Chapter 27 - The Surgery

“How is he doing Kakashi?”
Kakashi looked over at Jiraiya. “Not very well, not by his normal standards anyway. He’s trying, but it’s not coming as naturally as the jutsus did.”
Both watched Ekyt’s training for a few minutes. He was struggling through the exercises, his frustration clearly building as he came closer and closer, but always seemed to be missing one part or another of the series of taijutsu attacks..
“Kakashi…I wonder…do you think the other could help him?”
Jiraiya had an unusually thoughtful expression on his face.
“The other…you mean…her?” Kakashi questioned, his visible eye narrowed in surprise.
“I mean her. If anyone can fix him, it’s her,” Jiraiya said in a thoughtful, but convinced, tone. “She fixed that damage to Lee after his match with Gaara.”
“We have no idea where she is,” Kakashi replied..
“I can find her. I’ll take Ekyt with me. But I need you to talk with Lord Hokage. I need you and your team, if she is where I think she is.”
Kakashi gave a grave nod. “I don’t think Lord Hokage will object.”


“Not quite. You are very close, but” Lee’s word were cut off with a sharp curse from his new student.
“DAMNIT!”
Ekyt cracked, not for the first time. Without chakra, his kicks and punches were worthless. He didn’t have Lee’s strength and stamina, so he tired quickly. This wasn’t the first time he had cracked. He side-kicked the block of wood he had been practicing on, but only chipped the bark. That made things worse. He drew his sword and cut through the wood, then kicked the remains off.
“You only need to”
“It’s worthless Lee. I’m wasting your time. This is hopeless. Thanks for trying.”
Lee could only shake his head sadly as Ekyt walked away, putting his sword in his belt, not caring if anyone knew of his samurai heritage.
Ekyt turned around and pulled the sword out of his belt.
“I’m sorry Lee…I’m just very tense…if you’re willing to give me another shot…”
“Certainly I am! Guy-Sensei never gave up on me! As long as you are willing to try, I am willing to try as well!”
They went back at it.

Ekyt wandered the village. By now, the story had gotten out. Ekyt hated the looks of pity, and the feeling of avoidance. He had to stifle a snarl every time someone showed any pity for him. He wanted to be the protector rather than the protected

Hinata’s lessons went a little better. But the Gentle Fist style was more or less useless with a Byugakan eye. It would require Ekyt to memorize very precise points on the body. With his temper so close to the surface, this was worse for him. He thanked Hinata for her patience, and kept on trying. He was close every time, and, as with everything else, he practiced endlessly.


“Kayla…you wish to be part of the sound village?” Chakaro asked, surprised and unsurprised at the same time.
Kayla felt herself blush. “I do Chakaro. I’ve missed you. Things are just falling apart. Linda-Sensei and Ekyt-Sensei are fighting. Linda is dating, Ekyt is studying. I feel bad for them, but my place is with you.”
Chakaro didn’t have it in him to smile, though he had to admit that it felt good to have someone care.
“Let’s talk to Lord Orochimaru. I need an update on Kabuto and Akuhei’s mission anyway. You may not need to worry about Ekyt anymore…”


“Sakura, you remember seeing my brother that one time?” Sasuke’s question came out of the blue.
“I think so…he’s scary.”
Sasuke nodded. “Naruto, you need to hear this, too.”
Naruto scurried up, happy to be included for once. “What’s up?”
“I can feel it…my brother is going to make a move. I can sense him closing in. But he’s holding back, as if he’s watching something…”
Sakura looked around rapidly. “Do we tell the others? Do we tell Ekyt?”
Sasuke shook his head firmly. “No. Not yet. Itachi wants something…and I want to handle him myself, if he comes. I get this feeling a lot, it might mean nothing…”
Sakura kept her face neutral, but in her mind, she thought otherwise. Oh Sasuke…why can’t you just accept the help? Why can’t you be honest. Why are you so hot? Cha!


“Ah, damnit! Deal ‘em again!”
“Sure thing Miss!” The dealer in the shady casino dealt a hand of blackjack. He was enjoying himself. The woman in front of him was not only a total babe, she was drinking heavily and losing heavily. Can’t get much better than that!
The woman looked at her hand, determined despite enormous losses. “Hit me!” she practically shouted, slamming her hand on the table for emphasis. C’mon…gimme a nine, gimme a nine… she thought, grinning at the prospect of winning.
Ten.
“TEN! OH DAMMIT!” she shouted as she tossed her cards on the table.
“’Nother round Miss, or do you just want to settle?” the dealer asked merrily.
The woman smiled. “I’ve got to use the little girl’s room. I’ll try my luck again after that.” The woman gave a smile and a wink, then sauntered off.
Once she was in the bathroom, the woman dropped the act. Damn, running low on money…alright, time to skip outta here…just gotta focus my chakra… The young woman suddenly looked even younger, her blonde hair lengthening, and her legs elongating. She walked out of the bathroom and past everyone unnoticed. Well, not unnoticed. Two waiters collided, pitchers of beer flying as they both turned to stare at her at the same time.


“So, where are you taking me?” Ekyt asked during the trip. No one gave him a straight answer. Not that he cared, he knew he was beyond help. He looked across the street, hoping to find something to distract him. Things had been so akward. Naruto was questioning Kakashi about using the Rasengan, while Jiraiya seemed to be looking for someone (though he didn’t seem to forget about his pervy side). Sakura was thrilled that Sasuke had something to her, while Sasuke seemed to be more on his guard than usual.

“HELP! MY PURSE!”

A samurai, clad in a purple Hakama and dark blue Kekko Gei (Hakama top, not sure I’m spelling that right), tried to make off with her purse. His topknot was overgrown, as if it had been a long time since had had a master. His teeth weren’t blackened out, so Ekyt could pick him out as a ronin.

Before anyone else could move, Ekyt walked across the street, his sword in his belt, turning his blade edge-outward, a sign of aggression.

“Put it back.” Ekyt said tonelessly. His thumb was on the top of the blade’s copper hilt, ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice. Ekyt was so absorbed in the battle he didn’t notice the others staring at him.

“I knew he trained as a samurai…but still…Shinobi and samurai don’t get along, Sakura pointed out.
Naruto, on the other hand, had become a one-man cheering section. “Slice him! Dice him! Make him in to –HEY!”
Sasuke and Sakura had nailed him in the head in unison, holding his face into the ground with their feet.

The samurai turned around. “Oh, some ninja punk is gonna stop me?”
Ekyt indicated his belt. “No…some ninja and samurai punk is gonna stop you. But I’ll forget the ninja part for now. This concerns Bushido.”
Ekyt drew his sword, holding it with two hands in an aggressive guard.


“Kakashi, there’s no time for this. Leave your kids with him, we’ve got to find her.”
“Right. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura! Stay with Ekyt!” he called, leaping off with Jiraiya.


Clang Clang Clang! High, low, high! The three ninjas had never seen two samurai clash before. The fighting style seemed so stiff, but elegant somehow.
The swords clashed one more time. Ekyt shifted his weight forward while the two swords were deadlocked, knocking the other samurai off-balance. Keeping the sword trapped, Ekyt trapped his opponent’s hakama with his foot, keeping a wary eye out for the companion sword he knew was coming. When he saw it arching toward him, he thrust his case in the way, bringing the heavy wood down onto his opponents hand, not breaking the deadlock with the swords. Ekyt’s opponent used his case to hit Ekyt’s hand aside, trying to stab again. Ekyt dodged backward, dropping his sword down in a block, parrying the blade downward. He maintained contact with the other sword, pushing it to the side and stepping in on the samurai, trapping his hakama again and pushing, knocking him to the ground.
The enemy rolled, striking at the legs while bringing his companion sword up for a head block. Ekyt anticipated this and leapt over the strike, stepping down hard on the blade and pinning it to the ground. He brought his sword down in a single-hand jodan cut, cleaving the samurai’s shoulder. In the same motion, he drew the blade across the samurai’s face. It dug into his flesh, tearing a cut diagonally from under the left eye to the right cheek bone.
Ekyt stepped back into a wide stance, his sword held over his head, the blood glistening off it. He was giving the other samurai a chance to back off, showing that he didn’t want to fight anymore.
“You are no enemy of mine…what is your name?” Ekyt asked in the same icy tone he had used since his injury.
“Togatta of the Yaiba clan. My father’s master was Yori Harukeda,” answered the samurai.
“The Harukeda clan was destroyed…did you survive the war, or were you born after?” Ekyt asked, furrowing his brow.
“I survived the war. But I did not die with my master, as I should have. Instead, I became a ronin and a robber. I wish to commit seppuku…”
“To do so would be against our codes of honor. Your honor is already tainted, do not destroy it further. You know what must be done…” Ekyt handed the man the companion sword. The samurai took it, and in one sweeping motion, cut off his topknot.
“My dishonor is almost complete…” Suddenly, breaking all codes of honor, Togatta stabbed Ekyt in the stomach, then dropped his sword and ran for it.
“Damn it!” Ekyt cursed. That sword had done damage, big time. He was sure nothing important had been hit, but stab wounds weren’t something to play with.

Sakura leapt forward. “Lay down! And trust me!”
She opened his vest and looked at the wound. Narrow, but deep.
“Chakra scalpel!” Using her chakra, Sakura closed Ekyt’s wound. “All set. You’ll be fine.” She said brightly.
“THAT is a matter of opinion.” Ekyt walked over to the sword that the samurai had dropped in his haste to get away.
“Bastard.” He muttered. He picked up the man’s long sword, flicked the blood off, then sheathed the sword, tucking it into his belt next to his other sword.


The blond woman let her appearance change again, going back to her de facto appearance, which was an outwardly more pleasing experience.
“Ye-ah! Still a perfect ten!” Jirayai shouted, holding up a sign with “Ten” written on it.
The woman whipped around in surprise.
“You? What do you want, pervert?” she crossed her arms moodily, staring into her sake cup.
“Aside from the usual…well, maybe Kakashi had better explain.”
The woman got up. “Kakashi…Hatake? The copy Ninja? I remember him! I’ll speak with him. If Kakashi is involved, I know this is legitimate.”
Kakashi walked up, not seeming to care, keeping his usual demeanor in place.
“It’s been a while, Lady Tsunade,” he said cheerfully to the blond woman.
“It has indeed Kakashi. Now, the pervert here (Jiraiya protested: “I’m not a pervert, I’m a MEGA pervert!) tells me you need something. Obviously it’s important.”
“It is…one of the genin in the village, he fought Kabuto Yakushi in an effort to defend his friends. This young man has shown incredible promise. He has no team and no instructor, and no family name. He has trained non-stop for six monthes. But Kabuto’s attack mangled his chakra coils, and now he’s lost the ability to use ninjutsu and genjutsu, and, more importantly, his will to fight.”
Tsuande muttered to herself, and appeared to be drawing in the air.
“I can try one thing Kakashi. But, as with Lee, the surgery could kill him. If he’s still walking and breathing, I don’t think I should do it.”
Kakashi sighed. “I think you should talk to him. It’s his decision in the end.”


“What the hell was that?!” Naruto exclaimed, pointing and jumping (Picture the all-white eyes and the huge mouth).
“What? Oh, sorry, I forgot. That was a samurai duel. That’s why I jumped in. Sort of an honor thing,” Ekyt explained.
“He wanted me to be his Kaishaku-nin,” Ekyt whispered bitterly.
“Kaishaku-nin? You mean, his second?” Sakura had read about this, but hearing it first hand was a new one.
“Yeah. Normally, it’s a friend or older samurai. You take your companion sword and basically make a plus sign in your stomach. The kaishaku-nin is supposed to cut the head off to end the suffering. One catch: If his head rolls, you have to kill yourself.”
“Oh My God! That’s horrible!” Sakura exclaimed. “And he wanted you to help him?”
“Yeah. But, because he was a robber, and a member of an enemy family, it would have been dishonorable to assist him. A common thief shouldn’t take an honorable way out like that. That’s why his head is still on his shoulders…No, I wouldn’t do this anyway. I don’t agree with this, I think it’s a senseless tradition, one that you won’t find me following. And (Ekyt looks around), please keep this to yourself. I don’t need everyone knowing I was…am…a samurai.”


“Which one?” Tsunade asked. Kakashi pointed. Jiraiya was staring eagerly at her chest, making sketches. Tsunade gave him a smart crack in the head.
“I like ‘em feisty!” Jiraiya declared, not entirely conscious.

Tsuande took Ekyt aside and explained the risks to him.
“If you’re walking and breathing now, then you shouldn’t bother. The chance that this treatment might kill you is high.” Tsuande warned.
Ekyt shook his head. “I might be alive, but there’s no quality of life. I signed on to be a true Shinobi. Unlike a few ninja I know, I can’t do it with only taijutsu. Lady Tsuande, I’d like to take the chance.”
Tsunade looked at Ekyt for a long moment. He reminds me of the boy I operated on, Lee. And I’m sure that’s who he was referring to. His chakra coils are fully and properly formed, that’s why this operation will work on him, but not Lee. All I can do is try…Brave kid…
Aloud, she said “Alright. Let’s get to the nearest hospital then. This won’t take long, and the surgery itself won’t be painful at all. But, kid, the recovery is hell.”

On the way to the hospital, while Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Tsunade were talking, Team 7 pulled Ekyt next to them on the way. He had been walking behind them, obviously apprehensive about the surgery, and even feeling a little dejected.
“Hey…listen, thanks for the save back there,” Naruto said apparently at a loss for words.
Sasuke was just the opposite. He said more than usual. “You’re not enjoying this, are you? You made a sacrifice that most couldn’t comprehend. I just wanted to say…watch your back. Picking us as friends…that’s made you a lot of enemies.”
“I know I can trust all of you. And I know you could understand my reasoning for making the sacrifice. There is no refusing a mission. Especially when the mission gets personal.”
“I’m going to assist Tsunade-Sensei. But…before all this gets going…I just wanted to say how brave you’ve been, and what a true friend you are.” Sakura’s blushing face took on a look of determination, as though she was the one who was going to have the surgery. “If I can ask…why don’t you seem afraid? I mean…”
“I could die? When a loner dies, who notices? Besides, there is no quality of life anymore. If I can’t be saving people, I’m worthless.”
“Don’t say that!” Sakura protested. “You’re not worthless!”
“That’s nice of you to say.” Ekyt said, letting a little emotion creep into his voice.


“Alright kid. Since you’re sure, here’s the deal. The surgery won’t hurt. Recovery, though, is gonna be hell. You won’t be able to use your chakra for another two weeks, at the least. And I’m not gonna lie, it’s gonna hurt. So, before we get going…are you sure about this?”
Ekyt laid down on the table, shirt off as instructed. “I’m sure.”
“Alright. The first part involved Genjutsu. You’re going to be in your own world. It’s not gonna be awful during the surgery.


The surgery began. Everyone felt a little twinge of anxiety for their friend. There was no doubt that he was special; how many people would have taken such a chance to save people he barely knew? How many would have taken a mission, knowing that they were more than likely going to die? Especially someone who had been a ninja for less that six monthes.

NEXT ISH: EKYT STARTS HIS RECOVERY! WITH ALL THE VILLAGES PRESENT FOR THE CHUNIN EXAMS, THERE’S TONS OF TENSION IN THE LEAF VILLAGE! SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE!

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