clinging onto his only clue in life.

Anei had been offered pennies to deal with distraught love affairs. Tasked with punishing the man accused of sleeping with his employer's wife. Anei cared little for such matters, but he had to subsist off the opportunities present to him. Finding anonymous work had proved quite difficult and he was always on the move. One of the perks of such unsavory contracts was its anonymity. Of course, Anei didn't ask too many questions, but briefly, he inquired about the habits of the man he was to brutally injured. His employer had put a huge emphasis on brutally injured. All because he wanted to send a message. Anei asked only simple things: A description, his possible locations and whatever threat he could maybe impose. Luckily for Anei, it would be some easy work. He was already stressed and could use the moment to vent. His ninja training although incomplete was far more than your average civilian possessed. When the streets were finally deserted Anei quickly sprinted to the building, scaling the house with uncanny feline grace. Anei was sure to silent his footfalls, he didn't want to awake the man he watched enter the home awhile ago. The open window was a stroke of luck for the young missing ninja as he slipped inside, melding with the black shadows of the room. Looking around, he didn't see anything worth taking. Silently he made his way outside of the dimly lit room, the narrow staircase leading downstairs was promising bet to find his hapless victim.

Anei could hear shuffling downstairs. Only a single set of footsteps and it didn't sound as if he knew Anei had broken in. The Shinobi world was a dangerous place to live, especially for a small town like this he really should have locked his window. It'd prove to be a costly mistake. A smirk pressed his lips whilst he crept down the steps, peering around the shadowed corner he could see a light coming from the kitchen. Instinctively Anei pulled his hood over his head, darkening his face and protecting his identity somewhat. Tugging on the loose headband across his neck, Anei could feel his fingers tightening in anticipation. Hic, hiccup! "There's never any booze in this stinking place!" A rough, inebriated voice carved the quiet that choked the air with restlessness. Anei made his move in that instance, standing behind the fairly taller and much older man who was rummaging through the fridge. Knock, Knock! Two gentle taps against the wall would beckon his attention, startling Anei's target. He would fall back, slipping onto the palms of his hands stammering. His face an amalgam of morbid fear and obliviousness. It was no surprise he was confused, a stranger appears in your house during the witching hour and this stranger is a missing ninja? The insignia of his marred headband was in perfect view. The man's eyes were focused on it, awestruck. "What are you doing here?" What a pointless question Anei thought, perplexed by what intention he truly aimed to gleam. "Does the wolf explain why he hunts the sheep to his prey?" Musing to himself, Anei's deadpan countenance would falter. Replaced by a malevolent smile that flashed his white teeth proudly.  A step forward would cause the cowering man to inch back reactively.

He had already accepted his fate, his will to even fight for life was unapologetically criminal and unbecoming. Shameless weakness. "Let's just say someone has paid me to teach you a lesson. A very brutal one " Anei stated, noting the life in his fearful eyes fading away. Craking his hands, Anei's knuckles would pop with a sadistic crunch. The man would attempt to crawl to his feet, but not before Anei's knee would break his nose. Whimpering reverberating throughout the home. He rolled on the ground holding his broken nose as he wailed. "I guess you had more fight in you than I anticipated? Can't have you running, now can we?" His tone broke into a half-delirious laugh. Squatting to his left side, he lowered his head, though his hood would still conceal his face. "So here's what's gonna happen. My client has paid me to hurt you badly. And I mean so, in the worst of ways, but what he's paying me is less than desirable. So you see, I am at an impasse. So instead of me completely ruining you, pay me and get hurt less? A logically much fairer exchange if you ask me, so tell me. What would you pay to not have your legs broken?" The man peered through his hands, wide-eyed with fear as he coughed his words out. "I don't know what you're talking about, I haven't done anything for someone to want to hurt me!" Anei's eyes gleamed with the Devil's intent. Springing up to his feet Anei retorted with a kick to the rebelling man. He could feel the man's chest giving way from the impact as he heaved and hollered.

"Now now, don't lie to me. I saw her leave from here. Red hair like the sun and eyes that pierce the soul?" Anei could see the horror in the man's teary-eyed visage slowly reveal itself from Anei's description. It appeared he didn't have to say more, he already knew why he was being punished. That guilt in and of itself was Anei's ticket to earning a few more Ryo. "I'm sorry please all I have is 500 Ryo. I'll give it all to you. Please I'll never see her again, I promise." His pleads were pathetic and possessing not a shred of dignity. The man reached in his pockets and grabbed his money with shaking hands. An odd, unnerving smile pressed Anei's lips gently. "Thank you for your patronage kind sir. Now I need you to answer something for me? What village am I from?" Anei's finger tapped the metallic surface of his headband as he crouched beside the man who appeared flabbergasted. The look within Anei's eyes gave him a disapproving nod as he begins to murmur the wrong words. "What village? I saw nothing or no one." Placing his hand atop the man's head Anei's countenance would shift back into a phlegmatic mask. He was done tormenting this sheep "Good boy. I'll be on my way, but before that, he did say brutally" With all the force he could muster and before the man could process Anei's word his face would be slammed into the hardwood floor. Breaking serval parts of his face, rendering him unconscious. "I did leave you the use of your legs..." Anei would say while looking towards the knocked out man before casually walking out the back door. Not a soul around. Now he was on his way to collect his money. He would have to be sure of his employer's silence as well. How much more would he pay to not end up the same way? Zipping his track jacket to cover his headband, Anei would place his hands within his pockets.

- THREAD EXIT 
TWC: 1420
+3 to Speed
500 to Flicker Movment 500/500
500 to Storage Displacement 500/500
420 to Great Breakthrough 420/1000
+3 AP
+1100 Ryo