FALLEN LEAVES

WITH EVERY TURN, A NEW STORY

❖ Dallas moved through the streets of Logue Town, he was shit out of luck with only a bit of beli to his name and a bounty that was raking up higher and higher with each misadventure he was having. Lady luck seemed to frown upon him despite him surviving such close encounters and it was as though the young swordsman was destined to get closer and closer towards his goal of becoming one of the best only to have it dashed away before his very own eyes. A sigh carried from his lips while he was heading out towards the exit of the town, aiming to visit the forest that lay just outside of it's perimeter. It was a nice and calming location with trees older than many of the pirates currently sailing the seas. They were gnarled, shaped by the years of weather and aging growth that spanned the generations. As Dallas soon came upon them, he had begun to walk through them and trail his hands along their bark. How many men and women had come to this forest? For what reasons? These questions lingered inside of his mind but he would soon come to a decision on what his reason for being here would be.

With steps light and centered, the male unsheathed his katana from the holster that lay on his back. Birds chirped as they sung their tunes and flew overhead in the sky just above the tree tops. Dallas turned and began to move into the steps of his techniques, practicing them over and over as he wanted to make every strike a little faster and every impact stronger. He had just barely escaped with his life intact during his battle with two Marine Lieutenants. There would be no second chances in pulling a stunt like that -- the next time he showed his face there, he would be a target shot to death.

That was all the more reason to keep up his training and evolve himself. If he refused to progress than he would be left in the dust with all the other aspiring dreamers that sought to become something greater in this world. There would be nothing for him if he chose that route and just as he had begun to relax in his teachings, he would turn his head and catch the sight of several foxes. Their teeth were bared as they yipped and growled in the frustration and blind rage they held towards Dallas. He was an intruder in their sacred place, the area in which they lived out their lives peacefully. It reminded Dallas of how he was an intruder inside of the Jewelry store he had tried to get into and make off with the money of. He failed such and was unable to carry anything more than his mangled body out of that store. Now faced with the realization that these animals were wild and would not give mercy behind fighting him and killing him, Dallas was left with two options yet again. Evolve or Die.

"I wish it didn't have to come to this.. yet you give me no choice.." Dallas was originally now planning on killing the two foxes that were crouching before him, primed to strike - but then a sight came to him which changed the value of these foxes immensely. "Well now I can't end your lives.. I'll just have to make sure you can't come at me anymore then. Prepare yourselves!" Of course the foxes wouldn't know what he was saying but perhaps he just said what he did for himself. What had come to Dallas' line of sight which made his decision to kill them change was a pair of baby foxes that had poked their heads free from the bushes to watch their parents. This was all that Dallas needed to confirm that killing these foxes would bring more ramifications than what should be allowed. "Shigure Soen Ryu.." Dallas whispered beneath his breath while the two foxes had begun their charge towards him. Their maws snapped open, teeth ready to rip away the swordsman's flesh as though it were just paper. In that moment, Dallas' eyes narrowed and he turned to hold his blade with the blunt side facing the two foxes. His movements were swift and he delivered three simultaneous strikes to their bodies. "Pouring Rain!" The two foxes felt the full brunt of the blows on their bodies and in two sharp yelps, both came to tumble along the ground behind the swordsman.

"Hmn.. that should not be enough for them." Dallas mumbled, turning his head to look behind him as the foxes were already staggering their shaking limbs back to stand. He'd rush up to the duo with his sword off to the side of his body during his movements and jumped over the two. One Fox twisted it's body to try and snap at Dallas during his flip but as they both would come to turn towards Dallas, he had already landed on his feet and swung at them. The long, blunt end hit the two foxes at their necks and he used this pressing force to shove them back into a tumble along the ground. The two foxes grumbled and knew of their loss, moving to the bushes where their young-lings were hiding. "Yes, that's it.. go off with your young ones, live freely and live a strong healthy life.." He couldn't help but smile given how adorable the scene was of the little foxes dancing and playing around their still living parents. He grabbed his katana and moved it back to the sheath on his shoulder, letting it fall down inside of it's hold. "Guess I won't need this right away then, suppose I'll head my way deeper inside the forest." He'd sigh and move his hands inside of his pockets. He had a lot to learn when it came to his own capabilities, turning his eyes onto the sky he smiled without regrets.

"Four blues, Four years, all this time to grow.. will I make it?" He'd whisper to himself now that he was traveling further into the thick of the forest. He was adamant to stay inside of this place for the next three days, aiming to learn to fish for himself and forage survival. Dallas had boosted his resolve to learn more techniques behind his style, he had no master to learn from and could only develop more of his skills alone. He thought fondly of what his Master's own teachers must have been like. Would they have left those foxes to live out their lives if they had been attacked like Dallas had? Or would they have chosen the option that Dallas had on letting them survive and using non-lethal attacks when spotting the two little foxes. "One thing is for sure, Master.. I will surpass you and get even stronger than I was when I fought you. I will become.."