[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society Kota faltered for a moment when the older male spoke, softly, his words of amazement. He looked up at Muramasa with wide eyes, then pressed his lips together tightly to hide his bashful smile, quickly looking back down at his hand to avoid eye contact. "I told you I'd be tha best backup ya've ever 'ad," he reminded, trying to hide his pride.     Though, the man did say something that caught Kota by surprise.     "Gum?" He had no idea what that was. He didn't know what a sponge was, either. So, without any context to understand what the other male was saying, the suggestion was lost on him entirely. Though, the next thing made enough sense--sticking it to Boda's head? Maybe gum and sponges meant something sticky like tree sap? Kota knew all about tree sap--and that was probably plenty sticky enough to do the trick.     The young boy hovered his hand above the wooden doll--holding it in place with his spare hand as he tried to extend the string of chakra far enough to connect with the wooden toy's head. He would squint and furrow his brow in concentration as he focused all of his attention to connecting the two pieces.     Sticky, sticky, he thought to himself.     For a moment, he would pull his hand away from the doll--and with the string barely clinging onto its head, it would stand on its own for but a moment.     "Ah! Look--"     Blink, and he'd miss it. The moment Kota looked up to meet Muramasa's gaze in excitement, the string snapped and the doll collapsed in a heap on the floor. "Wah!" the child shouted out in disappointment--quickly scooping it up in his hand once more and pouting as he gave it a second go.

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

...

---

The boy's words nearly made him chuckle. Nearly. "You sure did." He said, the faintest smirk gracing his face before he returned his focus to the youth's progress. Confidence was good. A knack for puppet jutsu was even better. Part of him wondered what an adult Kota would be capable of. A whole lot, if he kept up at this rate.

It was fascinating. All of his time on the road and this Shinobi World of theirs was still throwing surprises at him.

Gum was out and Muramasa rubbed the back of his neck. Seemed his adult-to-wild child translation skills needed some more work. Still, it felt as if he was honing in on a certain way of explaining things. Not in a condescending way. He made sure of that. Thinking back to when he was a kid he remembered hating it when grownups talked to him like he was stupid. Or worse, like some cute pet. Kids made him uncomfortable for the most part but he understood that they weren't really that much different than adults. Just smaller. Still learning. Speaking to them differently than anyone else was only doing them a disservice. Hampering their budding minds by assuming that they were dumb or unable to understand. In the case of sharp children like Kota, it was almost a surefire way to upset them. He'd been quite the little firebrand himself when he was younger. Brash and loudmouthed.

Sure had come a long way since then... and he had much further to go, still.

Luckily, the boy found his meaning despite not knowing what gum was. Made him wonder what sort of childhood he'd lived. Needed to remember to ask him about it sometime. "Well look at—" Suddenly, the string snapped and Boda was left directionless. "...that." Muramasa folded his arms as he watched the youth collect the doll and renew his efforts. Didn't give up easily, either. Good. If he had an unmotivated student his very short teaching career wasn't likely to go far at all. "Well you have the idea down." He said making sure not to crowd the boy to give him enough space to work. Now that he understood, it was time for more. "Try more than one string this time." An encouraging nod was given in case of any doubts. "And remember to keep your magic steady, alright?"

There was time for instruction, and time to pull back and simply observe. That much he recalled from his travels with Hanagisa and Suppa both. For the moment he would watch, hand instinctually moving to his mouth again.

---

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society I don't know if I can do more than one string, Kota thought to himself in doubt. He looked cautiously at Muramasa, then back between the man and his doll for a few times. But I really liked when he said I got it. If I could do more than one string, I bet he'd be really impressed. He'd stand to his feet on the back of the cart, carefully applying the string to his doll's head once more.     It took him a few tries--his concentration breaking here and there and the string snapping whenever it did. But he didn't give up--and quietly, without saying a word--not a shout of frustration, not a cry for help--eventually, he got one string to connect and stay attached. Boda hopped up and down, then the boy flung him around a bit--he liked to play rough, after all--and the string seemed to hold well enough after the first few tries.     Okay, okay. I got the hang of it with one hand, I can do one string... He looked up at Muramasa again, trying to catch his expression before returning his attention back to his toy. His other hand was held out, his pointer finger fixed and ready to make another string--or at least to try doing so. He'd gotten the hang of it pretty well with one hand (albeit he'd only made one string so far), surely if he focused he could make a second string. Even if it took him both hands to maneuver one puppet, if he had two strings--Boda could do a whole lot more than hop around. Jumping and running were great, but he needed to be able to point and hit, too! How else was he going to win a battle against a giant, world-eating wolf?     Carefully and with focus, Kota created a second string from his other pointer finger and attached it to Boda's left arm. Wiggling his finger a little, he tested it out--moving the puppet's arm one direction, then another. Pulling the string tightly to yank the toy's arm taught, then loosening it a little to relax the wooden limb and to allow it to bend.

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

...

---

It was in that moment, watching Kota practice that something odd happened. Muramasa actually smiled.

Not a full one, but a real one. Warm unlike his weak excuse for half of a smirk earlier. Something had dawned on him. Déjà vu in full effect as he observed. It had been nagging at him the entire time. Why was he so interested in helping out this child? He had no ties, and certainly no obligation. Hell he didn't even like being around kids. Somewhere in between him attaching his chakra thread to Boda's head once more and attempting to make a second one the metaphorical lightbulb in his head turned off. Now it all made sense.

Kota reminded him of himself.

A few years younger than when he set out on his own... but the similarities were all there. Young boy on his own, whole world laid out before him. His path even crossed with a grumpy asocial mentor figure. Though admittedly his teaching skills needed some work. The universe certainly had a sense of humor, he thought. Anyways, it was enough to beckon forth some sort of feeling from him. And that was a rare thing indeed. "You did it." He said softly, raising his hand as if to prompt the boy for a high five. What an odd turn of events... but maybe it wasn't all so bad.

Moments like these were few and far between along his path. Had to keep reminding himself to appreciate them.

"Keep at it and pretty soon you'll be a pro." The breakthrough did raise another question though. One of timing and cohesion on both of their parts. An important puzzle piece for the purposes of their impromptu performance. "Think you can keep that up for the whole show?" He asked, raising his eyebrow slightly. It wasn't the simplest of techniques, and though the chakra drain was minimal extended use could easily tucker someone out. Even the most practiced of puppeteers.

Muramasa had a feeling he could guess the boy's answer, but bemusedly he folded his arms and waited for a reply.

---

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society Kota looked at Muramasa earnestly, and when the man gave his affirmation--the boy's face lit up. "Hell yeah I did it!!" he shouted in excitement, grinning widely. He slapped his hand excitedly against the wannin's palm, more than happy to engage in the high-five. It seemed, at the very least, he did know what had been expected from him there.     "Ya think I could be a pro?? Really??" he asked. Muramasa said he made his first puppet when he was around my age? Maybe I could actually do something like that too? Could I be a good puppet-maker like him? It hadn't been something he'd ever considered, before.     He'd always been so focused on survival--and that had taken everything short of all his attention. Keeping himself safe and fed took most of his time and energy. Then, when he was tired, he needed more food and to find somewhere safe to rest. When he woke up, he needed to find more food to store for the next day--and the cycle continued. Not to mention when he got hurt, or got sick, and staying safe even when the world around him was so big and dangerous.     He couldn't fish without risking being swept away by the water's current. Had to make sure that he, himself, didn't become prey when he was hunting. Had to make sure the plants he found weren't poisonous, had to skin and cook any animals he got his hands on--and not every environment was so easy to make a fire in. Kota hadn't had a lot of time to play or do other things--he hadn't even considered doing puppet things.     But if he did a show, and people liked it, maybe they would give him snacks as a reward? And then if he had food--instead of using his time trying to find something to eat, he could spend his time trying to find materials to make a puppet like Yō too? And if he made a really cool puppet--would people like his performance more? And if he got really good at the puppet technique--and could use all of his fingers at once... wouldn't that just get better and better?     Maybe if he actually got really good at this, maybe things wouldn't be so difficult for him anymore...     "Ah--yeah! You bet I can do it!" Kota said with determination, nodding quickly. "Let's do it!"

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

...

---

His smile persisted as the child slapped his hand, the wanderer nodding at his question.

Did he really think he could be a pro? "Really." He said reassuringly, eyes still watching the doll. "You picked up on it a lot faster than I did." Circumstances were a little different in his case, but still. There was no denying the youth's talent. To be this young and already getting the hang of the Puppet Technique... well it was nearly unheard of. At least nothing like he'd ever seen. 'Prodigy' was a word that got tossed around too much in the Shinobi World.

But in this case... it may well have been true.

Kota told him he could manage and the older puppeteer gave another nod. "Alright, then." Now was the worst part... something he hated doing. Drawing attention to himself. "Ready?" He asked the boy, small smile lingering just a bit longer before he turned to the flow of people and it faded. "Uh... hey." His weak attempt at flagging down passersby. Soft-spoken as he was it was always a struggle gathering a crowd. A grumpy expression crossed his face as Muramasa brought a hand to his mouth and cleared his throat. "Hey!" Still nothing. An eyebrow twitched irritatingly as a bit of color bloomed on his cheeks. This was always so embarrassing. Finally he raised his right hand, a few chakra threads extending to latch onto Yō. He directed the canine into the back of the wagon, behind the tarp as he set up a few props he found laying in the vehicle. A small box, a bundle of twine, a rusty old farming tool of some sort. Once that was finished he took a deep breath and sighed. Mimicking a mouth opening and closing with his fingers the shaggy hound snarled and barked loudly from its hiding spot. Several people walking by jumped in shock and turned towards the odd trio. "Reminder to start with that next time..." Gods he hated this.

Now there was a new problem. Keeping their attention.

Gesturing unemphatically to their makeshift stage his face remained neutral. "We're putting on a puppet show." A little blunt... and his tone was certainly lacking 'oomph.' But at least it got the point across. Grabbing an empty pot from the wagon the wanderer set it down nearby the stage. "Tips appreciated." It had been some time since he actually did one of these. Months, at least. Though he wasn't much of a showman— or at least didn't feel like acting at the moment, it wasn't all that hard to hold people's focus. Just needed something shiny. Bringing his left hand up he turned his palm over, fingertips glowing a subtle blue as thin wisplike strings formed and waved around theatrically. "This story's called..." Words trailed off, building tension as the threads twisted and coalesced, writing out the performance's title in blocked, if a bit sloppy lettering. Wasn't his fault. His handwriting was awful. Turning to see if Kota was watching he would nod to the boy, as if to prompt him to go ahead. It was his story.

'The Wolf Who Ate The World'.

Only fitting that Kota made the introduction. Had a feeling it'd sound a whole lot more exciting coming from the child than him. Muramasa appreciated all art, but he really didn't like to perform. Great profession he picked.

---

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society "Wow, really?" Kota asked, a bit surprised. Muramasa was so much bigger than he was--and he seemed so well put-together, too. He was clean, his clothes weren't all stained and frayed and torn--his puppet was so advanced-looking. I mean--Yō looked like a real wolf! And when Muramasa had puppetted him around--he'd moved and acted just like a real one, too.     Aside from being docile, at least. Which had been Kota's favorite part about Yō, which made him a lot better than a real wolf.         But needless to say--his craftsmanship, at least to Kota, had been incredible! And everything about Muramasa seemed better than him. In his child's imagination, he couldn't picture Muramasa being his age, and it was difficult for him to perceive himself as having picked up the skill faster than his superior had during the time in the past. He wasn't better than him, now, and that was really all he could perceive.     "Well, I guess I am pretty incredible I guess," Kota's hubris spoke casually, not aware of his cheekiness. If Muramasa thought he could become a pro one day, then maybe he could. He must have really impressed the older guy after all, ha! His hard work truly did pay off!     Then the two were ready to start the performance, it seemed.     Muramasa called out to gather the attention of people passing by, and it wasn't until he made his puppet howl out a bark that heads actually started to turn. The young man did something with his spare hand, which Kota watched in fascination. Creating more of those blue strings--though it seemed that he didn't attach them to any other puppet; instead they stayed suspended in the air, taking on various shapes.     They look like worms! The illiterate child thought to himself, amused. Or maybe even snakes! Or stick bugs! It could have been anything, but Kota was none the wiser. But when the man began to introduce the story's title to the small crowd that had begun to gather, Kota was happy to finish the sentence. "The Wolf Who Ate the WHOOOOLLLEEEE World!" Kota shouted excitedly, more than happy to loudly proclaim the story to the people watching.     He wasn't so used to people staring at him--usually, he'd tried to stay out of the spotlight. But, of course, that was usually because he was being sneaky. Stealing food, sneaking around when people slept and taking whatever he thought he could get away with that would benefit him. He tried to avoid being caught or found suspicious by adults--since that usually seemed to cause him trouble. But Muramasa seemed alright to him--the man hadn't tried beating him, or yelling at him, and he hadn't tried kidnapping him either. Plus, he hadn't been acting all that suspicious to the child--he'd been nothing but friendly to Kota (as Kota perceived it). So--Muramasa was alright! And if he was around--then the child was being accompanied by an adult, which meant the other adults wouldn't give him trouble, right?     Like a social guard dog.     And if that was the case--well, Kota wasn't afraid of the people who were gathering around. He had nothing to be afraid of, after all--he hadn't done anything wrong! They had no reason to yell at him or try kidnapping him! Not when he wasn't stealing things, and was visibly accompanied by an adult!     So, where Muramasa was aloof, Kota had not been taught to be shy.     "Or at least," Kota continued to narrate, stepping to the side slightly to allow for Yō to take most of the crowd's attention. He had full faith that Muramasa would be able to keep up with his story-telling, so he dove right into it. "That's what 'e thought. See, once aponna time, this wolf was wanderin' the big wide world. Ever since 'e was a lil' puppy, 'e was on 'is own--but 'e was always 'ungry. So 'ungry infact, that 'e would always eat everythin' 'e came across!"     Kota used his hands to create a shadow that would appear on the ground--his fingers folding in a way to look like a rabbit. The shadow puppet twitched its ears, then started to run away from Yō.     "First 'e started out eatin' bunnies and small animals. They were easy to gobble up! But then 'e thought to 'imself one day," The child changed his voice--trying to sound older, and more ferocious as he narrated the wolf's thoughts-- "'I'm never full when I gobble up these little animals. If I wanna get real full, I've gotta eat somethin' bigger!' And so 'e did! 'E found a deer, an' 'e gobbled it up in one bite! And the more and more that the wolf ate, the bigger an' bigger that 'e got. Soon, deers an' even elks weren't enough to keep 'im full! The big giant wolf was gettin' bigger an' bigger, an' he thought t'im'self, 'Maybe if I gobble up a village, that will keep me full!'" Kota frowned. "The big giant wolf was so hungry. So 'e ate up a whole village--gobbled it up in one bite! All of the 'ouses an' the little people inside of it, an' even the mount'n top where the village once stood. It was all gone in a moment! Because the wolf was too hungry."     The child set his wooden doll on the ground, then stepped back and animated the puppet with his newly-learned technique.     Boda hopped to life and ran around their makeshift stage. His movements were fluid enough--albeit simple. Kota didn't yet have enough mastery to move most of the doll's limbs, but still its behavior was easy enough to understand.     "Well, one of the villagers had been out huntin', an' when 'e came back to see his home 'ad been all eaten up, 'e was real mad! The hunter thought t'imself, 'I need to stop this wolf from eatin' another town!' Well, the big giant wolf had gotten even bigger and bigger, an' 'e 'eard the little human's anger an' 'e said, 'Not to worry, little human! I will not eat another village, because a village cannot keep me full. My tummy still wants more--so next time, I'm gonna eat the whole world. In one big gulp, I can 'ave it all." Boda hobbled up to stand in front of Yō, one wooden hand moving to point directly at the great big beast. "'Well I can't let you do that!' The Hunter said loudly. But the Wolf didn't wanna 'ear it, an' so the Wolf said, 'If you try an' stop me, I'm gonna eat you too!'"

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

...

---

A thin line existed between confidence and overconfidence.

Kota probably stepped a ways over it... but he was still young. And it's not like Muramasa was truly his teacher or anything. Life wasn't easy, especially for wanderers like them. There'd be plenty of humbling in his future he was sure. So for the moment he simply let the boy enjoy his success. Besides, it was rather impressive.

A little bragging wouldn't hurt. His words might've even made him chuckle if he was the laughing type.

However he was the artsy type. Dabbled in multiple creative pursuits and while he was master in none, he certainly had an eye for talent. An 'artist's eye' as they called it. Performance was his least favorite due to emoting required but he knew promise when he saw it. "Kid's a natural." He was. Didn't hesitate at all, just jumped right in. It was admirable in a way. Though upon hearing the title out the puppeteer did rub the back of his own neck. He'd left out 'Whole' as he thought it didn't sound quite right... but this was Kota's story so after a few seconds he relented. One of his strings twirling to form the word in subscript to (kind of) amend the story's name.

'The Wolf Who Ate The _Whole World.'

Once that was out of the way the show commenced. Kota took to it not just with energy, but also a certain level of panache that Muramasa could never. It was as impressive as it was entertaining. Already a few ryō clanked into their makeshift tip jar and the story was only now beginning in earnest. Now that the crowd was mostly distracted, he took the opportunity to slink behind the wagon out of sight. Had to maintain some suspension of disbelief at least. On cue, Yō leapt out from behind the tarp, growling and snarling at the crowd. A few people jumped, others looked on attentively, already hooked. His fingers moved diligently, commanding the half-wolf the entire time. It paced around the stage area, looking menacing. Even took a chomp out of the props Muramasa had set up beforehand. Demonstrating its hunger. As Kota told the tale 'The Wolf' chased after the rabbit shadow puppet he'd made. Appearing ravenous as he did so. In tune with the boy's voice he opened and closed his firs three fingers, moving the canine's mouth to mimic speech. Then he described its growth in stages. "Nice touch." Starting low to the ground he slowly raised his hand, allowing The Wolf to 'grow' the more he ate. A few chakra threads from his free hand swirled around the hound's form. Adding a 'magical' touch to his shifting. Soon most of the props were nestled in pieces within the puppet's body cavity. This Wolf's appetite was unstoppable. It's sights set on the entire world...

Great... now even he was getting caught up in the story.

More mimicked speech. The Wolf wanted to devour more and more. In one giant bite he swallowed the small box nearly whole. Loose threads formed crude images of small stick people. Running hurriedly along the ground. Gasping. Them too the Wolf gobbled up, the strings dissipating in its jaws. A 'village' gone in an instant. Slyly, one of the Smoke Bombs hidden within the puppet was set off.. The thick black smog adding to the ruinous event. Just then, The Hero took to the stage, finding his home in ruins. Bravely he confronted the large Wolf. With some help from Muramasa its back arched, the shaggy fur covering it seeming to stand on end to make it appear even bigger. All eyes fell on the two puppets. Kota provided the dialogue and he added the subtler elements. Small facial movements. Snarling. The Wolf told The Hero that he would be eaten too. Looming tall over the smaller doll its large head inched closer and closer. Glaring at him. More clinking as coins were tossed into the jar. Whispers broke out amongst the crowd. People seemed to be enjoying it. And Kota certainly appeared to be in his element.

Backstage hand seals were weaved and a small burst of Wind Release chakra was blown underneath the wagon, washing over the characters and the crowd. The Wolf's fur waving dramatically in the breeze. Boda rocking gently.

Tension rising.

---

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society "Well, of course, the Hunter wasn't gonna just let the humungous big giant wolf eat 'im," Kota continued the story. He maneuvered his puppet--his hands behind his back in a significantly-less-subtle-than-Muramasa fashion, as he didn't yet have the consciousness to stay more out of sight like the more experienced performer. Though, it didn't seem that too many of the viewers minded the narrator's presence--and, hey. At least his hands were... kind of hidden? Anyone who knew the puppet technique would obviously know what he was doing, of course...     "So the two began ta fight. An' fight an' fight they did. The humungous big giant wolf was so surprised that the li'l human Hunter could fight as well as 'e could, but the hunter 'ad spent a lot of 'is time huntin' big wolves before, so 'e'd'ad a lotta experience." Boda was dwarfed in size of the life-like Yō, but considering that neither of them were real, and it wasn't a genuine, serious fight--more like quick bouts of action to convey the concept of an intense battle to the crowd--they didn't have to worry about any real damage happening.     "After five days of fightin', both the Hunter an' the humungous big giant wolf were tired and wounded from their warrin'. The Hunter was pre' badly wounded, but tha humungous big giant wolf wasn't doin' t' great either. Still, the wolf was surprised about 'ow 'ard the human 'ad fought, an' so 'e asked, 'Why do you struggle? Why not be gobbled up where you can join all your family an' friends?'" A bead of sweat rolled down Kota's forehead, and he frowned. "'Why not just give up? Aren't you so tired?' The wolf just didn't understand. 'Yes, I miss my friends an' family, and ya destroyed my 'ome. I'm tired, an' sore, but this ain't about just me. Even if ya ate everythin' I care about, if you eat the whole entire world, you'll also have nothin' left over either.' The wolf thought about it, more an' more, an' 'e realized that the 'unter was right. If 'e just ate, an' ate, an' ate, he would never be satisfied and nothin' would be enough, an' then 'e'd 'ave nothin' at all. He didn't know what would be worse. Havin' nothin' ta 'ave, or never feelin' full. So 'e said, 'I don't know what ta do. I can't make this 'unger go away, but maybe eatin' the whole world won't fill me up good enough.' So, the Hunter said, 'I will banish you to a magic place, where your body will fade away but your soul will not know hunger.' So the Hunter created a magic spell, and the wolf disappeared where he could never try eatin' the world ever again. My dad says that the moral of tha story is that even if ya feel really bad, an' it really hurts, ya need ta be careful about what ya do--'cause ya don't wanna accidentally destroy things ya actually care about. An' that's the end!" He smiled weakly, then gave an awkward bow.

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

...

---

The Small Showman.

Should have been Kota's moniker. For not being used to talking in front of crowds he was taking to it surprisingly well. Too well, in fact. Maybe it was just youthful vigor, but from where Muramasa stood it seemed that the boy had a knack for this sort of thing. Perhaps at one point he could have too.. but that time had long since passed. His path was set in stone. Etched by the hands of lying murderers clad in armor. Destined for blood and iron.

Grim as his thoughts turned that moment... he hoped the boy took a different road.

Muramasa's quiet stage direction continued, one of his subtler threads coiling around Boda's arm and forming a wispy, pointed spear. In time with the clashes of their 'battle' small, slightly more violent gusts of wind washed over the area, adding to the ambiance. A pinky finger bounced in rhythm with the strikes, a thicker thread attached to it cracking on the ground behind the wagon to make a sharp sound reminiscent of weapon strikes. The Wolf snarled and darted around the stage, scaring some of the onlookers nearest to the edge but amping up the drama of it all. Kota spoke for The Wolf, and the puppeteer's fingers twitched, making the shaggy black canine's mouth move. Its entire body heaved and panted, much like a true animal. Both were tired from their days-long battle. Why didn't The Hero relent? Because of course he wouldn't. Though small in stature he was much too brave.

Unlike real life... in this story, heroes were real.

The Hero missed his friends. Family. Home. For a moment a sadness washed over Muramasa's face. If The Wolf kept up his endless devouring, his ceaseless killing... eventually no one would be left. The Wolf spoke again. He was at a loss. Unsure of what to do. Motives called into question. The Hero offered the beast solace. Vowing to bring him peace. A very long, very dramatic pause ensued. Crowd members leaned in. Absolutely absorbed in the conflict. Left with no other option The Wolf relented... bowing its head and lowering its large body onto the ground with a poignant thud. Muramasa shook off his melancholy at mention of a magic spell. Thinking fast he reached into his hip pouch and unfurled a small scroll. "Hope I'm close enough..." The thought occurred as the threads on his left hand dissipated. Placing his fingers on a blank space he held off until just the right moment. Two fingers raising into a half Tora seal he activated the Puppet Summoning Technique in reverse, quickly dispatching several threads to whirl theatrically around the canine. The Wolf raised his head and let out a heartbreaking howl, winds washing over the crowd. Quickly as he had appeared, he faded from sight right before everyone's eyes.

Silence... for a long while. Almost too long. Then a single clap. Sharp, powerful, breaking the quiet in the air. Another followed. A third.. Soon the entire crowd broke out into uproarious applause. More folks having joined during the performance. A few more sentimental observers even looked to be tearing up. Though he remained hidden behind the wagon. He stood and leaned up against the side of the 'stage', joining in on the claps while still out of sight. Kota bowed, and Muramasa's soft, small smile returned as he applauded. This was his moment.

---

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society Kota watched, in awe, as the Wolf vanished before his very eyes. While he had been telling the story--the young child tried not to get caught up in marvel of all of Muramasa's special effects. But what had caught him, most of all, was the wolf's exit from the play--in all of his exposure to magic glowing threads, and cool ninja tricks, he never would have expected that the wolf could actually disappear. After letting out such a woeful howl--reminiscent of the ones the boy often heard in the wild. But with the pull of wind and the sorrow from the story--it did not strike the child with fear as it often did, but awe.     Just as all of the audience fell quiet at the close of the narrative, Kota, too, found himself standing there quietly--reflecting.     It had always been a story his father told him when he was younger. His father had told him many different fairy tales--but this had been among one of Kota's favorites. Perhaps, why he could remember it with such clarity despite not having heard it with his father's voice after so many years... Morals and messages were largely lost on the child, but he hadn't expected for such a reaction out of everyone.     The story that had lulled him to sleep and brought him comfort on so many nights--did everybody else hate it? Was that why they were quiet?     Kota looked out to the crowd, breathing heavily as his chakra use wore him thin. Did he do something wrong? Had he not given the story he held so dear, justice?     But the applaud broke out from the crowd--more and more, the viewers began to clap and cheer for the narration.     Kota froze in his place, surprised--and he looked to Muramasa for reassurance, if only to see what the man's expression in this situation was--only to see he, too, was clapping. The feral child froze up--a sudden weight of praise and positive attention placed on him that he didn't know quiet what to do with. Why are they clapping at me? Muramasa did all the cool stuff! He rushed over to the wandering ninja, grabbing at his pant legs and burying his face into the fabric to hide his flustered expression. "That was really amazing!" he shouted excitedly into the man's leg. "I can't believe ya actually made Yō disappear like that! It was really magical more than like anything I've ev'r seen!"

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

...

---

And so it was over.

Coins clinked as they were tossed into the tip jar. Over and over, nearly drowned out by the lingering applause. As he stood there clapping he watched the boy's stunned reaction. It felt good to see someone else get their moment in the limelight. Of course it was an impromptu street performance but still— this had been by far the best show he'd ever put on. Due in no small part to Kota's energy and storytelling ability. Feelings were pesky and burdensome most of the time. Though recent events had shown him that he was not as hollow inside as he once thought.

Somewhere deep down the kind, compassionate child he once was remained. Past the trauma and strife. Guarded. Maybe... it was actually okay to allow that part of himself some time to show itself. Sometimes...

The wanderer's eyes widened slightly as the boy ran to him, using his pant leg to hide his face. For a moment his face softened further. "It really was." He said. Shows of affection were something that made him almost as uncomfortable as children did... but with those too, he was learning to adjust. Slowly he placed a hand atop the boy's head. Almost too softly, as if he was worried of hurting him. "You did great, Kota." Hearing him express shock at Yō disappearing almost made him chuckle and he crouched down to retrieve the scroll nearby.

Presenting it, the kanji '犬' could clearly be seen on the parchment. Yō safely secured. "It's a sealing ju- spell." Muramasa said, rolling the scroll back up and placing it in his pouch. "Maybe I can show you one day." Fūinjutsu had never been his specialty, but it certainly had its uses. Made lugging around hefty puppets a lot easier at least. Gesturing towards the tip jar with his head he beckoned the boy to follow. The medium-sized pot was nearly overflowing with ryō. Good for both of them. Snagging an old empty bag from out of the wagon the wanderer counted out a small sum, just enough for the materials he needed, and dumped the rest into the cloth sack. Crowd goers by now were starting to filter back into traffic but a few stopped by to compliment the duo on their show. Muramasa only nodded, continuing about his counting. "Here." He spoke, offering the bag of coins to the boy. "You more than earned it, just... be careful with this alright?" A child with a bag of money was a risk, but Kota was sharp. Something told him the boy knew a thing or two about survival. "It should last you a while."

Still crouched and thus eye-level with the boy he maintained his grip on the bag, face turning stern as he looked at him. "Don't go spending it all on candy, got it?" He raised a discerning eyebrow. Making sure he understood.

Releasing his grip he took a few moments to look the child over. There were still things he'd like to ask... but those could wait. Retrieving his journal next Muramasa scribbled an address on a corner of paper and tore it off, handing it to him. Messy handwriting as usual. "I have to run... but if you need to find me just send a letter here." It was a post box addressed to one 'Masamune Fudo'. An alias he used sometimes when he didn't want to be found. Every so often he checked it for letters from his family. Or any other correspondence. For a moment he very nearly questioned his actions. Why would he offer such a thing to a kid he barely knew? But he already had an inkling.

Kota was like he was. Alone in the world. From the state of his clothing alone he could glean that much. The weariness of the road was something he knew all too well... and no child should have to deal its toils by himself.

Standing to his full height he gave the boy a final smirk. "Take care of yourself, kid." Couldn't in good conscience leave him with nothing to go off of... but he was in no position to care for him either. Muramasa promptly purchased the rubber he'd set out to procure and gave a nonchalant wave to the boy as he took his leave.

As he walked the story Kota told replayed itself in his head. Again. And again. One question haunted his thoughts. Ever since the antagonist's hunger had been explained. Was he more like The Wolf? Or The Hero?

Truly... he did not know. 

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