Into the Unown (Poke Side Story: Under the Silver Moon

Author's note:

A shout out to a hidden little gem I found recently called Magical Girl Ghostslayer.

I found it entirely by chance and was pleasantly surprised; the premise is a fresh and unique take on the Cyberpunk and Magical Girl genre that I've never seen before.

So if you feel so inclined, please head on over and show so support. Leave a comnt or even a review. Speaking from experience, there's nothing more demoralizing than a silent audience. Makes you feel like you're talking to a brick wall.

PS. Today's release is a double, so go back and read the other side story if you accidentally skipped it.

***

Hattori lit the cigarette in his hands. The man held back a cough as he took in the distinct scent of cloves and cinnamon from the smoke. But instead of actually inhaling the cigarette, he placed the stick on the altar in front of him as a makeshift incense.

“Sorry I’m late…” He muttered. On the altar was a nicotine stained picture of a beautiful girl with sharp features, distant eyes and shoulder length raven black hair. It was the only picture he got of his sister. At least, the only one with her all grown up anyway.

The girl had been reluctant to take pictures in her adult life, out of an aversion for the person that she had beco. There were pictures of her in gravure shoots, but those were hardly appropriate for a somber altar like this.

“I know, I know… It’s been years but I finally fulfilled my promise. Got you a proper niche for your urn.” Hattori chuckled, in a sowhat self deprecating manner. “Even got a ‘proper’ job, just like you wanted… Cos with paperwork and everything.” And indeed, Alfred was very insistent that his sole subordinate wrote up proper reports after every assignnt for their mistress’s perusal. Even though the little missy was just going to ask for a verbal summary anyway.

“But hey, at least it pays well. Couldn’t afford this pri bit of real estate without it.” Hattori laughed, to think that he ca full circle and ended up working for one of them uppity Great Clans again.

The ronin had initially thought that the Blackthorns would just use him as an expendable pawn. That way, he could just repay his debt, die in a ditch sowhere and finally be done with life. Imagine his surprise when they not only offered to pay him a salary, but even forced him into that ridiculous penguin suit to play butler to so rich girl.

Honestly, if not for so of the black ops that he gets sent on from ti to ti, the whole thing felt almost like a real job, almost too good to be true. There was a cynical part of him that was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, a sudden betrayal, or that suicide mission he had been expecting from the start.

“Seems like karma’s not done with

just yet, huh?” The man sighed, no longer a ronin. “Back on a leash yet again…” A longer leash attached to a gilded collar, but a leash nonetheless.

He stood there for so ti, contemplating life and reminiscing about his childhood, until the cigarette was reduced to stub and ash.

Hattori stirred, to clean up the altar and reluctantly prepared to leave. “I’ll co visit again soon…” He whispered, before turning his back with a light chuckle. “Maybe in person next ti, if I’m so lucky… I did tell them to place my ashes next to yours after all.”

***

“Hattori, good of you to join ,” said the one ard butler sitting behind an ornate wooden desk.

“Hey Shanks, what’s up?” Hattori greeted in return, eliciting a look of confusion from the old man.

“Is that na supposed to an sothing?” Alfred asked.

Hattori responded with a wry chuckle and a lazy hand wave as he sat down in front of his boss. “No idea, I heard that brat call you that one ti and thought it was an inside joke or sothing. No clue where she got it from.”

Alfred nodded in understanding. lina Jones, though brilliant for her age, had her own fair share of oddities, as with most prodigies, including their own mistress.

“So, what’s up?” Hattori asked once more, this ti in a more serious tone.

Alfred nodded and reached into his drawer to produce a folder. “We received communication from Lady Koga. She has requested our aid in cleaning her abode.”

“Shouldn’t that be left to the maids? I thought us butlers were only supposed to be all fancy and boss people around.” Hattori joked as he flipped open the folder to read its contents, gradually developing a frown as he did.

“Please make your way to Fuchsia City by tonight to rendezvous with the client. And burn the folder once you’ve committed it to mory.” Alfred said dismissively, prompting Hattori to stand up in compliance. “And rember, Hattori — the Blackthorn clan was never involved.” The senior butler added, with a aningful look in his eyes.

Hattori nodded with an exasperated sigh, not looking forward to his awkward reunion with Janine.

***

“Janine.”

“Hattori.” The newly instated matriarch of the Koga clan greeted the familiar face before her, tone cold as ice. But Hattori could sense the slight quiver in her voice.

A tense silence pervaded the air as the two ninjas locked eyes with one another, their dim visage illuminated only by the silver reflection of the crescent moon hanging high above the night sky.

In the end, it was Janine who first broke the air. “Is that still your na? Hattori? Or have you forsaken it along with the clan?”

“Nas never mattered, not since mine was taken from . But that was the na that you gave . So yeah, I still use it, along with all the others of course.” Hattori chuckled. “What about you? Should I call you Lady Koga from now on?” He added, while doing an exaggerated bow that Alfred drilled into him, eliciting laughter from the purple haired beauty.

“No, not Lady Koga.” Janine finally responded. “I can’t stop the others from calling

that, but not you. It… reminds

too much of my dad.” She added, voice tinged with lancholy.

Hattori hesitated. But ultimately decided to approach, coming face to face with his childhood friend. “I’m… sorry…” he whispered, voice cracking like gravel under strain.

Janine quivered as she forcefully shut her eyes and pressed her face against Hattori’s broad shoulder, silently sobbing into his embrace. anwhile, the ronin stood still, stoic as a rock, acting as a pillar for the fragile Ninja Master, until she saw fit to detach herself.

Janine abruptly stepped back and faced away from Hattori, to rub her face and regain control of her expression. And with a throaty cough, she turned back around to face Hattori with a renewed determination. This ti, as Lady Koga of Kanto’s exclusive ninja clan.

“On behalf of the clan, I would like to thank you for heeding our request.” The woman began, eliciting a helpless sigh from her estranged friend. “I trust you have already been briefed?”

Hattori nodded. “Yes, ti to do so house cleaning.” The mission this ti was to rid the Koga clan of any loyalist still pining for the previous Koga.

Since Janine’s father had yet to be confird dead, there was a subsect of the clan that were still holding out hope for his return and harbouring fugitives wanted for colluding with Team Rocket and the Yamaguchi Group. It was undoubtedly a bad seed that needed to be destroyed before it grew and festered.

And only Janine and Hattori would be involved, because the Ninja Master did not want to put the mbers of her clan in a difficult situation — kinslaying was a harrowing affair.

Among the targets for elimination was Hattori’s old ntor. Without whom, he wouldn’t have been able to leave the clan with his life all those years ago. “I’ll take care of Hanzo.” He declared, causing Janine’s face to soften and reach out to caress Hattori’s cheek.

“Are you sure?” She asked. “We’re working as a team tonight, so I’ll gladly bear that burden in your stead.”

Hattori responded with a resolute shake of his head. “Yes, I’m sure. It’s only right that he dies by my own hands.”

Janine sighed. “Still so obsessed with karma… Fine, but keep the big picture in mind and do not let your feelings cloud your judgent.

Hattori laughed and reciprocated the warning with a patronizing bow.

***

Winds howled, blood splattered, and one by one, n and won in black fell silently in the purple smog. Because ninjas do not cry out in pain, not even in the face of death.

In front of Hattori was an elderly man, calmly observing the demise of his subordinates with nary a twitch. The ronin gave the man a curt nod, eyes never straying from his visage — the most deadly ninja was one who died of old age.

“Long ti no see, Hanzo sensei.”

The old man laughed. “Ho… good of you to still acknowledge your teacher. It’s good to see you too, Hattori. I see you’ve improved upon my teachings.”

Hattori responded with a wry smile. “No, I’m still lacking in many ways.”

“The path of learning is never ending, young one. Question is, how far can you go until your strength wanes and legs quiver?”

Hattori shrugged. “Who knows… Sha you won’t be around to see it.”

Hanzo broke out into boisterous laughter. “Haha! What a presumptuous little welp. I hope you’re not expecting that I would go out without a fight?”

“No, I would be disappointed otherwise.” The younger ninja replied. “Though I do have questions, which I hope you will grant

the favor of answering, sensei.”

“Of course, ask away.”

“Why? Why are you still loyal to Kyou even after all the things that he has done?” To Hattori’s knowledge, his teacher's loyalty had always laid with the clan and not any one individual. “And if you were on his side all along, then why did you stop him from trying to steal Itachi away from

all those years ago.”

The elderly ninja sighed, his wrinkles darkening under the silver glow in a show of his age. “I was a retainer of the clan even before Kyou took on the Koga na. His predecessor’s dying wish was for

to guide his son into becoming a Koga worthy of the na.”

The old man looked out towards the tranquil zen garden, now drenched in blood and littered with corpses. “I failed, Hattori. I should have pushed for his retirent the mont that he tried to wrench your Crobat away from you. But instead, I allowed him to banish you in exile instead.” Hanzo sighed once more. “These weary bones may never rest. Not unless I bring Kyou back to the proper path, to atone for my failings.”

Hattori frowned, tears tickling at his eyes. “Are you the reason why the clan never ca after

all this ti? And for all of these traitors to be conveniently gathered here tonight in one spot… It was all your doing. Wasn’t it, sensei?”

In lieu of a response, Hanzo’s face blood into a genial smile while facing Hattori with a Pokeball in his hand.

“Live well, my child. For the strongest ninja is one who dies of old age.”

Hattori howled in grief and released Itachi, his Crobat, in a flash of light as a swarm of Golbat exploded from behind Hanzo at the sa ti to clash with Itachi’s own swarm.

The ronin shot forth, swinging his kunai wildly at Hanzo who just casually dodged to the side with a disappointed look on his face.

“Tsk. Is this how you plan on sending

off? With such an unsightly performance?” Hanzo chided. “If so, then I might as well just end your misery and do as I please.”

Hattori scowled at the old man’s biting words and gestured for his Gengar to act. Tendrils of shadows shot forth to restrain the old man, only for Hanzo’s own shadow to et it in response.

Taking advantage of his youth, Hattori rushed forth and stabbed at his old ntor who simply parried his blade aside with a subtle flicker and a click of his tongue.

“What did I tell you, child? Keep your form tight and movent restrained! You’re reaping lives here, not cutting grass! Each move should be done with the intention to kill, forgo the superfluous!”

Hattori scread, swinging wildly at the old man once more, only to be t with a slap to the face.

“How could I possibly entrust the young lady to such a degenerate fool? Either you buckle up or forfeit your life. Is that what you want, child? A cowardly escape from your karmic bonds?” Hanzo scoffed, voice tinged in disappointnt. “What a disgrace… Maybe it was a mistake to defend you all those years ago…”

Hattori, now sober from the stinging heat on his cheek, felt a pressure in his chest, his hand quivering as he took in a deep, shaky breath.

“I’m sorry, sensei. Allow

to start over.”

Hanzo nodded once he identified the glint in his pupil’s eyes and raised his kunai, feeling assured that the cheeky brat was finally taking him seriously.

The two ninjas disappeared in a blur and a cacophony of flashing tal, their thin wispy auras wrapping around their visage to silently probe at the other person’s intentions.

A jab to the neck deflected to the side followed by a rising palm which Hanzo dodged with a subtle tilt of his head. Leveraging the close proximity, Hattori moved in for a grapple, but was thwarted by his teacher’s subli mastery of aikido, twisting the younger ninja around for a roundhouse kick, only to be t with a formless shadow as Hanzo’s form lted.

Hattori scowled and dove into the shadows as well, finding himself in a silent monochro world removed from reality. The ronin, together with his Gengar raised their guard as a Shadow Ball assaulted them, coming from the murky figure of Hanzo and his own Gengar.

With a silent growl, Gengar wrapped his form around Hattori, the two dashing forth to et Hanzo in lee. Within the confines of Limbo, no domain may be established as all Ghosts were equally emboldened.

Hattori punched at Hanzo’s silhouette with fists veiled in shadows, but was smacked aside by tendrils of darkness — the old ninja taking the form of an inky cephalopod.

Hattori groaned and in a burst of Dazzling Gleam, dispelled the surrounding Limbo and forced both combatants out of the shadow realm. He never could surpass his teacher in his mastery of Ghost Types, so better to fight on more equal ground.

A dense purple smog filled the air the mont that Hattori erged from Limbo, the face of his shadow taking on a sinister red grin.

Hanzo was undeterred and rely pressed in for an assault, Hattori’s mastery over Poison was impressive, but still not enough to incapacitate the seasoned old ninja.

However, the kunai he threw t only ethereal smoke as Hattori suddenly erged from behind him with a slash.

Woosh! Hattori’s blade whipped against air while Hanzo’s form dissolved into smoke. Substitution — an integral part of a ninja master’s survivability.

With a click of his tongue, Hattori dissolved as well, owing to the kunai that struck at him from the side.

Clang! The sound of tal against tal filled the air once more, the purple smog roiling in chaos as the two combatants engaged in a high speed battle. Their stalemate persisted until they were interrupted by a pained cry, of a bruised and bloodied Golbat being tossed onto the ground

Hanzo looked down at his fainted Golbat and let out a wry chuckle. Looking up, he could see the nacing figure of Hattori’s Crobat looming high above, his massive form completely obfuscating the glowing moonlight.

“Heh. It seems this match is set. You have done well, my child…” Hanzo tossed his kunai to the side and settled down in seiza, eyes glimring in pride even in his final monts, to await his student’s send off.

“I’m sure this need not be said, but take good care of the young lady for

will you? Do not allow her to follow in her father’s solitary footsteps.”

“Thank you sensei… For everything.” Hattori nodded, tears welling from his eyes as he raised his blade with a trembling gait. The man had always said that there was only one family that he had ever known. But he was wrong, there was a second. And that day, he was forced to bury his family yet again.

***

Author's note:

I do regret wasting Hattori as a character. But ultimately, I do think the pivot from the original idea was a good one.

I'm doubtful he will play a major role again in the future. There's simply no place for him. But we shall see...