Satsumaru walked past a make-shift barricade, the small crowd of people parting to let him through. His armor stayed firm against his frame, and his hair brushed the back of it down to his waist. He looked almost like a demon-lord of old, all garbed in black. The colorless imprint of the Uchiha clan symbol was pressed into the left shoulderguard of his armor, showing his lineage for those close enough. Loud conversation and tumult turned to hushed whispers as he walked by.
A man had set a bomb in a bustling center of the residential district of the village, threatening to set it off and destroy everyone within range. All initial attempts at talking him down had failed, and the first attempt to try to sneak in and apprehend him ended with the deaths of all those who tried. This man was clearly armed and dangerous.
To that end, the village called on Uchiha Satsumaru. Given the situation, his natural mind-altering abilities and high-level techniques made him the ideal agent to handle the situation - one way or another. Naturally, the village preferred him to hypnotically suggest the man to stand down and surrender, but if that didn't work and peace wasn't an option, Satsumaru would need to quickly and efficiently eliminate the target before he could detonate the bomb. His more subtle talents would lend aid to the negotiations, while his affinity for shadow and flame would offer means of a swift and decisive kill.
Reaching the building, Satsumaru called out, "I am Satsumaru, designated by the village to talk with you and see what you need. The village thanks you for allowing me to come in and talk with you."
It was an emotionless playback of what he had been asked to say, of course. While the Uchiha was far from rude or disagreeable, he didn't normally speak so kindly to terrorists or enemies of the village - if he spoke to them at all before eliminating them. This, however, was a special situation...
The Uchiha took careful, measured steps into the building. His arms were raised up to show he had no intent of attack, and his senbon holsters were nowhere to be seen. For all intents and purposes, he was unarmed - physically, at least. The man inside allowed the long-haired Satsumaru to enter without a word. The crowd outside went silent, awaiting whatever was to come of the stand-off.
"Tell me...why do you hold the village's people hostage with a bomb? What have they done to you?" he asked as he came within distance of the culprit.
"You have no idea...it's not what the people have done, it's what this village represents..." he stammered, trying to stay calm, but letting a slight tremble in his voice betray him, "I used to be an ANBU. I used to love my village. Like you...I can see it in your face."
Satsumaru frowned slightly out of an instinctive irritation at being studied and analyzed. For one who did the same to everyone - and everything - else, he hated when he was the subject.
"You're an ANBU, too, I'd wager. Only ANBU have that look. Like you're already dead, you're just biding your time and keeping busy until the end takes you," the bomber explained, obviously a little distressed, "But then...you see too much death. You see the depths of hell that your so-called allies and superiors intend to force you into. It makes you question your purpose, and what the meaning behind it all is."
Taking a small, subtle step closer everytime the man seemed distracted by his own thoughts, Satsumaru inched closer. His Eternal Mangekyou eyes studied the room, noticing and mapping out the numerous fuses that led up the walls and across the floor, to where the bombs no doubt sat waiting to be detonated by the broken man below.
"I've seen deeper hells than most men could fathom in their worst nightmares," Satsumaru replied calmly, "It's all relative to what you're able to take. If you couldn't deal with the shadows, you should've stayed in the light."
At this, the man grew visibly angry and lifted up the detonator.
"You think I can't stand a little darkness, boy?! I was killing men while you were still cradled in your mother's arms!," he snapped back, holding the detonator but keeping his thumb away from the trigger button.
Staring into the man's eyes, Satsumaru commanded him, "Lower the detonator. We're still talking."
The man, through heightened emotions, seemed to resist the hypnotic command of the Sharingan for a brief second or two, but wordlessly lowers his arms and looked calm.
"This village needs to see what pain feels like. What loss feels like. I served the village with my life, and lost more than I can bear. The village didn't care," the disturbed man rambled, "My wife...my son..."
Now, it was Satsumaru's turn to be taken aback. This man had lost his wife and child. No wonder he was ready to go out in a blaze of destruction and imagined vengeance. He felt he had nothing left to live for.
Trying to talk the man back into some measure of logic and ease, the long-haired Uchiha said, "It is a terrible thing to lose your family. Sunan ANBU killed my mother and father, and a Sunan Chuunin murdered my little brother in cold blood...you would imagine I would hold a similar grudge against the village. However, it only inspired me to grow stronger and work harder to uphold the order of justice in this village. Through strength and justice, we can prevent more needless loss."
Stretching his hand toward the trigger-man, Satsumaru offered, "Give me the detonator, my friend. Do not become the murderer you claim to hate. Do not steal other lives for the ones you've lost. They are also fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters..."
At this, the disturbed bomber broke down crying. Satsumaru pondered whether it was wise now to approach him, but did so regardless. If the man intended to set off his makeshift network of bombs, the Uchiha's eyes would see it.
Surprisingly, as Satsumaru came within two paces, the man held up the detonator - not to trigger it, but with his palm outstretched and offering the remote to the Jounin. Carefully and slowly, the Uchiha took the remote, focusing his fire chakra to his hand and setting the device ablaze. It melted instantly as it was cast upon the floor. After a moment of silence, the long-haired man helped the would-be bomber up to his feet and out of the building. As the authorities approached, Satsumaru sighed.
Sad-eyed and empathetic, the Uchiha commanded, "Take him to the Obsidian Palace."
His voice was unsure, and he looked regretful. The man had been broken by loss, and though he threatened to destroy a part of the Sietch Zensunna, he surrendered without a fight. Yet still...the law was the law. For whatever pity Satsumaru felt, it held no sway over justice.
[WC: 1146]
A man had set a bomb in a bustling center of the residential district of the village, threatening to set it off and destroy everyone within range. All initial attempts at talking him down had failed, and the first attempt to try to sneak in and apprehend him ended with the deaths of all those who tried. This man was clearly armed and dangerous.
To that end, the village called on Uchiha Satsumaru. Given the situation, his natural mind-altering abilities and high-level techniques made him the ideal agent to handle the situation - one way or another. Naturally, the village preferred him to hypnotically suggest the man to stand down and surrender, but if that didn't work and peace wasn't an option, Satsumaru would need to quickly and efficiently eliminate the target before he could detonate the bomb. His more subtle talents would lend aid to the negotiations, while his affinity for shadow and flame would offer means of a swift and decisive kill.
Reaching the building, Satsumaru called out, "I am Satsumaru, designated by the village to talk with you and see what you need. The village thanks you for allowing me to come in and talk with you."
It was an emotionless playback of what he had been asked to say, of course. While the Uchiha was far from rude or disagreeable, he didn't normally speak so kindly to terrorists or enemies of the village - if he spoke to them at all before eliminating them. This, however, was a special situation...
The Uchiha took careful, measured steps into the building. His arms were raised up to show he had no intent of attack, and his senbon holsters were nowhere to be seen. For all intents and purposes, he was unarmed - physically, at least. The man inside allowed the long-haired Satsumaru to enter without a word. The crowd outside went silent, awaiting whatever was to come of the stand-off.
"Tell me...why do you hold the village's people hostage with a bomb? What have they done to you?" he asked as he came within distance of the culprit.
"You have no idea...it's not what the people have done, it's what this village represents..." he stammered, trying to stay calm, but letting a slight tremble in his voice betray him, "I used to be an ANBU. I used to love my village. Like you...I can see it in your face."
Satsumaru frowned slightly out of an instinctive irritation at being studied and analyzed. For one who did the same to everyone - and everything - else, he hated when he was the subject.
"You're an ANBU, too, I'd wager. Only ANBU have that look. Like you're already dead, you're just biding your time and keeping busy until the end takes you," the bomber explained, obviously a little distressed, "But then...you see too much death. You see the depths of hell that your so-called allies and superiors intend to force you into. It makes you question your purpose, and what the meaning behind it all is."
Taking a small, subtle step closer everytime the man seemed distracted by his own thoughts, Satsumaru inched closer. His Eternal Mangekyou eyes studied the room, noticing and mapping out the numerous fuses that led up the walls and across the floor, to where the bombs no doubt sat waiting to be detonated by the broken man below.
"I've seen deeper hells than most men could fathom in their worst nightmares," Satsumaru replied calmly, "It's all relative to what you're able to take. If you couldn't deal with the shadows, you should've stayed in the light."
At this, the man grew visibly angry and lifted up the detonator.
"You think I can't stand a little darkness, boy?! I was killing men while you were still cradled in your mother's arms!," he snapped back, holding the detonator but keeping his thumb away from the trigger button.
Staring into the man's eyes, Satsumaru commanded him, "Lower the detonator. We're still talking."
The man, through heightened emotions, seemed to resist the hypnotic command of the Sharingan for a brief second or two, but wordlessly lowers his arms and looked calm.
"This village needs to see what pain feels like. What loss feels like. I served the village with my life, and lost more than I can bear. The village didn't care," the disturbed man rambled, "My wife...my son..."
Now, it was Satsumaru's turn to be taken aback. This man had lost his wife and child. No wonder he was ready to go out in a blaze of destruction and imagined vengeance. He felt he had nothing left to live for.
Trying to talk the man back into some measure of logic and ease, the long-haired Uchiha said, "It is a terrible thing to lose your family. Sunan ANBU killed my mother and father, and a Sunan Chuunin murdered my little brother in cold blood...you would imagine I would hold a similar grudge against the village. However, it only inspired me to grow stronger and work harder to uphold the order of justice in this village. Through strength and justice, we can prevent more needless loss."
Stretching his hand toward the trigger-man, Satsumaru offered, "Give me the detonator, my friend. Do not become the murderer you claim to hate. Do not steal other lives for the ones you've lost. They are also fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters..."
At this, the disturbed bomber broke down crying. Satsumaru pondered whether it was wise now to approach him, but did so regardless. If the man intended to set off his makeshift network of bombs, the Uchiha's eyes would see it.
Surprisingly, as Satsumaru came within two paces, the man held up the detonator - not to trigger it, but with his palm outstretched and offering the remote to the Jounin. Carefully and slowly, the Uchiha took the remote, focusing his fire chakra to his hand and setting the device ablaze. It melted instantly as it was cast upon the floor. After a moment of silence, the long-haired man helped the would-be bomber up to his feet and out of the building. As the authorities approached, Satsumaru sighed.
Sad-eyed and empathetic, the Uchiha commanded, "Take him to the Obsidian Palace."
His voice was unsure, and he looked regretful. The man had been broken by loss, and though he threatened to destroy a part of the Sietch Zensunna, he surrendered without a fight. Yet still...the law was the law. For whatever pity Satsumaru felt, it held no sway over justice.
[WC: 1146]