Chapter 7 - Twelve-Hour Standoff

Ryouko looked up at Orochimaru, perched on top of some monstrous snake. The site sickened him, although that might have been the rotting flesh that was grabbing at him.

“Vile bastard demon! If you problem is with me, let it die with me, and leave the Hidden Leaf alone!” Ryouko managed to call out as he fought wave after wave of demons and zombies. The worst part was that most were wearing Leaf Headbands.

It had all been part of Orochimaru’s plot. He had taken his resurrection in such a way that the Hidden Leaf was psychologically absent. The jonin and most experienced Shinobi were seeing their comrades come back to life in a cruel and merciless way, and then cut down again, eventually, by Ryouko. It paralyzed the living to see their comrades live and die a second time. And the children…the young genin and chunin were scared. It was their worst nightmares come to life. They could do nothing but shake, and wait until hell came to them.

Ryouko was doing all he could to make sure it wouldn’t happen. He heard two young chunin screaming. Without thinking about it, Ryouko reached back and pulled out a section of his spine. He threw it, cracking it like a whip, and wrapping it around the three demons that had attacked the chunin. Ryouko pulled them in, but felt his heart suddenly slow down, albeit very slightly. After batting away a demon, Ryouko looked at his hand. Though it was covered by a glove, Ryouko knew what had happened.

My life line shortened…I used the Shikotsumyaku and furthered the disease…I’m not at an advanced stage yet, but I’ve got to avoid using the bloodline again!

--

Tsunade was being tended to by Sakura, while Sasuke was patrolling in front of them. But Tsunade and Sasuke were suddenly trumped. The ground twisted and heaved, and their greatest nightmares grew before them. Their biggest desires, their unreachable dreams.

The Uchiha Clan. Dan. Nowaki. All resurrected, as part of Orochimaru’s jutsu.

“Nowaki…Dan…” Tsunade saw their rotting corpses starting to heal, until they were almost living again. All except their eyes. They were cold and lifeless. But Tsunade couldn’t help herself. She reached out a hand to touch them.

“No, My Lady!” Shizune flew in from out of nowhere, spitting her needles, trying to at least divert the monster’s attention. No success. There corpses were a strategic part of Orochimaru’s plan.

Sasuke was having an equally difficult time. “Mother…Father…Auntie and Uncle…” Everyone was back! And their was Mom, Sasuke thought, going to give her son a hug. Sasuke, in a rare moment of weakness opened his arms up to the embrace.

Mother…

CRACK!

Sasuke and Tsunade opened their eyes to see Ryouko sailing in, his flying heel kick destroying the walking corpses. Already splattered with blood from a number of injuries, and cut numerous times, Ryouko landed hard, panting for a second. He started to take off again, but Sasuke grabbed him and wrestled him to the ground, pinning him down and raising his fist to strike.

“What the hell? Sasuke, get a grip on yourself! That wasn’t really your mother! Not the way you remember her! She was going to kill you!” Ryouko didn’t have time for this. He couldn’t fight Sasuke know. If he did, he’d have no choice but to kill him to save the lives of hundreds of others. He was the only one in any position to defeat Orochimaru.

Lightning cracked the sky. Rain began to downpour. Sasuke thought back to the day his brother had killed everyone. It all seemed to be in black and white for Sasuke. And it happened again and again, a continuous loop of torture. It was only when something struck him across the face that the loop ended. Sasuke got up, and opened his eyes. Ryouko’s dark eyes were staring at him.

“There’s no time for this, Sasuke. Get a hold of yourself, and protect your girl.”

Ryouko successfully took off this time. While in the air, four of the corpses jumped on all sides of Ryouko. His boot lashed out and his one. That had the unfortunate side-effect of opening him up to attack from behind. Ryouko covered his head and heart, hoping to avoid a critical strike.

WHIZZ! CRACK!

A chain, weighted at one end, flew up from the ground and destroyed Ryouko’s attacker. That gave Ryouko enough time to roundhouse-kick the demon to his right, then throw it’s severed top half into the demon on the left. The fall destroyed them further, while Ryouko landed on a roof. He glanced down with a smile at his savior.

“Hang in there, Ryouko!” Tenten shouted up to him. Her weapons scroll was the salvation of a group of families that had taken shelter in the most stable building they could find, and one with only one entrance: The Academy.

Ryouko’s face turned grim. Some demon that had managed to get up next to him went crashing to the muddy ground below.

“Tenten, use this seal!” Ryouko bit his thumb, forcing more blood out, and quickly wrote his name on his second Scroll of Purification. He only had one left, but even if there was only one safe-haven in town, that many lives would be safe.

Tenten caught the scroll that fell down to her from the rain. Understanding what it was, she urged everyone back as she shut the door, then placed the scroll across it, two kunai holding it in place.

Satisfied, Ryouko jumped down from the building, thinking of another defense. They could get light in the Academy using Fire Jutsu, and since Ryouko could open the door, he could find more survivors and put them in their safely. Chiefly, the top two medic-nin would be ideal.

“Earth Style: Mud Wall!” Ryouko yelled over the Thunder. The Academy was naturally suited for defense, being surrounded by Mountain on two sides, along with a thick stone wall all around it, and the sturdy Hokage Mansion on it’s other side. Ryouko’s mud wall added to the defense. As an afterthought, Ryouko also summoned his Water Dragon to create a moat of sorts, while Shadow Clones dug trenches to be filled. Ryouko left that to them and took off again, aiming to put the stake in the heart of ‘Dracula’, in the form of Orochimaru.

--

Orochimaru couldn’t believe that two years could change someone so much.

“It seems as if the Kaguya boy is truly legendary, not just in name, but in form. Kabuto, oversee further destruction of the Hidden Leaf. It’s going to take a legend to kill a legend, after all!”

Kabuto had to object. “Lord Orochimaru, the prophecy states that only Ryouko can defeat you! It’s too soon to put yourself at risk! Let his tire himself out by coming to you. You’ll have the satisfaction of slaying him either way, won’t you?”

Kabuto’s tone of voice led on that he knew something Orochimaru hadn’t outright told him. This always amused Orochimaru, and he prompted Kabuto to continue with his assessment.

“Go on, Kabuto. Tell me what you’ve figured out…”

Kabuto adjusted his spectacles as he looked down. That was a habit of his; when he started to think hard, he looked down, adjusted his glasses, and assessed the situation rationally.

“Those zombies aren’t after Ryouko himself. At least, not to kill. If I had to guess…I’d say you instructed them to destroy the Leaf Village. And Ryouko is getting in the way. They aren’t aiming for him per say, he’s just a problem, and they’re trying to solve that problem.”

Orochimaru’s signature smirk appeared as he licked his lips with his freakishly long tongue.

“You never cease to amaze me, Kabuto. You catch on so quickly, and you read between the lines. I also give you credit- though it irritates me, you speak up when it’s in my best interests for you to do so.”

--

Ryouko knew he couldn’t do this forever. He changed his priority from ‘destruction’ to ‘saving’. Any person he could find, and group. Anyone, anything, he led them to the academy.

Eventually, that included Sasuke, Sakura, Tsunade, Shizune, and Naruto. Both Ino-Shika-Cho trios were outside the academy, acting as guards. They rotated in with groups of jonin. Kakashi and Gai, Asuma and Kurenai, Genma and Raina, Ibikki and Anko. At least two of the duos were on duty all the time. But the defenses Ryouko had built seemed to be close to airtight. Only a handful of the undead souls got through. But gradually, Ryouko’s friends became aware that Ryouko’s mission was nothing short of suicide.

“He’s taken away anyone who could have helped him, Kakashi. Shouldn’t we…” Gai nodded towards the outside of the barricade. To his surprise, Kakashi shook his head.

“No, Gai. It’s my first instinct, too. But we don’t know what we’re dealing with. Ryouko DOES know, and he’s defeated the demons once before. We have to trust him, and protect the Hidden Leaf in the way he thinks best. It’s the best strategic move. If the Academy is lost, the Hidden Leaf is lost.”

Gai and Kakashi both fell into a silence that spoke volumes. That silence lasted until their partners, Genma and Raina, two Tokubetsu Jonin, made their way over. Genma and Raina were both below Gai and Kakashi on the proverbial food chain in the Hidden Leaf, but had grown much, much stronger with each battle they had fought. Both had taken the Leaf’s near-destruction during the chunin exam years ago, with Orochimaru’s first attack, personally. They had felt helpless; weak and unable to defend their village. They had trained incredibly hard in between their regular missions, and were eager to prove their mettle. With the battle going into it’s twelfth hour, and the full moon turning completely red, despite Ryouko’s best efforts, they had to question even their superiors.

“Kakashi-sensei? How long are we going to let Ryouko go this alone? It’s suicide for him, you have to know that! So why are all of us standing by and letting him do this?”

Raini, normally quiet and reserved, had to ask. He had been next to the Third Hokage just before Orochimaru’s attack. He had been taken out of the picture by two kunai thrown by some of Orochimaru’s goons, and had only just survived. It made his itch for a match, even if his opponents were demons from hell who clawed their way back to life and didn’t want to go back.

Kakashi looked over to Raina. Gai was starting to get emotional, and wouldn’t be any help. So Kakashi tried to phrase it in the easiest way he could.

“Well…it’s a matter of fate. Ryouko’s fate is tied to the Hidden Leaf’s fate. There’s a good chance that if one dies, the other will…but Ryouko’s fate is also tied to Orochimaru’s. The First Hokage foresaw the first disaster Orochimaru would create with this new jutsu, and foretold of a hero that would protect us. That was Ryouko. After he left, two years ago, there was a scroll found in his apartment. No one is quite sure WHO wrote it, only that it says that, basically, Ryouko has to pull off another victory and slay Orochimaru.”

Asuma and Kurenai joined the group, followed by Ibikki and Anko. It was time to switch, although everyone seemed to want to linger and talk. Finally, Ibikki said something horrifying.

“In the Chunin exams, my test is designed to see if students can take information without getting caught. At the end, I always explain to them that you can’t always trust information, sometimes it’s better to work blind…”

Anko cut in. “What are you getting at, Ibikki?”

Ibikki looked absolutely horrifying in the red moonlight and lightning. “I’m getting at this: We don’t know WHO wrote that document. I suggest we get it from Ryouko when he comes back, and take a careful look. We’re all trained to read the meaning with the meaning. Maybe there’s another meaning in that scroll, and a clue as to who left it.”

Asuma nervously exhaled; he had gone through two packs of cigarettes in twelve hours. Intense situations like this either made him smoke like a chimney, or stop smoking altogether. When the Third had died, Asuma had stopped. This time, he was chain-smoking.

“Ibikki has a point. We might be dealing with a dual problem here. Ryouko might be working just as blind as the rest of us.”

Kurenai closed her eyes, looking tired. “He’s still legendary, isn’t he? You all saw Lady Tsunade, she’s in no shape to lead us. Ryouko is really the only one who’s faced Orochimaru like this.”

Gai shook his head. “No, he’s not. In his report, Sakura had a large hand in what happened.”

“I read that, too. But she didn’t face Orochimaru herself, aside from being captured. And besides that, she might not be up to the task,” Kakashi added. His words were a little cryptic. Only Ibikki picked up on what he meant.

“I see…Ryouko has been by himself for two years. Every day has been life or death for him, and his heart has hardened enough to kill. Sakura has been the Hokage’s aid, and while not lacking skill…her heart isn’t cold enough…”

Kakashi nodded to Ibikki’s statement. “And Naruto…he still doesn’t have the demon fox under control, he can’t be trusted alone. Right now, for all intents and purposes- Ryouko is the Hokage.”

Asuma voiced his agreement next. “He’s right. Kinda funny that he’s come back after how he was treated. I mean, we ALL knew about him and Sakura. It took guts to give her up to make her happy, and even more guts to come here and face Tsunade.”

In the air, a hawk screamed overhead, gently depositing another survivor. This one wasn’t injured. Seconds later, another came crashing down from the sky. It was the second one that attracted the attention.

“That boy…the sole protégé of the Kaguya legend…”

--

“Kantai! Are you alright?!”

Kantai was a pretty girl, roughly sixteen years old. Blond hair flowing freely behind her, she nodded shyly up at the boy who had been her protector. She hadn’t met him before now, when he fought off demon after demon rescuing her with only a sword. But he used it as a master, making every move efficient and lethal to the enemies. She had hurt her leg, and this boy had bought her time to heal her leg. She was a trained medic-nin, and had been helping her family when the demons attacked.

“Thank you so much,” Kantai said with a bow. “May I ask your name?”

The boy was strange, but handsome, in a way. Long black hair fell over his shoulders into a ponytail. One eye was black, the other was grey. Thought sixteen, the boy looked younger, but acted older. Wearing a brown ¾ length coat, he introduced himself.

“Katsuyori Akamadori,” he said, offering her a hand up. She took it gently, noticing that the tough-as-nails warrior blushed.

“Katsuyori, I have you to thank for my life. But, please, if I may ask one more request of you…why does your name have a familiar ring? I can’t help but feel as though I know your name from somewhere…” Kantai’s blue eyes searched Katsuyori’s dark right eye.

His left eye…he was born blind in that eye…the retina won’t function. But with surgery…

“My name is known only because of the identity of my sensei…” Katsuyori looked out to the battlefield. “Two years ago, I was the only one who knew of Ryouko’s desire to leave. I was his student. He took me when no one else would, and taught me the way of the ninja AND the way of the samurai.”

Kantai was intrigued. “You were taught by Ryouko Kaguya? Wait…I remember you now! Four years ago! We were in adjacent hospital beds! You were there for a check, to complete your…adoption?”

Katsuyori looked so rueful that Kantai regretted bringing this up. But soon, Katsuyori’s face lit up.

“Yeah. Forgive me, I didn’t mean to make you regret your words. I was just thinking about my foster parents. My Mother is alive, thankfully, I brought her here earlier. My father…it’s too bad he made it. That horrible drunk, beating my mother. Until Ryouko stepped in as my guardian. He was the first friend I made after coming here, and he even rescued me from the Mist Village. He lent me his strength, and asked nothing in return. He’s helped me become who I need to be…”

Katsuyori closed one brown-leather covered fist, his other hand straying to the sword in his belt.

“The Mist…you mean, the one in the history books at the academy, with the name blacked out?” Kantai wanted to know. Katsuyori’s good eye met her gaze.

“The very same. The establishment has tried to discredit sensei any way they can. Or, rather, Tsunade. I’ve only stayed in this village because it’s what Ryouko-sensei would have wanted…”

Katsuyori looked out at the giant mud wall, as if that would show him something.

“I have to go. It was nice meeting you, Kantai. If you’re up to it, I know we’re short on medic-nin’s…”

Kantai was surprised; she had been lost in thought about her handsome savior. “Oh, right! Certainly! What about you, Katsuyori?”

Katsuyori had drawn his sword and was leaping over the mud wall. “I’ve got to help sensei!”


Kantai watched him go, feeling a small surge of something in her chest. Hope? No, that wasn’t it. Kantai had never felt it before, but it was actually a growing feeling of love. It wasn’t every day you were saved by a handsome boy who was the student of a legend.

Kind…charming…and he’s a hard worker. I’ll have to make it a point to get to know Katsuyori better…

Not surprisingly, Katsuyori’s thoughts were similar about the cute, strong, talented young woman he had just met. Somehow, meeting her made him that much more determined. Katsuyori heard his name and looked down. Upon seeing it was one of his sensei’s instructors, he leapt down.

“Ibikki? How can I help?” Katsuyori wanted to know. Being a jonin himself, Katsuyori didn’t need to add the –sensei suffix.

“Get the second prophecy scroll off your teacher when you see him. It might contain something we need to know. Knowing Ryouko, he’s memorized that scroll already. Tell him it’s me asking, and that Lady Tsunade won’t see it.”

“Understood.” Katsuyori ran off at top speed to find Ryouko. That shouldn’t be too hard, and it would be even easier from the rooftops.

--

Ryouko ducked again, then leapt as an ancient bo swung at him. The two demons were double-teaming him; or trying to. Ryouko kept dodging. With those bo’s, he just couldn’t get in a good shot, and he was conserving all the chakra and weapons he could. But dodging was getting old. Just as he was going to make his move:

SCHWINGG!

Katsuyori shook the gore off his blade and sheathed it.

“Katsuyori? How are they holding up?” Ryouko asked, giving an approaching demon a hard punch to the face.

“They’re fine, sensei. But they need the second prophecy scroll. Ibikki Morino needs to see it, and he says that Lady Tsunade won’t see it.”

Ryouko blocked an incoming kunai with his metal glove, catching it nimbly and returning it to it’s owner, where it was lodged firmly in it’s Adam’s Apple.

“You’re right, she won’t. I’m going to deliver it. I need to add a few more defenses to the Academy anyway, in case I can’t keep this up forever. Lead the way, I’ll follow. Hyah!”

Ryouko stepped to the side as an odd-looking spear was thrust at him. Stepping forward, Ryouko grabbed the demon’s hands and sliced fingers away with a chakra scalpel. Without knowing why, he wanted this spear. After he had taken it, he used back to sweep the undead corpse’s legs, before thrusting the spear home in it’s chest. Ryouko twisted the spear as he pulled it out, causing entrails to follow in the spear’s wake. Ryouko’s stomach lurched, but it’s contents stayed in place. He had done this so much in the last twelve hours it was a mechanical response. A gruesome ritual that Ryouko hoped he would never have to repeat again.

--

“Ibikki, I’ve brought him.”

The jonin all turned enough to face Ryouko. After twelve hours, the boy was tired, but the chakra cigarette in his mouth had kept him going long after he should have collapsed from exhaution. Wordlessly, Ryouko dug into a pouch inside his clothes and handed the scroll to Ibikki.

“Help yourselves. I’m going to add a couple more defenses. Katsuyori, can you make sure this stays between this group?”

Katsuyori knelt at Ryouko’s side, knowing full well Ryouko didn’t ask, want, or expect that kind of treatment.

“Of course.”

Ryouko patted Katsuyori’s shoulder. “Good man. I’ll leave this to you.”

“Hey, Ryouko! C’mere for just a minute!”

Ryouko heard Tenten’s voice. He followed it over to a corner of the academy. Ino and Temari were waiting, with Lee and Shikamaru respectively. Ino and Lee had been sort of a surprise couple. No one had seen that one coming. But somehow, Ino and Lee complimented each other. As for Temari and Shikamaru- THAT one was common knowledge, except to the two of them, it seemed.

“Is everyone alright?” Ryouko asked in a low whisper.

“All of us except you, kid,” Temari said in her trademark style. At one point, Ryouko had found her attractive. Still did, but it was clear she and Shikamaru had a thing.

“Yeah. What’s up with you? Did you get dressed in the dark, or lose a bet or something?!” Ino added with a joking disgust. Though there was never any romantic interest, Ryouko got along with Ino well enough.

“I called him over here for that…technique you guys told me about,” Tenten explained, suddenly looking a little embarrassed. Ino and Temari suddenly grew wide smiles.

“Oh, THAT! Just make sure you do it right, okay?” Ino said cryptically.

“I’ll try, I’ve never had to do that before. Can you four give me a hand with it?” Tenten requested. Immediately, the four grabbed Ryouko.

“What are you plotting?” Ryouko asked, becoming a little worried. Tenten strode forward carefully. In one graceful move, she locked lips with Ryouko. It quickly became a little more than a single kiss. Tenten was blushing, and Ryouko wasn’t even sure his face turning red could be classified as a ‘blush’ anymore.

This must be what normal boyfriends and girlfriends do. I’ve only experienced this sort of kiss once, with Sakura. It’s…pleasant. Even in the midst of a disaster such as this…But how do I respond? Do we take turns? Okay Ryouko, take the plunge, here we go. One…two…three!

But the kiss was over. Tenten was blushing furiously, and Ryouko guessed that he was, too. The four holding his arms and legs to his sides let go.

Tenten blushed even harder; she was never one for public displays of affection, but this had been necessary.

If he knew that kiss also a chakra transfer jutsu, he might not have let me do either one! But I have to take care of him. SOMEONE has to be in Ryouko’s corner. I hope my chakra helps him…I’ve never done the jutsu like that before…
But if he dies, I want to know just what it felt like…And if he had died and I hadn’t tried, I would never forgive myself.

Tenten suddenly felt a hand cupping her chin. Ryouko?!

“Tenten…thank you. I appreciate the jutsu…” Ryouko leaned closer to her and gave her a brief squeeze. “…But the gesture was even better.”

Basing what to do by what little he knew of relationships, Ryouko planted a soft, brushing kiss on Tenten’s shocked lips. He gave her an affectionate gaze, looking as relaxed as he could, for her sake.

“I have to go now. It’s time to end this, before more blood is shed…”

--

Ibikki cursed.

“Damn it! It’s just as I thought! Genma, catch Ryouko before he leaves again, and take him to the swing near the entrance. I have to talk with him. If he refused, take him by force. He HAS to know this.”

-

Ryouko strode over quickly.

“Ibikki? What is it?”

Ibikki took Ryouko aside. “Listen…this prophecy…it’s crap. It’s a plot.”

Ryouko tried to hide his shock. Making sure no one else was around, he looked at the scroll.

“How do you know?”

Ibikki pointed to the scroll. “Think of the First Hokage’s scroll. Do you remember the wax seal that was on it?”

Ryouko thought back, and nodded upon recalling the seal.

“Well, there’s no seal on this one at all. If it was a true document, it would be wax-coated and sealed by someone important. The fact that Shizune found this scroll, with no traps on it…”

“…Means that it’s a decoy…” Ryouko lowered his head. “Damn it, I should have known! It’s so obvious!”

Ibikki, usually the last person in the world to be comforting, clapped Ryouko on the shoulder. “You can’t think of everything yourself. Don’t beat yourself up.”

Ryouko shook his head. “Ibikki, whatever you do, make sure people believe that scroll is the truth.”

Ibikki didn’t understand why that was what Ryouko wanted, and he said so. Ryouko’s response even warmed Ibikki’s stone heart.

“Because it’s a source of hope. If people believe I’m their savior, let them. They need hope…maybe even a martyr. And I’m the only one in the position to do both. This has to stay between us. After this is over, or I die, THEN tell everyone I’m not the hero they thought. Let them be mad at me for deceiving them AFTER I’ve done the dirty work.”

Ryouko gave a nod, then took off again. Ibikki stared after him as he pocketed the scroll.

Maybe that scroll isn’t false information after all…if there’s one crazy bastard who can make it real, it’s that one. Good luck, Ryouko.

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