Strainos Town

[ShiningAce]

A town on the outskirts of Konoha, loyal to the aforementioned Hidden Village. Their trade is masonry and general building.

 

[ShiningAce]

I find myself peering at an conglomerate of wasted teens, a sea of faces consisting of utter glee, and young whimsy, illuminated by the orange flames of a raging fire. The fire beckons, yearning to leave it’s pit prison. Soft music is playing, something you’d expect to hear at a bonfire, acoustic guitars and light voices, some flute notes here and there to keep it interesting. They're playing it live around the fire. It’s all so surreal to me, I sit alone, watching the lashes of fire crack at empty air, the twigs giving it life suffocating into ash. It was a pretty nice turn out though. A sizeable number of twenty people with a beach to themselves, the water would be freezing though at this hour, but it made a nice scenery. My Sharingan darts around the masses, looking for nothing in particular.

“Why are you moping around for? This is supposed to be fun.” A friend of mine sat herself down next to me, fashioned with a million dollar smile and too bottles. She handed me one. I could feel the condensated water around the glass. I eyed the drink within it, with quizical red eyes. “It’s just some liquid courage, ease up. And deactivate please, you'll make people nervous.”

“I’m not moping, this is me existing.” I raised an eyebrow. Shutting down my Sharingan “Alcohol? I try to avoid it if I can. We’re underage anyway.” She shook her head, still smiling, and guided the bottle up to my face. “You’re persistent as ever. I’m only drinking one. I have to walk home and would prefer to do it sober, you know?” I could feel second thoughts, but drowned them with alcohol. “So I presume you’ll be leaving me alone here again?” I didn’t know anyone else here but her.

“Just try to mingle, you’re smart and got a cute head on your shoulders, make use of it. Alright?” I was getting the impression that it was more of a command than a request. A direct order fluffed by a couple of compliments. She shook her finger at me, pushing that ‘scolding’ vibe a little further. She gave me another smile. “Seriously though, do something you wouldn’t.” Vague advice, but sure. With that, she made her way over to another group of friends, giving me several stern glances on the way.

I took another sip from the bottle, like I was expecting the some sort of answer at the bottom. I looked back at the fire, entranced by it. Simple things like that always got me; the sky, fire, music, feelings, all things that made me get all soul searchy. Something does catch my eye eventually, a girl. Cliche I suppose, that through the fire and the flame, I see something that practically takes my breath away with an astounding virility. The girl appeared to be alone as well, only her thoughts to keep her company. She didn’t seem lonely, she just was alone, if that made sense. My grip on the bottle loosened, and it was lost in the sand. Standing up, I made my way over to the girl. “Hi.” Upon close inspection, I found that she was actually one of the prettiest girls here, which begged the question: why is she alone? Something would be bound to hound her. Well… I suppose that would be me. “I couldn’t help but notice the alluring aura of mysteriousness that emanates from your… gentle form. Nah, that’s too long, too intense. Maybe… you are the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen… no, that’s too casually romantic.” I said this to her.

She cocked an eyebrow and gave a half smile. “Are you going over how you're going to flirt with me, to me?” She actually seemed genuinely confused, which was amusing to say the least. “So there is a first for everything.”

“It was the only original way I could think of, while also mentioning how nice your face is, ya know?” I sat myself down next to her. “Someone told me to do something I wouldn’t do usually. And with a little convincing by means of intoxication and slurred rationality, I did this.” I smiled, not bothering to tell her my name. “So, I’d like to take these next few minutes to formally woo you, is that okay?”

She laughed. “You’re pretty weird. But I think that’s the most appealing thing in this place. I’m not very suited for this type of thing.” She referred to the party in a manner that I could relate with. “You have my permission to woo me, since you asked ever so politely.”

“I can see what you mean, about not being suited for this. But for now, I will reserve my inhibitions and make you fall in love with me!” I declared with gusto. This whole situation was so unlike me. The liquid courage known as tequila made it a little easier though, and it was pretty fun.

“Alright then.” She harboured a sort of mocking tone. Using her hand to push some loose strands of hair from her eyes, the girl gave me a rustic stare. “Give me your best shot, I guess.” I nodded, leaning back until I could feel the sand with my bare back.

“Lay down with me, look up.” The girl did so, and shrugged.

“What is it?”

“The world is like the sky, in a lotta ways. Darkness, and light clashing together, divided into territories and stuff. The oldest way there is, light versus dark.” I was always the type of person to think this way, linking things to other things, philosophically -- a person that was pretty well adjusted. “So what do you think.”

“If you ask me, the darkness has a whole lot more territory than the light.” She wasn't wrong, but I thought differently.

“You know, you’re looking at it wrong, the sky thing.” I said, looking up at the stars that that peppered the black blanket the covered our plain, scattered whispers of white surrounded by thick shouts of dark.

“How is that?”

“There was only darkness at one point. You ask me, the light is winning.” She seemed to mull this over, then she nodded, satisfied with this conclusion. “I dunno much, or really anything about you. But I can tell we think the same, and you are quite pretty. I don’t think I can make you fall in love with me today, realistically. But I’d like to someday, maybe tomorrow?”

She smiled again. “If that’s a creative way of asking me out, then… yes, I-I think I’d like that.” I pretended not to notice the deep blushing developing. We laid there, looking at the sky, until the moment the beach cleared out, and the fire died. And it would have been nice, if I never saw that women again. If that was just the last time I saw her. But of course it wasn't.


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Adam's name came from something religious, something irrelevant in their era. He wasn't very familiar with the entirety of the book, something about it's following turned him off. It was just so cultish to him. Before his mom passed away, she would tell him stories of how great Adam was, and how he was the first man, the one who set things in motion after the Creator. At the time, it was all so cool to the young Adam, but now, he hated to be tied down by a mere name. The book's Adam made a grave mistake, so was he fated to his inevitable downfall as well? He thought about this in class, doodling while some teacher went on and on about the basics of ninjutsu or something. A hand dropped something on his desk, dragging him out of his deep thoughts and back into the realm of reality. Adam put his pencil down, and examined the note before him. It was folded neatly into a square. The teen opened it, read the letters contained with the piece of paper.

Fight right after training, winner gets a ryo prize, you in?

Adam glanced at the person seat next to him, giving him a nod. He was most definitely in. The rest of the school day passed fairly quickly, a slew of slurred lectures from lethargic teachers, white knuckled daydreams entrancing his thoughts. The last class would pass, a eruption of noise following through. Chairs scraping the wooden floors, kids running through corridors, a surge of chatter amongst academy students. Adam pushed past the crowds, making his way to the school's parking lot. "This is gonna be a cake walk." There was already a large gathering, mostly dull looking males, and one girl. They formed a ring, containing one bareback student within. He was already shirtless and stretching. "Preparations for his beating?" Adam whispered to himself.

"The man of the hour has arrived." A couple hoots from the crowd. Adam began to take of his shirt. Once the article of clothing was over his face, halfway off, he felt something crash against his face. He tore the shirt of angrily, lashing out at the kid presented before him. He fought dirty, apparently. Adam swung, nailing the kid in the eye, but he caught a left hook to the ribs. Adam back off from the boy, lightly jump off the front of his feat, almost dancing. The other kid watched him carefully, then rushed up to him. It was more like a lurch, like he was forcing himself to approach Adam. His Sharingan activated for a moment, and he saw everything in slow motion. Every punch, every twitch, it was all telegraphed to him. A kick was applied to the side of the head, by Adam, and the fight was over.

Adam raised his arms up high, the winner, once again. Almost right after the last blow, a heavy drizzle started coming down. "I found you." He spun around, wide eyed. There was no way. "And I'll be taking those eyes now." She had found him, there was no doubt. His eyes met with hers, another pair of Mangekyo Sharingan.


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Adam stared down at the mangled body below him, staring into two empty eye sockets. He'd been left no choice. The rain poured down hard, making it impossible to tell he was crying. This sorrowful life. He pounded the ground, shattering whatever it was beneath his hand. He was forced to do this, there was no other way.. right? "Why did you make me do this?" A battle for the perfect set of eyes. A battle he wanted no part of. He punched the ground again, a purple flash in his pupil. He punched again, and again, and again. His rage boiled over. Adam's eyes catch something off, something in the puddle. His relfection. It was him, but someone elses eyes stared back, and they were purple.

1812 x 50 = 90600