Username   Password  
Remember   Register   |   Forgot your password?

Chapter 13 - The Blue Flame Chakra

Your favorite pack of lovable, hard-headed ninjas in a new adventure!

Chapter 13 - The Blue Flame Chakra

Chapter 13 - The Blue Flame Chakra
“Up and at ‘em!” Kakashi said brightly. Naruto leapt out of bed, thrashing wildly. Sasuke shook his head, while Sakura contained a laugh. “Good to see you’re awake Naruto.” Kakashi said mildly. “Don’t you ever knock Kakashi-sensei?!” Naruto exclaimed. He grumbled as he sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “What’s with the wake-up call anyway?” “Iruka requested the three of you specially. He’s giving a lecture today, and since you all specialize in different areas, you’re a perfect fit.” Naruto grinned as he stripped off his pajamas. “Makes sense to me! I’m gonna be the next Hokage, believe it!” “I didn’t know the next Hokage wore boxers.” Sakura pointed out dryly. “Sakura, I didn’t know you were a pervert! (I mean, you coulda asked…)” Sakura got an unmistakable look of rage in her eyes. Kakashi went back to his book while Sasuke looked away. Naruto’s day was off to a painful start.

Someone…someones in the room. Ekyt thought, waking up like he had never been asleep at all. He kept still, trying to keep his breathing normal, while sensing something about his attackers. They were definitely ninja; he hadn’t heard anything since that first small clatter. There was at least two. And they were close. Ekyt heard a breath that wasn’t entirely concealed. Slowly, his hand reached for his dagger, which he always kept in a hidden pouch in his blanket. He slashed his hand, to find his dagger blocked. “That,” a voice said, “Is the way a ninja wakes up!” Ekyt recognized the voice. “Kakashi-Sensei, good morning.” Ekyt pushed all the scrolls he had been studying off his legs. He stayed covered up, especially since Sakura was in the room. “Good morning to you to.” Kakashi had blocked Ekyt’s dagger with his own kunai. Ekyt’s aim had been true, he would have hit Kakashi high up on his left leg. “You and these three are needed at the academy. Iruka asked for all of you.” “Alright, I’ll be ready in two minutes.” “SEE?! HE’S NOT A PIG LIKE YOU! HE’S WAITING UNTIL I LEAVE THE ROOM BEFORE HE” “Okay Sakura, that will do.” Kakashi said in a bored tone.

In record time, Ekyt had gotten himself cleaned up and dressed. He walked out the door, tucking his white scroll into the far right makimono pouch. “How do you get your hair to just stay in one place like that?” Sakura couldn’t help asking. Ekyt shrugged. “It just happens.” He put his toothpick in his mouth, looking ready to go. “Kakashi-sensei, if I might ask…why does Iruka-sensei need me? I know these three all specialize in different areas, but I don’t know about me.” “That’s something you’ll have to ask Iruka. But he’ll have a good reason.”

On the way there, Kakashi and his group met Lee, Linda, Guy, Tenten, and Neji. “Morning Kakashi!” Guy said enthusiastically. “Good morning Guy.” Kakashi answered, lowering his book. “Good morning to all of you.” Lee said respectfully. “’mornin’ Bushy Brow!” Naruto retruned. “I’ve asked you to stop calling me that Naruto!” “Good morning Lee. You too, Tenten…I don’t think I’ve met you yet.” Ekyt pointed to Neji. “Neji Hyuga.” The boy (Ekyt could have sworn it was a girl) said in a distant sort of voice. “Ekyt.” “What’s your clan?” Neji asked. “I don’t have one.” “The heavens disagree.” Neji answered immediately. Ekyt’s good eye narrowed. “Well, that’s up to the heavens then.” He said brightly. I really don’t like this guy. Ekyt shifted his gaze to Linda, who was hanging on Lee’s arm. Does she think I’m jealous? Maybe for a relationship in general, but not with her! That she-demon. “I don’t suppose you’ve given up yet.” Linda said in a bored drawl. “Nope. And I’m not going to.” Ekyt said back.

Linda stepped away from Lee. “Maybe not yet, but you will.” She gave him a hard poke in the chest. Sakura took a hard stride forward, but said nothing. “I don’t quit very easy Linda. Certainly losing your friendship won’t be enough. For the record, the jealous ploy isn’t working.” Everyone winced at that. “Good thing too.” Just to annoy her, Ekyt called “No hard feelings Lee!” Lee had to force himself not to chuckle. “Ekyt, you can play with your little friend later. Iruka’s waiting.” Kakashi reminded him.

“So you’re all vying for the rank of genin. Just be warned, not all of you will make it the first time around.” Iruka’s words echoed throughout the silent hall. Iruka was well-respected (except by Naruto, of course) as a teacher, and a pillar of society in the Leaf Village. “I’ve asked some of my recent graduates to come by and talk about their respective fields. Ah, here they are now!” Iruka said happily as his group walked in. With the exception of Naruto, who hugged Iruka. “It’s good to see you too, Naruto. Now, where do we begin? Ah, Sakura, how about you first?”

Sakura stepped to the front of the class. “My name is Sakura Haruno, and the field I’ve chosen is medical. Unlike regular first aid, this kind of medication involves manipulating your chakra to heal normally deadly injuries. I’d show you, but I don’t see any injuries.” Kakashi gave Ekyt a shove forward. “Um, well, I have this cut from a kunai on my arm…” Ekyt stifled the dirty look he almost threw to Kakashi, who seemed pleased with himself. “Perfect! Hold still!” Sakura said. “Chakra Scalpel Jutsu!” Everyone watched as Sakura gently touched Ekyt’s arm. Immediately the deep cut turned to nothing but a red line on his skin. Everyone clapped at the end.

“Thank you Sakura. Now let me see…Naruto. Waiting was never your strong suit…” Iruka said, clapping him on the shoulder. Naruto leapt up onto the front row of desks. “I’m Naruto Uzumaki! I like ramen, lot’s of kinds! My specialty is combat, and I’m the next Hokage, believe it!” The students looked scared and impressed. “Naruto, why don’t you show them a jutsu?” Iruka said. Oh no… “Wait, Naruto, not”

Too late. “Sexy Jutsu!” Naruto called. He was suddenly a beautiful naked girl. “Pretty hot, huh everyone?!” the girl Naruto said happily, barring nothing. Several boys in the class responded with nose bleeds. The girls responded with a mix of disgust and admiration. The students who had been eye level had just learned a lesson in anatomy.

Iruka let his head hang. “I should’ve guessed…moving on…Ekyt, how about you?!” Iruka grabbed Naruto by the hair. He/She was posing for the crowd now, blowing kisses and whatnot. Ekyt stepped forward. Some of the students knew him, but not very well. He must have looked ill, with the dark circles under his eye, and the headband tied crooked across his eye.

“I’m Ekyt, I don’t have a surname.” That sentence alone got attention. “I’m a new genin, promoted three weeks ago. I don’t have a cell or a sensei.” “Hey, you were in class with us! How’d you pass!” Ekyt looked at the questioning student. It wasn’t a kid he remembered. “By studying…day and night…for two monthes straight. Well, two monthes and three weeks, if you count the past three weeks.” Ekyt answered. “Come on, no can study that good!” Ekyt reached for his white scroll. Dramatically, he pierced his thumb with a kunai, ready to show off a new trick he had learned just two days ago. “Summoning Jutsu!” he called. At his feet, a dog popped up, sitting obiediently. “This is Holly. She’s a Keeshonden (pronounced “Kays-hond), and what I summon with that particular jutsu.” “How do we know that’s not some genjutsu you pulled off?!” the same kid called. Ekyt produced another scroll, this one very small. He handed it to Holly, who took it in her mouth. Ekyt pointed to the kid. The dog ran up to him and leapt onto the desk. She dropped the scroll near his hands and sat down. The boy opened the scroll. “Study hard?” he said, reading the contents. “That’s right. I’m surprised you can read.” To everyone’s surprise, the dog had said that. “Y-you can ta-talk?” the students stammered. “Better than you apparently.” The dog said in a deep female voice. “Holly, that’ll do.” Ekyt said quietly. Holly disappeared with a pop as Ekyt put the scroll away.

When did he learn that? Impressive for a new genin…for anyone. Kakashi thought to himself, smiling at the trick. Sakura was cooing over how cute the dog was. Ekyt was standing in the center of the room, hands in the pockets of his vests. “I don’t have a specialty, like I said. But I wouldn’t mind teaching, in addition to fighting. My goal is to be an elite Jonin, so I can protect myself and others.” The same kid still hadn’t given up on trying to make a fool out of Ekyt. Although Ekyt’s patience was wearing thin, he bit his tongue at the next comment. “What happened to your eye?!” Ekyt slowly looked over to Iruka, who nodded gravely. “They need to know Ekyt. But just show him, I know you’d rather keep this private.” Ekyt nodded slowly, then climbed up the steps. Every head turned towards him as he walked up slowly.

Okkuu Imaimashii wondered if he had finally pushed Ekyt too far. As he got closer, Okkuu was actually scarred. “You don’t have to show me!” he said quickly. “No…you asked…and it’s something you need to know…Hope you didn’t just eat.” Ekyt warned. “I did, so I’ll just” “Kindly vomit the other way, then.” Ekyt said, leaning close and lifting his headband. Okkuu looked okay for a second, then turned green and dashed from the hall, a hand over his mouth. Ekyt replaced his headband. Iruka snickered. He didn’t usually enjoy torturing his students, but Okkuu was a hard one to like.

“Sasuke, if you please.” Sasuke didn’t please, but did as he was told. “I’m Sasuke Uchiha. I’m the last member of the Uchiha clan (He doesn’t mention his brother, Itachi). I possess the Sharingan eye. I’m an avenger, with a mission to kill someone.” Sasuke said all this in such a dry tone, but it kept the rapt attention of everyone.

“Before we get to the last guest, perhaps Sasuke could give us a demonstration of his fighting abilities. Naruto, you just got out of the hospital…Ekyt.” All eyes turned toward Ekyt. Ekyt was scared to death, but smiled in anticipation at the same time. Sasuke looked the cat who swallowed the canary. “Don’t worry, you’ll live, Sakura’s here.” Sasuke said, taking a guard. Ekyt realized that was Sasuke’s attempt at being friendly. “Well Sasuke…looks like you’re getting your wish. You said you wanted to fight me. I’ll give you a match, then.”

“Iruka…are you serious?! He can’t handle Sasuke!” Naruto shouted. “He’s right Iruka-Sensei…” Sakura agreed sadly, hoping Ekyt didn’t hear that. “Iruka knows what he’s doing.” Kakashi said forcefully. “That boy has surprised us before…I don’t know if he can beat Sasuke…but you can bet he’ll have a trick or two up his sleeve.”

Sasuke and Ekyt got right into it. No weapons yet, but fists and legs seemed to be enough. Ekyt landed a couple shots, though Sasuke was easily winning. He managed to land a hard shot to Ekyt, knocking him backward into the first row of students. Sasuke looked indifferent. “Is that it?” he said aloud. “Not quite!” a voice said from behind him. Ekyt hit Sasuke in the side of the head with a punch. Sasuke grinned slightly and used his “Lion Barrage” combo on Ekyt. That put Ekyt down, but good. Or so he thought.

“That poor clone will never be the same.” Ekyt said, standing on the other side of the room. Sasuke whipped around. “Good trick. Now let me show you one of mine…” Before Sasuke could do anything, Ekyt attacked with “Dragon’s Ember Justsu.” Sasuke dodged them skillfully. “Sharingan!” he called. His eyes turned red, showing three marks shaped like comma’s. That would reveal any genjutsu or ninjutsu Ekyt used. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He was staring at a clone.

Ekyt got up quietly, cursing the splinters in his back. Leaping high, he brought his foot down on Sasuke. He hit…a log. As soon as he landed, Ekyt knew he had made a mistake. He kicked backward. It would have hit a normal person, but Sasuke was too quick. He blocked Ekyt’s kick with his forearm. Ekyt thrust an elbow backward. Sasuke simply leaned backward himself and swept at Ekyt’s legs. “Do you give up?” he asked as Ekyt lay on the ground. Ekyt landed both feet to Sasuke’s chest, knocking him backward, while springing to his feet and across the room. “You’re persistent, I’ll give you that.” Sasuke said. He made the necessary hand sign. “Phoenix Immortal Flame Jutsu!”

Three balls of fire shot at Ekyt in rapid-fire succession. He dodged them all, returning fire. “Shadow clone jutsu! Dragon’s Ember Jutsu: Clone Instigation!” he said in one sentence. Two clones joined him. Sasuke could pick them out, but he couldn’t stop their jutsus. Blasts of fire aimed at Sasuke forced the students to cover their eyes as it blazed by. Sasuke dodged the continuous attacks. It suddenly hit him what Ekyt was doing. He wants to exhaust my chakra. I need chakra to fight…he doesn’t…This is getting interesting…

Ekyt let his clones continue their attack. Sasuke must know what I’m doing…or thinks he does…I’ve got to end this now. Taijutsu is the only option left… He darted across the room, silently thanking Lee for being his training partner. In a blur, Ekyt struck. Spin back kick, roundhouse, front kick, side kick, flying spinning side kick. He landed behind Sasuke and grabbed him. “Konoha Backward Snap Dragon: Modified!” he called. “Modified?” Iruka said questioningly. Kakashi shrugged. “He’s more than a one-trick pony.” Sakura was chewing on her nails, praying neither boy got hurt seriously.

Ekyt had grabbed Sasuke in tight. In the other version of the Backward Konoha Snap Dragon, Ekyt leapt high into the air, cradling the neck and waist. In this version, it started the same, except Ekyt grabbed both Sasuke’s arms and pulled up while standing on his chest. All while soaring down toward the ground. BLAMMM!!!!

Every student stood up as one, looking into the crater created by Sasuke and Ekyt’s bodies. Ekyt crawled out of the hole, clearly exhausted. He forced himself upright, breathing hard. Sasuke lay still for a few moments. Kakashi knew something was up. Apparently, Ekyt guess that too, because he leapt backward. Good thing too.

Sasuke suddenly used his flame jutsu three times. Ekyt dodged them all. But Sasuke’s smirk looked too genuine. Ekyt tried to move, then realized what happened. “Strings?” he said. Sasuke had strings attached to his arms, and one attached to his mouth. Ekyt had been forced into a pillar, and was now bound to it. He couldn’t make any hand signs, and he couldn’t defend himself. “Do you give up?” Sasuke asked. Ekyt looked up, his good eye blackened and his lower left arm singed. He spat out blood. “No.”

“You can’t move, you can’t defend yourself, and you’re exhausted…why won’t you give up?” Sasuke asked in surprise. “What happens if you quit on a mission?” Ekyt said quietly. He shook his head. He couldn’t move his arms, but he could just reach his kunai pouch with his right fingertips. He kept talking, hoping to distract Sasuke. “You die if you quit. And you die in shame. I’d rather die with honor Sasuke…there’s no shame in losing to you.” Ekyt said with a grin, hit teeth a shade of pink from the blood. “An honorable death is preferable to a dishonorable life.” Ekyt said. C’mon…c’mon…just a quarter inch more…almost got it… Sasuke shrugged. “Have it your way.” Sasuke ran in for the kill.

“Rope Escape Jutsu!” Ekyt called. He still couldn’t move. “Nice try. But that’s not ordinary string!” Sasuke called. Everyone winced, seeing what was going to happen next. Ekyt had one more surprise for them. He reached his kunai pouch and opened it. He threw a kunai at Sasuke’s feet. “Good try, but you missed.” Sasuke said. “Did I?” Ekyt said. BOOM! An exploding tag!

The explosion broke Ekyt’s bindings. He was still too tired to do much but play defense. But he had to take advantage of this opportunity. Except Sasuke could see through the smoke and he couldn’t. All Ekyt could think of was to throw more exploding tags at his feet. They would be triggered by Sasuke’s approach. He squatted down, hopping he could see better down there since the smoke was lifting. He didn’t see anything. Sasuke did.

Sasuke snatched the exhausted Ekyt up. “Peregrine Falcon Drop!” Sasuke called. One high impact move later, and the fight was over. Ekyt was half-buried under a foot of floor, and only semi-conscious. The students looked on in awe. “I hope you enjoyed that. Class dismissed!” Iruka said, a little too quickly. Sakura was already kneeling near Ekyt. “He’s not dead.” Sasuke said darkly. “What?” Sakura said, blinking. “I said he’s not dead. I COULD have killed him. But he’s alive.” Sasuke leapt down into the hole, grabbing the now-unconscious Ekyt’s body and heaving it up to the level ground. “He should have quit.” Sasuke murmured. “I wish he had…” Iruka said sadly. “No.” Kakashi had two fingers extended, probing Ekyt’s bones for breaks. “He acted as a true Shinobi should. You know that you can’t quit on a mission.” “This was practice!” Iruka argued vehemently. “You get out what you put in Iruka.”

“Then I hope he got a lot!” Sakura pushed to the front. “No breaks…minor burns…he must have blacked out from having no stamina or chakra left…” Her announcement was met with sighs of relief. “We’d better get him to the hospital.”

Something strange happened then. Ekyt suddenly leapt to his feet, eye still closed. He grabbed a kunai and stabbed it violently into his own leg. His eyes flashed open suddenly, panic etched on his now-visible (Sakura removed his mask) face. “You’ve got to stop him! Not me, never mind me! Him!” Ekyt shouted, pointing to Sasuke. He had a hand to his curse mark, and his eyes were starting to turn red. Everyone but Sakura rushed over. “Stay with Ekyt!” Kakashi told her. Ekyt had his eyes closed in pain, his body wracked with violent shudders. “I…saw my own death…and everyone else’s…” Ekyt stammered. “I had no way to come out of it…It was genjutsu, it had to be…but I didn’t see Sasuke’s hands move.” Ekyt took a deeper breath than usual, but continued shaking. “Come here.” Sakura forced him to lay down. She sat near his head, holding it, absently stroking his blood-matted hair. Ekyt didn’t want to stay laying down after he heard Sasuke talk. Or, rather, it SOUNDED like Sasuke.

“Fool. A great ninja doesn’t NEED hand signs to torture his targets…” Sasuke laughed, but everyone could tell it wasn’t him speaking. Ekyt staggered to his feet. There was a fire in his eyes. “A great ninja doesn’t need torture period!” The fire from Ekyt’s eyes seemed to draw on some strange chakra. It was light blue…and it was surrounding Ekyt’s fist. His hand was open in front of his chest. A blue flame had sprung up, with purple sparks dancing from it. Ekyt ran forward incredibly fast and shouted the strange jutsu’s name: “Transparent Hand Jutsu: Blue Flame Protection Seal!” Rearing back, he jammed his hand into and through (Through?) Sasuke’s stomach. It looked vaguely like the Chidori jutsu Sasuke himself used. Ekyt clenched his fist, wincing as it must have hurt him. When Ekyt pulled his hand out, a mark appeared on Sasuke’s curse. It turned blue, then red, then purple. Ekyt stood up straight, with a distinct “What the hell did I just do?” look on his face. He was suddenly blown backward, landing hard on the other side of the room. “It’s a shame I don’t possess Sharingan.” The voice said. “Had a stronger ninja used that technique, it might have worked.” “You’re in luck Orochimaru!” Kakashi said. He had his headband pulled down. He had seen Ekyt’s technique. He copied it and used it.

This time Sasuke’s curse mark glowed blue, then faded to an outline. “Kakashi, I will make you pay! I will have the Uchiha boy yet!” Orochimaru’s voice shouted. Sasuke’s curse mark remained an outline. “It will come back.” Kakashi said gravely. “Sakura.” He only needed to say her name. She broke toward Ekyt at a run. “Did that…whatever it was…really do it Kakashi?” Iruka asked, looking worriedly at Sasuke. “It was performed imperfectly, I might have copied it imperfectly…” Kakashi admitted. He could tell Iruka didn’t like the thought any more than he did.

Ekyt looked weak in the knees as he clambered to one knee. After pausing there for a few seconds, he got up all the way. “Ekyt…you’re alright!” Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. Ekyt coughed out blood in reply. “Come here.” Sakura said. But it was she who moved. She snatched Ekyt up in an embrace. Sliding his Hitai-ate up, she kissed his forehead, the only clean spot on his face. “Thank you…you’re a very brave warrior.” Ekyt forced a smile, but even that hurt. Then he fell forward, his secondary reserve of mystery chakra and stamina exhausted.

NEXT ISSUE: WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED? EKYT AND SASUKE HAVE SOME ANSWERING TO DO- TO LORD HOKAGE! EKYT IS ASSIGNED A MISSION WITH HAYATE GEKKO TO FIND OUT ABOUT SASUKE’S CURSE. IT’S EKYT’S FIRST REAL MISSION, HOW IS HE GONNA DO?

SAKURA HAS TO DEAL WITH SASUKE AND NARUTO ON A REGULAR BASIS. BUT NOW THEY’VE GOT A MISSION- LINDA, ROCK LEE, AND TENTEN. WITH LINDA AND SAKURA AT ODDS, HOW ARE THEY GONNA PULL THIS OFF?

Comments

Comments (1)

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment

alchemest1 on October 14, 2007, 6:52:41 PM

alchemest1 on
alchemest1WOW! That fight was epic mate! Brilliant I tell you! Brilliant! As for the strange chakra. WOW! That was an amazing new Jutsu he used with it. Superb chapter. One of my new favorite! More mate! MORE!