Shiva's Training Topic

Shiva was bored, very, very bored. Her father had more or less secluded himself in his office these past few weeks studying who knows what. Odds were he was trying to tap into the 14th dimension or something. Asura was...who knows, probably off with Deva doing some super secret Mishura business. Shiva stopped for a moment, that wasn't fair. Sure she hadn't really interacted with her mother since the whole Angel fiasco, but her mother had been through a lot and her uncle...well, it wasn't fair for Shiva to feel any malice towards her mother for not being around. Not now anyway.

So, with everyone else lollygagging around the Western Continent, and Jazz most likely somewhere back on the Origin Continent, it seemed Shiva had been left to her own devices. She strode up to one of the many straw dummies which had been placed along the ring of the arena for young Shogunate to train against and punched it in the stomach with little force. She didn't have the effort or the desire to train, she just knew she should. Sighing, she pulled out the scroll her father had shoved into her arms before hurrying her out of his office and unrolled it. Studying the kanji, she nodded before tossing the scroll over her shoulder and holding out her right hand, her left grasped around her wrist. Concentrating, she began to knead chakra into her hand and, before long a faint aura of chakra appeared around her right hand. Now, punching the arm of the training dummy lightly, Shiva pulled away and noticed the fine, shredded strains of straw pouring out from the hole where its hand should have been, had it been a real person. She sifted her hands through the falling stream of shredded straw, noticing that the burlap sack which made up the dummy's "skin" was completely unharmed. Huh...cool. She said with a shrug.

Jutsu Trained For:

Words: 321

Approved

Alright let's try something a little more...explosive. Shiva said to herself as she watched the last strands of shredded straw fall from the training dummy's sleeve. She turned and walked several paces away from the row of dummies behind her, picking up her father's scroll on the way. It wasn't just Taki clan techniques she had been given to train, but apparently her father...or maybe even her mother...though Shiva doubted it, had written down a few Mishura jutsu and how to train them. If her mother had any time or desire to help train anyone, it was Deva and besides these weren't exactly top secret Mishura Clan arts. Anyone with half a brain who had spent even a little time in the presence of a Mishura would know of these techniques and know how to train them, never mind her father who had spent time INSIDE of a Mishura. Alright let's see, let's see...uh huh...mhmmm...right okay, so like...this and then you...got it. Shiva said, speaking to herself once more. She seemed to do that more and more often these days, probably because she was left alone more and more often so she had to talk to someone.

Tossing the scroll over her shoulder once more, Shiva took in a deep breath, clearing her mind. She opened her eyes and stared at the row of training dummies before suddenly weaving handsigns and taking a deep inhale of breath. She could feel it, the fire chakra building in her belly, surging forth up her throat and then...out came a small fireball roughly the size of a pebble which immediately extinguished into a puff of black smoke. Coughing and waving her hand in front of her face to clear the smoke, Shiva muttered, You've gotta be kidding me. With a sigh and now a look of true determination, which came across as something of an angry look mixed with a constipated child, Shiva began weaving hand seals once more. Again she could feel the heat bubbling up inside of her stomach, it rose up to her throat and then...a thin jet of fire exploded from her mouth, traveling three feet and then fizzling out. What the hell? No, this is supposed to be a fireball...with a face. A dragon face fireball. Fuuuuuu- Shiva said before dropping her face into her hands and shaking her head, completely frustrated. Okay, this time for real. She nodded and began weaving the hand seals a third time, this time as she did she pictured her mother and brother. She loved them dearly but felt a great sense of frustration and anger towards them. The Mishura Clan, a clan who believed themselves above all and truly an elite force yet the same blood ran through her veins. She was the same as them in everything but name and yet...a massive fireball, the shape of a dragon's head exploded from Shiva's mouth, engulfing the straw training dummies in flames. The force was so much and so surprising it knocked Shiva on her butt. Watching the dummies burn Shiva's mouth dropped open, Whoa...cool.

Jutsu Trained For::

Words: 526/400

Approved

Hrm, what else, what else? She thought aloud, picking up the scroll and reading further down the page. As she did she tossed a stone in her hand, methodically. Hmm...this looks interesting, it's from Jazz. She must have left some notes for dad to write down. She tossed the scroll into the dirt again and looked over the stone in her hand. She turned it over, holding it different ways each time and practicing a throw without actually releasing it. Finally, deciding on a certain hold, Shiva decided to test it out. She wound up and hurled the stone at the target, watching it hit the straw training dummy and drop to the dirt beneath it. Frowning, Shiva fished in her pocket for some more stones, Maybe it's more of a...wrist thing. Gotta snap it...yeah let's try that. She said, speaking to herself. This time, the stone curved, coming in and hitting the target from the right side but once more dropped to the ground after making impact. Alright I've got the curve down, now how do I get it to come back?. Four more throws proved useless and the stones were beginning to pile up at the foot of the dummy. Her pocket was lightening and walking over to the dummy to retrieve the stones and try again would merely be a sign of failure for Shiva. Flustered now, My father can access different dimensions on a whim and my mother can create a giant, ancient construct on par with a god to crush her opponents but I can't make this freaking stone come back to me?

Winding up, Shiva chucked the stone, using all of her pent up anger and aggression. Her frustration fueled the throw, giving it new strength and boundless energy. The stone flew, slicing through the air like a warm knife through butter. If one had blinked, they wouldn't have even seen it. Closer and closer it flew towards the straw dummy, then, when it impacted, it cut straight through and buried itself in the wall behind. The arena wall cracked and splintered, releasing a massive cloud of dust and broken concrete. Um...okay...not what I was going for but...that...that was frickin awesome. In truth Shiva hadn't figured out how to curve the stone and get it to come back to her like a boomerang, but she had just tapped into emotional strength which in turn guided her unknowingly to learn the Cypher's recoil throw which is why, what happened next, was unbelievably hilarious. She squinted her eyes as some sort of movement came from behind the dummy. It cut through the cloud of dust and debris, splitting it like Moses and the sea. What the...? Shiva asked confused, putting up her hands defensively as the stone rocketed back to her. She dropped back several feet and dropped the stone, wringing her hand out. The stone had smacked solidly against the palm of her hand and boy did it sting but that was the extent of the damage. Okay...what the hell was that? She said, staring down at the stone as if it had come alive. The stone had come back to her, as she had been trying to master but not in the way she had expected or wanted. This was a linear return while instead Shiva had been practicing a return based on an arc.

Okay so if throwing it like that made it go straight...then what if I tried...this? Shiv said, throwing her last stone. This time the stone arced as it had all but the last time. It impacted the head of the dummy, driving through it as the last throw had but this time it exited, swinging around on the arc and coming back to the hand Shiva had thrown it from. She caught it expertly and looked down at it in her hand in mild awe, Saweeeeeeet.

Jutsu Trained:

Words: 657/600

Approved

Shiva sipped some water from her canteen, wiping the sweat from her brow as she did. She had been in the Arena training grounds for well over an hour now and had been working surprisingly hard. While she initially had no desire to come to the training grounds, like most things, once she started she didn't want to stop. Funda stones clanged against one another in her pocket as she placed the canteen down beside her discarded jacket, a layer she had shed near the beginning of her training, It's so hot in here today. Shiva grumbled as she rummaged within the inner folds of her jacket before letting out a vocal "Ah ha!" and pulling out a set of three kunai packaged together. She hadn't had much practice with these weapons before, mainly focused on her stones which Jazz had taught her to use, but like always her teacher expected nothing short of the best from the young Shogunate heiress and wanted her trained in multiple styles of weaponry. It was annoying, but only because Shiva knew Jazz was right. Taking one from the packaging, Shiva inspected the throwing knife, turning it over in her hand and feeling the added weight to it; far different from her tiny skipping stones. She noticed some dirt under her nails and used the pointed end of the knife to pick it out as she strolled over to the target dummies. Ha! She let out a verbal cry as she hurled the kunai at the dummy. It sunk into the straw and fabric humanoid, but hit the upper right shoulder rather than the dead center where the target was painted. Frowning, Shiva walked over to the dummy and yanked the knife free, I could train a lot faster if I didn't have to always go pick these things up every time I threw them. Shiva grumbled.

Then an idea dawned on her as she took her place several feet in front of the dummy once more. She began channeling chakra into the kunai and then, suddenly, it floated up and out of her hand as she willed it to. With a flick of her wrist the kunai suddenly shot forward and into the dummy, albeit to the right once more, but still. Awesome. Shiva said with a coy smile before flicking her wrist towards herself and watching the kunai come flying back towards her, Whoa! She said, dodging as she realized the speeding kunai was about to impale her. She dropped to the ground in a cloud of dirt and stared at the kunai overing in the ground above her, right in front of where her face would have been. Grabbing the other two, Shiva stood and channeled chakra into them as well before practicing throwing them with her chakra and bringing them back without moving (safely). More awesome, definitely more awesome. She said again with a smile as she realized she'd no longer have to go retrieve the knives each time anymore.

Alright, that's enough of those for now. Shiva said, placing the kunai back into her jacket pocket and rattling the funda stones around in her pants pockets. She plucked one out and tossed in the air as she returned to her position in front of the training dummies. In her other hand was the scroll she had entered the arena with. She unfurled it and scanned down to the area about Stone Skipping techniques. She already had the bounce and some of the trajectory stuff down, but now Jazz apparently wanted her to consider odd angles and trajectories. It made sense, even if all the math that was written down explaining the technique didn't, but the basic principal was to have Shiva be able to manipulate the bounces and trajectories of her own thrown stones by hitting them with other stones. Not the most exciting technique in the world, but unimaginably useful. Shiva rolled the scroll again and tossed it to the side as she took out more stones. Alright let's try this out. Shiva said as she tossed a stone towards the target in front of her only to follow it up with a second throw immediately. The stone impacted the first one from behind, causing the first one to go flying forward at new speeds and drill threw the head of the straw dummy. That was good, but it didn't do much to the angle or trajectory of the initial stone. It increased its speed sure, but coming in from behind didn't do a whole lot. However, if she utilized boomerang throw...maybe, just maybe she might be cooking with fire now. Taking more stones from her pocket, Shiva tossed another, then, utilizing boomerang throw, through a second one on an arc so the stone impacted the first stone from the right side and caused it to fly off direction from the dummy directly in front of her. Shiva was aiming for the dummy's head to the left of the initial dummy, but instead the stone skipped too high and whizzed over the left dummy's head. Still, she had manipulated the trajectory of the stone and that's what mattered. The accuracy would come later with more practice. I wonder... Shiva said to no one in particular, trailing off as her mind moved and she lifted her hand towards the fallen stones, projecting the chakra field she had created with the kunai earlier. Flicking her finger towards her in a "come" motion, the stones suddenly rose into the air and darted back towards her open palm. Okay, this is nice, this is really nice. She said with a slight giggle before tossing the stones into the air above her head, concentrating on them so that as they began to fall back to the ground below, they instead froze in place, hovering around Shiva.

This manipulation field made practice far easier and efficient. She no longer had to actually throw the stones, but instead focus on how fast and where she wanted them to go. Throw in a few simple hand gestures and she could focus three different throws at one time, one after another so that they seemed to occur all at once. Several minutes of this practice yielded results which would have taken hours and by the end of it, Shiva was consistently hitting her target by refracting her initial stones with secondly thrown stones. The occasional stone would fly far right or she'd hit the top giving it a spin that caused it to smash into the dirt at the dummy's feet, but for the post part they were hitting consistently and problems only arose when she tried to get a little too fancy. Finally, with sweat dripping from her brow and a growing headache, Shiva returned the stones to her presence and ended the manipulation technique, holding out her hand for the stones to drop into. Placing them in her pocket she went back over to her stuff in the dirt and sat down, breathing hard as she uncorked her water canteen and chugged. She then lay back in the dirt, letting it cake her sweat drenched skin and clothes. It felt cool on her skin and coarse but not uncomfortable. She lay there for a long few minutes, staring up at the ceiling through the haze of kicked up dirt and sand that seemed to constantly permeate the atmosphere of this dome.

Sudden slow clapping broke Shiva's thoughts and concentration on the shifting haze above her. Wow, that was quite something, you've really come a long way in such a short time. Clearly Jazz was the right person to assign as your teacher. A familiar voice came from the entranceway of the arena. Shiva sat up immediately and turned her head in the direction of the voice to find Cyrus striding towards her, a smile on his face as he had clearly been watching his daughter from the shadows of the entranceway. A few other Shogunate soldiers turned to see and marvel at the arrival of their leader. Shiva could see some even looked nervous as the Blades never trained in the arena. Anything someone of their caliber had to train was better of being done so out in the wilds or somewhere that could be leveled instantly without fear of the loss of life. H-how long have you been watching? Shiva asked, scrambling to her feet and attempting to dust off her clothes and skin from the sweat soaked dirt that now clung to them. Long enough. Cyrus said with a smile and leaned forward to hug his daughter. Oh don't I'm gross and- Shiva began, slightly resisting. And what? We're in public? Cyrus asked with a deep laugh, Please, if anyone has a problem with me hugging my daughter I welcome them to voice their opinion to me directly. Unless of course...it's my own daughter who's embarrassed? He said with a playful smile as he embraced her. Shiva relaxed, the smell of her father reminded her of when she was younger (not that she was old considering she had only existed for about three years now, but Nova aged and matured differently), it had felt so long since she had last really smelled him, felt him. It was comforting, even if she didn't want to admit it and would prefer if the moment wasn't shared in front of others. Unfortunately, that was just how her father was and didn't care one bit what others thought when it came to his family.

Letting her go and stepping back, Cyrus looked at the pock marked training dummies behind Shiva. Many of them appeared deflated at this point, filled with holes leaking straw and Cyrus smiled, Looks like we're going to need to replace those later today. Seeing as how they're not doing you any good right now, I was thinking I might take over your training for a bit. It's about time you got your own seal. Cyrus said, staring at his daughter. My own seal? Shiva asked, confused before her eyes suddenly widened in surprise, You don't mean? She asked, her hand darting to her left ribcage where Cyrus's own Flying Thunder God Seal had been tattooed onto her at birth so that her father was never more than a moment away if she ever needed anything. Cyrus chuckled, Don't get ahead of yourself, you're still not quite ready for that one, but I've been developing a sister technique to teach you until you're ready to harness the full power of the Flying Thunder God technique. I call it the Flying Thunder Beast technique.
...
What?
Seriously? The Flying Thunder Beast technique as a sister technique to the Flying Thunder GOD technique? Shiva asked, a raised eyebrow to show her displeasure with the name.
Well yes, I didn't want you getting a big head with a similar name to god and well, let's be honest, you can be a bit of a beast in the morning, so it seemed fitting. Cyrus said with a smile and wink at his daughter who only rolled her eyes in response, arms crossed in front of her like the bratty teenager she develop into all too quickly.
Besides, I'm not that great at names. I mean for Kami's-sake your mother named both of you. Granted I wanted to call you Shiela so it's probably for the best. Cyrus said, tapping a finger to his chin in thought. Shiva opened her mouth but Cyrus simply waved his hand, It's neither here nor there at this point. You're Shiva, I'm Cyrus, this is the Flying Thunder Beast technique seal, or FTB for short.
So creative. Shiva said sarcastically.
Nothing gets passed you sweetie. Cyrus replied before picking up a piece of straw from one of the dummies and beginning to etch a seal into the dirt of the arena floor. So as you know, this is the Flying Thunder GOD seal, it's the one I placed on you and your brother when you were born.
Yes, I'm familiar with the brand you gave us for our first day birthdays.
Oh hush, don't be so dramatic. You got that from your mother.
We both know I didn't get that from mom.
Cyrus looked up and scowled at his daughter but returned to his seal drawing in the dirt, Anyway, as I was saying, this is the Flying Thunder God seal and this is the Flying Thunder Beast seal. They're noticeably similar because they function similarly. The only difference is...well it's not that important to highlight everything but basically the Flying Thunder Beast seal is missing a few kanji on the fringe because it doesn't interact with as many dimensions as the Flying Thunder God seal. Cyrus stood and wiped his hands of dirt before holding one out, Can I see one of your stones my dear?

Shiva fished a Funda out of her pocket and placed the smooth, weaponized stone in her father's outstretched hand. He turned it over a few times, inspecting it, before grabbing Shiva's wrist with his other hand and placing hers over the stone, his own on top. For this to work you need your own chakra signature in it, but placing the FTB seal takes a LOT of chakra at your current development and I don't need you passing out from chakra exhaustion. Your mother would have my head. So basically, you're going to use me as a chakra battery and write the seal. Don't worry if you mess up the first few times, I have plenty of chakra.
Shiva stared at her father before nodding and looking down at the Flying Thunder Beast seal he had drawn in the sand. She studied it, staring at the intricate lines and layers to it before closing her eyes and attempting to recreate it in her mind. She focused that image on the stone, attempting to imprint it purely with her chakra. There was a sudden flash from the stone and suddenly Shiva felt extremely drained, her muscles tight with tension and fatigue as the majority of her chakra reserves disappeared instantly. However, they were quickly replaced with her father's chakra, which flowed into her and breathed new life into her aching body. Hey, hey, not too bad. Her father's voice greeted her as she opened her eyes. He was holding up her stone and she stared at the marking etched into it, Nailed it on the first try, that's my girl. Your line work is a little jagged, but the more practice you have with writing seals, the prettier they'll look. Some day they mean even surpass your father's masterpieces.
Always so humble dad.
Hey, one of us has to be. He said, tossing the stone to Shiva who caught it and turned it over in her own hands, inspecting it and staring down at the seal her father had written in the dirt to compare to her own. He was right, there were some wonky lines that weren't entirely straight, but the seal itself was there, clear as day. Okay so now what? I just throw it and...how do I teleport to it?
Whoa, hold your horses there girly. I said it was time to learn the seal, which you did and need to keep practicing before we actually have you dimension jumping. Oh and by the way, don't you dare practice writing that seal without your mother, Jazz or myself around. Again, you die of chakra fatigue and I die with you. Shiva knew her father was making a joke again about Asura killing him if anything happened to her or Deva, but she also knew he would be beside himself if anything happened to his children. He cared deeply for his family, but hid his feelings behind dumb dad jokes just as Shiva hid behind dark sarcasm.
So promise me you won't try writing this seal without one of us around?
...
Shiva?
...
Shiva.
Okay, okay, I promise. Sheesh, you don't have to be such a dad. Shiva said, conceding.
Actually, as a matter of fact I do. It's my job. He said with a smile, ruffling Shiva's hair, Speaking of jobs, I unfortunately need to return to the one that runs this country and puts food on our table. Speaking of food, dinner is at 6 tonight, sharp. Wash up beforehand too, Clarissa will have an aneurism if you drag all that dirt in. Cyrus said, referencing the family's maid and housekeeper.
Oh, one more thing. Sign this for me please. Cyrus said as a scroll appeared in his right hand in a puff of smoke. He unfurled the edge and produced a kunai. Shiva looked at the blade questioningly, Yeah, it's not a sign with ink kind of contract. I spoke with Casius and Jaws and you're going to be my apprentice for the Shark Contract. No you don't have a choice. Cyrus said before Shiva could say anything, not that she had a problem with becoming an apprentice to the shark contract. Many of her childhood memories were spent playing with the smaller summons under the watchful eye of some of the larger ones. She had good memories though she had never actually met the bosses Cassius or Jaws. I'll set up a formal introduction this week. Cyrus said as Shiva pricked her finger and signed the contract in blood.
Well unfortunately, look at the time. I really need to get going. By dear, don't forget to wash up before dinner, I'm serious. You think I'm annoying, you should hear that woman when she talks about cleaning the marble, I mean honestly, it's not even her house. Cyrus said, shaking his head before turning and walking back towards the exit.

Remember, work hard Shiva, become better than your old man. He called back to her before disappearing back through the entranceway to the arena. The entire encounter having lasted no longer than maybe twenty or thirty minutes as were most of her encounters with him these days. Helpful, fun, but all too fleeting. Shiva sighed as she looked over the stone again before placing it in her pants pocket. She picked up the scroll from earlier and began studying another Taki technique. This was a medical ninjutsu and required studying how it worked more than actually training it, considering she had no poisoned victims in front of her. She'd spend the next hour or so studying the technique before deciding it was time to pack up for the day and head home.

Words: 3094
Trained:
4C = 800
3B = 1200
1S = 1000
Needed: 3000

Jutsu Trained:

Approved

Shiva sat in the bleachers of the arena once more, this time not with a scroll to read from her father, but instead a novel. At first when Cyrus had handed her the book she frowned and questioned it. She wasn’t much of a reader unless it had to do with the technique scrolls her father, Asura, or Jazz-taicho handed her to learn and train. Shiva was fine with reading when it resulted in a boost in her skills, but reading just to read? For a story? She could just wander down to the local tavern in Sheol and listen to the drunks if she wanted stories. Still, her father had insisted, supposedly it told the story of a powerful man who traveled to an island with his two compatriots. The island long ago was the place of a great empire and civilization, but had turned to ruin after disagreements and in fighting among the ruling family. An experiment went wrong and leveled the entire island. When the hero arrives, it’s nothing more than a wasteland with marauding ravagers and outsiders looking for a place to simply exist.
When I was moving through the ranks and became a Blade, this book was one of my inspirations to really turn the Shogunate around and build it to the greatness it was before the Shogun simply left us high and dry. I want you to read it because some day my sorry ass isn’t going to be in this seat and you’re going to have to take over. Your brother and your cousin will be your right and left hands, which is why your mother, aunt and I insist on you all being trained together. You’re only as strong as your weakest link and together you’ll be nearly unstoppable. Nearly unstoppable is the kind of force it will take to not only rule the Shogunate, but also grow and expand it. Even if this book doesn’t directly teach you the skills you may be looking for Shiva, it will teach you something far more valuable. It will teach you about human nature and the pursuit of growth and prosperity, to never give up in the face of adversity and to stand up more times than you’re knocked down, even if it’s only once more. She remembered her father saying and at first she had considered making a joke about how he looked up there on his soap box, but noticing the intensity in his eyes when he finished speaking, she knew this truly meant a lot to him. So, begrudgingly, she had agreed to at least start the novel and give it a try. At the very least if it didn’t teach her anything, at least it would hopefully be entertaining for a little while. Besides, Asura was having Deva read all sorts of ancient history books about the Mishura Clan and various other stories. What could it hurt to be a little better read than her brother? If he was reading fairy tales, she wanted to be even better at reading fairy tails. So, taking a deep breath she spread herself out along the bleachers of the arena into a comfortable position and opened the book to page 1:


Explain to me again why we’re going to a virtual wasteland. Even if we do manage to subdue whatever rag tag team of raiders and wanderers who still inhabit that place and claim the island as our turf, then what? Seems to me like we’re putting in a lot of work for just a big rock with some smaller rocks and broken buildings. Claire said as she sat in one of the large, comfortable chairs situated on the upper deck of The Nautilus. Behind her and below a small few steps stood Lucy, minding her own business and steering the sub through the depths of the ocean as only a proper navigator could. Claire herself sat in front of Arthur but to his left, the chair swiveled around to face his direction as they spoke. Arthur looked down at the apple in his hand, inspecting it for a moment before he answered.

Imagine for a moment the first person to ever come across a coconut. Perhaps he was marooned on an island somewhere long ago, starving, dying of dehydration when he notices some large, hard objects hanging from the trees. Now if he just took the objects for what it appeared to be, hard, rough, inedible and useless. The man would have starved, having never known the secrets that lay hidden within, the life saving coconut water and nutrient rich meat of the fruit. He would have died there on that island, wasting away to nothing; a slow, agonizing death. It’s important to always look deeper than the surface; it’s something I’d expect you of all people to know in the back of your mind Claire. Then again as a master thief perhaps you’re only concerned with what your targets wear, not how they think. Arthur concluded before taking a bite from the apple. Claire stared at him, raised an eyebrow, her mouth quirked open to one side as if about to say something but instead she simply swiveled the chair around and away from him. If Arthur listened closely he could just make out something along the lines of, Coconuts aren’t even that good. but said nothing.

Sir, I’m going to begin the surfacing procedure momentarily, shall I call for Benjamin? Lucy broke the silence, turning over her shoulder to look up at her captain. Arthur considered this for a moment but shook his head, No, that won’t be necessary, thank you Lucy. Benji usually makes his way to the upper deck whenever we surface without our prompting. Please continue. Lucy nodded and turned back to the sub controls, flipping switches and pulling on the massive wheel so that it began to tilt upwards. As it did the passengers of The Nautilus would begin to feel the ship itself rise in the water, slowly at first but then picking up speed. Halfway through the process Benji came bounding into the room and went straight for the large glass windshield that encased three-fourths of the upper deck. He didn’t say a word, simply smooshed his face up against the glass as if to get as close to the millions of gallons of water behind it as possible. Arthur watched the boy before turning his attention to the water himself, watching it grow lighter and lighter as they rose up from the depths. What started as nearly black quickly became a midnight blue, then a deep green, turquoise, cyan and finally…light as they broke through the surface of the water and into beaming sunlight. In front of them lay a natural jetty, which jut out from the island about 100 feet and into the ocean tide. Welcome to Abfall. Lucy said, turning to Claire and Arthur who simply surveyed the area in silence.

Roughly half an hour later, Benji, Claire and Arthur were packing their things, enough rations and camping gear to last them a week if necessary though they only planned to be out a night or two. Standard procedure while we’re gone Lucy. Lock down the sub, no one and nothing should come in or go out until we come back. We’ll radio you if we plan to come back early or later than anticipated. Arthur said as the cyborg simply nodded in understanding. Understood Captain Kane, I’ll need some time to clean The Nautilus while you’re away so this is a mutually beneficial endeavor. Mr. Benjamin’s mucus tends to take far longer than expected to scrub off the windshield each time. Lucy said in a tone that suggested she might sigh in disgust, but being unable to experience the sensation of disgust she had no such sigh. Arthur nodded as Claire undid the hatch of The Nautilus and climbed the ladder into the sunlight, Benji close behind her. Arthur followed the pair, closing the hatch behind him and leaving Lucy to her chores across the large submersible. Arthur turned to his two subordinates, staring past them at the terrain that lay ahead. The jetty lead to the mainland that, on this side was a small inlet with a rocky cliff overhang maybe two hundred feet in the air. Shall we? Arthur asked and Claire stepped back, out of the way, her left arm extended in front of her down the jetty, Lead the way Captain oh Captain. But Benji was already bounding down the rocky jetty, eager to explore and find what types of animal and man existed in these lands.

The surf crashed against the jetty, spraying salt water into the air and masking the sound of the submarine slipping silently back underwater. Arthur was a man of secrets, he didn’t need his business observed or interrupted unless he wished it to be. If people knew he was on Abfall, they’d come to Abfall as well. Perhaps they wouldn’t seek to capture him or behead him, but simply because he himself had taken an interest in the storied island. Surely if such a man had taken an interest, there was something interesting waiting there and so he wished to keep the others out. Benji, masks on! Arthur called after the young boy from beneath his own, bird-like mask. Claire also had her jackal-looking mask on, white in majority with deep grey and red trim around the eyes and ears. All three were draped in black cloaks, concealing what they wore and looked like beneath while they each carried the same pack on their backs, indistinguishable from one another. We should catch him before he flies off, he is our ride up the cliff face afterall. Claire suggested before walking after Benji, Arthur following close behind.

They caught up to Benji beneath the rocky overhang, running his hands through the soil littered with pebbles beneath his feet. The ground was an odd mixture of black sand and dirt and Arthur didn’t need to any training in agriculture to know nothing would grow in such soil. They say when Abfall burned during the Great War; the ash from the fires was so thick it covered the island entirely. Mounds of it piled up five, six, even seven feet tall. Apparently it mixed with the soil and sand of the island, turning it black and killing anything that tried to grow here. Arthur said, absentmindedly reciting some lines from a history book he briefly remembered skimming in his past. Ah, no place like home. Claire said sarcastically before grabbing Benji by the collar and hoisting him up to his feet. She tilted his head to look up at the cliff and pointed, Up we go booger boy. Before releasing him and shaking her hand of the mucus that covered it just from briefly touching his body. I swear for as long as I live I’m never going to get used to that. Claire muttered before a thick tendril of mucus twisted around her waist, a twin tendril wrapping around Arthur’s own. Or that. She said with a shudder before Benji chimed in, Up, up, up we go! His wings beat against the air as he hoisted his two comrades high into the sky and up over the lip of the cliff, setting them down gently on the rocky terrain below.

Arriving at the top of the cliff, Arthur thanked Benji for his assistance before reaching behind him to his pack. He rummaged around blindly for a moment before pulling out a looking glass and extending it like only a true pirate could. The surrounding area was much like what had met them down below; dark earth surrounded them with rocky outcroppings and garbage littering the land. In front of them, maybe three miles away, appeared to be what was once a settlement. Perhaps a small village of some kind had once stood on the land but now only the skeletons of houses stood there. From this distance he could see maybe two houses still actually standing properly and even those had large chunks missing from the roofs, windows boarded up or simply left broken. Odds were good that scavengers had stripped any piping or wiring from them long ago. Casting his gaze across the landscape, the island seemed to stretch for miles save for a singular settlement off in the distance, at least a ten-mile walk from where the trio stood. From this distance it was hard to make anything out. The shacks or houses, whatever they were, seemed to blend together, packed tightly against one another to form a small town, perhaps even city. At first Arthur believed it too was abandoned but then saw plumes of smoke rising from the settlement. Clearly someone was home.

Lowering the spyglass and compacting it down to its portable size, Arthur pointed to the shantytown in the distance, now just a speck on the horizon without the magnified spyglass. There’s smoke coming from that settlement. It’s our best chance at contact with anyone who actually still lives here. Claire gazed to where Arthur pointed, attempting to find what he was talking about but quickly gave up. Arthur had nothing to gain by lying to her, so even if she couldn’t see what he was talking about, it was good enough for her. Benj, we’re heading North, try to stick within at least a mile of us. Claire called to the youngest companion who simply waved over his shoulder in acknowledgement before taking off into the sky, his wings beating heavy as he flew low across the ground as Arthur had instructed him to do, keeping as low a profile as possible while still enjoying his youthful interests. Arthur was many things; many people feared him and hated him for those things, but a tyrant he was not. He respected Benji’s youthful curiosity and desire to see as much of the world as possible. Who was he to stop the boy from enjoying some small shred of a normal childhood, when so much of it was spent murdering, maiming and doing only god knows what else to living beings.

With Benji off far in front of them and exploring, Arthur and Claire were left to walk alone. They walked in silence for some time, the first abandoned settlement growing closer and closer before Claire finally broke the silence, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “She probably hates this place, can’t stand this weird black dirt. Hates that it’s basically barren, all the good loot has certainly been picked clean. Honestly there aren’t even any animals in this place, just dirt, rocks and trash. She probably wants to kill me for even taking her here never mind suggesting we actually rebuild this place.” Claire paused, catching her breath during her rant and then continued, And you know, if you thought those things I’d have to say, you’re right. Arthur considered this for a moment before opening his mouth to respond but before he could say anything Claire interrupted, So help me god if you say anything about a coconut I’ll lose it. Arthur closed his mouth, the faintest of smiles on his lips, Have you ever heard of the Germa 66? Or the Germa Kingdom? Arthur asked as they walked. Claire shrugged, deep in thought for a moment, Just rumblings around the black market from time to time.  They’re a family of some kind, one of them died not too long ago, picked a fight with the wrong Revolutionary from what I heard.
Arthur nodded, Indeed, that was Rokuju Vinsmoke, an up and coming Scientist and a Titan at the time as well. She had claimed Abfall as ancestral land and people believed she thought there were hidden secrets her ancestors had left behind. Technology buried deep underground or hidden well enough that it hadn’t been scavenged. Unfortunately she died before she could make any real discoveries or even explore the island. Long ago, long before Rokuju was born or even you or I, the Germa 66 or Germa Kingdom as they were known, was supposedly an undeniable force. Their technology was so advanced some believed it to be akin to magic. They leveled entire countries, declaring victory in days rather than months or years. Abfall, as the history books say, was supposedly their hub for technological advancements and production. A scientist’s Eden if you will. However, their history ends abruptly with the oncoming of the Void Century. When history picks up again Abfall is no longer an Eden for technology, the Germa no longer exist and instead history gives us…this. Arthur said, stretching a hand out across the vast wasteland for emphasis.

Claire frowned in thought as they walked, Okay, so basically we’re here on a treasure hunt. You want to claim Abfall as your turf so that you’re free to explore it, search for this magic technology on your own without anyone interrupting you. Let’s say you find this hidden technology, then what? You’re not a scientist, I’m not a scientist, Benji sure as shit isn’t a scientist. What are you going to do with this advanced tech, what even can you do?
All good questions, but not the right ones. Arthur said simply and Claire groaned.
So help me god it’s the coconut metaphor all over again.
You’re right; we came to Abfall so I might claim this island as my turf and my turf alone to keep unwanted eyes from prying on my business and away from what’s hidden here. However, I have no interest in this supposed lost technology, I highly doubt it even exists. Perhaps at one point, but time is a cruel mistress and destroys everything in her path without a care in the world.  No, what I’m searching for is far more valuable than ancient technology.
What?
The past.
Claire stopped in her tracks and stared at Arthur as he continued walking. Behind him he could hear her call out, This is why I don’t talk to you anymore!

By now they had made it to the outer perimeter of the deserted settlement.  To their right stood the remains of a house, only three concrete walls to mark what had once been a pleasant home. Benji landed gingerly on the wall closest to them, kicking up dirt and scattering broken concrete on the ground around him. For a moment it seemed as if the wall would buckle and collapse beneath the light weight of Benji’s fram, but it held firm without issue. Find anything of interest while you were exploring? Arthur asked his subordinate who only shrugged with a shake of the head, Empty, very empty. Black dirt not very interesting, no people or animals to play with. Arthur frowned, even for Abfall it was odd how little life they had seen so far. Though, it was probably best for those people and animals as Benji’s form of playing tended to be…violent in nature. I’m sorry to hear that my friend, perhaps the next settlement will bring more companions for you. Benji nodded before perking up, his ear to the wind, There’s something here. With that he took off again, his wings beating against the air and spraying Arthur and Claire with debris and sand. Their masks protected them from the majority of it, but still Arthur covered his eyes with his long black sleeve. When the dust settled Arthur and Claire followed Benji deeper into the abandoned settlement. Standing in what Arthur had to assume to be the center, they found Benji spinning in a slow circle and attempting to peer into the abandoned house, the shadows inside darker than night.

Well? Claire asked the young boy but Benji only held a finger to his lips and whispered, Shhhh. Before pointing behind Arthur and Claire. The two turned to see a meager looking dog standing atop a pile of rubble and staring them down about thirty feet away. It looked frail but strong, lean muscle beneath taught skin. Must be a stray, probably not uncommon around here.
Benji shook his head, He’s not a stray. He’s not alone. As if on cue more dogs began to appear out from behind the houses, some emerging from their shadowy depths, creating a ring around the trio. They moved nearly silently, clearly intent and fully aware of what they were doing. This went far beyond pack mentality. These dogs had been trained to hunt and kill as one and Arthur could feel the bloodlust in the air, much like the bloodlust he often experienced himself. He was a killer and he was surrounded by at least a dozen fellow killers. Well, this day just went from bad to worse. Claire mumbled as she reached down and picked up what Arthur assumed to have once been part of a fence post, the top ending in a pointed tip. Benji just clapped with joy and anticipation, eager to play with his new friends. Arthur watched the dogs carefully, he wasn’t nervous, but rather bothered that he wouldn’t be able to dispose of this nuisance quickly due to his comrades being trapped in such tight corners with him. The circle grew smaller with each passing step of the dogs as they ringed in the trio, leaving the only room of escape being through the dogs themselves. This close Arthur would have to deal with the dogs one by one rather than wipe them away with his fruit in one clean swoop.

Claire, grab Benji and take him into the Mir-
You’re joking right? They’re just dogs. We haven’t done anything even remotely interesting besides walk in the past, what, three days? Now when something fun actually comes along you want me to hide while you have all the fun? Fat chance old man, you’re stuck with us.
Arthur sighed but said nothing; he had to respect her grit. Without a bark or even vague communication, the dogs began to charge. The first to jump at Arthur snapped at his jugular, attempting to lay the man out on the ground where he’d be easy prey. Instead, Arthur spun with the dog as it jumped, sending it flying through the air past him and into one of its comrades behind him. The dogs yelped but Arthur didn’t have time to finish them off as another snapped at his ankles. He quickly kicked this one away, feeling ribs snap beneath his impressive strength. To the left of him Claire bat away snapping jaws before driving the fence post through the dog’s neck from above. Benji laughed as he spread his mucus out in front of him, ensnaring two of the beasts and watched helplessly as they tried to free themselves of the sticky substance before Benji simply snapped all eight of their collective legs. The dogs howled in agony but Benji just left them there in the pool of his mucus while he turned his attention to the others, smiling the whole time. Another snapped at Arthur who put his forearm up as a brace, only to feel sharp teeth clamp down on his muscled forearm. Not even strong enough to break the skin, Arthur grabbed the dog by the scruff of its neck, hoisting it into the air before snapping its neck with two hands.

Dogs lay dead or dying around the trio’s feet, but still more remained and their dead comrades only intensified their anger. Instead of staying on the defensive however, Arthur charged at the beasts, hoping to be done with this tedious task as quickly as possible. He caught two mid-leap by their necks, smashing them together as he felt their spines snap against one another with the intense force. Claire continued spinning and twisting her fence post, now splintered and bloody but still deadly all the same. She poked holes in the beasts like swiss cheese, keeping them at bay while Benji force fed other dogs mucus, filling their insides and shutting down organ function. Finally, with only about five dogs left, the pack gave up. They seemed to look over their fallen and dead with sadness and remorse, but turned and left as silently as they had arrived. Those, those were not normal strays. Claire said between breaths. She was fine, but winded like any warrior after a fight. No, they weren’t. Arthur said in thought, They seemed…trained almost. Arthur shook his head, Let’s keep moving, I’d like to make it to that shantytown before those things come back with more friends. Claire simply nodded silently and began walking out of the abandoned area while Benji poked at one of the dead wolves with a stick.

By the time they reached the shantytown the sun was already low in the sky, not quite setting, but their shadows danced across the black ground in grotesque form. Benji had descended from the sky a few hours earlier and walked with them now, his curiosity exhausted. In front of them stretched a rather large town made among the ruins of buildings. Shacks of sheet metal and plywood packed closely together, some acting as housing, others as shops, and still others as both. The shantytown was far larger than it had appeared earlier in the day, with the ground sloping slightly down on the hill, allowing the town to sprawl out across a far larger area than Arthur previously thought. As they walked through the trash littered streets, some people stared at the newcomers, others paid them no mind, too busy going about their day to day activities. Arthur noticed that they actually blended in quite well here, their cloaks had grown dusty from the long walk and many people wore some form of face protection against the dust storms that threatened this area. Some had large goggles, others masks of their own, and still others simply bandanas. It seemed that if something could be used for anything, even the most menial of tasks, it was put to work on this island. Clothes were mismatched with pieces of faded and rusted metal used as armor. Bright cloth now dulled by the harsh sun and years of use dotted people's attire as they passed by. Arthur could tell these were a hard people, they did not relish in luxury because they had never known luxury. No, these people fought for survival day in and day out, they weren't pushovers. They were exactly the kind of people Arthur wanted backing him.

Arriving at a shop towards the center of the shanytown (shanty-city really), Arthur read the flickering neon sign. The letters were different colors and even different fonts, showing clearly they had been taken from different fixtures rather than one cohesive sign. Noodles N Thigs Arthur read silently to himself. What's a Thig? Benji asked, following his captain's gaze. It's what you get when you run out of n's. A voice boomed from behind a raggedy curtain. Arthur stepped forward, pulling back the half length cloth to reveal a circular bar with two other patrons slurping noodles from steaming bowls. A tall, wiry man stood behind the counter, cleaning a bowl with a damp cloth. He and Arthur traded looks for a moment before Benji came bounding into the store behind Arthur and took a seat at the table. It smells so goooooood. Benji said, practically panting as the smells of the noodle shop wafted through the air. Welcome to Noodles N Things, will you be having noodles today or try your luck with our batch of things? The man asked, placing the washed bowl in a pile behind him. Three noodles, he's paying. Claire said as she entered behind Arthur and took a seat next to Benji, removing her mask to eat her meal. Arthur looked from her to the man before removing his mask himself and fishing in his pocket for a few Beli notes. He slid them to the man who raised a single eyebrow in mild surprise before Arthur said, Keep whatever change there is. The man nodded quietly but quickly stuffed the bills into his pocket before disappearing through another curtain, most likely the kitchen, to prepare the meal.

Arthur sat on the other side of Benji and looked down the bar to his left to the other two diners. They paid the newcomers no mind, each individuals lost in their own thoughts and worries. Arthur turned back to his comrades, content they would not be bothered. You know, I admire what they did with the place. It's a dump, but this town has a certain homey feel to it. Claire said, staring around the noodle shop. Arthur simply nodded in acknowledgement. I have a feeling we won't find a place to stay for the night, we'll have to camp on the outskirts.
I wouldn't suggest doing that if I were you. The tall man said as he entered the dining area from the kitchen. He looked at Arthur sheepishly, Sorry, small place, noodles should be done in a minute. realizing he had been eavesdropping. The Scavengers, they call themselves Scavs, usually come around in the evening. Anything that isn't bolted down or defended with a man and his shotgun usually gets taken. Even then, things still turn up missing.
How do things 'turn up' missing? If it's missing, it can't turn up and if something turns up, it can't be considered missing, right? Claire said almost to herself, clearly not at all focused on the main concern of the conversation, that being the Scavengers.
These Scavengers are violent I assume? Arthur asked, staring at the man.
Aye, quite. The main band of them are lead by a bastard of a man named Criksix, calls himself the Scavenger King, or just the King for short. No lack of ego in that one. The man said as a small woman walked out from behind him with three steaming bowls of noodles and utensils already in the bowls.
Where do they live? Arthur asked simply while the other two dug into their meal.
Out in the Badlands, have their own little city out there. All the Scavengers go in and out of there but the Bloodskulls, that's the largest band of em, they run the place. Criksix's word is law there, though there aren't any real written laws so to speak.
The Bloodskulls? Claire asked, raising an eyebrow as she slurped down a noodle.
I didn't say they were smart, just mean and there's a lot of em.
Accepting this as an answer Claire shrugged and returned her attention to her meal.

Where are these Badlands? Arthur asked before taking a fork full of his own noodles. They were hot, unseasoned, but food all the same and having gone most of the day without any food his stomach welcomed it warmly. The tall man chuckled, I can understand why, to the outsider, it may look like all this land is badland and you're not wrong. The specific Badlands though, they're farther North from here. The man took a pencil from behind his ear and brushed off the wooden bar in front of him with his hand. He began tracing a rough outline of the island to Arthur's left. Arthur watched him intently as the man sectioned the island into three main areas. This is where we are, we call this place Haven. This, He pointed to a squiggly line off to the left of Haven, this is the basic start of the Waste. No one lives out there save for the animals. Packs of wild dogs no better than the Scavs have claimed this part of the island as their own. Pointing the pencil above Haven now, Arthur saw another squiggle to decide the boundary and then a larger circle within that new territory, These are the area known as the Badlands, it's where the majority of the ruins are from the Germa Kingdom. The man said before circling the circle he had already created, And this, in the heart of all that, in the center of the destruction and rot is Scav Land where the Scavengers reign supreme. Of course the three areas tend to blend together from time to time. Packs of Wild dogs roam into our territory now and again, we send people out into the other two territories to hunt. Hell some Scavengers even live here in Haven, keeping an eye on those who come in and out. Most likely spies for Criksix or any of the other Scav band leaders.

Arthur nodded and ate as he studied the map, And what's here? Beyond the Badlands? Arthur asked, pointing to the area north of the squiggle marking the northern boundary of the Badlands. The man raised an eyebrow before scratching at his chin in thought, Truthfully no one around here is quite sure. Most call it the Pit as it's just a massive, overgrown crater.
Overgrown? As in plant life? Arthur asked in surprise. Throughout their entire walk across the island today not once had he seen anything that he'd deem 'overgrown'. Some dry weeds here and there for sure, but nothing of any real sustenance.
Aye, I've never seen it myself but stories float around that it's the only place that can actually grow anything green other than the meager farms we have here to sustain us.
If this exists, why aren't people flocking to it? It sounds like an oasis in the middle of a vast nothingness. Claire asked, piping up, her bowl empty.
Because girl, those who go to the pit don't come back. There's something...alive in there, some think the pit itself is alive. Swallows people whole they claim. The man shook his head absently. His response had been quick, biting as if he had been offended by Claire's question. Arthur finished his meal before placing more beli on the counter, We should be moving on, the sun is setting by now. Arthur said to his companions as he rose from the bar stool.
You already paid when you got here. The man said about the money.
That was for the food, this is for the information. Arthur said before placing his mask over his face once more and turning, walking out from the curtain. The man only frowned but pocketed the money as Benji and Claire joined their captain.

Arthur had been right, the sun was already setting in the distance, casting pink and orange hues in the sky over the wasteland of an island. We should probably head out of town and find a place to set up camp before it gets d- Arthur held up a hand to silence Claire as he gazed around the area. Something was...off. People still busied about the streets, but less so and they moved far quicker than before. Perhaps it was just the setting sun, driving people to whatever shack they called home for the night. After a moment, Arthur realized what it was he was looking at, various off-road vehicles had been added to the mixture of scrap and trash that dotted the streets. They were parked strategically among the rubble, some even with cloth draped over them to not draw attention, but they were there. Arthur was surprised with how close some of them were to the noodle shop, surely he would have been able to hear them approach even over the din of the outside area. Unless of course the drivers had cut the motors and allowed the vehicles to roll to their resting positions so as not to alert anyone, particularly the trio in the shop. Kane... Claire began but Arthur just nodded, I know, stay behind me so you don't get in the way. He could feel both Benji and Claire move ever so slightly back.

Arthur waited, surveying the area. He was suddenly aware of how painfully quiet it had gotten before he noticed someone to his right begin to reach beneath his tattered cloak. Instinctually Arthur raised his foot, a quake bubble already generated around it and brought it down hard on the ground. Spreading out like a cone the ground in front of Arthur literally lifted into the air as large chunks of metal and rock were thrown skyward, erupting violently from the ground. The man reaching beneath his cloak was thrown as well, along with maybe half a dozen others who had been hiding amongst the shacks and rubble. A horn sounded as some of the vehicles came to life and drove out from their hiding spots, packed to the brim with Scavengers all armed to the teeth. Behind him two tentacles of mucus shot into the air, grabbing two massive chunks of stone and rubble. Benji brought one down hard on the front of one of the larger vehicles, causing the engine to explode and sending Scavengers flying through the air, fully alight from the explosion. The other chunk of rubble was brought down on two of the Scavengers who had been thrown into the air by Arthur's attack, ending their meager existence. A vehicle peeled out from a side street, a massive machine gun turret strapped to the back. As it turned the corner the gun barrel began to spin. The ground to the right of Arthur began to shred beneath the onslaught of bullets when Claire suddenly stepped in front of him, a mirror generated large enough to cover the whole trio. The bullets hit the mirror and instantly rebounded back, shredding the car, its driver and most importantly its gunner. When the bullets stopped, Arthur took off towards the charging Scavengers, willing to meet them head on.

He threw a punch to his left, quake bubble encasing his fist and for a split moment nothing happened until suddenly the air shattered in front of a group of Scavengers and they were all thrown hundreds of feet away, bones breaking from the impact of the vibrations. Arthur jumped high into the air to meet a charging vehicle head on, bringing his Haki covered fist down into the front of it. The vehicle flipped, sending half a dozen more scavengers sky ward and into the waiting mucus net of Benji's. They screamed as Benji did what Benji did best, a mixture of sexual and torture techniques one shouldn't get to much detail of. Arthur ducked as the vehicle spun over head before laughing out loud as electricity coursed through his shoulder and painfully constricted his muscles. However, for Arthur it wasn't painful but instead pure pleasure thanks to his birth defect. The scavenger who had struck him with the stun baton was clearly confused but didn't have time to think about it before Arthur swung his fist around, concaving the man's skull near his right temple. In his peripherals a four wheeler appeared behind Claire and Benji, Arthur turned to warn them but was distracted when a blade sliced through his upper bicep. Warm blood dripped down his arm as dopamine flooded his brain causing him to produce a wide, toothy grin as he stared at his assailant. Arthur could see behind the man's goggles, he was clearly scared.
What, what are you? The man stammered, his curved sword raised to attack again but clearly too stunned to actually use it properly. Arthur reached forward and with his bare hands bent the sword to the left, making it completely useless, I'm your reckoning. Arthur said before grabbing the man's head and producing a quake bubble. The man's head exploded from the vibrations, his corpse dropping at Arthur's feet.

Shit! Claire screamed as Arthur turned his attention back to his comrades, but Claire was nowhere to be found. The fourwheeler was driving past him now, a net of some kind being dragged behind with Claire inside. Seastone! She yelled to Arthur as the four wheeler sped past, its driver tossing something in the sand at Arthur's feet. Arthur looked down in time to notice a small hand grenade at his feet, his eyes grew wide before the explosion knocked him off his feet. His natural durability kept him alive and only moderately damaged, but the blast was enough to knock him unconscious. He lay in the black sand, giggling as darkness encroached his vision and he fell into a deep sleep.

Light streamed through from behind Arthur’s eyelids, it was faint at first, a soft glow before it grew brighter and brighter. He opened his eyes to find himself staring at an oil lantern some three inches from his face. Upon realizing the man was awake, whoever was holding the lantern quickly pulled it away, letting Arthur’s vision adjust to the darkness around him. The shantytown, Haven as the locals called it, had an odd assortment of light sources once the sun had set. Strings of bulbs lined some of the shacks, half broken lampposts, some on others not, dotted the streets. Others hung burning torches, lanterns; one house simply had a burning pile of trash out in front of it Arthur noticed as he scanned the area from his position on the ground. His body tickled slightly throughout the majority of it, but specifically in his abdomen where pockets of pleasure wracked his nerves. He gently grazed his hands along his abdomen, feeling for any serious damage. His hands came back bloody, but not much and most of it was already dried. He could feel shards of shrapnel in his abdomen and legs but they were tiny and the natural durability of his skin had done quite a bit to keep them shallow. Certain he’d walk away with only a few nicks and bruises, Arthur began picking out the shards of shrapnel he could feel in his stomach and upper thighs.

Whoa there, probably shouldn’t just be picking at that stuff all willy-nilly. We called a doctor, she should be here shortly. The man from the Noodles N Thigs said, he had been the one holding the lantern in Arthur’s face. Arthur noticed now that a small cluster of people had formed around him. To his right Benji sat huddled with his knees up against his chest, staring intently at Arthur. Picking most of the pieces out, Arthur dropped them to the ground before forcing himself to sit up. He chuckled from the pain and said to the man, I am a doctor, tell her to stay home. He then looked at Benji, It’s fine, I’m okay. Where’s Claire?
Benji shook his head and grabbed his hair, letting his mucus covered fingers comb through it in anger, Gone, gone, gone. Bad men, Claire is gone. Benji bubbled, his words hardly coherent. Arthur simply nodded, his fears confirmed. He looked down at his torn pants and shirt. His cloak had tears and burn marks in it as well but for the most part was salvageable. He picked his mask up from the sand, scraping out the dirt and grime as best he could before placing it over his face once more. That’s what I feared. Arthur said as he rose to his feet. Fresh blood dribbled out of the small wounds where he had pulled the shrapnel from but he paid them no mind. He knew his body would clog the wounds with platelets and before long the wounds would scab over.
I watched you stand on a grenade from one of those bastards. What…boy, what are you? The Scavs….they didn’t stand a chance. The noodle man asked in disbelief. Arthur ignored him, instead scanning the area. The ground was littered with dead Scavengers and people were already picking the corpses clean for anything even remotely of value. Finally, in the dim light his gaze fell on one of the four wheelers the Scavs had driven into Haven. That vehicle, does it run? The townspeople were busy looking over the corpse of the vehicle’s driver, who sat slumped across the steering column, a large iron rod sticking out of his back. The townspeople apparently hadn’t yet gotten to strip the vehicle for parts yet. The noodle man frowned but turned towards Arthur’s pointing and said, Not sure, might as well have a look before they start taking it apart though.



Whatcha readin? Cyrus’s voice suddenly broke Shiva’s concentration and she flung herself sideways off the bleachers in surprise. Gah! She uttered as she fell to the concrete ground, I told you to stop doing that! She mumbled to her father, somewhat irritated at not only being interrupted in her reading, but also getting the crap scared out of her. Cyrus just laughed, sitting in the bleacher row behind Shiva’s, his feet resting on the back of her bench as she collected herself and stood, placing the book on the bench seat. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and frowned, I thought we agreed, emergencies only. She said, her tone not even trying to hide her irritation.
It was an emergency, you’re over an hour late for dinner. Your mother was getting worried. Cyrus said and Shiva just rolled her eyes, knowing her mother would have never actually been worried enough about Shiva’s well being to send Cyrus looking for her. It wasn’t that Asura didn’t care about Shiva, it was just that Cyrus cared about her much more and would’ve been the one motivated to look for her, not Asura. However, Cyrus held up his hands in defense when he saw her look, No I’m dead serious, she told me to go get you. You know how she’s been lately…
You mean more motherly?
I mean…I wouldn’t…well, yeah. He said, rubbing the back of his head and not making direct eye contact. Shiva’s expression softened, her mother and father were odd, there was no doubt about that, but they had always maintained a silent understanding of one another. They rarely if ever fought, but they equally as rarely kissed or embrace, at least in front of the children anyway. It was a cold up brining, but not without love. Since Asura had returned from her encounter with Angel Mishura however, Shiva’s mother had completely changed. It was for the better, but it was also confusing at times and an adjustment for not only Shiva, but Cyrus and Deva as well. They were glad, just trying to adjust and not get their hopes up that this was only a momentary change.
Alright fine, let’s go home then. Shiva said, extending her hand so her father could teleport them both back.
An hour late, you must be enjoying the book then, huh? Cyrus asked with a knowing smile that only a parent could wear.
Eh, it’s alright, the pages make for some pretty good kindling for my fire techniques. Shiva teased, not wanting to give Cyrus the satisfaction that he had been right and she was in fact loving the book. Her father took her hand an in a flash of light, the two were gone.

Words: 7837
Needed: 7600

Jutsu Trained:

Approved