Chapter 4 - Now It's Personal: Dragon Ember Jutsu!

Sakura was chatting with Ekyt, building up to her point when Linda came over. “I’m really sorry to interrupt, but, Sakura, can you give us a second.” Sakura nodded, wondering what was going on.

“Ekyt…I need to be honest.” Ekyt’s eye showed no emotion. “I trust you. Are you okay?” Ekyt asked her. “I’m…fine. I just…I think…I’m going to start dating.” She waited for a shout of anger, a well-deserved yelling at. Neither happened. “Is that all? A nice girl like you alone?” Ekyt said. “Whoever you pick, unless it’s Gaara, is fine with me.” “Thanks so much Ekyt. You’re a sweetheart. I deserve to be beaten for keeping you in limbo.” “No you don’t. You’ve been honest. If you just decided this, there’s no reason to be upset. Now, I need to apologize for not training with you. I just wanted to spare us both the awkwardness.” Ekyt looked up at the clouds. “I’ve got to go, I’ll see you around.” He said amiably. “Thanks again, you’re the best. Bye!” she called.

Kakashi sensed Naruto and Sasuke leaping back into the fray. Kabuto looked panicked for an instant. “Waiting for these punks?” Naruto tossed two unconcious ninjas at Kabuto’s feet. Moving quickly, he made hand signs at a rapid speed. Kakashi had been distracted until the very end, when he quickly countered it. Too late. Kabuto had used his “Nirvana Temple” jutsu, putting Naruto and Sasuke to sleep. “Tell your puppies “Good Night” Hatake. Their days are numbered, the same as yours…” Kabuto disappeared. Kakashi considered giving chase, but settled for waking his two students.

Chakaro heard someone coming. He judged that they weren’t attempting to hide. “Chakaro Tamaki?” The voice asked. “Who’s asking?” he muttered darkly, staring at a ninja he had never seen before. “I am called Fushouchi (“Fuschouchi” means “Dissent” –NG). I am here to make you an offer. You want revenge, revenge for parents and their stupidity. You could call me a figure from your past…One that could give you everything you’ve ever wanted…”

Sakura watched Ekyt walk back. And he didn’t look well. The skin that was visible had turned more pale than usual, and he walked with a stiffness, like he was in terrible pain. And she noticed he had his hand to his damaged eye. It didn’t take a genius to see what had happened. “I’m so sorry Ekyt.” Ekyt sighed before he replied. “It was for the best. She was honest, and we were never “together.” I’ve always admired her honesty…” Sakura followed him back to his hotel room. He opened the orange book she had given him, reading the first couple of sentences absently. Sakura stifled a laugh. “What is this?! “Makeout Paradise? THIS is what Kakashi-sensei reads?” He shot Sakura a mock-nasty look. She burst out laughing. “I thought ALL boys read this!” Ekyt started to respond, but that changed to: “What the hell?!” he swore, looking around the destroyed room. A shuriken with a note was pinned to the wall. Hand shaking slightly, Ekyt pulled it off the wall. “Is everything okay?” Sakura asked. Okay? That’s the understatement of the century Sakura! You’re not blond, that’s Ino! Focus. What would you do if it were Sasuke? Offer help. That’s it! “Can I help at all?” Sakura asked. To her surprise, Ekyt nodded. “Get Kakashi-Sensei and your group. If you see mine on the way, please tell them I’ll meet them in my room as soon as possible…” Whatever that note said had choked Ekyt up pretty good.

“What are we talking about… Fushouchi?” Chakaro asked. He was trying not to be tempted by the offer, but also thought it was best to hear what this clown had to say. “I know how much talent you posses. I can help you master your chakra, make you stronger in a shorter time, since you’d be my only student. If you agree, I can give you information about who you are…Who you used to be…your parents, and what happened.” “What’s the catch?” Chakaro asked darkly. “Betray your team. The one they call Ekyt, he will be your greatest obstacle if you allow him to live…”

“Whoa, what happened here?!” Naruto exclaimed. “Man, you’ve really gotta work on your housekeeping, even I’M neater than this! What, did you practice a destruction jutsu on your furniture?” Naruto said. “You loser, don’t you see this is trouble?” Sasuke shut Naruto up. “Let him talk.” Kakashi’s unusually somber attitude got everyone to settle down. Ekyt gestured around the room. “If you can find something to sit on, please go ahead. My team should be getting here” “Now. You wanna tell us what this is all about?” Kayla asked, jokingly sarcastic. “Please, continue.” Ekyt didn’t ask why Linda walked in with Lee. “Hey, where’s Chakaro?” Linda asked suddenly. Sakura was sitting closest to Ekyt, looking somber.

“According to this note, I’m to meet Chakaro alone at the training field. To negotiate his return.” A chorus of protests met his ears. “I’ve got to do it. I’ve never lost a student, and I’m not going to start now. It says me specifically. What I need…is a jutsu. And…I need my team protected.” Ekyt was addressing Kakashi now. “I can have your team protected, I’m certain Lee is up to the challenge. As for a jutsu…What do you have in mind? They’re not easy to teach.” Kakashi asked. Ekyt met his gaze. “I know enough Taijutsu, I need something physical…and non-lethal in the best cases.” Kakashi thought hard. “I think I have one in mind. Sasuke, Naruto, get them hidden. Sakura, you’re with us. We might need your medical expertise.”

It was time.

Ekyt pulled his trench coat on, hiding the staff folded across his back. His kunai were hidden high up on his right leg. “Okay. I’m ready.” Kakashi and Sakura were still with him. “If you need help, send the flare.” Kakashi said. “Right.”

“Ekyt.” Chakaro ran up to him. “Glad you’re alright. What happened?” Chakaro grimaced. From behind, Ekyt heard the start of an attack. He leapt to the side, his chakra flowing through his body. “So, this is the famed Ekyt. The one who survived Gaara’s assault, the one who trained an elite force. It’s a shame you’d only be in the way. You have the honor of having trained my gem.” “Who the hell are you, and what are you talking about?!” Ekyt demanded, shedding his coat. “My name is Fushouchi, family name Cheng. And what I’m talking about is Chakaro. You trained him well, but now you’re holding him back.” Ekyt felt a presence behind him. “Sorry “Sensei!”” Chakaro reached for Ekyt’s neck. Ekyt ducked away, rolling forward, throwing a somewhat subconscious attack at Fushouchi. Time to signal Kakashi.

“Here we go. Sakura, stay behind me or Ekyt until it’s safe.” Kakashi instructed as they ran full-tilt toward the battle.

“Chakaro, care to demonstrate what you’ve learned in such a short time?” Kakashi and Sakura arrived just in time to see Chakaro make a couple hand seals. “Ninjutsu…” Kakashi uttered under his breath. “Full Jodan Blade!” Chakaro called, manipulating air into a humongous sword. It swung down at Ekyt. Ekyt dodged backward, skidding on the grass. His anger at betrayal had finally hit him. “Dragon’s Ember Jutsu!” he called, making a simple hand seal, channeling his chakra perfectly. From the double cross (Or quad cross, two fingers, middle and index, in front horizontally, the same two fingers on his other hand vertical.) came a flame. Ekyt could manipulate the flame with his chakra. The flame washed across the grass to Chakaro and Fushouchi, forcing both to do a handspring backward. The flame licked Chakaro’s shoulder, burning a tattoo-looking mark onto his shoulder. When he tried to touch it, to see how bad the damage was, his Jodan blade swung wildly, cleaving Ekyt under his good eye.

Both jutsu’s stopped, their owner’s chakras tapped. Fushouchi moved in for the kill on Ekyt, swinging his weapons, sai, down. Ekyt’s tri-sectional staff flashed up, in a blocking motion. “How is this possible? You shouldn’t be able to move!” Ekyt was wondering the same thing, but decided to question it later. Pulling the ends in, Ekyt snapped his tri-sectional staff together into one long bo. He aimed low, then, in a surprise move, flipped the back end of the bow toward Fushouchi’s head. Fushouchi laughed. “So, there IS something else to you…I see the cavalry is coming. That will have to be another day…” Ekyt ignored him. “Chakaro, you can’t trust this guy!” Chakaro threw a single knife, one that cut Ekyt’s hand. “You would have only held me back. Thanks for all you did for me. I hope to be the one to put you out of your misery.” Fushouchi and Chakaro disappeared.

“Ekyt! Are you all right?!” Sakura raced over to check on him. There was a small cut under his good eye, and his hand was bleeding. “Let me see your hand.” Sakura picked it up gently, seeing where the blade had sliced his palm. “Hold still.” She told him. After she wrapped a bandage around it, Kakashi came over. “That was very impressive Ekyt.” “I didn’t save him! He went with that Fushouchi demon! I wasn’t good enough…” After a few moments silence, Kakashi said “You were able to continue the fight despite your chakra being gone.” “I noticed that too. Why?” Ekyt asked. “Because you have lived and trained for so long without using chakra, it would seem you can fight without it for a short period of time. That’s an extremely rare trait. But enough of that. For now, let’s get you back to your team, and find you all a place to live.” Ekyt nodded numbly, looking back where his student had been standing.

“So this is who you’ve been seeing Linda!” Kayla exclaimed. “I told Ekyt. He took it pretty well.” Linda said thoughtfully. Sasuke seemed indifferent, while Naruto was obviously trying not to say anything. Lee was meditating in a corner. Kakashi walked in, followed by Sakura and Ekyt. “How did it go?!” Linda asked anxiously. Ekyt made a sound as though to say something, then shook his head, looked at his hand, and went to stand by himself. Linda looked to Sakura and Kakashi. They told the entire crew the story.

Holding him back? Is it true? It can’t be! I never forced him to stay with me! That Fushouchi guy…he offered Chakaro something he couldn’t refuse…regardless…Chakaro, you’re right behind Gaara now…you didn’t cost me an eye, but I hold traitors in the same class as fungi. But now…I guess, for the first time, I’m completely alone. Linda has Lee now, Kayla and I were never close…It’s what I’ve trained for…But am I ready? Ekyt bandaged his left hand to match his right, using black tape. He felt it was significant somehow.

“Since tonight was nightmare fodder for all of you, you do not have class with me until later tomorrow.” Kakashi informed them. “If you need anything, find me or my group.” Ekyt nodded. Linda said “Thank you” and Kayla bowed. “Alright. Good night then.” He, Naruto, and Sasuke left. Sakura lingered back for a moment to give Ekyt a small smile, then left herself. “Hey.” Linda put a hand on Ekyt’s shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay.” Ekyt looked at her, as if she was foreign. “I’m fine. I’m going to get some air.”

“Listen, all of you. You have a mission, starting now.” Kakashi said. “Watch this new group. Eventually, they’ll be put in their respective groups (“Cells” is the term used from now on), but they are all in danger.” “All right, a mission, finally! I’ve been bored! I mean, I can only eat so much in one sitting!” Naruto exclaimed.

Ekyt found his way to Asuma’s home. “Come in!” he called at the sound of a knock. “Ekyt, what brings you here?” Ekyt saw that Asuma was in the middle of a game of Go with Shikamaru. “Sorry to disturb you Asuma. I wanted to ask to borrow a few scrolls.” Asuma raised his eyebrows, but swept a few scrolls of a shelf. “Sure, these are basic jutsus, the best place to start. Is…is everything okay?” “Well, I’m not sure, I’ve never lost a student before.” Ekyt admitted. Asuma’s eyes widened. “Shikamaru, tea?” he asked. Shikamaru nodded. “And for you?” “I’d prefer green, but whatever you’re already making.” Ekyt said, trying to sound polite. “Have a seat, I’ll be right back.”

Asuma set the tea down. “Now, tell me what happened.” Ekyt told him, somehow managing to keep his face hidden while drinking his tea. “…Then he attacked me. I used a jutsu I learned from Kakashi. At the end, I found out I can fight for a while after exhausting my chakra.” Asuma shook his head. “I’m sorry to hear about Chakaro. He seems like a good kid. It wouldn’t surprise me if he came back sooner rather than later. He seems desperate for answers now, maybe even power…”

“Goodnight Ekyt.” Linda said. “Good night sensei.” Kayla perkily added. “`night.” Ekyt said tersely, leaning over a scroll in the candle light, slowly copying the hand seal that belonged with one. The two girls exchanged glances, but shrugged and went to their new rooms. Ekyt was still sitting in the corner of his, huddled facing a corner. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were still there, not speaking while he worked on a simple transformation jutsu. With a sigh, he rubbed his eye. “You guys go ahead.” Sakura told Naruto and Sasuke. “I’ve got to check his hand.”

“You okay?” she asked. “I will be.” He answered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He seemed to choke for a second, then turned and stood up. “Thanks for sticking with me Sakura. And for all the help you’ve given me, not to mention the support. I’ve never had a day like this. It’s worse then when I lost the use of my eye. I’ve never lost a student…” Sakura didn’t quite know what to say. “Well, I…I mean…You’ll work things out. You’re tough.” He nodded, feeling the cut under his good eye. “Do you need anything?” Sakura asked. Ekyt shook his head. “No, thanks. I’m just going to get some rest. I’ve got an early day tomorrow.” Sakura raised an eyebrow. “I’m working taijutusu with Lee in the morning, and I have a couple questions for Asuma.” Linda smiled. “It’s true what they say about you. You almost remind me of Sasuke in some ways…always by yourself, always training…good at your training.” “Thanks. I wish I was that good. Anyway, have a good night.” “You too…” Sakura answered.

Once Ekyt reached his room, he tucked the scrolls into a large pocket on his leg. Changing into his bed clothes, Ekyt spread his weapons around the room, concealing them. He kept his pouch of kunai on his leg. Alone…Apparently, I still have people that care for me. But my team…I can’t stay with them forever. What is I’m holding them back? I guess it’s a decision they’ll have to make. I tried to fix one life. I’m not trying a again until I fix my own…

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