Reflections: Hattori Hanzo. (It's really long, so you know. But the ellipses are to a minimum. Hope you enjoy.)

"Dishonor"

Hanzo lays down on the matt, feverish, delirious, sweating and in agony, yet victorious. All it cost him was one measly arm. Never fear. The hardest part is over. Everything will be smooth sailing from now...Right?

God, he wishes he was. He knew he had to sacrifice sooner or later, but not like this. Not when it had just began. And he has no one but Honda to blame...Okay and partly himself, but mainly Honda. That selfish bastard instilled upon him beliefs. Beliefs he once rejected. Beliefs he once despised. Beliefs he tarnished so many times...

Hanzo hated the samurai. What they represented. As the heir of the Iga ninja, he was instilled with Shinobi values. Deception over Honesty. Pragmatism over Idealism. Life over Honor. He learned the ways of the Shinobi and he learned them well. He has the best there was. Few could accomplish so much with so little like he could. No man, no matter the size who could anything against a well crafted Shinobi strike from behind. Simple, fast and clean. If only fate had born him in another era...

Born in an age where Honor was deemed more important than life, his skill were frowned upon. Dishonorable, dirty...unworthy of merit. They despised him, and he despised them in turn. He despised the bushido with passion. Honor doesn't win wars. Honor doesn't kill ypur enemies. Honor doesn't protect your family, your clan, your livelihood.

And yet he had to witness so many people throw way their lives so many times. Cut in their prime. Out of loyalty, honor, righteousness...Lets see how that serves them in the afterlife. Seppuku they caller it, honor they called. That's what he thought and believed. Yet when his father changed the ways of his clan, when they became samurai...he had to adapt, as the shinobi once taught him.

And one fateful day, when he rode past his hometown, he laid eyes on him. Honda Tadakatsu. Vassal of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hanzo new instinctively...he was a regal man in appearance and deed. A beacon of the bushido. He represented everything Hanzo rejected. He was never a man to let emotion get the better of him but once he laid eyes on him, he wanted to bring him down on his knees out of spite. The samurai way. He wanted to bring down the pinnacle of the Samurai caste that rejected him.

He was a fool... He had never a felt a beating so sever. Bruised, battered and bloodied and a victorious Honda standing on top him.

Hon.:Why?

Han.:(panting)Why what?

Hon.:Why didnt you use your tricks? You are a shinobi, right? You could have used any tactic to take me down but you didnt. You had openings but refused to capitalize on them. Why?

Han.: B-Because...Im a samurai!!! Would you have me sully my honor?!?... What about the bushido?!?

Hon.:(laughs) What of it!?! You think the Bushido wins battles? Or ends wars? If you got skills, use them, the code be damned.

Hanzo looks shocked at Honda...

Hon.: I fight like a samurai, because I can afford it. I have more than enough power to follow that path. And honestly, I can't fight any other way. And when I fight...I can only hope that my opponent will fight like a samurai too. If not, well... I'd still win. So don't deprive yourself of your talents for some code's sake. Not when it will bring you triumph.

Hanzo kept looking at Honda with astonishment...

Hon.:If you're looking for someone to use your talents for... I recommend Tokugawa Ieyasu. I think he of all people would appreciate them. What do you say?...

That was the first moment in his life when Hanzo admired a samurai. A samurai who didn't judge him. A samurai who encouraged him to use his talents. And that man would become his comrade. His best friend. He knew he could never be like him. But he'd shoulder his dream along for their sakes... With all the dirty and dishonorable skills he has, wearing the pride of the Shinobi.

That's why he joined the Tenkaichi. To show everyone that Shinobi too have their pride. Through deception and cunning... against people considered superhuman. People with power greater than his own. He'll do whatever it takes, use every dirty trick in his rulebook to claim victory. For Honda and himself. For his honor-stained pride.

Cause he is...the greatest Shinobi of Iga. Demon Spear, Hattori Hanzo.