Zento's Day Off. (Solo Training)

Zento finally had a day to himself. No missions on hand, no word on his team, nothing. He was happy about that. He wanted some good solo time to train. Have some fun. Enjoy life. Zento crawled out of bed. Going into his bathroom and doing his morning rituals. He would use the bathroom and head into the shower. Brushing his teeth and tapping his foot to the beat of the music in his head. Finishing up and drying off, Zento put on his normal robes and put his fan into his sleeve. Leaving the house and looking at his mail box. Zento stopped at his door giving an evil glare at the mailbox. Thinking to himself if there was a letter he was gonna lose it. Zento slowly walked towards the front gate. Inches away from the mail box. Zento's heart began to beat hard and into his throat as his hand slowly went closer to the handle of the mailbox. Pulling it away and taking a few steps back. Zento started to pace back and forth in front of the mail box. His eyes never looking away from it. Zento's movements would make you think he was trying to get a read on the mail box. As if it committed a horrible crime and Zento was about to get a full confession. Quickly stopping in his tracks, Zento turned to the mailbox and with all of his speed he reached for the handle. Grabbing it tightly and breathing heavy. Sweat leaving his eyebrow as he went to open it. Taking a deep breath. "Calm down calm down. You got this. There's nothing there. You know that." He told himself as he opened it just a crack  before slamming it shut and turning around.

"BUT WHAT IF?!" He yelled to himself. Pointing at nothing in the air as if someone was there. If there was a letter, Zento would flip shit. He would have to start a new life. Change his name. But what would he change it to? Sloth? No to edgy. Riuku? Out dated. Walter? Too white. Mr. Bobo? No what is he? A clown? Zento stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath. Zento opened his eyes and looked at the mail box. Quickly opening it and slamming it shut. Pausing for a moment and opening it again to look inside. Nothing. Fuck yeah! Zento jumped back and punched downwards in excitement. He had the day to himself. Turning to his right, Zento saw a man holding a a cart of food standing still watching Zento the whole time. Zento made a blank face staring back at the man. Silence filling the side of the road as Zento quickly reached into his pouch pulling out a smoke bomb and throwing it to the ground covering the area in smoke for a clean escape. Zento then started coughing uncontrollably and stepping side to side in the smoke. Fumbling forward out of the smoke and leaning against a wall now in front of the man with the cart still watching. Zento dropped to the ground still coughing. His face red and full of veins popping out. He could hardly breath. Reaching out to the man and trying to talk. But the words couldn't come out. The man started pushing the cart. "This is what my taxes are training?" He said walking away. Zento rolled more into the street reaching out his hand and hardly speaking but getting the words out sorta. "Mahtha wash a whore!!!" He said coughing it out.

The man quickly turned back around. Zento noticing the man was a lot fatter than he could recall from the distance. His vision sorta coming back. He looked to be a fat Italian  who butchers his own meat. He quickly kicked Zento in the face and his nose started to bleed Zento felt him kick him in the gut and Zento got to his feet quickly. stepping side to side and slapping him in the face. "Come at me you limp noodle fuck." Zento said. The mans face full of rage tackles Zento and starts punching over and over in Zento's face. Zento blocking them as best as he could and punched the man in the gut and got him off of Zento. Zento getting back to his feet. "Tell your mother that she needs to stop leaving her old panties at my place." The man punched Zento in the face having him take a step back and turned around. The man getting Zento in a headlock. Zento could feel the air being cut off and spoke with the last bit of air he could. "Your mother likes to be choked like this too." The man went for a punch and Zento pulled out a senbon and stabbed him in the side prison style. The man let go of Zento and he could breath again. He saw the man holding the stab wound and falling on his ass. Zento then thought, Right, i'm a shinobi and this is a dude who lives in this village. Zento started to go back to thinking of changing his name. He quickly brought the man into his house and doctored up the wound as best as he could.

Zento Started talking to him. "Sooooo, I think we should pretend none of this happened. What do you say?" The man looked at Zento and put his hand out. He wanted payment. Zento sighed. Reaching into his wallet and handing him a couple hundred ryo. The man got up walking back outside and to his cart. Zento going back outside as well and it was time to restart the day. Zento wiping away the dried blood on his face as he started walking down town. He made his way to the outskirts of the village. Following a pathway that was covered and unused for a long time. Finding a big house. His old house where his family use to live. He would open the door. Leaving his shoes just inside and walking around the abandoned house. He would wipe some dust off the counter  with his fingertip and wiped it from his finger on  the ground. He then reached the basement door. Taking a deep breath and walking inside. He closed the door behind him and rolled his sleeves up. He would grab an apron and put it on with thick gloves. The basement was where they kept the forge. The place was spotless. Always cleaned by Zento when he would make his trips here. Zento would grab an old bow staff and some sand paper. Rubbing the sand paper on it and watching how all the splinters smoothed out. He would blow away the shavings and then grab the coating for it. Giving it a nice finish, Zento left it to dry and moved the the forge. 

Zento grabbed The molten metals and poured it into filling to form the blade of a sword. Zento would have to wait for it to harden up a bit before heat it up. Zento would then place the heated metal and grabbing it with the Tongs and puts it in a clamp. Grabbing a hot cut tool and a hammer to cut off the extra metal and having it fall down. Taking the blade out and slamming the hammer down on it. Metal sparks flying and shavings coming off the sides. Moving the metal around and  to keep the strikes even all through out the work. He would then forge the guards for sword. He would clamp the handle down and twist them slowly. Zento would then start to work  on the handle and start to wrap a wire it and slowly press in the wire to take the shape of the handle and fit in perfectly. Zento would then take the blade to a stone grinder. Having the wheel spin as fast as he could, Zento put the edge end of it to it as sparks exploded downwards to Zentos apron covering him and keeping him from burning. Zento would keep this going for a while till the sword was as sharp as could be. He would put the hilt on the end. Engraving a gear with the number seventy seven in it. Showing that this blade was made by him. He would stare at his finished sword. Working on small lines at the blade to give it a more polished look. He would put his finger to the tip of the blade. pushing down and letting it poke through. His blood going down the blade. Zento always believed if he forged a weapon, the first blood it should shed should be his own. 

Grabbing a hand rag, he would clean up the sword. Putting it in a sheath he made on his last visit. A perfect fit from such a guess. He would open a side room where thousands of weapons were. As far as the eye could see. He walked towards a sword section and placed it there. Next to more identical swords. He would then grab a bow and arrows along with a few different weapons. Heading upstairs and to a backyard where a training ground was. Zento stood in front of targets and put his bow out. Putting and arrow in and pulling back. Lining of his shot and taking a breath. Right at the pause of his breath where he would be the most still, he fired. Hitting dead on and studying where it would be on the target. Accepting it and then pulling the arrow out. Going back to his spot and looking at the three targets next to each other. Going as fast as he could, Zento fired three arrows. One at each target and hit them all dead on. Zento would fire two more in the middle target in front of him. Both arrows right next to the original one. He would spend an hour doing this. Trying to fire the arrows faster. He would put the bow down and grab a dry towel. Wiping the sweat off his forehead and putting it back down on the stool next to him. He would then move to a giant log sitting there.

Zento would pull out his staff and begin to strike it. The vibration going through the staff so hard that his hands stung on the first hit. He would do so again. Keeping this up and moving faster as his hands were going numb from the pain. Zento stepped away fron the log to give the hands a rest from the pain but that wasn't him stopping his training. Zento spun the staff around as fast as he could and would do basic combos with the staff. Zento would then press the end of the staff into the ground and quickly climb up the staff. Holding himself up with one hand in the air balanced on the staff. He would slowly lower himself down on it before pushing himself back up to straighten his arm out. Keeping his balance on the staff. Zento felt himself shake. He was about to fall. As soon as his hand slipped, Zento put his other hand out to be where he had the original hand. Holding himself still. The staff feeling like it was pressed into his hand and through it. He pushed as hard as he could. Lifting himself back up and extending his arm all the way back out before falling off the staff. His back crashing into the ground and taking what wind he had left with it. Zento would take this time to catch his breath. Closing his eyes and tapping the ground with his finger to a beat of music.

Zento got up and grabbed his scythe. Doing the same motions as he did with the bow staff for training. Then swinging the blade against a training dummy and cutting it clean in half. He nodded at his work and put his hand to his stomach. It was lunch time. He would walk back to the building. Wiping the sweat off his face and go into the kitchen. He would turn the stove on and begin to cook a steak. The kitchen being pretty clean aside from a few dishes he didn't do last time. He cooked the steak with some garlic, salt, pepper. Keeping it simple and cooked medium rare But a little more on the rare side. He would put the piece of meat on his plate and make his way to the table. The table being covered in dust except where he always sat. He would close his eyes and then open them after a few seconds and grab his fork and knife. Cutting off a small piece before taking a bite. He would sit in silence. His eyes never leaving his plate. All that could be heard was the sound of Zento digging into his meal. He finished it up and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Taking his plate to the kitchen. He began to wash all the dishes and putting them up. Getting all of them this time around. He figured he would go do something else now.

As Zento jumped into the trees, he made sure to be very careful. He didn't want anyone to know that he had been here. It was best that his old house was lost to time. At least, that was Zento's opinion on it. He would land in front of the village gates walking through the gates. He scratched the back of his neck as he looked around. It was only the middle of the day. He figured he would maybe get something to drink. He walked around the village looking for a place to drink. Finally finding a bar that was hidden off to the distance in some hole in the wall. Zento walked into the bar smelling of cigarettes and depression. He shrugged as he walked to the bartender. Asking for some sake and getting a small bottle with a cup. pouring himself some in the cup and taking a sip. Closing his eyes enjoying it. Breathing out in relaxation. Opening his eyes, Zento spotted someone. A fat man with hair sticking out of his shirt from his chest. The man from before. Zento went back to his drink. The man seemed to already be drunk. Stumbling over to Zento and shoving him. "I knew yer a shinobi. It's cause of you guys that we constantly have war and our village is shit." Zento took a few more drinks and pointed at the man. "We are the ones keeping you safe to fat fuck." Zento was instantly met with a punch in the face. Flying from his seat.

Zento kicked his chair into the mans shin and had him fall over on the ground. Zento getting to his feet as the man did as well. Turning back around to face him but was to slow. Zento dropped to a knee as the fat Italian man kicked him right in the nuts. Zento punched the man in his as he fell to the ground. Zento grabbed his bottle and started chugging it. The man got to his feet. Grabbing his own bottle and bashing it into the side of Zento's head. "MOTHER FUCKER!" Zento said grabbing the side of his head that was bleeding now. Tackling the man over the bar as they began to brawl. The bar tender calling the bouncer who appeared out of nowhere and slammed both Zento and the man against the wall by the neck. Both Zento and the man were moving around to no progress. They were trapped. Told to pay their bill and leave now. Once they got freed, the fat Italian man tackled Zento again and they started to brawl once more. The man grabbed them and slammed them onto the bar. The fight was over. Zento thought though he won. Reaching into his sleeve and paying his tab. However, the wallet was stolen from the man he was fighting without him noticing. He left as he heard the man talk about some kind of mistake and that Zento stole his wallet. He smiled as he closed the door behind him.

Zento quickly jumped up into the air to the top of buildings Reaching into his pouch and grabbing a bandana. Wrapping it around his head to cover the bleeding spot. He would put his back against a wall that was attached to the door leading to the inside of the building. Closing his eyes and catching his breath a bit. Slowly feeling himself fall asleep.

Zento found himself standing in his old house at night. A dream? He looked around. The place was quiet as could be. He was in the training grounds and started to walk into the ground. Feeling the soft soil under his feet. He looked at some of the dummies standing there. Grabbing a staff next to him and started to practice. The sound of his staff hitting the dummy echoed through him. Getting louder each hit he did. As he brought the staff down it came to a sudden stop being grabbed by the dummy. Its blank face not moving but the rest of its body started to move. reaching out to grab Zento. Zento backed away and felt his back hit another dummy that put its arms around him. Zento began to panic a bit as he jumped up and kicked the dummy in front of him and pushed the other one to have both of them on the ground. Rolling over it and pushing himself to freedom. Zento quickly reached for a kunai and stabbed into the dummy. Moving out to the side and quickly slicing the other ones head off. Both of them falling to the ground. Turning at the sound of movement. His little brother. Looking at Zento in horror. "What have you done?" He spoke softly. Zento looked at him confused as he looked down at his hands. Finding blood covering them and turning back to see the two bodies on the floor that where his parents. He couldn't believe what was in front of him. Looking into the reflection of himself in the window he saw a wide smile on his face.

Zento jumped as his eyes shot open and sweat on the side of his head. Breathing heavy and looking around. Trying to remember where he was. Looking around and putting his hand on his head gently. Remembering the wound he took a little while ago. The sun was setting. He had to move somewhere. He couldn't stay on this roof forever.

Zento jumped off the roof of the building he was on and landed on the side of the road. It was time for him to head back to his house. Finding his way around, Zento thought about everything that happened to him today. He thought about his dream and everything new that was going on. It was just him if he thought about it. It was a sad thought to think about. Does Zento have faith in this village? He only joined the village because he had nothing better to do. He could easily leave for the same reason. But would he? He had a handful of people he enjoyed to spend time with but, they were gone. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Thinking about what he needed to do. He had to grow stronger and become more. He wanted to grow and do something with this village. He was tired of being on his own. Maybe making bonds would help him escape the empty feeling inside him. Or would it just be something that passed the time and distracted him from the reality of his situation? The thought of growth was something Zento wanted to try though. Walking to his house, Zento opened the door and closed it locking it behind him.

Zento grabbed one of his books. Studying it and reading on one handed hand seals. Studying how the hand needs to be and practiced it. It was something he did in his early days so he just had to refresh his memory. Looking over scrolls with jutsus in them. Zento would practice it once he stepped outside. practicing his jutsus with one hand. He seemed to have a struggle for it but, he would still remember the motions. He would have to train on this more. It was time though that Zento stopped holding himself back.

He would take in a deep breath. Releasing his chakra nature but instead of a water element coming out, it was for wind. He focused hard and used his water element. Combining the two with his bloodline flowing through him Ice was made. Firing out a spike into a tree. His eyes looking blank and studying it. Zento would work hard and keep his training going. Studying his clan and the history behind it. He was thinking about what his life was like. Zento had a long life in the short amount of time he had on this world. It felt like he lived so many life times. The scars covering his whole body sure showed he had stories to tell. Zento's mind raced back to the past. His time spent on a mountain with the few people he use to call his friends.

As Zento descended the mountain, he couldn't help but think about the past. How long has it been since he last saw his old companions? Would they recognize Zento? How long had Zento been gone. He was grown. With the help of his Doc, he made that possible. He could tell with the age of the trees and plants he was gone for a while. But what of his companions? How different would they be? Are they still alive? Zento could only question if a couple died. But he knew that some of them still had to be walking around this earth. He couldn't help but feel a little excited to see them again. And he was sure they would welcome his return as well. The first was Tenshin. He was from a Village covered in sand. He still held ties to people there. Perhaps he made his return to the sand Village. Zento headed quickly there.


After a day, Zento had reached a village covered in sand. Wondering around and asking if anyone had seen him. Making stops to some of Tenshin's favorite spots in the village. Knowing at least one person had to have information for Zento to find him. Be careful what you wish for though, it might come true. Zento was standing in front of a tombstone. Showing the life of Tenshin. He was gone and by the looks of it, quite a while had past from that moment his last breath was drawn. Zento did not shed a tear for this moment. He knew this would be an outcome for them all one day. But it's never something that he wanted to welcome. He sat at the grave. Grabbing two glasses and lighting an incense over his grave. Pouring into the glasses was Tenshin's favorite drink. Zento was never much of a drinker, but he always got forced into have a drink or two with him. So it was only right that he had a glass with his old friend one last time. Zento finished his glass. Closing his eyes and giving a prayer before leaving the empty glass and full glass with the bottle still at the grave. He was on his way to find another member if any were left. He figured he should find his old doctor. That crazed man should still be kicking.


Zento traveled around to small villages. It was his favorite place to visit. The doc always liked small towns. He could hardly be stopped by anyone from his need of "personal time". He would look to find any trace that he had been to these locations. Zento heard rumors of disappearances in a place not to far from him. That is where he would start. He reached this place. Covered in the forest. Classic area for the Doc to be. He walked around and heard screams. Zento walked calmly to to the noise. the smell of blood was everywhere. Finally, he came face to face with what the Doc had become. It seemed all his experiments had taken their toll on the Doc. He had become a beast himself. Hardly recognizable but without a doubt to Zento that was his old friend. The Doc looked over at Zento as he chomped on bones. Rushing forward at Zento. With a quick strike, Zento dogged and sliced the beast in two. "Please, rest old friend..." Zento had spoke as the body hit the ground. He didn't look back. He didn't want to see his friend like that any longer than he had to. It was onto the next one. Cocaine.


He laughed a little on the thought of his old partner. He always called himself that. An interesting name for sure. But one that Zento grew fond of. He however, had no clue where he could find him. He was never one to share personal details of his time outside of Yotobi. But, Zento would need to track him down anyways. As he went from village to village, he couldn't get any information as to his whereabouts. He tried very hard to find some, but as Cocaine always was, his tracks were too covered. Was he dead too? Zento sent out a message to him with the Jutsu Cocaine had created himself so they can always stay in contact. He knew though if he didn't return the message it only meant one thing... He didn't want to stand around and think about this for too long. It was onto the next one. The final one. Kitaro.


This was the man that Zento knew for the longest. His oldest friend. He knew out of all of his old team, he had to be standing tall. He couldn't have fallen. He heard rumors of his location and headed there quickly. Eager to see a familiar face. He finally made it after a few days to the location of Kitaro. He would sneak around the camp sight. Not wanting to draw any attention to himself. He wanted to surprise his old friend. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of this reunion. He found the location of where Kitaro was stay and would stay hidden. Waiting for the perfect moment to pop out and see his old friend once again. But, perhaps it would have been better had of not done so. For this man, Zento couldn't even recognize him. Everything about him had been different. Zento used the transformation jutsu to blend in with his camp folk. Speaking to Kitaro on the old days he was once in. Kitaro didn't care for those days. Or for the friends he made. Forcing Zento to leave his sight and didn't care of anything Zento had to say to him. Zento broke his transformation to show it was him his old friend. But nothing had changed and Zento could tell. He turned around. Leaving this place behind.


Zento's face never changed. A calm look and collected as always. He was getting tired though. His travels had taken time from him and he needed to rest. He traveled far to a different neighboring town for rest. There he found himself at a bar. Grabbing some food and drink for himself. He was watching the lively crowd. It was nice to see such happy faces around him and people making memories. He took a few drinks and bites of his food. His face never changing as he finished his meal and leaving behind his cash for the place. Zento made his way to an inn. He could see people checking in that were at the bar. A group of friends who have still much more for their night to continue. The night was still young for them and they had planned to make the most out of it. Zento turned and walked out of the inn. Heading too the woods to head back to his mountain. As he reached the woods and after an hour, Zento had stopped moving for a second. His head down and covered in moon light. He dropped to his knees and screamed. As quickly as he dropped he got back up and continued to walk his path. He found a nice place to rest his head in the woods. Leaving the dreams to comfort him.


His mind calming down and taking a breath. Thinking of the traveling he did. Zento sighed looking up at the sky. This is where life lead him to be now huh? Would Zento be happy? Could he? Zento liked the thought that he could. He wanted that more than anything. A sigh left his lips as he walked back inside. Zento would close the door behind him. Grabbing a towel and wiping the sweat off of his face. Walking over to his bathroom, Zento would step in and remove his robe. Turning the water to be blazing hot and the room filling with steam. Stepping in and closing his eyes. Enjoying the burning feeling on his skin. It brought peace to him. Zento started to sing to himself. A song about life. Something that made him feel better. As he finished he turned off the shower and took a deep breath. He walked out could now hear... nothing. It was quiet. It was just him. No distractions. No one here. The only sound was his own breathing and the wood squeaking on his own footsteps. Putting on a fresh robe, Zento would walk into his room and light an incense to calm his mind. Sitting on a mat on the ground. Controlling his breathing and going into a meditative state. Resting there until the next day.


(topic end word count 5013)
(50 stat points)
(Learning wind and ice release)

Approved