Ouroboros (an epilogue)

The ceiling drips hot water as rain patters against the tin roof of the cheap old shack Ceasar was being suspended from in chains and a blindfold. The links begin to squeak and grind from rust. He rotates his wrists to stop the neverending chaffing from tearing his skin off for a moment on one side instead of the other.

Sitting on a paint bucket with his legs crossed and a green clove cigarette in his backward right hand, an umbrella being held above his head, is a cunning strategist and leader. One day he is known as Kumicho of The Inagawa Family, but here and now he is just an ambitious young man with aspirations that extend beyond his reach. And what does an ambitious man do when something is outside his grasp? He finds a tool.

"<Did you know that in Norse mythology, Loki killed one of his brothers? Quite a piece of shit, really, for a god.>"

Ceasar doesn't have much energy. Day 5? 25? It all blended together now. His body is eating itself he hasn't got the energy to stay aloft let alone talk back. Ken Tetsuno ashes his cigarette,

"<For his crimes he was chained beneath a serpent that dripped venom down onto his forehead and into his eyes. As the legend tells it he will stay there, writhing and creating earthquakes, until Ragnarok, the end of days.>"

Tetsuno laughs, "(As you can see I am very enamored with foreign cultures. You can imagine my excitement when I found out a negro American was in my territory. Beating my men to death as though he were Jim Kelly! You must understand I see negroes and the Japanese as allies. We were both committed atrocities upon by the White Americans. This is merely necessary to make sure you know who is your superior.>"

"Guh...geh..." Ceasar coughs up,

"<Hm?>"

"Get...to the damn...point" Ceasar's weak mouth manages to whisper.

"<Be my pet outsider. Walk by my side like a dog, attack when told, and chase who I tell you to chase. In return I will feed and shelter you for the rest of your undoubtedly short life. Agree to help me start my Ragnarok, and I'll let you loose from your chains.>"

Ken Tetsuno set this scene by design the moment he saw the damage Ceasar could do. He played the angles just right, and believed he'd have a sword to use to cut the head off of the Kumicho who came before him. "<But first I need a sign of your loyalty.>"

The man holding the umbrella pulls a pair of bush trimming shears from his breast pocket, "<That big mouth of yours has caused enough trouble for one lifetime.>"

As time went on he would develop his own mythology. Enemies would call him Sii-La, a simplification of his foreign name to more easily pronounce. Gaijin only lasted for as long as Ceasar was suspended in that shack. For 15 years he toed the line and acted as the right hand to Kumicho-Kai Ken. Waiting, biding his time.

The ceiling fat clips the light that floods into the Nihonoto Khan and whisks the smoke out of the window into the pitter pattering rain. Ceasar doesn't bother to move, the cigarella hanging from his lips as he walks over to the door and opens it wide. A young woman bows to him"<Master Yahzun would see you now.>"

Yeaaaah boi. Not a gotdamn picture in sight but I read it anyway. Nice tie-in.

*Retires*

Appreciate it. I felt like without context in my last post the ease of getting him to turn on his 'family' needed explanation.

Funny how Gambler's forced us both into these kinds of situations at exactly the same time. [The tie-in post to link in and explain an otherwise irrational behaviour.]

I like the mythology tie-in. I knew which story that was off the bat; it was a nice draw.

@rosso: lol I'm glad I got the excuse to stretch my legs with this guy, but really I gotta blame myself. I jumped to a decision to quickly to leave on the table without risking him seeming flat.

Thanks. I liked the paralleling dynamics to the story. Killing 'family' members and a trickster that can't be trusted to turn your back on. Plus making the Kumicho have a soft spot for foreigners seemed to need some more depth without being too sympathetic. Although maybe I should have made him less evil towards Sii to add that complexity. I'll probably work him into more flashbacks to expand on the dynamics of their relationship over the years.

@sii-la: It worked out in the end anyway! You get to push a little more backstory, got some interaction out of it, and nothing's hurting for it! The trick [which I'm still learning myself] is to not let overthinking halt the commitment to action. Let it flow.

There's always time to explore. I find it can often be easier to create rationales retroactively, once I've got an established pattern to analyse myself. "Oh, I notice _________ tends to do this a lot. From here on, I'll work it it into her character," but still resolving it with other actions and extant logics. [And, let's face it, often people are inconsistent.]

@rosso: Yeah I'm working on that in a few aspects of my life. "Just shut up and do it" is what I keep telling myself lol

I agree, definitely. It's better in a lot of cases too because you lock your character into certain ways that can't be shaken by writing a detailed past before "getting to know" the character. You decide while writing them in the present that their character would make more sense if X happens but Y is already locked in. I think starting blank and building backwards just leaves a lotta room to maneuver.

This is basically my default MO. Even still, I'd occasionally find myself having an idea and going "aw man, I wish I'd thought of that sooner" and wanting to go in and modify. Or looking at someone else's backstory and having a "that's so cool, wish I'd thought of that" moment.

@rosso: Right you always look out for improvements but some things just can't be worked around.

*came back and read it again with a soundtrack lol

Awesome read!!! Love that Norse Myth reference, you already know, yuh! :P

*Hong Kong Phooey music intensifies*

lol appreciate you.

An interesting read.

Dude you got me to read because of the title.

Stayed because it was awesome