Chapter 3 - Fire and Flames

CRACK! CRACK!

“Lord Meuinkage, the castle doors are buckling!”
Lord Meuinkage looked over at his son. “I have to share in the fate of my people. Tell him…I love him.”
Sakura nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.
“We’ve got to keep them out of this room, no matter what, or the kid is done for. Can we head them off?” Ekyt asked urgently.
Naruto looked down the hall. He brought his head back in immediately.
“We’d better seal the room, ‘cause those guys aren’t friendly!”
“I need all my chakra to do the surgery! Ekyt, that leaves you…”
Ekyt nodded, and weaved his hands together.
“Sly Mind Effect Technique!” he called out.
This genjutsu forced the targets to travel in circles. It wasn’t going to hold off the enemy for long. Ekyt hoped they didn’t need long.
“Ekyt, you should stay with Sakura. Naruto has the more powerful chakra, and I would be of no help. Naruto, you and I will guard the door, while Ekyt guards Sakura and the Meuinkage’s son.” Lee rattled off in rapid-fire succession.
“Alright! Finally getting some action! I can’t wait! I’ll mangle these loser Doom ninjas!”
Naruto slid near Ekyt. “And Widdle Ekyt makes some time with Sakura-chan. How sweet!” he snicked.
Sakura thumped him on the head. “Naruto, shut up! This is no time for that!”


Kakashi leapt over Ginlee’s last pitiful attack. He drove the Lightning Blade/Chidori strike home in the man’s chest. Kakashi’s hand exited out the other side. He had killed Ginlee, one of the leaders of the rebellion against the Meuinkage.
“I’ve got to get back to my team, they’ll be swamped,” Kakashi muttered, using his version of the body flicker jutsu to cut the distance in half. He carried Ginlee’s corpse with him. Even though he hated the traitorous ninja, Kakashi felt he deserved a burial.


They had seen through the genjutsu.
“How much more time Sakura?” Ekyt ask, started to get concerned.
“Five minutes!”
“Good. Then you and him go hide. He’ll need someone to watch him.”


Sakura looked over at Ekyt. “I think I should stay here. You guys might need the help, and he shouldn’t be moved yet anyway.
I’m through hiding on the sidelines! It’s time Sakura blossomed!
“She is right Ekyt. Even you and Naruto cannot use your chakra forever, and my stamina will hold up for hours under normal circumstances. But an invasion I am not sure of.”
Ekyt ran a hand through his hair (Unconciously, Sakura glanced at the motion). “Alright. I’m going to end the genjutsu before I’m totally drained. They should be somewhat tired by now. Let’s give ‘em hell!”


Lord Meuinkage sent five rank genin flying, then turned around in time to elbow an approaching chunin.
“Land of Doom: Controlled Aftershock!” he shouted. The ground began to shake, to twist and heave, knocking ten more ninja down for the count. Craters opened up below them and swallowed their bodies whole.
The battle continued this way for some time. Lord Meuinkage knew his time was up. He had a choice: Save himself or his Village. He did what any kage would have done.
“LAND OF DOOM’S SOUL RELEASE! SPIRIT BONFIRE!”
One hundred ninja screamed, clutching their chests. Their chakra was exiting their bodies, and their spirits were burning. Literally burning. They clutched at their chests in their dying moments, screaming about the fire inside them. They could do nothing to stop it.
Lord Mueinkage sank to his knees. In front of him, a silvery whisp in his image grew in size. His soul was pouring out of his body. There was reason that the Land of Doom’s Soul Release techniques were forbidden. The user died after performing them.
The technique was only half complete. The silvery whisp grew, nearly filling the enormous entrance hall in the castle. Lord Meuinkage’s soul had fully exited his body now. The soul began to burn, instantly incinerating all who touched it.
Lorde Mueinkage died with a smile on his face. He had taken one last vindictive swipe at the enemy.


“I want him.”
In the midst of battle, one man pointed at Ekyt.
“And who the hell are you? And why do you want to fight me?” Ekyt called back, absently backhanding another grunt in the face.
“I’ve heard of your chakra. It seems we may share a similar jutsu. I can’t have that!”
“And your name Captain Windbag?” Ekyt asked flatly.
“I am Hanafunda Sumizome. You and that annoying boy with the freaky eyelashes (“I will kill him!” Lee shouted. Naruto held him back while Lee struggled) defeated my right-hand man handily. He told me your genjutsu is to be feared. I want to see it first hand.”
Ekyt stared back darkly, a work worthy of the old Sasuke.
“I suppose I should be flattered. And I’ll fight you. But answer this: Why attack like this?”
Hanafunda let loose a dark chuckle. “Because, dear boy, power is meant to obtained. It is in my blood to unite the Village of Doom to it’s neighbors, to stabalize it’s economy, and to bring it out of this depression.”
“Are you saying that you somehow created all this bad luck?” Ekyt demanded.


“Immortal Soul: Hell’s Nightmare!”

The attack struck Ekyt hard, forcing him to freeze up. He saw his life. The sacrifices he had made, the hatred he had felt. Never having a girlfriend, never dating, the mistrust. The pure anger at being bullied and threatened. Choosing his path…had he made the right choice?
Ekyt saw himself being stabbed, before he knew chakra.
He saw Chakaro turning on him.
He saw Gaara, destroying his eye.
The memory of Gaara grew in intensity, and it appeared all around him. He remembered wishing to feel pain, because feeling nothing in his eye was even worse. He had never felt so helpless, so useless.
Everything seemed to turn to sand. Ekyt tried to stand up, but fell back to one knee.
Alone…alone forever…why didn’t you live more when you had the chance? Now you’re going to die. You’ve never kissed a girl, you’ve never even dated! You’re alone. Is THIS how you want to die? Do you WANT to die at all?
Ekyt started to stand up.

Hanafunda looked mildly impressed. “Ukiyo wasn’t lying. You ARE strong. (Ending the jutsu) Get up. I want to finish you. I want to see your skills.”
Ekyt was still frozen.
Hanafunda raised an eyebrow. “Nothing? Well, I can convince you.”
He walked over to Sakura and Tanomoshii. Sakura glared at him.
“Don’t you dare touch Tanomoshii! I’ll kill you myself!”

Ekyt’s eyes snapped open. He sprang to his feet and rammed Hanafunda with his shoulder.
“Stay with her!” he shouted to Naruto and Lee. “THIS is beyond personal now!”
Ekyt threw a shuffle side-kick, faking it low, then landing it high on Hanafunda’s chest. Hanafunda returned with a front kick, which Ekyt swept aside with his crescent kick. That forced Hanafunda to turn around. He attempted to boot Ekyt in the stomach, but missed as Ekyt parried the foot and threw a fist at Hanafunda, who just managed to duck, using the momentum for a leg sweep. Ekyt leapt over it, then landed HARD on Hanafunda’s leg. The leg bent the wrong way at almost a 90 degree angle. However, Hanfunda’s chakra allowed it to bend, preventing it from breaking. Ekyt shrugged that off and snapped at Hanafunda’s shin. Hanafunda returned, catching Ekyt in the side, right on his ribs, with a roundhouse kick. Ekyt rolled with the blow, exposing his spine. As Hanafunda moved in for the kill, Ekyt’s foot stuffed him right in the gut. As Ekyt turned around and leapt, so did Hanafunda. Their feet passed each other in the air, on their way to hitting both combatants in the chest. They sailed backward, then skidded. Upon landing, Ekyt used a Shadow Clone Jutsu. Three of him ran towards Hanafunda, who threw two shuriken, hoping to catch the real Ekyt. He tagged two of the three, both being clones.
“Gotcha!”
Hanafunda’s third kunai struck the third Ekyt. But that one was a clone too!
“Where are you, you little snot? Is this hide and seek, or a duel?” Hanafunda called. He heard Ekyt behind him. He whipped around, aiming ot tag the Leaf Villager with a punch that was meant to decapitate. He missed as Ekyt thrust an arm up in a block. That same arm came around and caught Hanafunda in the nose, making his eyes water. Next he tagged him under the chin, knocking him backward.
Hanafunda got up slowly, wiping his bloody and broken nose.
“You’re just a genin! How can you be a better fighter than me?!” Hanafunda demanded/snarled.
“Because I’m following my Shinobi way. I’m defending something truly important to me, as lame as it sounds. I would die for these people without a second thought.”
Hanafunda opened his mouth, but Ekyt cut him off.
“Shut your damn mouth and listen up junior! You might learn something! You wanted to see my second chakra?! Make your move, and I’ll make sure you FEEL the chakra’s power, first hand!”


Lee and Naruto formed a wall in front of Sakura. She looked over their shoulders. Her patient would be waking up in a few minutes. The LAST thing his system needed to see was a death.


Kakashi cursed slightly as he saw the hundreds dead. I hope I’m not too late…

Ekyt put his hand toward his chest. When he showed it, it was surrounded by a crackling blue flame. He ran forward, his hand trailing behind him.
Sakura was suddenly hit with a memory of Sasuke’s chidori. It saddned her. She wanted to cry, but stiffened her face. It was someone’s life at stake. Sasuke was alive, at least.

“So the famed Transparent Hand Chakra is real? One good turn deserves another. I’ll show you MY special ability!”

“Transparent Hand Chakra: Swallow Strike Finality Jutsu!”
Ekyt threw a punch, easily dodged by Hanafunda. But Hanafunda couldn’t dodge the backhand that him under the chin.
As the strike landed, Hanafunda struck down. His hand hit Ekyt’s chest, right over the heart.
“FIVE PRONGED SEAL OF DOOM!” Hanafunda shouted.
Then the pain hit him. Ekyt’s raw emotions….Hanafunda fell to the cold stone floor, vomiting violently. His skin turned red; almost every blood cell was ready to burst. His brain was sending messages to the wrong places. Hanafunda WANTED to die, ANYTHING to end the pain. His shaking hand felt for his kunai pouch.
In one motion, Hanafunda slit his own throat and threw the kunai at Ekyt.
“I’ll see you in hell kid!” he shouted, before his cut jugular ended his life.

Ekyt’s heart started to slow down.
“D-d-damnit.” Ekyt could barely talk and breathe already. He coughed. “Did the strike land?” he asked, folding to his knees. He grasped his chest in pain. Grabbing it was a worthless effort.
Sakura was sobbing too hard to answer.
“Yes Ekyt. You did it.” Lee told him, trying to force a smile.
“Believe it,” Naruto added, without his usual emotion.
Ekyt tried to force a smile. “Oh, good,” he managed. He fell forward, clutching his chest with his left hand, his right hand outstretched.
His heart had been sealed.


Kakashi burst into the room. He saw Hanafunda’s corpse on the floor, then saw Ekyt with the kunai sticking out of him. Is he dead? Wait…what’s that? Could it be?
Kakashi looked closer. Ekyt’s Blue Flame chakra was still visible in his hand.

“Sakura, Ekyt’s chakra is still flowing. His chakra needs to be channeled. You have the best control. I know you’ve never used someone else’s chakra before, but you can unseal his heart’s actions.”
“I’ll do it!” Sakura said instantly.
“Sakura…it’s going to hurt.”
“I don’t care! He just saved my life, and I can’t even imagine the pain he was in! I can handle a little bit of it! Tell me how to do it!”
Kakashi smiled behind his mask at her bravery.
“You need to go into his subconscious and talk it out of death, using his emotional chakra.. Then, your two chakras will bond temporarily. That’s when the pain will hit. But it will only last a few seconds. All you need to do is to use the standard “Seal Removal” jutsu.”
Sakura nodded, scared, but not backing down. She placed her hands on Ekyt’s temples.


(Subconcious)

“So this is how it ends?”
Ekyt was wearing a black trenchcoat that fell below his knees, and black gloves. The rest of him was covered in black clothing.
“I...it was worth it. But I wonder if we won…not that I can do anything about it now. I guess it’s time to let go of life.”
Ekyt made a series of hand signs. He needed to use all twelve, plus four only revealed to you at death.

Sakura landed in the subconscious, a completely black room, as big as a warehouse. The floor was a crimson red, as though it were painted with blood. Sakura looked around this and saw Ekyt in the middle.
“Oh no…I have to stop him!” She sprinted towards him.

“Rat…dog…horse…that’s all twelve. Now the other four…crane…chicken…dragon again…and”
“No! Don’t finish that!”

Ekyt paused. There were a set of hands over his.

Sakura stared Ekyt in the eyes. “You aren’t dead Ekyt,” she said softly.
“He sealed my heart. I’m going to die, if I’m not dead already.” Ekyt’s words came out as harsh..
“Damnit, you listen to me!” She grabbed Ekyt by his collar. “I am NOT going to let you finish those hand signs. I know how your mind works Ekyt! I’m not a medic-nin for no reason! You’ve got a LOT to live for.”
“I did my job.” Ekyt muttered darkly.
“If you finish those hand signs, then you’re going to die with guilt, because I’ll make them right along with you! I mean it! I’ve never lost a patient, and I’ll die before you if you try it!”
Sakura wasn’t sure where all this was coming from. But it worked.
“Sakura…just be careful. My emotional chakra…it’s caused by a particularly strong emotion…the last one I felt was “Anger” and that one hurts…it…it really hurts,” Ekyt choked out.
Sakura gently wrapped her arms around him.
“I’m a big girl, I can do it. But you’ve got to trust me. Give me your right hand.”
Ekyt did as he was told.
“Make the signs with me. I need to fuse our chakras for this to work.”
Tiger…horse…boar…monkey…snake…tiger…dragon
Each hand made half a sign. The two combined made the full sign.

Sakura woke up, in the real world again. She rolled over from her position on the floor and grabbed Ekyt’s right hand. The Blue Flame chakra leapt into her hand. Immediately, tears formed on her face.
How does he do this? I-I feel like this could split me in half. I’ve got to do this quick!
“FIVE PRONGED SEAL RELEASE!” Sakura shouted, jamming her hand onto Ekyt’s chest. It sunk in. Sakura could feel his heart. It was down to one beat every five seconds. She squeezed it. Immediately, the heart rate picked up.



LATER


“Ekyt-kun! How are you feeling?!” Sakura asked.
(In the background, Lee is watching. Naruto is sneaking up behind him)
“I’ll live. Listen, Sakura-chan, thank you for not letting me quit. It really means a lot to me.”
“Just doing my job!” She said brightly, although they both knew it was a blatant lie.
(Naruto snickered silently. “Sexy Jutsu!” he whispered. POOF! Naruto was a beautiful naked girl. He crept up behind Lee silently. Kakashi observed, wondering where Naruto was going with this)

“Oh Leee-eeeeee!” Naruto (in girl form)cooed.
Lee turned around. Big mistake. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. Then the nosebleed hit.

Sakura had her back to them. Ekyt vaguely noticed something was going on. He was too busy listening to Sakura tell him about what happened to pay full attention.

Lee rocketed backward, hitting Sakura. Sakura stumbled into Ekyt, who managed to catch her.

Naruto saw the situation and his mouth dropped open. Sakura’s gonna kill me!
Kakashi smiled briefly, but continued to read his book. Sakura will either kill them both or…no, she’s too sweet for that. Besides, there might be something there after all…
Lee blushed and apologized. Then he saw what had happened. He backed off, readying himself to get punched.

Ekyt and Sakura’s lips had met. Ekyt had caught her, so it had turned into an impromptu embraced. And the summer clothing added to the effect.

To everyone’s surprise, notable Sakura’s, she just went with it. Cha! Could be worse! I could’ve fallen into Naruto!
While Sakura closed her eyes and appeared to be somewhat comfortable, Ekyt’s eyes were wide open. What the hell? How do I handle this one? One wrong move and this kunoichi will kill me!

Even though it was just a soft, brushing kiss, it lasted longer than most first kisses. And this was most certainly a first for both of them. Ekyt’s first instinct was to apologize and beg for his life (Kunoichi could be temperamental. Like the itme he had accidently walked into the hot spring when the girls were using it. He had been called the “Pervy Samurai” for weeks!). But he suppressed that instinct. Sakura’s beautiful green eyes had someone conveyed the message “It’s okay.”

Sakura opened her eyes slowly and smiled. “That,” she said, “Is the first time Naruto has done something useful.” (HEY! Naruto shouted. Kakashi clamped a hand over his mouth. “Let’s not ruin the moment, knucklehead.”)
“Thanks again.” They said in unison. Sakura giggled, then kissed a blushing Ekyt on the cheek.


THE AFTERMATH

The war had been won. The Third Meuinkage had perished, but his son was well, and was ready to take the title of the Fourth Meuinkage.
“Tanomoshii Mikomi, we officially declare you the Fourth Meuinkage!” The elders of the village announced. The crowd cheered.
“Thank you to Kakashi and his Leaf Village team for saving our Village. The Doom Village humbly honors them, and prays for their safety.”
The crowd cheered again. The war had been won.

Back to life as usual. Except, it seemed, Sakura and Ekyt now had the world’s worst-kept secret: They had a crush on each other. One even they weren’t aware of. Funny how some dreams come true…


NOTE: THIS IS NON-CANONICAL TO THE PLOT OF “NARUTO: JINSEI NANAKOROBI, YA’OKI”!

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