Chapter 10 - Itami Hodoki (Untie the Pain)

Whoosh.

The bitter night stung against Ekyt’s exposed arms. He had to dress the part of an ANBU agent. All was not well in the Land of Herbs. Kidnappings and murders.
“Again…what the hell is going on…peaceful land nothing…they’re hiding something…”
Ekyt leapt off another tree branch, landing safely on the next one. The Body Flicker jutsu was starting to take a toll on his chakra, so Ekyt made one last leap, then stopped. CRACK!
The branch broke under Ekyt’s feet. Ekyt righted himself, landing in a crouched position. The branch fell harmlessly behind him. He was about to continue on, but stopped. Something about the branch caught his eye.
A trap? That branch was cut deliberately…someone’s expecting me…or watching me…either way, this isn’t good. I’m walking into a big trap… A thought of Sakura flashed across his mind…
She was dead.
Ekyt saw it so clearly. Her corpse was tied to a stake, still bound securely. The stake was scorched with flames. Ekyt forced himself to look at her. She was charred beyond recognition. But, somehow, Ekyt KNEW it was her. He reached around the stake to undo the ropes binding her. Her limp remains fell onto his shoulder. The head disturbed Ekyt the most. It moved as though it was hanging on by the barest of threads.
Ekyt started to run again, carrying the body with him. He couldn’t bring himself to dispose of it, now here. Not in this foreign land. Sakura deserved better. That was all Ekyt could think.
“Miss me Ekyt-kun?”
Ekyt stopped running so suddenly his momentum carried him into a tree.
“Sakura?” The word barely escaped his lips. It couldn’t be…
Sakura’s body was moving, but unnaturally, as though it were a marionette, bobbing along, held by strings. Her hands were raised in a position of attack, a kunai held in each one.
Ekyt pushed himself backward as the charred remains continued forward. He drew his breath inward suddenly as his back hit a tree. He felt his arms being held behind him by tree branches. They had a mind of their own.
Sakura’s body stopped just inches from Ekyt.
“What’s the matter Ekyt-kun? Is there…something wrong?”
The eyes…they were the most unnatural. The undead thing that had been Sakura was burnt to a crisp. But the eyes…they were still alive, their bright green hues boring into Ekyt’s dark hazel (good) eye.
With an unearthly cackle, the kunai plunged down. Ekyt felt the daggers pierce his chest, his arms, his legs, his stomach. He coughed up blood, knowing he was dying. He looked up at Sakura. The burnt face now revealed untouched teeth. The teeth were the last thing Ekyt saw before the dagger plunged down again, piercing his heart. The teeth were now stained with blood. His blood.



Lee leapt down to the floor, ready to go with his usual intensity. On the other end of the arena, Kabuto smiled slightly. He raised his arm.
“I forfeit my match. I must have used up too much chakra in the forest,” Kabuto said with a care-free, polite air.
“Do not be a coward!” Lee shouted at him, not lowering his guard.
“It’s not cowardice, it’s brains. Live to fight another day, you know?” Kabuto walked off the field to stunned silence from the spectators.
Hayate shrugged. “Winner: Rock Lee.”
Up in the stands, Guy had apparently not noticed the way Lee had won.
“ALRIGHT LEE! YOU SPECIAL KID! I KNEW YOU WERE GONNA WIN! THE POWER OF YOUTH!!!”
In his own, imitable way, Kakashi put Guy in his place.
“Guy, you’re making an @$$ of yourself.”



Lee started to walk off the field.
“Hey, hold on. (koff).” Hayate pointed at the scoreboard. Ekyt vs. Sasuke had been good, but this match proved to be a classic.

Uzumaki, Naruto
Vs.
Lee, Rock


Guy whipped around, ready to spar with his “lifelong rival”.
“That was an excellent reply, rival Kakashi! My Lee will defeat your Naruto, easy!”
Kakashi looked up from his book.
“Guy, I don’t own Naruto, so he’s not “mine”. As for Lee winning easily…I don’t think that will happen.”


Ekyt shook himself. Genjutsu…at the same spot as last time…it’s either a genjutsu that’s been placed on the land that will keep on re-occuring…or I’m being watched…damn it, whoever it is knows me…it doesn’t feel like Sasuke’s chakra, I’ve felt that enough…it’s not Sakura’s, or that deranged old man’s (Koori)…then who the hell is doing this?
Ekyt was nearly frozen by the genjutsu. His time with Ibikki had not been worthless, however. He forced his hands into the “Release” handsign.
“Disengage!” he called aloud, his voice shaking, despite his mind being calm.
The genjutsu lifted; Ekyt felt his head clear immediately. He quickly forced himself to run. That genjutsu, he could tell now, was recurring. It had been placed as a trap against enemies of the land.
Or me…


“WHAAT? I GET TO FIGHT BUSHY BROW? THAT’S AWESOME, BELIEVE IT!”
Naruto leapt down to the floor, all smiles. Lee looked happy with the match-up too.
“Hey Lee…no hard feelings after I kick you @$$, right?” Naruto asked, holding out a fist.
“If you agree to hold none toward me when I defeat you,” Lee replied. He punched Naruto’s fist, then leapt backward. Naruto did the same.
“Begin!”

Lee and Naruto ran headlong into each other.
“Shadow Clone jutsu!” Naruto called immediately. Four, eight, twelve…twelve Narutos.
“I anticipated this!” Lee said happily as the Naruto clones tried for an Uzumaki barrage. Suddenly, Lee was gone…
One by one, Naruto’s clones started to disappear. All anyone (save for Kakashi and his Sharingan) saw was a foot slashing out, hitting one of Naruto’s befuddled clones. Poof! Poof! Poof!
“Konoha Whirlwind!” Lee’s spinning heel kick nailed the last clone in the head. Another poof, and one Naruto remained.
“d-damnit! You’re faster than I remember! Well, it doesn’t matter, I won’t lose to you!” Naruto shouted, running at a stationary Lee.
Lee moved his guard, following Naruto’s movement with his outstretched hand. Naruto leaned in to throw a punch, but was thwarted by Lee’s sandal tagging him in the cheek. Naruto sailed backward, then skidded on the floor.
“Direct attacks will not work on me Naruto. You should know that! What?!” Lee’s tone changed as he heard a voice behind him.
“No duh, Captain Obvious!” Naruto’s fist connected with Lee’s face, sending the green-clad Shinobi on ride. As he flew, Lee couldn’t help but think:
When did Naruto cultivate a sense of strategy? He has indeed grown!



The people in the Land of Herbs muttered quietly. They were a peaceful land; something like this didn’t happen everyday.
The bodies swinging from the lamppost was an unnerving site. Mothers pulled their children in tight, ushering them away as quickly as possible.
“Who would do this?” was the common cry.
Ekyt walked into town. Slowly, every head, every whisper, they were all directed at him. Ekyt looked up, wondering what he had done. Then he saw the bodies.
An entire family. A man, a woman, and two children, one boy, one girl. Their eyes, while glazed off, were still open. They seemed to stare accusingly at the townspeople, as if daring one of them to come forward for the murder.
“IT WAS HIM! HE DID IT!”
Ekyt heard the shout, and knew it was directed at him. It was Jukiro, the man who had attacked Ekyt last time.
The Land’s police, samurai, came running, drawing their swords.
“You are under arrest for the murder of”
“Since when does Bushido demand you persecute without proof?” Ekyt barked.
“What does a ninja know of bushido?!” One samurai sneered.
“A ninja- no idea. I’m a special case. I’m afraid I have samurai blood in me as well,” Ekyt replied.
“Have you proof?! One does not wield a katana and call oneself a samurai!”
Ekyt put his hands in front of his chest. The top hand was open, palm inward. That hand covered a fist.
“Peace over power…That proves nothing!” shouted one samurai angrily. His companions moved closer, their swords pointed dangerously at Ekyt.
“The Hagakure, written by Tsunetomo Yamamoto. The fist article reads:
These eleven volumes from beginning to end must be burned in due course of time.
I have put down the verbatim what the author remembers for (his own) future reference:
On the society; the right and wrong of samurais; conjecture; manners and customs, etc.
These notes may very well arouse ill-feeling.
It is best to remember the author has repeatedly and strictly told me to burn these manuscripts.

We first met March 5th in the year of the Hoei (1710)

How far from the floating world
These mountain cherries are!
-Tsunetomo Yamamoto

Under a white cloud
I have just come across a floew.
-Tsuramoto Tashiro


The samurai lowered their weapons. Ekyt took on a formal tone, speaking something like Lee.
“Let us talk of these events. I come from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I am of their ANBU Black Operations. I will say no more here, for there is more that may upset the company of those who need not hear such words spoken. If it will make you more comfortable, I will change my attire to something you may find more acceptable.”
The samurai in charge bowed to Ekyt, who returned the bow.
“Come with us. We will talk in private.” The samurai beckoned for Ekyt to follow.



Lee straightened himself out, skidding backward. He had a smile on his face, despite the scrape marring his cheek.
“You have improved Naruto. Perhaps it is time…yes! Guy-sensei, it is time!” lee shouted. He leapt up to the guardrail around the catwalks. He balanced himself in front of his sensei. The weights were coming off.
“Come ON, Bushy Brow! TO-DAY!” Naruto grumbled from the ground. When Lee dropped his weights, he added “About time! Now it’s gonna get interesting, believe it!”


Ekyt pulled on his Hakama, then his keko gi.
“Damn thing feels like it’s made of carpet…” he grumbled. For a fleeting moment, he wondered what Sakura’s reaction would be. He smiled briefly. Having a fangirl girlfriend- he could get used to that…
Then he put his mind back on the task at hand.
He walked out and prepared to sit in seiza, a position between sitting and kneeling that was a stone dog to stay in for any length of time.
“Why have you come? This is no concern of a ninja, even one who honors Bushido.” The samurai narrowed his eyes at Ekyt until they were mere slits.
“I am afraid it DOES concern a ninja. Me. There has been a kidnapping…I have been dispatched to investigate it…it is on a personal level for me. Therefore, to honor Bushido, I must put my entire body, mind, and soul into it,” Ekyt replied tersely.
The samurai leaned forward, taking the little cup of Sake in front of him. “Personal? Family?” he grunted.
“No…she seems like family. But she is not,” Ekyt replied. I’m tired of talking like this, it sounds like a cheesy kung-fu film! Oh well, time honored traditions.
“It is the love of a woman! Of course! Stolen by a rival?” The samurai declared.
Son of a dog! I can’t escape the ribbing, even outside of the village!
“You could say that,” Ekyt said aloud. “But that is enough of my affairs. I cannot detail anymore. Now, please, tell me what has happened here. Violence is not a way of life here. This, too, is part of my mission. I am to assist you in investigating the murders and kidnappings.”
The other samurai grinned. “You may act a samurai, but does the blade fit the hand? If you best me in combat, I will tell you. I wish to test my skill against a new sword…” The samurai looked, almost hungrily, at the sword in Ekyt’s sash.
“I agree. We will use wooden swords. In the Hour of the Tiger (I think that’s 3:00 am),” Ekyt offered.
“I accept the terms of the duel. Incapacitation, not death…you are a new-age samurai. Under normal circumstances, I could not respect that…but I sense something different about you. We meet in two hours time! Go, prepare, for you face someone who’s sword is not unknown in the Land of Herbs!”

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