Chapter 59 - Game of Death

Being ‘outsiders’, Azami and Ryouko didn’t have access to the contents of Team Kakashi’s mission parameters. Ekyt could guess- it was either the Akatsuki or Orochimaru. Now, as Ryouko (the more devious of his two ‘selves’), he shared this with Azami.

“Either way, we’re up against some heavy competition,” Ryouko finished. He was practically shaking for a rematch either way. He wasn’t sure about this new attitude of his, but he was damn sure going to enjoy it, if he could. It was so liberating, having an alter ego like this. Not that it hurt that this alter ego managed to land him a new love interest and maybe a new set of dreams. And he could preserve his old ones to boot!

Azami’s head was on her work, as always. But the thought of working with a partner like this had gotten to her. She was almost hoping they’d be attacked.

Maybe…maybe then he could save me. Then I’d owe him…he’ll never fall for the helpless little girl routine…heh, if I’m thinking like this, I must be taking him seriously. I shouldn’t feel so calm about falling in love, should I? I mean…my first time, and it’s with a boy who…well…

He’s better than me. But he thinks that I’m better, and he treats me like I am. Like I’m someone. Like I…belong. Is that why- he doesn’t belong either. Is that why we gravitated toward each other like this?

No matter what, I’m going to give him a reason to show how he cares for me after this battle. It might have been Ryouko I met, but it’s the complex, sweet and sour Ekyt I fell for, I think. Such a mixture of emotions, and they run so deeply.

“Captain?” Ryouko chanced. Something was definetly up. Even love-challenged Ryouko could guess. “Captain, hold still.”

Ryouko put an arm around Azami’s waist, then put one on the back of her head. He pulled her head into his chest, patting it comfortingly.

“Don’t worry about it, whatever’s bothering you.” That was all Ryouko said, and all he needed to say.

Azami closed her eyes. I can hear his heart beat…I like that sound. I can feel it, too. It’s comforting, like a metronome. Relaxing. Such an innocent sound, pure almost.

--

Team Kakashi was on the move, trailed by Ryouko and Azami. They didn’t know it, but this trip was going to be one snag after another. The first started innocently enough- a chance meeting on a dirt road. No big deal.

“Excuse me. Leaf Ninjas, I presume?”

Kakashi glanced up- if these were attackers, they weren’t making any effort to conceal themselves. And there were only two. Maybe that was why Kakashi opted to be friendly.

“Hello. Yes, we are. And you must be Mist ninja?” Kakashi replied.

“Yes, we are. I’m sorry to bother you, but we’re searching for a Leaf Ninja who committed crimes in our Village. I know we’re all loyal to each other, but this was such an unforgivable crime. I understand if you can’t answer, of course. But have you seen this ninja?”

Kakashi took the pictured offered by the silent ninja. It was Ekyt on the paper. He was standing on a giant snake, holding the Adamantine Nyoi, surrounded by enemies. Kakashi had since heard that war story straight from Ekyt, and he had to laugh inwardly.

So much like his teacher at times, that one. That pose is the Third Hokage’s. Oh, better not glance at this for too long. I’ll have to make my lie extra convincing.

“I know OF him. He’s been in some trouble lately, I’m guessing. I’m sorry I can’t help you further.”

The Mist-nin took the paper back. “Sorry to have disturbed you, then. Thank you for your time.”

--

“Well, the Mist-nin! Haha, guess fate really isn’t on your side!” Azami laughed. This is the chance I needed…how do you feel about me, Ekyt/Ryouko?

“Apparently not. How do you want to approach this, captain?” Ryouko murmured back, keeping his voice low.

“An old trick. You just be ready to fight. I’m going to turn you in, and you’re going to escape. We get some extra Ryo, and we ditch our enemies at the same time. Just follow my lead.”

--

Azami pointed Ryouko out, but things weren’t going to go as she planned- at least not in every respect. She was definetly going to get proof of Ryouko’s affection for her. That was her last thought as she was hit in the back of the head- unconscious. Two appearance-altering jutsus ended- the black and red Akatsuki’s cloaks blew in the wind like two jolly roger’s.

“Remember, no jutsus!”

Hidan and Kakuzu hated that rule, but it was necessary. They needed more information. Of course, they wouldn’t follow that order to the letter.

Ryouko/Ekyt shed his outer clothes and cloak, instead putting a cigarette in his mouth, revealing his normal vest and regular clothes.

“Give her back or I’m going to kill you,” Ryouko threatened, his voice low and menacing. He glared at the two unknown Akatsuki members.

“I don’t think so. I’m rather fond of this cute little @$$ on her!” Hidan declared, giving said @$$ a swat. He paused for the slightest second to gloat, then found his neck slashed.

“I warned you, you rotten- ?!” the cigarette nearly tumbled out of Ryouko’s mouth.

Hidan blinked. “That kind of hurt, bastard. Kakuzu, you lazy piece of shoot, attack, for the love of Jashin!”

“Don’t tell me how to fight!” Kakuzu fired back. “This is about the only good thing about working with you!”

Ekyt/Ryouko just watched, shocked, as the two argued. He had never seen this kind of animosity between two Akatsuki members before. Even stranger, Kakuzu was getting so mad, he was coming apart at the seams- literally! Threads came from his arm and ‘tied’ Hidan’s head back on. As Ekyt watched the gruesome spectacle, Kakazu’s other arm came free and smacked him hard. Ekyt/Ryouko skidded backwards, disbelieving.

“Earth Grudge Fear. The only jutsu I’ll need against you. Though you’re with a bounty hunter…if you were to pay, maybe I’d consider letting you go.”

“Go to hell,” Ryouko snarled. He bit his thumb and reached for his summoning scroll.

“TOO SLOW!” Kakuzu shouted. His arms and legs flew into Ryouko, while his torso and head stayed still. “Ah, he’s replaced himself! Hidan, were you going to bother telling me this?!”

“Not until you’d made an @$$ of yourself,” Hidan shot back. “Not that you ever need the help. You just let some kid escape your ‘perfect’ jutsu.”

“You know, I remember that your head was just about slashed clean off. I just stitched you up, you should be worshipping me for bothering with you again. But, never mind. I should only need Water for this!”

“I won’t bother with my jutsus. I won’t need them against him.”

“Says the guy whose head was chopped off…”

“Are you two the best the Akatsuki can offer?!” Ryouko finally shouted. He was holding Azami over his shoulder. She had a chakra cigarette in her mouth, but she was still too hurt to move. The chakra would help. “What kind of idiots forget their own hostage?!”

Kakuzu and Hidan were instantly enraged. Hidan managed to get ahead of Kakuzu and attacked using a strange, three-pronged version of a grim reaper’s staff. Ryouko blocked it with his long sword, having since fished it out of his summoning scroll while listening to the two Akatsuki elite argue. NOW Ryouko was regretted saying anything. Granted, the real Azami needed time to escape, but he could have let them argue longer.

Oh well. Time to try a new trick.

Ryouko reached into his pocket. Hidan put his guard up. But he was hit- with coins?

“What in the hell?! COINS?! What kind of attack is that?!” Hidan shouted mockingly.

“They aren’t worth anything…too bad,” Kakuzu commented, holding one up to the light of the sun.

SCHUNK!

Ryouko stabbed straight for the heart- he couldn’t mess around. No matter how clownish these guys were acting, they had to be good if they were Akatsuki material.

“Well, one down, one to go, huh?” Hidan commented.

“Don’t get cocky, you blonde retard,” Ryouko snarled. “You’re next for kidnapping her, not to mention all the crimes I KNOW you’ve committed.

“Shut your f****** hole! Was I TALKING to you?” Hidan snarled.

“Who else would you be talking to, you foul-mouthed idiot? I just put a sword through your partner.”

“Yes, you did. But you got one heart- four more to go,” Kakuzu informed Ekyt. Two threads shot from his body and caught Ekyt’s shoulder. Blood splattered all over, but it wasn’t a major wound. Ekyt had worse from his own training. SCHUNK!

Hidan’s scythe cut Ryouko in the back. Ryouko coughed up blood, and wondered how it was possible.

It was on a chain?! Ryouko thought, shocked by the attack.

“Get ready- this is gonna hurt like hell!” Hidan told Ryouko, apparently thrilled with this who thing. Ryouko had pulled the scythe out of his back, using chakra to heal himself a little.

“Unlike my partner, I keep an eye on my hostages,” Kakuzu added, holding Azami’s arm.

“WHAT WAS THAT ‘UNLIKE MY PARTNER BULLS***’?!” Hidan screamed, getting more angry by the second.

“Pay attention to your hostage and prove me wrong!”

Ekyt had used the body flicker jutsu to get close, using his ‘Dance of the Sickle Moon’, and attacking with his sword-toting clones. They carved Hidan up, leaving him in pieces. But Hidan’s head just stared up at Ryouko, laughing.

“You’d better find a way to kill me, you little s***! Even if you leave my head, I’ll come back and bite your f****** throat open!”

Ryouko had already figured out that this guy was, somehow, immortal. His rage at Azami’s treatment had taken over, and he kicked Hidan’s head as hard as he could.

“Shut up! I’ll never fall to the likes of you! NEVER!”

The Reaper Death Seal! That’s it…but…but…I have something else to live for now. I can’t let her down…Alright then! No ‘poor me’ crap! I’ll find a way to kill these two immortal bastards, one way or the other! I’ll live, and I’ll save Azami!

But the fight was all but over. The threads from Kakuzu’s body had stitched Hidan together again. Hidan told Kakuzu to let Ekyt see what was happening.

“See here? I’ve got your blood. And that’s going to end the fight!” Hidan licked his lips, then licked Ekyt’s blood off his scythe. “Ah, I can FEEL your pain! It’s good- very good! Now, pay attention, if you want to see how your life is gonna end, man!”

On the ground, an occult-ish symbol appeared.

“I haven’t swallowed yet, but I’ll show you how this works anyway…”

Hidan changed his appearance. Ekyt shuddered- it was as if he was staring at the grim reaper himself. The sight was indescribable to see.

“Now, I’m going to swallow. Down the hatch!”

Hidan swallowed, then stepped into the occult symbol. He held up a shuriken, then raked it slowly down his face.

“Ah!” Ekyt called out, his face bleeding. Oh no…This can’t be what I think it is! If it is…

“Hidan’s body is now a voodoo doll- and your blood is the catalyst. Unfortunately, you can’t escape.”

==

Azami woke up, seeing her boyfriend- no doubt now- in a terrible spot. Hidan stabbed himself, and Ekyt’s stomach tore open. He was on his knees, already at his limit.

“Hidan…for the money…let’s work a deal,” Azami said, shameful that she knew this man on a first name basis.

Hidan turned an eye toward him. “I’m listening, Azami.”

“How do I free him? I’ll give you the Ryo the usual way.”

Hidan stabbed himself again, this time slashing himself just under his eye. Ekyt was clearly trying to fight himself free, but it wasn’t happening.

I can’t let him die!

“There’s no way to free him now. Even if you push Hidan outside the circle, you need to exhaust his chakra and remove the blood from his stomach.”

--

Ryouko had a similar thought to Azami’s.

I can’t let her down! And I can’t let these guys run free! There’s got to be something…

My life is forfeit now. I couldn’t do the Reaper Death Seal if I tried…unless I…it’s not perfect, and I’ll be in huge trouble, but it’s my only option now.

“You’re immortal?” Ekyt coughed out, struggling to one knee.

“Sure am, man! Why bother asking now?”

Ryouko finished his handsigns. A wind kicked up, blowing his vest open and tearing his shirt.

“Because I’m going to introduce you to Shinigami personally! I know one jutsu not even you can survive! So pay attention- this may very well be the last move of the Third Hokage’s last protégé!”

Ryouko’s cigarette blew away, landing at Azami’s feet. The wind intensified, and it seemed to trap Hidan. Ryouko looked back at Azami.

“Run for it! Get Team Kakashi and get them away from here!” Ryouko shouted.

“What the hell?!”

“NINJA ART SEALING: REAPER DEATH SEAL!” Ryouko shouted, his voice distorted with pain and rage. “ I DON’T LIKE TO TRAVEL ALONE. IF I’M GOING TO THE AFTERLIFE, YOU’RE COMING WITH ME!”

--

Team Kakashi heard the crash. The air had gone eerily cold- just like when Orochimaru attacked. Kakashi and Yamato exchanged glances. They nodded as one.

“We’re going to check that out. Something isn’t right.”

It’s Ekyt. That’s the Fourth’s Jutsu, make no mistake. If he’s using that, then the enemy is Orochimaru…or worse.

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