Men Of Honor [Kensei][FINISHED]

[Oracle]

[This takes place after the narrative "Shadow of the Day" and before "(Not-So) Ordinary People"]

Oracle awoke once again as the morning night was still present, careful not to wake the sleeping beauty Aika by his side. Watching her sleep was somewhat interesting; this was his first time entertaining the company of a woman, so it was a rather new experience for the Malakite. None the less, Oracle had work to do.

He took a quick shower and dressed himself in his usual Markus Bleache' attire, once again fancying the black turtleneck sweater and black slack combination with the same non-prescription glasses he wore when he ran into Death earlier that day. He entered his personal elevator that immediately started to travel down past his penthouse and into the offices of Skylight Industries.

Once the elevator reached the levels of the building near the lobby, Oracle did not budge; he was not planning on leaving the building at all. Instead he was waiting for the elevator to stop in the sub-levels of the building, hoping to keep the word of someone he met earlier today now under the care of his medical staff.

Oracle's elevator stopped on the thirtieth basement level. He immediately left the elevator and headed to the room holding the man named Kensei. He was hoping he was awake so that he could hold him steadfast to his promise.

"When my health is restored, ask of me what you will."

Oracle smirked as he opened the door to his room. Not checking if he was awake or asleep, Oracle once again sat in the chair located in the room, this time grabbing a piece of literature that was actually to his liking. And he started reading, waiting on the masked man to notice him...

[Seishuku Kensei]

Kensei's wound had been healed for the better part of a day, and he had taken the time to rest and contemplate his situation. All his equipment had either been damaged or confiscated, and none of it was at his disposal. He had found his magical ability had been preserved, his ability to cloak himself by bending the light around his body, rendering himself invincible. But it would be of no use to him here, unfamiliar with thew facility, which he could only guess lie under ground due to the lack of windows or outside electromagnetic interference. Sitting on the bed fully clothed, Kensei stared at the only remainder of his ordeal, a hideous scar left from both the magic that scarred him as well as his own self infliction to stop it's spread.

Soon the door open and the man the introduced himself as Markus entered the room and took a seat in silence, grabbing some of the available literature to feign being busy and given the mysterious Kensei a chance to acknowledge him in a manner the ninja felt was only a show of shameless self entitlement. "You have returned, again I express my gratitude for the care and attention I received. Now, again I ask, was is it you ask of me in return? Also, if I am to aid you, I require all my weapons and devices returned to me." Kensei said standing to his feet, his face uncovered and his hair unkempt, cutting straight to the point of the conversation.

[Oracle]

Oracle did not even get a chance to review the book in question before the man named Kensei started to interrogate him as per usual since bringing him here. A small smirk rested upon his face that was aided by the relatively eeriness of a chuckle thereafter. Once again deciding to thank the man Kensei only knew as Markus Bleache', Oracle decided to turn to the first page of the book as he listened to the man's declaration of his debt, along with wondering where his weapons and items were located since his entrance to the building. Oracle smirked as he placed the book on his lap, only able to read the first line of the book.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

"Yes, of course," Oracle agreed with Kensei as he closed the book, knowing that he would never be able to read the behemoth of a novel in a situation such as this one. "Your weapons and artillery will be returned to you as you depart. My intern Jonathan will see to that personally."

He looked at the man standing in front of him, somewhat with a new light on his possible dealings given his stature and ways of dress. He was placing a lot on this bet, and he only hoped that he was right.

"However," he began as he stood, "what I want from you involves no bloodshed for you to use your weapons."

He placed his hands in his pockets and took off his glasses, holding them by his face as he looked at the man with the red facial mask currently around his neck.

"I simply want information," he said as his face turned quite serious. His eyes became fixed to his as he began to enforce his given life debt.

"All the information you know," he said, "on the Tenmeigakure..."

[Seishuku Kensei]

Kensei did not expect this to be the request he owed to fulfill, as the man asked him to divulge secrets dealing with his former home. "It is a secluded village of magical adepts that exist on the fringes of society, why is this important to you?" Kensei asked, teetering around the question by partially answering and asking question of his own. Although his heart no longer lie with the village of Tenmeigakure, his mind was keen and sharpened by his experiences and life their, and he knew the true value of information, a commodity more valuable than diamonds or gold.

"Everything I know of Tenmeigakure is of very little value to someone like yourself, I am formerly of Tenmeigakure and I have never told you of it, so I ask you who have you spoken to and what do you plan to do with what I tell you Mr. Bleache?" Kensei asked again, folding his arms over his chest in inquiry, and mild opposition.

[Oracle]

Oracle smirked as he heard Kensei admit some information about the Tenmeigakujre, proving the Malakite's theory to be true. Well, that and the fact that he was rather reluctant to immediately give him any direct information. And the fact that he decided to answer Oracle's question with a question of his own didn't help his innocence of the apparent village.

That was when he heard Kensei admit he himself was from the village and questioned how he found out, since he never told him he originated there. So, Oracle decided to entertain the man's query.

"This... village... is of importance to me because I have just learned that they have been watching every single move my empi-I mean company has made without me even knowing they exist," Oracle said in a mild-mannered tone. "They presented themselves to me earlier today to ally themselves with my corporation, which was why I had to leave you earlier today.

"And as far as you are concerned," Oracle continued, "I knew our meeting was of no coincidence. For when they met with me, their leader was present, who had bandages wrapped around his mouth, almost like your mouth guard situated around your neck. I immediately assumed that men with such an awkward fashion statement had to know each other." He smiled jokingly. "That, and his name was unique like yours. His name is Tsurugi and it appears that I assumed correctly."

Oracle turned around and looked at the abandoned hallways of the medical wing, still directing his speech to Kensei.

"They know everything about me," he continued, "and I know nothing about them. I find this unfair. You being a former member of this... village... could help me shed some light on who I am bedding with. I have no doubt that they are a resource worth having. But I am not the kind of man that trusts blindly."

He turned his head toward Kensei. "There," he said. "Those are my reasons for this knowledge. Now for your end of the bargain."

He turned around and once again looked at Kensei seriously. "Who are the Tenmeigakure?"

[Seishuku Kensei]

Kensei would not go back on his word to help the man who saved his life, even if it meant severing ties of honor that bound him to his home village. Unfolding his arms, Kensei walked forward, turning to the side as he reached into his pocket to remove a holographic device from his ear, that responded only to his magic. Pressing the small red button, a small, hard light topographic map projection of the village known Tenmeigakure, "... as I said before it is a secluded village of warriors, adept in both magic and various martial arts, who specialize in espionage, assassination and gathering of information."

"The fact that you are being monitored should not surprise you, I can only assume you are more than aware of the dealings of your said business, for they only keep tabs on those who are targets or clients." Kensei said in a blank tone, pressing the button to reveal inner displays of the village.

"The leadership of this community greatly depends on the current situation, the elders leading in times of ease, while those in the field dictate the course of action during times in which there is a heavy volume of business to be done, within and outside the village. If your plans are to acquiesce this village and overthrow the leadership for your own purposes, I wish you the best of luck." Kensei said turning off the device and crushing it in his hand, letting the broken pieces fall as they were destroyed by a minor current of bio-electric energy from his hand. "If you expected more than this, you trespass on what you asked of me, I shall tell you no more than this." Kensei said placing his mask on his face. I will have you know I was the pinnacle of assassin in my class and rank, and despite the condition you found me in, anyone you send in will have their intention read if treachery is afoot, and they will be destroyed, as you will be soon after..." Kensei said before pointing his hands to the man who sat in front of him. "Return my possessions to me now." Kensei said in a non threatening tone.

[Oracle]

Outwardly, Oracle showed a look of thanks and humility for Kensei's information. He was indeed grateful for what he gave him in return for saving his life as his custom acquitted. But inwardly, Oracle's mind started to turn it's knobs of plots and schemes, working out a game plan for something big even as Kensei spoke.

He remembered the man Kyoumou Tsurugi instantly after the assassin ninja showed him where the village was located on his holographic map. The man was silent until he said what he had to say to Oracle that day. And with the reveal that they had been watching his company's movements since day one, he could not allow such a power to roam freely without himself having some control, which he earlier that day was received.

But that wasn't enough.

Oracle had to fully control this village of warriors known as the Tenmeigakure for himself; to have only an allegiance was not enough. Allegiances can be broken; they can be crippled easily. But to have them play straight from your hand? That is a strategy worth having in your deck. And there was only one way to accomplish such a strategic move. He had to eliminate the only member that could become a pestilence if he tried to accomplish this while he was still alive.

He had to kill Kyoumou Tsurugi.

Oracle listened to Kensei warn him about trying to take over the village and offering him his luck, while the Malakite knew all too well that he needed no such religion. This was quickly followed by a threat, stating that everyone he sends in to claim the village for his own -- including himself -- would be destroyed. Once again, outwardly Oracle was sincere. But if you could pay attention to his cat-like eyes, you could read that his true intentions were indeed saying otherwise.

I'd love to see you try it, Kensei, he thought to himself.

"Return my possessions to me now," Kensei insisted.

Oracle nodded. "Of course," he said to his guest. He stared out the door. "Jonathan!" he called.

His intern walked inside the room. "Yes, Mr. Bleache'?"

"Direct Kensei here to where we are currently storing his belongings and escort him outside," the disguised Malakite instructed.

Jonathan nodded. "Yes sir," he said.

After Oracle nodded in response, he once again faced Kensei. "Excuse me for not giving you a more suitable goodbye than this Kensei," Oracle said, "but I am a very busy man. Jonathan here will direct you to your possessions and escort you off the premises."

Oracle bowed in respect to Kensei. "I once again thank you for this valuable information, Kensei," he said to the ninja, "and I wish you the best of luck on whatever road life guides you to walk on."

He checked his watch and chuckled. "Now if you will excuse me, I have to be going."

And with a final wave, Oracle turned around and left the medical ward of the Tokyo building of Skylight Industries. Once he was assured he was definitely alone, he phased into his usual garbs and robes as he walked down the hallway that early morning. Checking the hallway clocks, it was close to three o' clock. He knew where the village was. Going there now would catch the entire population off guard.

This was his chance to strike.

As a grin smeared across the Malakite's face, Oracle started to slowly disappear with his void magic as he started to teleport himself to the village with ever step he took. He once again rubbed his coin of law magic inside his pockets this time not just for control over his chaos magic, but this time out of habit. He couldn't afford for this to blow up in his face. He was a man of order. And now it was time for him to establish it.

A very busy man indeed...

[I'm going to finish this thread here, Kensei. But if you feel that you should add another post to this, then by all means go ahead.]