A/N: Good morrow peeps! Okay so here you go. I hope it's okay if this is a bit long. NO, WHY DID IT BECOME SO LONG THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN, OH WELL. Just, please read it and review if you would like. There will be part two. Please enjoy this I think it's weird and I don't really do my research so bare with me pls.

Small potatoes: Machi-Bugyō were samurai officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan. They were involved in tax collection, policing, and firefighting, also they play a number of judicial roles.

I don't know if this is where people take people in courts but oh well.

Small potatoes: A Japanese device to scare away animals which pose threats to agriculture.

You know those bamboo thingies and then there is water that comes out of it? Yah that's the one.

∞Drabble IV: Merciless Mission∞

-Part one of two-

"So we meet again." The elder retorted with a smirk.

". . ."

Both were on their highest guards, ready to take offense at any second. The other man sighed, collecting calm for himself. His long black hair draped across his neck, slightly wafting amidst the gentle breeze. Meanwhile, the other man, eyebrow quirking, smiled smugly at him and grabbed the pommel of his katana.

A gentle breeze blew between them as they stood nearly ten feet apart. Ferns, wildflowers, and leaves swayed, and yet they remained still as if their feet were rooted to the soil. Neither fidgeted, and they stood like statues. Although seemingly motionless, their hearts, as well as temples, pounded. Sweat caused both their keikogis to stick on their backs, and hairs to stick on their necks. The ronin with glasses tiptoed on his geta, and imitated the pommel grasping.

A distant echo of a shishi-odoshi's drips was heard.

Suddenly, blades clanged from unsheathing. In course with the wind, the men swiftly lunged for each other, and a clangor was heard even in the depths of the forest. Birds were sent out flying away.

Earlier that day. . .

Puffing out a cloud of air, Jin sat still on a huge rock above the silent lake, cogitating on his philosophies with his eyes closed.

To catch a fish you must think like one, see like one.

He opened his eyes, taking a glance on the waters filled with eels and gudgeons. He stared at his reflection, gazing upon his typically cold mien. With the swish of a fish's tail, the water rippled, distorting his mirrored face. Squinting his eyes, the ronin observed the movements of the fish, and pondered on how to course with it.

He reminisced of the time with his two unpremeditated companions, wherein he struggled to catch a fish by hand. Of all the people he could've ended up with, those two were the least of what he expected. A brute vagabond, a girl with a thick aspiration to find a sunflower samurai, and a blue ronin with glasses, most likely equates to an odd troublesome trio.

A ripple of melancholy dispersed within him as an amber leaf fell atop the waters. He smiled endearingly and arranged his ornamental glasses. He closed his eyes, allowing the wind to softly graze the hairs on his pale skin.

The vicinity remained a tranquil ground. Only the chirping of the birds, washing of the waves to the shore, and his light breathing was heard, as well as the rustling of the trees. The ronin resembled of an effigy. In fact, he could be mistaken at first as an otherworldly creature, unless you look very closely to see that he is human.

Rustling.

It wasn't the trees this time.

With his meditation interrupted, Jin leapt off the boulder, and griped the hilt of his katana for guard. Wooden geta clacked on rocks as he stepped on the shore and the water splashed on his black hakama. He turned to scout for the source of the sound, although the rustling didn't recur.

Footsteps.

Leaves scrunched underfoot, its source becoming more distant. It came from the west, and headed north. Quietly, the ronin headed to that direction and kneeled to hide in the shrubs. Furrowing his brows, he scouted the area once more. He found a man about his age, hair top knotted with a few hair pins. A yellow streak was hidden somewhere beneath his ebony hair. He had a byzantium haori and a black and white striped hakama. Carefully, Jin squinted his eyes, scrutinizing the man. He was from a political clan.

Hideki ambled to the nearest oak tree, and sat on one of its roots comfortably. He gazed at the tree's copious leaves with his thin chocolate eyes and sighed. Where could they have went? He asked to himself. He was with his hunting group just this morning. They planned to split in order to easily find a catch. Day off, huh. He smiled.

He never thought that Haruto could have done such a thoughtful thing like that. Usually, his brother was crusty and spiteful. His acts often led him to the Machi-Bugyō, albeit, Hideki always saved him from incarceration. Once, Haruto almost killed a man for spilling sake on him.

Propping his arms behind his head, Hideki thought of his brother. Haruto never appreciated him in spite of the countless number of times he saved him. Never could he fathom why. He was just doing his obligations as his brother, right? Now that he was going to inherit the land from his father, he could only ponder on the better future for his brother. Perhaps he'll meet a genteel woman, and they will be engaged to live a happy life, and his a life although not limited to a ton of obligations, will be filled with pride, for his own clan and for the better of many others. Maybe his brother would love him at that time.

Suddenly, a modicum of grey dashed on the corner of his eye.

Hideki immediately turned his head to the side to locate the mysterious being and held his bow's grip tightly for guard. A bead of sweat rolled quickly from his forehead as he heard the leaves susurrate. He waited for more, but it didn't sound for a while.

"Probably just an animal." He reckoned and returned to his original position. Just when he was getting comfortable as he splayed his ams and legs beside the tree, again did a hint of slate don his eyesight. Branches fell from being cut down. A swordsman.

He jolted upwards and stood up, knowing that it wasn't an animal this time. His knuckles whitened from gripping his bow too tightly. He nocked his arrow on the bow's string, preparing himself for his spontaneous opponent.

There it swished once again in the woods.

Thanks to his adequate knowledge and skills, he was able to shoot it, although he was only able to rip a grey piece of fabric from the being. Hideki ambled the area, attempting to find the man. Certainly, it was a man, considering its masculine figure, and is probably a greying man too. His eye movements became fidgety, as more objects were cut down.

His heart knocked neath his chest. Leaves, branches and even some small trees were cut down, albeit, he did not back down, instead he donned a gallant stance. Nearer it went, until the small tree in front of him was cut, catching him in surprise.

A dash of slate passed in front of him once more. Hideki aimed for the grey matter. Attempted to shoot it. No avail.

He furrowed his brows at his loss. Lowering his bow, he turned, only to see a wrinkled man. . .with a katana. Lunging towards him.

Before he could even raise his bow, a smokey indigo dashed in front of him suddenly, resulting in him falling over. He slid on the pile of leaves, which crunched in his clasps. He barely had the time to process what was happening when a clangor reverberated throughout the forest, slightly deafening his ears.

Both the indigo and slate-donned men were sent sledding opposite each other from the impact. Their zori sandals were now smudged with umber sludge, as they sank in the boggy soil. As soon as they lifted their heads, they shot each other looks, the indigo-donned man a chilly gaze, the other a smug look on his face, revealing laughing lines. Hideki laid on the pile of leaves, ever so baffled.

Present. . .

"It's been a while. I reckon you have honed yourself well in the past two years." Inuyama said whilst trapping Jin's katana with his. Forcibly, Jin freed his sword, and followed an unsuccessful thrust to his sides.

Metals clinked and clanked, not a blade dulled. Inuyama lunged forward, and sliced the through the air, aiming for Jin's head. Jin riposted. Their swords ground each other, igniting a small white spark.

Jin lunged, swung, and shoved while Inuyama shifted his foot backwards, thrusted and riposted. They shifted further along the array of trees, the small ones victimized by failed aims. Hideki followed after them with his bow, brows knitted in confusion.

"Ahh, indeed you have grown. I am much more impressed, although I might as well be resuming to my job." Inuyama smirked with his chapped lips. He was confident in his tone, as if it was all child's play. Jin on the other hand, maintained his cool and kept his focus on the old geezer.

Slash, trap, evade. It went that way for what seems like split seconds. Tree barks were split as well as some branches. Jin targeted a branch large enough to smash a person's head, although Inuyama quickly dodged. "Ahh, I see. You won't back down won't you? Well I guess he said something about killing all those who interrupt. Very well then," he thrusted his sword in a full circle, the reflection of the sun leaving a swish of light. "Let's see how this ends."

At lightning speed, Inuyama lunged and sprung towards Jin, whose eyes widened and arms grew tense. Slash. He looked down to see his indigo keikogi, shallowly slit. The old man landed on the ground, his eyes squinting as a sour expression spread across his face. He tsked saying "Perhaps I have overestimated you. Shouldn't you have learned by now?"

The ronin shot back the same sour expression, and sulked to himself knowing he should not make the same mistakes. "Who do you work for this time?" He inquired, before putting on a stance with his knees bent, and hands clutching his katana slightly above brows.

Hideki merely watched by a tree, eagerly anticipating for an answer,an answer that only left his eyes widened and mouth dropping ajar.

Inuyama finally muttered a word, bluntly he said it, albeit, to Hideki, it was one of the greatest revelations.

.

.

.

.

"Aikawa Haruto."

That name rang in his ears. "H-haruto?" He muttered, sounding disbelieving.

The one who, not once he ever shunned? The one to whom he is willing to exchange his life for? The one who he shared his mother's womb with? His brother, his twin in fact, wanting him dead. . .

.

.

.

.

.

He knew it all along.

. . .

.

.

.

He sauntered further into the woods, away from the two men who fought.

Makes sense.

He had the perfect intuition. He wasn't innocent, though being so didn't help. Certainly, it is bound to be revealed at some point. All those times he ignored him, those hurtful words he shot at him, especially when his father announced the who was to be the successor of his wealth, and now THIS just proves him correct. It was heart wrenching.

Fists clenched, and they were now shuddering with tension. Crystal drops fell on the ground. His mewls turned into whimpers, until he wept uncontrollably. Wiping them with his arms, he only cried even more, until he barely could speak from all his coughing and spluttering.

"Haruto-sama!" Hideki happened to stumble upon his brother, who was stuck up on a tree. "Ehh, what do you want? Get out of here! I can do this on my own!" Haruto attempted to reach the lower branch with his right foot, but ended up clinging on the trunk of the tree, because the other branch snapped and fell. As he hugged the tree, his hands scraped on the rough bark, leaving smears of blood.

"Let me help you! Come on!" He gestured with his arms wide open, as to catch Haruto. "What did I just say?" He snapped. He tried to grab another branch, only to slip down in the process. Gripping the trunk with more force, Haruto's hands only bled more. Tears coursed down the little boy's face, who attempted to muster his courage, which quickly dissipated the moment he looked down. He felt dizzy and immediately averted his eyes. More tears came. "H-Hideki, I'm scared. I'm gonna die." Trembling, Haruto hugged the tree more tightly when he almost slipped.

"Silly, you won't die." He beckoned at him to come down, and although Haruto hesitated, he eventually let himself fall.

As soon as he got up on his feet, he began sobbing again and turned to Hideki to embrace him. "Th-thank you, Haruto." Hideki's eyes widened from stupefaction. His voice was muffled but endearing for the first time, and the last.

Eyes became swollen from crying, Hideki sat beside a tree and hugged his knees. Aikawa Hideki. A man with great power, the heir to vast amount of riches and property. People often feared him for his sovereignty, and now look who's crying. When it comes to his twin, his leniency becomes the best of him.

He grabbed an arrow, holding it up to his face and stared at it with great sorrow. 'This is what you wanted, right? Why haven't I done this a long time ago? He trusted in his intuition that his brother would be an honorable man. That someday, he would be respected, and that his black core will turn into something brighter. He just knows it.

.

.

"Haruto," He soliloquized, staring upon the heavens, "be a good boy will you?"

His mouth trembled as he held the arrow towards his chest. He smiled as thoughts flashed before him, and before he knew it, everything went black.

A/N: Come on now, I mean who didn't want to see Inuyama/ Inuyaka come back? I was quite disappointed when he said "We will meet again. In fact, I'm sure we will" and then not do it. That is so not okay, so I made this! Oh gosh it's really bad, this one's kind of a downer I think, I won't be as good as the creators of SamCham. So what do you think? Please review!

Okay so whoo, I'm bad. Is it wrong to kill OC's in your fanfics? I think so. I hope this ain't confusing. Maybe some grammatical errors (like maybe I should get a beta reader). Okay so please await for part two!

and as always,

Have a nice day! :3

(Or maybe this ruined it for you, I'm so sorry ugh I'm so bad.)