Snake in the grass

Chapter 3: Realization

Summary: Snake Eyes completes his first challenge

Akiko is worried. She trusts Tommy's judgment, but this man is a stranger and an outsider. To make it worse, she cannot find any trace of him, not from background checks, fingerprints, or facial recognition. And, not to brag, but the Arashikage have the best security system in the world. Akiko turns as she hears Tommy enter the room.

"Hello, Akiko." Tommy greets as he steps up to the screen.

"Tommy, I am worried about this man. He is an outisder! I can find no trace of him anywhere, not even from fingerprints. He's a ghost. That does not bode well for this clan." Akiko says without disguising the worry in her voice.

Tommy frowns and turns to face her. "Akiko, this man saved my life. I owe him, and I trust him. He will join our clan."

Akiko huffs and crosses her arms. "Don't be so sure. You know that eighty percent of people fail the first challenge."

Tommy chuckles and turns to leave. "Yes, but that means twenty percent of people pass. See you at the challenge." Tommy says slyly as he exits the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snake does not know what to expect from the first challenge. He figures it will be some sort of fight, judging by the mats, weapons, and man in the center. He's confident he can win this fight. Snake steps up to the mat, and bows his head towards Sen, Akiko, and Tommy, who gives him a small nod and smile.

Sen stands up, saying "This is the first of the three challenges. You may begin when ready, Hard Master." She sits.

Hard Master--what the hell kind of name is that--bows to her and turns to Snake Eyes. He bows to him as well, and Snake warily returns it. Hard Master turns to the weapons table, looking over them all. Snake stays in the middle of the mat, watching him. Hard Master smiles, and turns to face Snake, without selecting a weapon.

"Hm. You will be easy to beat," Hard Master states. He has two small bowls in his hand, and goves over to a bucket full of water. He fills the bowls with water, and hands one to Snake Eyes.

"The goal of this challenge is to get the bowl of water from me. However, you must not spill a drop." Hard Master says with a smirk. "If you fail four times, the challenge is over."

"Yeah ok, Hard On Master, or whatever your name is." Snake chuckles. He can do this. He strikes quickly at Hard Master, but is brushed aside, mkaing the water spill from his bowl.

"That's one!" Hard Master declares. Snake glares at him and refills his bowl.

Snake Eyes holds his bowl close to his body, and strikes out again. He lands a hit on Hard Master, but suddenly the man has his bowl and is pouring the water out of it. Snake Eyes huffs, takes his bowl, and refills it once more.

"That was two!"

Snake Eyes once again holds the bowl close to his chest, preparing to strike. He's only got two more chances. He lashses out, but Hard Master sweeps his leg and steals his bowl. Snake Eyes is on his back, and Hard Master appears over him.

"And that was three." Hard Master says as he purs the bowl's water over Snakes's face.

Snake huffs angrily and goes to refill his bowl for the last time. As he does, Tommy's waords wash over him.

"Let go of your ego. Let go of selfishness."

Snake Eyes takes a deep breath and realizes what he must do. He walks up to Hard Master.

"Hard Master, will you humbly accept the gift of my bowl in return of yours?" Snake asks, warily.

Hard Master smiles and nods. The two exchange bowls.

Sen rises and declares that he has passed the challenge. Akiko does not look happy. Snake Eyes is extremely relieved, and catches Tommy's gaze. The man looks at him with a smile and pride in his eyes. Snake feels a blush creeping up his neck.

Snake Eyes exits the challenge area as soon as he is able to prepare to see Kenta later that evening. However, he can't stop thinking about how Tommy was so proud of him. A master in emotional repression, Snake shoves that particular thought down as far as it will go. He makes it to his room, needing to shower and change before dinner. Once he's changed, he looks himself in the mirror, seeing pride in his reflection. He looks the most honorable he's ever been. He sighs, and moves to leave the room to join Tommy and the others for dinner.

He's seated in netween Tommy and Akiko. Once Sen takes her first bite, the rest of the hall becomes a loud feast of laughter and joy. Snake can feel Tommy's gaze.

"Congratulations on passing the first challenge. I knew you could do it." Tommy says sincerely.

Snake has to fight a blush again. "Thank you. I just remembered what you said earlier and went from there."

Tommy smiles and his gaze shifts to Akiko. "At least someone here listens to me," he says loud enough for Akiko to hear. She shoots him a playful glare. Tommy chuckles and turns back to his food. At a loss for what else to say, Snake Eyes does the same.

Until he feels another's gaze upon him. He look up at him. He look up, to see Hard Master staring straight at him. He leans to Tommy," Um, why is Hard Master looking at me like that?"

Tommy laughs. "Oh, he's not. Hard Master is very nearsighted. Blind Master, on the other hand, he's watching everyone." Tommy demonstrates this with a raise of his cup, quickly returned by Blind Master.

Akiko jumps in, looking at Snake. "You know, rumors say that he can even hear when someone is lying."

Snake nods. "Uh, good to know I guess."

Tommy turns to Akiko. "Akiko, leave him be. Has he not proved his worth today?"

Akiko shoots Tommy a worried look, and sighs. "Apologies. Congratulations, Snake Eyes."

Snake gives her a wary look but states his thanks anyway. The rest of the meal is finished in good company, with him and Tommy making light conversation and speaking of the second challenge. As the meal ends, Sen and Akiko leave. Tommy rises to follow them, putting a hand on Snake's shoulder.

"I am proud of you. I believe in you for the next challenge." Tommy finishes with a squeeze of Snake's shoulder.

Feeling bold, Snake reaches up to cover Tommy's hand and give it a small squeeze. "Thank you." He says, sincerely, before letting his hand drop back to the table.

Tommy gives a fond smile and is on his way. Snake smiles right back, a faint blush tinting his cheeks.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh shit.

I like Tommy.