Larry S. Jackson {DONE}

Iko stepped into the Uchiha clan residential area. He hadn't been here in a day, but it felt like he hadn't been here in one  year. He missed the scenary, the people, and the atmosphere here. He took off his jacket, revealing just the normal genin  vest. He placed it over his shoulder, and made his way down the streets, smiling and waving at recognizable faces. Some  old, some young. Some relatives, some friends. He'd lived here his whole life he was here in Waterfall, and knew pretty  much everyone in the area: The Uchiha clan that was.

He arrived at his residence, the biggest house in the whole area. The door had an Uchiha clan symbol embedded into it,  and was the home of the eldest Uchiha clan member in Waterfall, and Iko's of course. He pushed open the door, stepping  in, he closed it behind him. "Kenshi-sama?" Iko bellowed, walking around the house. "Iko, why so loud?" A voice behind  him stated in almost a whisper. Iko stopped, turned around, and bowed his head towards the elder man, then back to his  normal standing position. "Sorry Kenshi-sama, I was just worried because you weren't sitting on your chair; and I  thought, well it doesn't matter," he stated, smiling. Kenshi nodded with acknowledgement. "Don't worry Iko, I won't be  gone that quick. You shall get to the Jounin rank before my passing away. Your gift would be prepared by then," he  stated, smiling as well. He then began heading towards the court yard entrance. "So, what brings you here during this  special event? I was just on my way to the exams," he said, acknowledging the Chuunin exams that were being hosted in  Waterfall. "Yes. I shouldn't be here, but we still have a couple of hours to prepare. The protor just announced the results  of the written exam. Fortunate for I and my team, we passed, with great scores," he paused, beaming, then continued,  "The reason for my presence here is to request a lighter. I haven't trained much on my ninjutsu, and I already have  somethin' planned with another fire source. So, If you don't mind, I would like to borrow your ... you know, lighter."

Kenshi kept on walking, with Iko trailing behind. He pushed the door open with his walking stick, revealing a wide,  grassy field. It was the size of a Soccer field, with a few trees planted here, and there. "Iko-kun, I will give you my lighter;  and you do not have any reason why you haven't gotten any training in. It looks like you have begun slacking, uh?  Gettin' a little lazy Iko-kun?" he asked, with a chuckle. He moved to the side, and turned around to look at Iko. "I'm  sorry Kenshi-sama. I got carried away with the Chuunin exams, and ... completely forgot. It also gives me a chance to try  out my Taijutsu in the exams, Kenshi-sama. I won't dissapoint you, I promise!" he exclaimed with boldness, no emotion  on his face what-so-ever. "Alright then. I shall resume my trainin'. Have you told Satoshi-kun about your secret yet?" he  asked, curious. "No, Kenshi-sama. I'm not ready ... like I stated previously, I shall, when I'm ready," he added, a bit  irritated. "I'm sorry Iko-kun, I was just curious," he stated, patting the Genin's head. "Alright, I assume your coming here  to borrow a lighter from me instead of buying one is not wanting to get carried away and buying other unnesscary items  like you did in the past?" Kenshi said, laughing. Iko chuckled as well, blushing a little. "Oh, sorry about that, and yes.  Since my father's a Uchiha as well, I assumed It would be better training with him. You know ... it could be the beginning  of something new, which would eventually prosper soon," he stated, giving Kenshi a questioning look.

Three hundred and forty years. Three hundred and forty years since those three bullets had ended his life. Three hundred years he had spent in the Thirteenth division: The division responsible for protecting Seireitei; and probably the division with the most responsibility. Years had passed by, Captains died, Lieutenants died, wars occurred. Even more Shinigami's died. This wasn't what he expected the 'afterlife' to be. He thought it was a paradise, a place of complete bliss, delight, and peace. But it was the absolute opposite: a place of pain and turmoil. Sometimes Samuel often called 'sameyeuru' the Japanese way of saying Samuel. He had become accustomed to the all the names he was called by: Samuel, Larry, Jackson, Sameyeuru. At least none of them called him: "Black man", "Blackie-chan", "Nice ni**er", and all those other dimwitted names.

Samuel leaped from rooftop to rooftop, wearing his custom clothing. He didn't feel relaxing in the normal shinigami outfit, and he looked so stupid in it. So he sat down one weekend, and worked on a custom outfit. He loved it, and he felt contented in it. He also looked good in it. Others commented on his outfit the first day he wore it. But soon, they all got used to the outfit. It became a typical outfit, just like the normal shinigami outfit. That entire topic aside, what Samuel was trying to accomplish leaping from rooftop to rooftop is what we all are yearning to know.

Nothing active had been going on in Seireitei lately; and he had recently be promoted to the third seat of the Thirteenth division. He really didn't feel like a 'new' person. He felt like his typical self. He didn't feel anymore powerful than he previously did, nor have any different abilities. On the other hand, being the third seat of the Thirteenth division would earn him respect of others. At least that was what he thought. He didn't really care though. He would still be the soft-spoken, respectful, willing to break a rule, or multiple rules, to do what is right; laid-back, lazy shinigami, the one always polite in any combat situation.

Samuel leaped off the rooftop, and onto the main streets of Seireitei. He trench knives on both hands, as he approached the location where he had felt the two different reiatsu from. It seemed as if they were clashing. What a shinigami was doing with trench knives was another long story. To make it short, the trench knives were his Zanpaktou, thus the reason why he was a close-range combatant. Some often think of him as a 'hand-to-hand' fighter, but they were wrong. They failed to see the fact that he used the blades he wore on his fingers as his fist. (That sounds right, correct?) But no one was perfect. Humans, even in afterlife suffered from the everlasting imperfection they suffered from the firs two humans: Adam and Eve. When it would end, no one knew. So the blame was on the imperfection, not on us humans.

He came to a halt acknowledging the two who were fighting. It was the current captain commander and his Lieutenant of the Thirteenth squad: Samuel's squad to be precise. He still didn't know how someone as young as Chomatsu could be a Lieutenant. But it wasn't about how old you were, and the experience you had. It was your skills and attitude that shot you up to that position. Chomatsu was also well-known for his accomplishment in the academy. This kid- no, this shinigami amused Samuel in a way he couldn't explain. He simply watched the two battle, really not wanting to interfere. It was the captain commander he was talking about. Why his lieutenant was fighting with the Captain Commander was a mystery to him, and interfering would probably get him into tribulation. So he stood back, and watched.