Chapter 32 - Leaf in Chaos (Part 3)

The village was vacated by all but it’s allies, at long last. Ekyt, who had bandaged his stomach only after everyone else had been taken care of, walked out on the balcony he was to speak from. He knew it was the end of line for his time as Hokage, and it was harder to accept than he thought. Especially when it was coupled with the knowledge that he would be hated by the town for deceiving them. A small part of Ekyt still had hope they wouldn’t react like that, that they would understand he had done it for them. But it was a small glimmer of hope in a cloud that didn’t seem to have a silver lining.
“All of you showed great bravery today. In these times, we can never drop our guards. I have a few things to say, but first, I wish to thank our allies, the Sand Village and the Sound Village, for coming to our aid. In the past, we’ve had our differences. But war makes strange bedfellows. And our allies came through for us. Despite old wounds that haven’t totally healed, our villages pulled together. Master and pupil, friend and enemy, we all fought side by side to make a better village. We mourn our dead, and celebrate our heroes. All of you should be proud. In your own ways, you saved your home.”
The crowd cheered. Tsunade put a hand on Ekyt’s shoulder. Ekyt knew it was time. He nodded once to Tsunade, then held his hand up for silence once more.
“And, on the heels of all this chaos, I ask you to endure one more bit of chaos.”
The crowd went silent. Ekyt discarded his robe and hat. The hat he handed back to Tsunade.
“I was never your Godaime Hokage. I was part of an elaborate plan to flush out a traitor inside our village. Now that the traitor has been apprehended, I return the Hokage title to it’s right owner: Lady Tsunade.”
The crowd gasped.
“But…but you made decisions! And”
“I can’t believe it!”
“You’re kidding?!”
“No way!”

Ekyt put a hand up. “I was allowed to act the part of a Hokage, even with the power, as the ruse would have been incomplete without it. I hope all of you can forgive me. It was all in the interest of your safety.”
Ekyt felt tears welling up. This was harder than he thought. Finally, he pulled off his helmet and held it in his arms.
“I hope that I…I gave something back to all of you. Whether you liked me or hated me, I’ve given you all I could in every battle. It means a lot that you’ve accepted me as one of your own. And I hope…I hope you can find it in your hearts to continue to accept me.”
Silence met Ekyt. He looked at the crowd, then lowered his head. Tsunade put a hand on his shoulder, steering him into her office.



“Give them time, Ekyt. You knew this was a risk when you took the job. And…I really mean this…thank you. You did very well, and saved our village.”
Ekyt couldn’t look at Tsunade. “Thank you, Lady Tsunade. If you’ll excuse me…”
“Not just yet. Not until you understand that this IS NOT your fault. You did your job, you did what you were asked. And you did it well.” Tsunade spoke firmly, staring Ekyt in the eyes.
Ekyt looked up. “I don’t care about that. Or what the village thinks! If I died, they would keep living. Somewhere inside, they’re thankful that I was the one on the end of that sword, keeping them alive. Most don’t know me, and they were glad to have a savior that wasn’t near to them. And that’s fine. I’ll live, Lady Tsunade. I always do.”
Right about here, Ekyt was hoping for a chunin vest. Hadn’t he earned it?
“There’s nothing for me, but back to life as a genin,” he said. Tsunade nodded.
“I know. You want the vest, and the rank. But I can’t give it to you.”
Ekyt’s mouth dropped open. “After…after all that…nothing?”
“I can’t give you a rank for completing a mission. Otherwise, everyone would be jonin, and-”
Ekyt held up a hand. “I’ve heard enough.” (Sakura walked in. She had heard the conversation.)
Tsunade looked taken aback. Ekyt continued.
“I’ve heard enough. I’m going to say this to your face. In front of Master Jiraiya, Master Sarutobi, Sakura, Shizune, and anyone else who happens to be listening: I was never in this for the rank, something I’ve long deserved. Now that you can’t do anything to me anymore, I’m going to be honest with you. It’s obvious I’ll never progress beyond genin. Not while you rule. For whatever reason, you can’t trust me. If you give me a mission where I might die, that’s fine. But giving me a rank I deserve? Never. I don’t know why. All I know is this:”
Ekyt was grabbed by Jiraiya. “Don’t say it, kid. You don’t want to do that. I know what you’re thinking, don’t say it. Don’t make the mistake I did.”
For some reason, this jolted Ekyt back to reality. He simply glared at Tsunade, then shook his head. “Lord Jiraiya, if you have a few moments…you too, Sakura-sensei…”
Tsunade looked back in shock. “Finish it. Say whatever it was you were going to say.” She seemed interested, in an intimidating way.
Ekyt shook his head. “No offense meant, Lady Fifth (The fact that Ekyt didn’t use Tsunade’s name meant he was pissed- big time), but it’s not something I should say to you. If I stop myself, you can’t punish me for it.”
With that, Ekyt left with Jiraiya and Sakura.




“Cheers,” Ekyt said dully. He gulped down his sake, indicating that he wanted more.
“You called the two of us here…why?” Jiraiya asked. He winked at a waitress, who then smacked him in the head. A small welt rose as Jiraiya smiled. “Great material for my next book!”
“Lord Jiraiya, I’ve asked you and Sakura here because, after this, we’ll be enemies.” Ekyt took another drink. The bags under his eyes seemed pronounced. He was holding a cigarette, but had no intention of smoking it. It was just a little bit of cover. The smoke distorted his face to anyone watching.
“Enemies? What do you mean?” Sakura demanded.
Ekyt looked at the two of them.
“I was going to call Tsunade a dog. I was going to curse her up and down. Maybe even fight her. I’m frustrated here. I went from genin to Hokage, then back to genin, in a matter of days. From little power, to the most power, back to little power, all in rapid-fire succession. Tsunade’s made it clear that she isn’t going to promote me. So…”
Ekyt took another drink. He set the glass down, again calling for a refill.
“…So?” Jiraiya prompted.
“So I’m going to leave the village. Join the next one that’ll take me. Maybe I can be chunin, or even a jonin, there. I’ve gotten an offer from the Akatsuki. This one I can take seriously, because they won’t touch my chakra again. I don’t belong here. Especially not now that I’ve jerked the villager’s trust around.”
There was silence between the three. They were the only three in the bar, so there was silence. Ekyt had paid the bartender to go away while they talked.
“Rank doesn’t matter, it’s skill that counts! You defeated a kage! You should be proud!” Sakura told Ekyt, trying to cheer him up.
“She’s right. You possess great abilities. So what if you don’t wear a stupid green vest? Do you see me, Tsunade, or Orochimaru wearing it?”
“You’re legendary. I’m a genin, nameless except to those he’s fought. There’s nothing here for me, Lord Jiraiya.” Ekyt looked up, almost tempted to actually smoke the cigarrete. He hadn’t felt so desperate before; he NEVER turned to drugs, or tobacco. Sake had been a recommendation from Tsunade to calm his nerves, and it was now a social thing, not an everyday thing. And Ekyt never got drunk, so there was little harm.
“Ekyt…if you try to leave…I WILL stop you. With force, if I have to. I respect you, so I’m telling you this ahead of time,” Jiraiya warned.
Ekyt looked up, then downed the cup of sake.
“I’ll stay a little longer, just long enough to sort things out. But it’s best if I move on…the village hates me now. And I deserve it, for tricking them, good reasoning or not.”
Ekyt got up and bowed to Sakura and Jiraiya, then lifted the flap that covered the entrance to the bar and walked out into the night.



The next morning, Ekyt’s summon, Holly (Dog), left a note for Tsunade, asking to be taken off missions for ‘personal and medical’ reasons. Tsunade just sighed.
“I can’t deny it, it’s a legitimate claim, after being stuck in the gut with a broadsword. But I know he’s just dodging me. He must have had a hell of a speech lined up for me the other night.”
Sakura, who had perked up, tried to slink out of the room. Tsunade caught her out of the corner of her eye.
“Sakura…” Tsunade said slowly. She watched the pink-haired kunoichi jump, then turn around, pressed against the wall, almost like she was a piece of paper. The look on her face was tell-tale ‘I’ve got a secret and I’m dying to tell someone, just not you!’
“Y-Yes, Lady Tsunade?” Sakura said, falsely chipper.
“You know something…something Ekyt was going to say, don’t you?” Tsunade said all this pleasantly, leaning forward on her desk, hands supporting her head. She was smiling.
“W-what gives you THAT idea!” Sakura said, as a bead of sweat shot out of her right temple.
Tsunade smiled even wider. “Ah, well, it doesn’t matter. If I was him, I would have cursed me up and down. Maybe even…called me a dog…” Tsunade’s eye twinkled, while Sakura’s widened.
“Of course, he could just, maybe, I don’t know…try to leave the village?”
Sakura knew that Tsunade knew. But how did Tsunade know? Oh, shoot. I’m in trouble for not telling her, aren’t I?
“Master Jiraiya stopped in a while ago to let me know. So, here’s your assignment Sakura: Get it out of him- where he plans to go, when he plans to leave, who he’s joining, and why.”
“M-m-me? Lady Tsunade, shouldn’t Lee, or Kakashi-sensei handle that? How can I get it out of him?” Sakura asked.
“Well, he seems to trust you. Besides, you’re a kunoichi. You could just…seduce him. A kid like him, 19 years without getting any, I’d bet he’d fall for right ‘bait’.”
Tsunade nearly laughed. This is too funny! Now, the kicker: I throw in a rival! (snicker) I should talk to the council and get the kid his rank, just so he’ll stick around and I can torment him! He DOES deserve it…And no matter what I say, I know he’d never just ‘do it’ with Sakura, or anyone for that matter. The kid’s got too much integrity and respect.
Tsunade cleared her throat. “Well, if you won’t do it, I know Temari will. She’s a little more…forceful, but she’ll get the information out of him…I hope, for Ekyt’s sake, that she’s feeling gentle…unless he’s not into ‘gentle…Or maybe Ino, she’s pretty enough…In the T and A areas, those two might garner more attention anyway…Oh well, I’m leading the poor kid like a lamb to the slaughter with those two, but you do what you have to…”
Sakura went rigid at the mention of Temari and Ino’s names.
“I’ll do it! Don’t give the mission to that pig! Or that sand worm!” Sakura snapped. Then it hit her: she had just been played like a fiddle, by the best. Tsunade, the one all kunoichi wanted to live up to, had just tricked Sakura into doing and saying something she didn’t want to.
“Oh, really now, Sakura? I’m shocked! Maybe you have a soft spot for that boy, hmm? Or do you just not want Ino or Temari to get their hands on him? The poor clueless kid. No matter which one of you I send, he’ll fall like a house of cards!”
Sakura was suddenly feeling very bad about the whole thing. She nodded and bowed, taking the scroll for her assignment with her. But it haunted her all day, and all night.



DREAM:


This was it. The end. It HAD to be.
“Sasuke-kun…” Sakura choked out. she had fought so hard. But in the end, he had been too much for her. In desperation, Sakura looked around. There was no one to rescue her. Sakura gulped and accepted her fate.
“Sakura…you didn’t get over me, after all this time? What a shame. Just when I was starting to think you had gotten stronger. You’re still weak…and annoying…” Sasuke drew his sword. It gleamed in the sun. He smirked as he swung it down. He felt it sink in- to the ground?


Sakura suddenly noticed she was moving- fast. VERY fast. She had curled up in a little ball. She was STILL curled up into a ball. Then how? How was she moving so fast?
“Are you alright?” came the Kaguya boy’s concerned voice.
‘Ekyt-kun? How did you- I mean…”
Ekyt kept running, leaping over trees.
“Kakashi-sensei and I have this thing about not letting our comrades die. You’re still my sensei, I couldn’t leave you for dead,” Ekyt replied. He landed on the ground and set Sakura down.
“I’ve got one last thing to take care of, then I’ll be back. Just be careful, sensei,” Ekyt told Sakura, before rushing back in the direction he came. Sakura crawled around a tree to watch.


“You’ve gone too far, Sasuke! You’ve toyed with her emotions long enough!” Ekyt declared. It was Ekyt, but he was wearing a long, black coat. At one point, when he turned to point at Sasuke, Sakura saw he was wearing a black dress shirt, black dress pants, and black dress shoes. He wasn’t wearing a hitai-ate, or at least it wasn’t visible. The shirt had a collar on it, and it made Ekyt look…different. More innocent…and somehow…sexy? That wasn’t like him! But his coat added his signature darkness.
Sasuke responded by swinging his sword at Ekyt. Ekyt did a front handspring and kicked Sasuke with his heel while moving forward, sending the sword clattering away.
Ekyt landed, not a scratch on him. In fact, for him, he practically glowed. Sakura gasped, realizing his mask was gone. THAT was what was so different. Sakura had seen Ekyt dressed up before, for funerals and whatnot, he wore the all-black getup she was seeing now. But without his mask.
Then something even stranger happened.
Ekyt smiled.



END DREAM


Sakura woke up, practically leaping out of bed.
What does this mean? I’ve never dreamt about Ekyt-kun like that before. It’s like…like a fantasy…even an evil fantasy…that dream seemed real. Ekyt is a nice guy, and he HAS saved my life a lot, but there’s nothing more than that, right? Still…I should thank him. Those dreams, though…the last time they felt so real, there was REAL danger…How am I gonna figure this out?! Of course, Ekyt! He knows the brain and how it works, maybe there’s a some rhyme and reason to these damn dreams! He figured it out before, when they happened the first time!



Sarutobi smiled as he gazed in his crystal ball. “Looks like you were right, Jiraiya. And Tsunade, you played your part to the hilt. If I hadn’t known, and I had been in Sakura’s shoes, I would have fallen for it, no question.”
Tsunade blushed a little. “Well, Jiraiya tipped me off. If anyone can stop Ekyt from leaving, it’s Sakura. I’ll have to find a way to get him that rank, I hate denying him. Especially after all that happened in that last mission.”
That soured the mood in the room. Especially when Ebisu came in.
“Lady Fifth, if I may have a few minutes…”

OKAY, TIME FOR A Q/A WITH THE AUTHOR!


Question: How did Ekyt come about?

Answer: Ekyt is modeled after me. Kind of a loser, with a good heart, trying to fit in. Except he’s way cooler than me! (laughs)


Question: What’s the deal with Ekyt’s second chakra?

Answer: Ekyt, due to his past, feels emotions strongly. Coupling that with his stoicism, the excess emotions take a life of their own. Ekyt learned to channel that energy, thought it’s painful for him. It’s a throwback to his own anxieties. A reminder that they still exist, no matter how far he’s come.


Question: What’s the deal with Ekyt’s love life? Is he EVER gonna speak up?

Answer: That’s a good one. Ekyt sees himself as a milk-drinking dork, who gave up on life to study, just to belong. Some like Sakura, in his eyes, is out of his league. But, at the same time, Ekyt won’t settle for less. So, who knows if he’ll ever speak up.
(Note: In a reader’s poll, EkytXSakura was the most popular pairing, followed by a three-way tie between EkytXTemari, EkytXTenten, and EkytXHinata)


Question: Ekyt mentions his ‘samurai days’. What happened there? Shouldn’t he and the Ninja hate each other?

Answer: Ekyt has proven his loyalty to the Leaf Village several times over, so he’s earned a measure of trust. He has seen what samurai have become (Thugs for Gato, for example), and does what he can to end the theory that ‘All samurai are bad’.


Question: Why does Linda hate Ekyt so much?

Answer: Linda (Wow, we haven’t heard from her in a while!) doesn’t hate Ekyt. She worries for his well-being in a backwards way. She wants him crippled, so he won’t get killed on some mission. It’s a strange way of caring.



Question: Ekyt is seen studying all the time, and writing in his scroll, titled “ShoBu”. What does the name of the scroll mean, and why does he study so much?

Answer: Ekyt wants to fit in. He wants to be among the best ninja, one that anyone could walk up to with a problem, and he could solve it. He has a deep love for Konoha, which is (in his words) ‘the first place to accept him’. And the scrolls title, loosely translated, means Win Lose. ‘Sho’ means ‘Win’ in Japanese, while “Bu” means ‘lose’. Together, with Sho as the first part of the word, means “To win, but to lose.” With Ekyt’s lifestyle, we can assume that refers to his training. If he stops training, his nemesis, Chakaro, will overtake him, and Ekyt will ‘lose’.



Question: Ekyt seems to charm villains. How, and why?

Answer: Well, Ekyt has respect for capable opponents. Take Kabuto for example. He’s skilled, and, at least around Ekyt, fights honorably. You’ll notice that they add honorifics to each other’s names. There’s a respect there, which makes Ekyt unique. There isn’t just ‘love’ and ‘hate’, there’s also ‘respect’. Ekyt can respect abilities, personalities, and honor. But, if push comes to shove, he’ll act on his instinct to defend above all else.


Question: Why hasn’t Ekyt been made a chunin, or a jonin, yet? Others have tested without teams…

Answer: Ah, that is a question for another time. That will be answered in future issues, stay tuned!


Question: Does Ekyt ever relax?

Answer: (Thinks) Well, he doesn’t read Makeout Paradise, but he DOES tend to, er, flip through manga with (ahem), mildly suggestive content, such as “Love Hina”, a comedy/romance. (It’s only borderline perverted (laugh) He can kind of identify with that Manga’s main character. (laugh) The two losers!


Question: Ekyt’s “Older Self”- what’s up with him?

Answer: The “Older Ekyt” that Ekyt sees in his subconscious is his emotions. The juncture where his emotions meet his life energy and become chakra. He can consult this ‘older Ekyt’ for advice. Kind of like an “Inner-Sakura”, except Ekyt will sit down and have talks with this entity, and occasionally call upon his powers, which are still mostly mysterious.

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