Chapter 2 - Ekyt vs. Ryofu I (Re-posted)
Submitted December 15, 2008 Updated December 22, 2008 Status Incomplete | My OC (Ekyt/Ryouko) takes on Andr28's creation, Ryofu. See the first chapter for further description.
Category:
Anime/Manga » Naruto series |
Chapter 2 - Ekyt vs. Ryofu I (Re-posted)
Chapter 2 - Ekyt vs. Ryofu I (Re-posted)
PLEASE NOTE: RYOFU AND CERTAIN MARKED JUSTUS ARE THE PROPERTY OF andr28a! RYOFU AND HIS JUTSUS HAVE BEEN LENT TO ME WITH CREATIVE CONTROL FOR THIS FIC. QUESTIONS CONCERNING RYOFU SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO HIS RESPECTIVE OWNER.
ALSO NOTE- MOST OF RYOFU’S JUTSUS ARE NON-CANON TO THE CHARACTER, AND ARE USED FOR CREATIVE PURPOSES ONLY. THIS FIC IS NON-CANON TO THE FICS OF nextguardian AND andr28a.
PLEASE ENJOY!
Whoosh. The wind whistled through the midnight air, sending small rocks and dust flying through the air. It was a peaceful night to most. To some, it was as restless as any other night.
Three figures stood at the valley of the end. Ekyt, the last of the Kaguya clan (discounting his parents, who have taken another name to protect themselves from Ekyt’s enemies); Sakura Haruno, the medical prodigy training under Lady Tsunade; and Ryofu, a complete mystery. To Ekyt, anyway. Sakura seemed to know him very well. And he knew her just as well. A fact that was not lost on Ekyt.
“Well, you have my answer, Ryofu. No.” Ekyt was looking out across the valley. Even though the night’s stress had been great, Ekyt looked younger than he was. Except the bags under his eyes. And now, the newly-grown five o’clock shadow across his face. Absently, Ekyt shaved with a kunai, as if it were an everyday thing.
Ryofu seemed to be amused by this.
“And suppose I took this gesture as a slap in the face?” he asked, smiling slightly. He put a hand on Sakura’s shoulder, noticing the slight tense in Ekyt’s muscles.
“You can take it however you want. My answer stays the same. I’m loyal to the Hidden Leaf.” Ekyt let his eyes droop to a half-lidded state. Ekyt stuck a fresh chakra cigarette in his mouth, snapping his fingers the spark he needed to light the now-smoldering, relatively new combat enhancer. A strange creation that only he used, this cigarette had the same effects as a ration pill, except the time-release. Instead of fatiguing after three days, this was a boost to Ekyt’s regular chakra in small doses.
“Well, I guess I can’t persuade you then. Sakura, anything to say before we go?” Ryofu asked kindly.
“Ekyt, come on, this is perfect! He’s like a brother, and you’re the perfect boy for me! You really care about me, don’t you?” Sakura asked excitedly, an idea forming in her head.
“Of course I do. I wouldn’t have said “I love you” if I didn’t mean it,” Ekyt replied gently, knowing that his words were going to be used against him. Words as sacred as those shouldn’t be misused!
“Then come with Ryofu and I!” Sakura exclaimed, opening her arms for an embrace. Any second, a blushing Ekyt would step into her hug, and everything would work out. It always did.
Only it didn’t work that way.
“When I said I loved you…I said it to a different Sakura,” Ekyt began slowly. He paused, reaching for his hip flask. After a fortifying gulp of sake, Ekyt continued. “The Sakura I said I loved…was loyal to the Hidden Leaf. And she wasn’t a killer. She was as kind as she was beautiful and talented. That’s not who’s standing here know. To think what you’ve become…” Ekyt shook his head in disgust, turning away from Sakura and Ryofu.
“So you’re going to go it alone, are you? Brave boy. It seems we’re opposites in some ways, and in other ways…we’re almost the same person…” Ryofu muttered cunningly. Ekyt stopped halfway up the sandy slope he was in the process of climbing.
“What are you saying?” Ekyt growled, not turning around. Ryofu half-grinned.
“Well, you’re going the path of a loner. You’re not accepted in the village you love so much. And just when you’ve found a girl who loves you for you, you’re willing to piss it away because you don’t like her friends. What a pity.”
Sakura was just standing there, slack-jawed in shock. Ekyt…I thought…he really cared…but he never lies, either…and I HAVE changed. Has his love changed, too?
“I’m going the path of the loner because that’s what was given to me. YOU, on the other hand, corrupted the mind of an innocent girl. I don’t know how, or why, but you did…” Ekyt blew smoke out of his mouth. “You did what you did. I know where my loyalties lie.”
In an instant, Ryofu was in front of Ekyt. “You’re passing up the ideal life. More than your village can offer you…Sakura…freedom…power…acceptance. You want it. Don’t deny it.”
“Who’s denying it?” Ekyt pushed past Ryofu, but once more found him in the way.
“I think you’re denying YOURSELF, as a matter of fact. Opportunities like this come along once in a life time. The girl of your dreams, and people that accept you…you can’t always have your cake and eat it, but that’s exactly what I can give you.” It was a blatant challenge.
“Look, I gave you my answer. Now, you can get out of my way, and we can leave as something less than enemies. It’s obvious Sakura’s made her decisions about where her loyalties lie. And I believe I’ve made MY loyalties clear as well.” Ekyt gave Ryofu a long look in the eyes, then continued his way up the bank. This time, he found Sakura waiting for him.
“Ekyt, please! Don’t make me choose! I’ve never felt safer, or more powerful, or…better, than I did with Ryofu. You could, too!” Sakura pleaded, her pale green eyes searching Ekyt’s dark hazel eyes for an answer. But it was his mouth that gave the answer.
“I’m not making YOU choose. I’m choosing for myself. You made your choice, Sakura. And now, you’re saying that this guy, whoever he is, makes you feel everything that I made you feel? How am I supposed to feel about that? And this dismissive attitude toward the Leaf? What would Kakashi-sensei say? Or Sasuke?”
“Irrelevant. They’re both dead,” Ryofu said offhand, as though stating an obvious fact. It wasn’t yet common knowledge.
“WHAT?!” Ekyt’s mouth dropped open slightly, then clenched up tightly.
“Sakura killed them. Granted, she didn’t have a choice, really, but”
Whatever Ryofu was going to say was stopped by Ekyt’s fist nearly beheading him. The punch, as it was, sent Ryofu skidding back down the sandy embankment. Ryofu didn’t say anything right away; he only rubbed his cheek where Ekyt’s hard right hand had left it’s mark.
“You miserable son of a dog! You take the girl I love…you take away the few friends I have…then you try to screw with me?! You damn bastard demon!” Ekyt was furious; maybe beyond furious. Ryofu just said, perfectly calmly:
“Don’t make an enemy of me. That would be a mistake you would live AND die to regret.”
“Back to hell, you demon! Even if I have to see you there personally!” Ekyt snarled.
“THAT would be your mistake. You don’t want to see my true power. And I don’t want to unleash it…” Ryofu warned.
“Give me one reason…Just one reason I don’t kill you right now…I don’t care about ‘talent’, or ‘abilities’, or ‘gifts’…they don’t win fights, they START them. It’s your heart, soul and dedication that win fights. I hate to put my honor on the chopping block by killing you, you heartless son of a dog. But I’ve never seen everything I care about…tossed around so recklessly…STOP WITH THAT DAMN SMIRK!” Ekyt finally tagged Ryofu with as hard a right hand as he ever threw. Ryofu sat in the dirt, touching a hand to where Ekyt’s fist had cracked him. Ekyt’s fist was bleeding, but he didn’t notice, or didn’t care.
“Stop it!” Sakura shouted. “Don’t make me choose between my ‘brother’ and my lover!”
“EX-lover! If you’ve turned your back on Konoha like this, you’ve turned your back on me!” Ekyt shot back. He had never dared to talk to Sakura like that. He had loved her, maybe even still did. But this…this was too much.
Sakura began to realize that she made some kind of a mistake. But was her loyalty to her first savior, or the boy she had opened her heart to?
Ekyt took knives, swords, and jutsus for me. He risked his life to save me. But Ryofu has treated me like a sister, and saved me from that horrible, unendurable shame when I younger…why can’t they agree? Why does this have to happen?!
“You, the demon…” Ekyt growled. “There’s only one way for us to settle this. As if an angel and devil fighting over an innocent soul, so should you and I fight over Sakura! The winner will live life with her, free of the other’s interference! I don’t mean for this to be a sparring match. I mean this as a contest- to the death! The loser dies. Fair enough?”
Ryofu simply shrugged. “If you wish yourself an early grave, then so be it!”
“No, don’t do that! I don’t want one of you to die!” Sakura’s pleading fell on deaf ears as the two stood across from each other. Similar to Naruto and Sasuke, the place for the battle was at the Valley of the End. At the same time, they kicked off, sand rising in their wake. Who had the advantage was unclear; Ekyt’s training had come mostly from the Third Hokage; Ryofu’s was largely unknown. But it was a safe bet neither was a pushover in combat.
“Multi Shuriken Shadow Clones!” Ekyt shouted, throwing two shuriken, which suddenly became two hundred shuriken.
“Water Style: Ice Wall!” Ryofu countered. A wall of ice stopped the shuriken from reaching their target. It also gave Ryofu the opportunity to use his next jutsu.
“Water Style: Ice Daggers!” The wall of ice suddenly formed hundreds of jagged points, and they were flying towards Ekyt. Ekyt made a set of handsigns, and used his next attack.
“Fire Release: Fire Encampment Wall!” Tongues of flame encircled Ekyt, melting the daggers and giving Ekyt precious seconds to plan a strategy.
When I hit him earlier, he didn’t offer much resistance. I’m going to guess that taijutsu isn’t his strong point…but getting near the clever bastard isn’t easy. Ekyt exhaled again, smoke rising, as he tried to concoct a quick plan of attack. It gave him enough time to stop the charging Ryofu, though.
“Water Style: Moving River Jutsu!” The water that had gathered under Ekyt’s feet shot toward Ryofu’s feet, creating a current that swept him backwards.
“Water Style: Ice Prison Formation!” Ryofu shot back. A dome of ice started to grow around Ekyt. Ekyt leapt up, but his foot was snared in the ice.
shoot!
Ryofu took the opportunity to throw a kunai. Ekyt had time to lean backwards, but his foot was still stuck in it’s icy prison. That ice was also rapidly thickening. Ekyt had to make his move, now.
“Dragon’s Ember Jutsu: Clone Instigation!” A Shadow Clone of Ekyt popped up and used his signature fire attack, melting the ice enough for Ekyt to scramble away. Less than a second later, Ryofu’s next jutsu struck home.
“Earth Style: Boulder Release!” Ryofu’s voice echoed throughout the valley, and even seemed to ripple the water itself. The ripples were actually huge rocks lifting up out of the earth, and flinging themselves at Ekyt. Ekyt wasn’t sure how to counter this at first. A split-second before his rock-filled doom, he got his idea. It was a relatively new jutsu, but it was worth a try.
“Tatsunokuchi: Dragon-Head Gargoyle!” Ekyt said in desperation, as the rocks closed in.
“Too late!” Ryofu declared. But in that, he was mistaken. The rocks had struck Ekyt, but he was coated with stone, in the shape of a dragon’s head! The rocks hadn’t done any damage!
“Damn it! You’re clever, I’ll grant you that…” Ryofu waited for Ekyt’s response. But the gargoyle didn’t move. That was when Ryofu heard it, from above him. Ekyt had scaled one of the enormous statues!
“Ryuuza: Dragon Constellation Jutsu!” Ekyt leapt off the rock, aiming his legs downward in a two-footed kick. But that wasn’t what Ryofu noticed. It was the gathering of stars into a dragon shape. The ‘dragon’ roared, and aimed straight for Ryofu. Only when it got closer did Ryofu realize that it wasn’t made of stars; balls of fire had strung themselves together.
“Water Clone Jutsu! Replacement Jutsu!” Ryofu shot off in rapid-fire succession. The ten water clones he had created took care of the dragon, while the replacement jutsu helped him evade Ekyt’s kick. But not entirely. As Ryofu landed behind Ekyt and punched, Ekyt spun and kicked with a reverse round house.. Just as Ryofu’s fist hit Ekyt’s stomach, Ekyt’s kick hit Ryofu in the chest. Both skidded across the ponderous valley and into opposite walls, panting from the effort it took to fight so long. Ryofu glanced at the sky. He smiled widely; the advantage was his now. When the full moon hit, the seal on him weakened, and the power of the five-tailed Houkou shone through.
Ekyt shivered suddenly. This chakra…I haven’t felt anything like this since Naruto unleashed his demon fox! That was four tails…this is more…it’s coming from Ryofu…so the demon has a demon with him, does he? I’d better play my aces, and now!
“HAH! NOW THE FIGHT ENDS! ARE YOU SCARED YET?!” Ryofu yelled, shaking rocks and rippling the water. Ekyt glared back.
“I’ve stared death in the eyes before. Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha, even Orochimaru. And I’ve walked away, alive. I’ve seen Naruto Uzumaki’s demon unleashed. And I’ve faced the Shukaku with AND without Gaara. It’s ironic that I’ve been chosen to face you. I’ll just deal with you the same way I did them…only this time, if I kill you, you’re collateral damage. My heart has hardened, even if only for one night. Even if the girl I loved has turned her back on me, I can’t let the village I love feel any more pain at your expense!”
Ryofu simply laughed; even that forced Ekyt to cover his eyes, as dust kicked up. Ryofu had, by now, grown five tails. Those five tails struck the water, creating a tidal wave fifty feet high. Ekyt had to use chakra to run up the walls of the valley. At the top, he used his first trump card. Or, rather, two trump cards. Leaping down gracefully, Ekyt let two scrolls fall with him. Paying the blood tribute, Ekyt ran his thumbs down them.
“Dual Summoning Jutsu!”
With two large pops, Ekyt called forth two of his summons. The first was a giant snake, named Shuurai. Shuurai was polite to Ekyt, and always called him master, despite Ekyt’s instance on calling him ‘Ekyt’. He rivaled Gamabunta in size, and wasn’t violent by nature.
The second summon was an older monkey, named Enma. Enma had fought alongside the Third Hokage, until the Third’s death. At that time, he signed a summoning contract with Ekyt, the Third’s last student.
“Transform: Adamantine Yoi!” Ekyt barked. Enma nodded, and turned into a long black staff, harder than diamond. Enma could also lengthen himself at will, and could even extend his arms, legs, or eyes out from the staff to assist in combat.
Ekyt landed on Shuurai’s head, holding Enma in a guard. Ryofu couldn’t help but laugh; he was nearly completely consumed with the Houkou’s power.
“What is an old monkey that can perform magic tricks going to do for you? I admit, you snake is impressive- but useless!”
“That will be determined by this battle!” Ekyt responded, sticking out his tongue. But this was no childish gesture. As Ekyt stuck out his tongue, so did Shuurai. Ekyt paid a blood tribute- on his tongue?
“Acid Tongue Jutsu!” Ekyt said, his voice garbled as his tongue was sticking out of his mouth. Shuurai spit an acid at Ryofu, who leapt over it handily, just in time to see the Yoi rocketing towards him. Ryofu dodged that, too. Ekyt retracted the staff before Enma was hit with one of the tails Ryofu/Houkou was swinging around. Ekyt himself didn’t notice that he was about to be hit!
THWACK!
The tail knocked Ekyt off Shuurai, sending him tumbling end over end, into a showdown with the rocks at the end of the valley that he wasn’t going to win. Enma jumped in the air and hung from the side of the cliff by an arm, still in staff form.
Unless he has some grand plan, the boy is doomed…He should have used the Fourth’s Jutsu right away…the Reaper Death Seal would have ended this…Although, Ryofu’s enormous chakra would explain why Ekyt didn’t try it. A chakra that huge, never mind the demon’s chakra, would take a lot of energy to pull out. After losing his girl, and learning of so much death in one night…his energy must have been lower to begin with. But that DOES give him an option…One few people know about…
Shuurai burrowed up from the ground and caught Ekyt in his mouth- and swallowed?!
“What the hell are you doing?!” Ryofu demanded. He didn’t like the uncertantity. Until now, Ryofu had more or less controlled the fight. Now, thanks to Shuurai, it was up in the air.
--
“Are you ready, master?” Shuurai asked Ekyt, who was preparing himself.
“Go ahead, Shuurai, I’m ready. After this, get out of here, I don’t want you hurt. That thing could take all of us out with those tails, and that pure chakra.”
“I understand, master. Here we go!” Shuurai hissed politely, burrowing up from the ground.
Only a split second had passed, but it felt like an eternity to both combatants. Now, Ekyt made his move.
Shuurai spat Ekyt out, and straight at Ryofu!
This is too easy! Ryofu thought, ready to finish Ekyt off.
“Transform: Adamantine Yoi Prison!” Ekyt called out.
“You think some pathetic can hold me?!” Ryofu asked, the five tails now whipping around.
“No, but it CAN protect me!” Ekyt shot back. Enma leapt towards Ekyt, and broke off into separate staffs. They formed a box around Ekyt, like a cage. It was from in here that Ekyt made his desperate move:
“Blue Flame Chakra: Activate!” Ekyt put a hand to his chest, over his heart. On his right hand, the one across his chest, a crackling, semi-transparent blue began to grow in size.
“WHAT IS THAT?!” Ryofu demanded.
“THAT is one of my kekkai-genkais! The Blue Flame Chakra! It’s pure emotion, pulled from my body. You aren’t the only one who has a second chakra to call on!”
Ekyt extended his right hand out and grabbed Ryofu, while the cage kept his tails at bay.
“TRANSPARENT HAND: FIVE ELEMENTS SEAL!” Ekyt shouted, feeling himself weaken. On his right hand, five small blue flames popped up on each of his fingers and thumb. On the pink was ‘fire’, the ring finger had ‘water’, the middle finger had ‘wind’, the index finger had ‘earth’, and on Ekyt’s thumb was the question mark, the ‘void’ symbol.
Ekyt jammed his hand onto Ryofu’s chest. Instantly, both were shot backward, wincing with pain. Ekyt sunk under water for a moment, while Ryofu had hit the stone wall.
--
What the hell did he do to me?! I can’t feel the Houkou anymore! Ryofu realized that he now wore a new seal. He could control earth, wind, fire, and water, but it was the fifth mark of the seal, ‘void’, that stopped him from breaking it.
My chakra nearly gone…time to make one more move…
--
That did it. Agh, damn it, it burns! But that thing is sealed. My chakra is almost gone, I’ve got to make my next move count!
--
Ekyt swam back to the surface, while Ryofu pried himself off of the rocks. They glared at each, and each cast the last jutsu of the fight at the same time:
--
“Blood Manipulation Jutsu!” (Property of Andr28a) This jutsu gave Ryofu control over the water content in a person’s blood, enabling him to control them.
“Blue Flame Protection Jutsu!” (Property of nextguardian) Unique to Ekyt, this jutsu repels attacks at the cost of chakra.
--
The two jutsus canceled each other out, leaving the two Shinobi standing, but with little chakra to play with. Ryofu reached for the kunai pouch on his arm. Ekyt dodged the first one and started to move, reaching into his tool pouch. But he didn’t grab a knife, or an exploding tag. He grabbed a small black jar, which had been sealed with a small scroll. Ryofu had to admit he was curious, and slightly worried. Ekyt opened the jar, dipped a finger in, and- painted his face.
“I don’t think Shinigami (the death god) is going to care how you look when I kill you, so dolling yourself up now is pointless,” Ryofu pointed out dryly. Ekyt favored him with a mild look, two red lines now on the sides of his eyes. (looks like this [normal face- 00] [‘painted’ face- -0--0-]
“Get bent. It’s not makeup. It’s the last ace in the hole I’m going to play- my own bloodline. Surely you’ve heard of the Kaguya clan and their unique ability- the Shikotsu Myaku, otherwise know as the Corpse Bone Pathways!” Ekyt pulled off his vest, then peeled off his shirt, leaving it hanging around his waist, tucked into his pants.
“Of COURSE I’m aware of it! But are YOU aware that it will do you as little good as it did the rest of your clan?!” Ryofu shot back. “Foolish…headstrong…all of them. Better that the world is rid of them! And once you’ve lost, the world will be free of the pestilence of your clan!”
Ekyt narrowed his eyes. “I know nothing of your clan…are they all loudmouthed, annoying, and manipulative, as you are?”
While Ryofu laughed and tried to respond, Ekyt reached back. He started to pull on a bone, as if drawing a sword from his back. Instead, out came a sharp bone, hardened by calcium and sharpened by Ekyt’s chakra. Ryofu did indeed know that, because his response was:
“How are you doing that without chakra! Wait…of course…that damn cigarette…” Ryofu noticed the last bit of the cigarette burning away. Ekyt put the smoking remains out, and exhaled one last time.
“It gave me the boost I needed…now, we need to finish this.” Ekyt’s voice went flat, and his face completely unreadable. This baffled Ryofu, who himself switched personalities like Sybil.
Is it that red mixture on his face? He isn’t 100% Kaguya in heritage, so perhaps that is a supplement around his eyes? It must be altering his thinking as well…interesting…Well, interesting or not, his time is ending- now!
Ryofu threw another kunai at Ekyt, then followed it in. Ekyt knocked the kunai aside with his bone, then stabbed at the incoming Ryofu. Ryofu ducked the stab, and tried to get in close. Ekyt arched his blade down, barely missing Ryofu’s head. His foot didn’t miss Ryofu, as he used Ryofu’s stomach as a springboard to leap backward, back into sword range. He continued to cut while Ryofu continued to dodge. Finally, Ryofu drew his own sword.
This blade was unique. Without showing any damage to it’s target, it could pull out and destroy the soul. Ryofu made a cut, and smugly watched as it took effect. Ekyt had blocked the strike, but his soul was gone.
“Are you waiting for something special to happen?” Ekyt made a neck-level cut at Ryofu, who only barely managed to evade it once more.
“You should be dead! Why aren’t you dead?!” Ryofu roared, finally losing his patience.
“Protection of the blue flame chakra…just because I can’t access it for jutsus doesn’t mean that it isn’t there. I know full well what your sword can do. ANY student of the sword has heard of Suitoru. (NOTE- The name ‘Suitoru’ is my property, while the sword belongs to andr28a. ‘Suitoru’ means ‘absorb’. This is not a canon name for the sword)
“I can just destroy you with the sword itself, no matter,” Ryofu murmured, as though discussing the weather.
Their fight continued another ten minutes, neither of the two gaining an upperhand. Both now had a ton of small cuts lining their bodies, but no one was going to die from them. Panting and bleeding, the two met in the middle of their battlefield.
“It is pointless to continue like this. The fight would only serve to kill us both. One of our lives may still be saved…” Ryofu was offering an unlikely truce.
“I agree. We should settle this in the only fair, unobjective way…” Ekyt replied.
“Sakura?” Ryofu asked simply.
Ekyt nodded in reply.
“Asking her to bloody to her hands…I won’t do it,” Ryofu said firmly.
“I wasn’t thinking execution…I was thinking suicide. Sakura picks, and the person she chooses to die commits suicide. Agreed?” Ekyt hated to put Sakura in a position, but this was the only fair way left.
“Agreed.” Ryofu extended his hand. Ekyt took it, meeting Ryofu’s eyes. They seemed sincere enough.
It’s strange that this fight stemmed from an innocent offer…an innocuous suggestion…and it resulted in as fierce a battle as I’ve ever even seen, let alone participated in… Ekyt bowed his head, hoping Sakura would just pick quickly, so his life could either continue peacefully, or end peacefully.
--
“Choose, Sakura. You’ve got to make a choice now. Both Ryofu and I have exhausted our chakra. You decide who lives…and dies…” Ekyt spoke as calm and placidly as he could.
Sakura looked back and forth between Ekyt and Ryofu. Both boys had so much for her, saving her life, or her dignity. She had to choose?
“There’s no other way?” Sakura asked desperately.
“No…one can not live in harmony with the other,” Ryofu replied. He and Ekyt glanced at each other. Their expressions were unreadable.
Sakura held the kunai in her sweaty hands. Could she really choose? Tears streaming down her face, she threw the kunai.
It lodged in Ekyt’s chest. He put a hand to his chest. Blood spilled out of his mouth and flooded around his hand. He was grinning. POOF!
“Death can mean a lot of things…” Ekyt said from a tree branch nearby. “Well, you’ve made your choice…And I’ve made mine…”
Ekyt pulled on his sleeveless trench coat, with the Kaguya crest proudly displayed on the back. He placed a blackened straw hat on his head.
“Consider me dead…I’m not a warrior worthy to defend Konoha anymore…and certainly not worthy of you, Sakura…the best thing I can do is leave both, free of my weakness.” Despite the clear sadness and anger, there was almost a sense of peace behind Ekyt’s anger.
“You-you’re leaving?” Sakura asked. “When are you coming back?”
Ekyt looked up, a smile spreading across his battered face. “You aren’t familiar with samurai customs, are you? Upon our greatest dishonor, we embrace one last hope to salvage our honor. In my case, my reasons for living have been taken from me. My career, my love, my focus…”
“What are you going to do?!” Sakura demanded.
“I owe you no explanation! But, I suppose you have a right to know, don’t you? I’ll tell you, but you won’t like it. I’m going to commit seppuku.”
Sakura gasped. Ryofu’s face showed the slightest change.
“You’re going to…to kill yourself like that? All because you lost a stupid fight?!” Sakura shouted. Everyone lost now and then, didn’t they?
“It’s my only way to save my honor…but THAT is lost on everyone but me, it seems! All I can say…I wish you and your ‘brother’ the best. And I want to say I understand, Sakura. He did as much good for you as I did, maybe more. I wouldn’t have envied your choice in this situation. Choosing the more powerful of the two…that was smart. You always were brilliant,” Ekyt replied, almost mockingly.
“As for you, Ryofu…you and I live different lives…stay the hell out of mine for my last few minutes. You’ve already ruined my life, you spawn of satan. If I find out you’ve ruined Sakura’s anymore than you’ve already ruined it, I will haunt you until we get our rematch in the afterlife,” Ekyt growled threateningly. Ryofu didn’t say anything else.
“Well then. Thanks for giving me a month, Sakura…a month where I understood life as something more than a warrior…And you, Ryofu…thanks for ruining everything I hold dear. I’ll see you in hell someday…hopefully, I’ll be looking down from heaven and laughing at your damned soul.”
“You’re bitter over losing the fight…” Ryofu couldn’t help but challenge. Ekyt glared at him. Slowly, his eyes turned toward the sky, as if there was a great message up there.
“There are more important things…such as life…than a stupid fight. Was it the final straw? Yes. And I hope you and your dear ‘sister’ can live with it…so ends the Kaguya clan!”
Ekyt walked away. It was only then that Sakura and Ryofu noticed Ekyt had donned his Hakama from his samurai training.
“Don’t blame yourself, Sakura. You made the only choice you could. His death is by his own hand…” Ryofu chimed in quietly.
Sakura was silently crying. She leaned on Ryofu, who wasn’t sure if this was a win or not…
What a presence of mind…the mentality of Bushido, the way of the warrior, in a time that has dated it’s usefulness…
--
Ekyt hiked until he found the most peaceful spot he could. He summoned the Elder Monkey, Enma, and asked Enma for a final request.
“Will you be my Kaishaku-nin?” (Kaishaku-nin: When a samurai commits ritual suicide, he has a second samurai, usually a trusted friend or older sibling, to cut off his head once he’s carved a plus sign in his stomach.)
“The Leaf has disintegrated…Sarutobi’s sacrifice was in vain after all…” Enma murmured, taking Ekyt’s long sword.
“Not in vain, Enma. He gave us precious time…And this enemy was not one even he could have forseen…”
“I suppose you’re right. But now- you’re betraying your promise to the Leaf? Killing yourself like this? How does it benefit anyone?” Enma shot back.
“I’m not going to do it, Enma. But it the least painful way I could step aside and let Sakura have the life she wants. I can’t be with her…not anymore. That bastard tainted her soul…And I will never abandon the Leaf…just my old life…it’s time to become someone else. Please, lend my clone your chakra while he commits seppuku…I have to work this ruse properly, or I’m of no help to anyone…As strong as the samurai code of honor is, it HAS been dated…and my own promise to serve the Leaf has not.”
--
Ekyt withdrew a short dagger from a summoning scroll. He took off his headband and laid it in front of him. He laid his family crest, and finally, his longsword in front of him.
This was all really Ekyt’s clone. The REAL Ekyt had already moved on. But still, he had to work to keep up the gruesome spectacle.
‘Ekyt’ plunged the dagger into his stomach. Both the real Ekyt and Enma had to control their chakra to make sure the clone didn’t disappear. The clone continued, carving a plus sign into it’s flesh, then bowing it’s head forward. Enma cut with the longsword and severed ‘Ekyt’s’ head.
Sakura and Ryofu stared on in a state of disbelief. Sakura burst into tears and Enma picked up the ‘corpse’ and disappeared.
--
And what of Ekyt? His life was over as he knew it. Only his promise to the Leaf kept him alive after that. Now, known only as ‘Ryouko’ in the ANBU black ops, Ekyt swore that, one day, he would kill Ryofu. But it would take time to forget Sakura, Ekyt’s first love. Ekyt could only embrace Sakura again, when he had escorted Ryofu to the gates of hell.
NOW, AN EXTRA ENDING- I PRESENT THE ORIGINAL ENDING TO THIS FIC! IT IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED CANON BY ANY MEANS!
SCHWINNNGGG!
Ekyt felt a piercing pain in his back. Then he felt nothing. Little by little, his body was numbing. Forcing himself, he turned his head. Sakura had stuck a kunai in him, at the base of his spine.
“I’m sorry, Ekyt, I had to! I couldn’t let you kill him!” Sakura sobbed. Ekyt forced himself to stay upright.
Ekyt spat out blood. So, it was going to end. Well, he could do only one more thing. Forcing his numbing hands and arms to work, he made the handsigns, the last in his aresenal, and the most powerful.
“Lord Third…forgive me…Reaper Death Seal!” Ekyt coughed out, more blood spilling onto him. He grabbed onto Ryofu.
“I told you…it’s the soul…that wins or loses fights!” Ekyt declared. The Death God, Shinigami, was floating behind him now, and had Ekyt’s soul trapped. Ekyt, in turn, had grabbed Ryofu’s soul.
“Let go!” Ryofu knew the consequences of this jutsu. He CAN’T have the strength to pull my soul out! Sakura stabbed him in just the right spot! His chakra and his life have to be gone!
But Ekyt held on. He gritted his teeth, and gave one last tug. Ryofu’s soul was now in Shinigami’s hands. The Death God greedily ate the soul up. Then, it drew it’s sword from it’s mouth, and stabbed Ekyt’s soul, before sucking it up.
Ekyt’s mask was gone now. Sakura took it off. But now she could clearly hear Ekyt’s last words.
“You’re…free…Sakura…”
FIC DESCRIPTION:
An OC clash of the titans! Ekyt does battle with Ryofu (andr28a). Ekyt's life goes to hell, and now it's a fight to the death in a last attempt to make things right! Will Sakura side with her boyfriend (Ekyt) or her oldest friend (Ryofu)?
ALSO NOTE- MOST OF RYOFU’S JUTSUS ARE NON-CANON TO THE CHARACTER, AND ARE USED FOR CREATIVE PURPOSES ONLY. THIS FIC IS NON-CANON TO THE FICS OF nextguardian AND andr28a.
PLEASE ENJOY!
Whoosh. The wind whistled through the midnight air, sending small rocks and dust flying through the air. It was a peaceful night to most. To some, it was as restless as any other night.
Three figures stood at the valley of the end. Ekyt, the last of the Kaguya clan (discounting his parents, who have taken another name to protect themselves from Ekyt’s enemies); Sakura Haruno, the medical prodigy training under Lady Tsunade; and Ryofu, a complete mystery. To Ekyt, anyway. Sakura seemed to know him very well. And he knew her just as well. A fact that was not lost on Ekyt.
“Well, you have my answer, Ryofu. No.” Ekyt was looking out across the valley. Even though the night’s stress had been great, Ekyt looked younger than he was. Except the bags under his eyes. And now, the newly-grown five o’clock shadow across his face. Absently, Ekyt shaved with a kunai, as if it were an everyday thing.
Ryofu seemed to be amused by this.
“And suppose I took this gesture as a slap in the face?” he asked, smiling slightly. He put a hand on Sakura’s shoulder, noticing the slight tense in Ekyt’s muscles.
“You can take it however you want. My answer stays the same. I’m loyal to the Hidden Leaf.” Ekyt let his eyes droop to a half-lidded state. Ekyt stuck a fresh chakra cigarette in his mouth, snapping his fingers the spark he needed to light the now-smoldering, relatively new combat enhancer. A strange creation that only he used, this cigarette had the same effects as a ration pill, except the time-release. Instead of fatiguing after three days, this was a boost to Ekyt’s regular chakra in small doses.
“Well, I guess I can’t persuade you then. Sakura, anything to say before we go?” Ryofu asked kindly.
“Ekyt, come on, this is perfect! He’s like a brother, and you’re the perfect boy for me! You really care about me, don’t you?” Sakura asked excitedly, an idea forming in her head.
“Of course I do. I wouldn’t have said “I love you” if I didn’t mean it,” Ekyt replied gently, knowing that his words were going to be used against him. Words as sacred as those shouldn’t be misused!
“Then come with Ryofu and I!” Sakura exclaimed, opening her arms for an embrace. Any second, a blushing Ekyt would step into her hug, and everything would work out. It always did.
Only it didn’t work that way.
“When I said I loved you…I said it to a different Sakura,” Ekyt began slowly. He paused, reaching for his hip flask. After a fortifying gulp of sake, Ekyt continued. “The Sakura I said I loved…was loyal to the Hidden Leaf. And she wasn’t a killer. She was as kind as she was beautiful and talented. That’s not who’s standing here know. To think what you’ve become…” Ekyt shook his head in disgust, turning away from Sakura and Ryofu.
“So you’re going to go it alone, are you? Brave boy. It seems we’re opposites in some ways, and in other ways…we’re almost the same person…” Ryofu muttered cunningly. Ekyt stopped halfway up the sandy slope he was in the process of climbing.
“What are you saying?” Ekyt growled, not turning around. Ryofu half-grinned.
“Well, you’re going the path of a loner. You’re not accepted in the village you love so much. And just when you’ve found a girl who loves you for you, you’re willing to piss it away because you don’t like her friends. What a pity.”
Sakura was just standing there, slack-jawed in shock. Ekyt…I thought…he really cared…but he never lies, either…and I HAVE changed. Has his love changed, too?
“I’m going the path of the loner because that’s what was given to me. YOU, on the other hand, corrupted the mind of an innocent girl. I don’t know how, or why, but you did…” Ekyt blew smoke out of his mouth. “You did what you did. I know where my loyalties lie.”
In an instant, Ryofu was in front of Ekyt. “You’re passing up the ideal life. More than your village can offer you…Sakura…freedom…power…acceptance. You want it. Don’t deny it.”
“Who’s denying it?” Ekyt pushed past Ryofu, but once more found him in the way.
“I think you’re denying YOURSELF, as a matter of fact. Opportunities like this come along once in a life time. The girl of your dreams, and people that accept you…you can’t always have your cake and eat it, but that’s exactly what I can give you.” It was a blatant challenge.
“Look, I gave you my answer. Now, you can get out of my way, and we can leave as something less than enemies. It’s obvious Sakura’s made her decisions about where her loyalties lie. And I believe I’ve made MY loyalties clear as well.” Ekyt gave Ryofu a long look in the eyes, then continued his way up the bank. This time, he found Sakura waiting for him.
“Ekyt, please! Don’t make me choose! I’ve never felt safer, or more powerful, or…better, than I did with Ryofu. You could, too!” Sakura pleaded, her pale green eyes searching Ekyt’s dark hazel eyes for an answer. But it was his mouth that gave the answer.
“I’m not making YOU choose. I’m choosing for myself. You made your choice, Sakura. And now, you’re saying that this guy, whoever he is, makes you feel everything that I made you feel? How am I supposed to feel about that? And this dismissive attitude toward the Leaf? What would Kakashi-sensei say? Or Sasuke?”
“Irrelevant. They’re both dead,” Ryofu said offhand, as though stating an obvious fact. It wasn’t yet common knowledge.
“WHAT?!” Ekyt’s mouth dropped open slightly, then clenched up tightly.
“Sakura killed them. Granted, she didn’t have a choice, really, but”
Whatever Ryofu was going to say was stopped by Ekyt’s fist nearly beheading him. The punch, as it was, sent Ryofu skidding back down the sandy embankment. Ryofu didn’t say anything right away; he only rubbed his cheek where Ekyt’s hard right hand had left it’s mark.
“You miserable son of a dog! You take the girl I love…you take away the few friends I have…then you try to screw with me?! You damn bastard demon!” Ekyt was furious; maybe beyond furious. Ryofu just said, perfectly calmly:
“Don’t make an enemy of me. That would be a mistake you would live AND die to regret.”
“Back to hell, you demon! Even if I have to see you there personally!” Ekyt snarled.
“THAT would be your mistake. You don’t want to see my true power. And I don’t want to unleash it…” Ryofu warned.
“Give me one reason…Just one reason I don’t kill you right now…I don’t care about ‘talent’, or ‘abilities’, or ‘gifts’…they don’t win fights, they START them. It’s your heart, soul and dedication that win fights. I hate to put my honor on the chopping block by killing you, you heartless son of a dog. But I’ve never seen everything I care about…tossed around so recklessly…STOP WITH THAT DAMN SMIRK!” Ekyt finally tagged Ryofu with as hard a right hand as he ever threw. Ryofu sat in the dirt, touching a hand to where Ekyt’s fist had cracked him. Ekyt’s fist was bleeding, but he didn’t notice, or didn’t care.
“Stop it!” Sakura shouted. “Don’t make me choose between my ‘brother’ and my lover!”
“EX-lover! If you’ve turned your back on Konoha like this, you’ve turned your back on me!” Ekyt shot back. He had never dared to talk to Sakura like that. He had loved her, maybe even still did. But this…this was too much.
Sakura began to realize that she made some kind of a mistake. But was her loyalty to her first savior, or the boy she had opened her heart to?
Ekyt took knives, swords, and jutsus for me. He risked his life to save me. But Ryofu has treated me like a sister, and saved me from that horrible, unendurable shame when I younger…why can’t they agree? Why does this have to happen?!
“You, the demon…” Ekyt growled. “There’s only one way for us to settle this. As if an angel and devil fighting over an innocent soul, so should you and I fight over Sakura! The winner will live life with her, free of the other’s interference! I don’t mean for this to be a sparring match. I mean this as a contest- to the death! The loser dies. Fair enough?”
Ryofu simply shrugged. “If you wish yourself an early grave, then so be it!”
“No, don’t do that! I don’t want one of you to die!” Sakura’s pleading fell on deaf ears as the two stood across from each other. Similar to Naruto and Sasuke, the place for the battle was at the Valley of the End. At the same time, they kicked off, sand rising in their wake. Who had the advantage was unclear; Ekyt’s training had come mostly from the Third Hokage; Ryofu’s was largely unknown. But it was a safe bet neither was a pushover in combat.
“Multi Shuriken Shadow Clones!” Ekyt shouted, throwing two shuriken, which suddenly became two hundred shuriken.
“Water Style: Ice Wall!” Ryofu countered. A wall of ice stopped the shuriken from reaching their target. It also gave Ryofu the opportunity to use his next jutsu.
“Water Style: Ice Daggers!” The wall of ice suddenly formed hundreds of jagged points, and they were flying towards Ekyt. Ekyt made a set of handsigns, and used his next attack.
“Fire Release: Fire Encampment Wall!” Tongues of flame encircled Ekyt, melting the daggers and giving Ekyt precious seconds to plan a strategy.
When I hit him earlier, he didn’t offer much resistance. I’m going to guess that taijutsu isn’t his strong point…but getting near the clever bastard isn’t easy. Ekyt exhaled again, smoke rising, as he tried to concoct a quick plan of attack. It gave him enough time to stop the charging Ryofu, though.
“Water Style: Moving River Jutsu!” The water that had gathered under Ekyt’s feet shot toward Ryofu’s feet, creating a current that swept him backwards.
“Water Style: Ice Prison Formation!” Ryofu shot back. A dome of ice started to grow around Ekyt. Ekyt leapt up, but his foot was snared in the ice.
shoot!
Ryofu took the opportunity to throw a kunai. Ekyt had time to lean backwards, but his foot was still stuck in it’s icy prison. That ice was also rapidly thickening. Ekyt had to make his move, now.
“Dragon’s Ember Jutsu: Clone Instigation!” A Shadow Clone of Ekyt popped up and used his signature fire attack, melting the ice enough for Ekyt to scramble away. Less than a second later, Ryofu’s next jutsu struck home.
“Earth Style: Boulder Release!” Ryofu’s voice echoed throughout the valley, and even seemed to ripple the water itself. The ripples were actually huge rocks lifting up out of the earth, and flinging themselves at Ekyt. Ekyt wasn’t sure how to counter this at first. A split-second before his rock-filled doom, he got his idea. It was a relatively new jutsu, but it was worth a try.
“Tatsunokuchi: Dragon-Head Gargoyle!” Ekyt said in desperation, as the rocks closed in.
“Too late!” Ryofu declared. But in that, he was mistaken. The rocks had struck Ekyt, but he was coated with stone, in the shape of a dragon’s head! The rocks hadn’t done any damage!
“Damn it! You’re clever, I’ll grant you that…” Ryofu waited for Ekyt’s response. But the gargoyle didn’t move. That was when Ryofu heard it, from above him. Ekyt had scaled one of the enormous statues!
“Ryuuza: Dragon Constellation Jutsu!” Ekyt leapt off the rock, aiming his legs downward in a two-footed kick. But that wasn’t what Ryofu noticed. It was the gathering of stars into a dragon shape. The ‘dragon’ roared, and aimed straight for Ryofu. Only when it got closer did Ryofu realize that it wasn’t made of stars; balls of fire had strung themselves together.
“Water Clone Jutsu! Replacement Jutsu!” Ryofu shot off in rapid-fire succession. The ten water clones he had created took care of the dragon, while the replacement jutsu helped him evade Ekyt’s kick. But not entirely. As Ryofu landed behind Ekyt and punched, Ekyt spun and kicked with a reverse round house.. Just as Ryofu’s fist hit Ekyt’s stomach, Ekyt’s kick hit Ryofu in the chest. Both skidded across the ponderous valley and into opposite walls, panting from the effort it took to fight so long. Ryofu glanced at the sky. He smiled widely; the advantage was his now. When the full moon hit, the seal on him weakened, and the power of the five-tailed Houkou shone through.
Ekyt shivered suddenly. This chakra…I haven’t felt anything like this since Naruto unleashed his demon fox! That was four tails…this is more…it’s coming from Ryofu…so the demon has a demon with him, does he? I’d better play my aces, and now!
“HAH! NOW THE FIGHT ENDS! ARE YOU SCARED YET?!” Ryofu yelled, shaking rocks and rippling the water. Ekyt glared back.
“I’ve stared death in the eyes before. Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha, even Orochimaru. And I’ve walked away, alive. I’ve seen Naruto Uzumaki’s demon unleashed. And I’ve faced the Shukaku with AND without Gaara. It’s ironic that I’ve been chosen to face you. I’ll just deal with you the same way I did them…only this time, if I kill you, you’re collateral damage. My heart has hardened, even if only for one night. Even if the girl I loved has turned her back on me, I can’t let the village I love feel any more pain at your expense!”
Ryofu simply laughed; even that forced Ekyt to cover his eyes, as dust kicked up. Ryofu had, by now, grown five tails. Those five tails struck the water, creating a tidal wave fifty feet high. Ekyt had to use chakra to run up the walls of the valley. At the top, he used his first trump card. Or, rather, two trump cards. Leaping down gracefully, Ekyt let two scrolls fall with him. Paying the blood tribute, Ekyt ran his thumbs down them.
“Dual Summoning Jutsu!”
With two large pops, Ekyt called forth two of his summons. The first was a giant snake, named Shuurai. Shuurai was polite to Ekyt, and always called him master, despite Ekyt’s instance on calling him ‘Ekyt’. He rivaled Gamabunta in size, and wasn’t violent by nature.
The second summon was an older monkey, named Enma. Enma had fought alongside the Third Hokage, until the Third’s death. At that time, he signed a summoning contract with Ekyt, the Third’s last student.
“Transform: Adamantine Yoi!” Ekyt barked. Enma nodded, and turned into a long black staff, harder than diamond. Enma could also lengthen himself at will, and could even extend his arms, legs, or eyes out from the staff to assist in combat.
Ekyt landed on Shuurai’s head, holding Enma in a guard. Ryofu couldn’t help but laugh; he was nearly completely consumed with the Houkou’s power.
“What is an old monkey that can perform magic tricks going to do for you? I admit, you snake is impressive- but useless!”
“That will be determined by this battle!” Ekyt responded, sticking out his tongue. But this was no childish gesture. As Ekyt stuck out his tongue, so did Shuurai. Ekyt paid a blood tribute- on his tongue?
“Acid Tongue Jutsu!” Ekyt said, his voice garbled as his tongue was sticking out of his mouth. Shuurai spit an acid at Ryofu, who leapt over it handily, just in time to see the Yoi rocketing towards him. Ryofu dodged that, too. Ekyt retracted the staff before Enma was hit with one of the tails Ryofu/Houkou was swinging around. Ekyt himself didn’t notice that he was about to be hit!
THWACK!
The tail knocked Ekyt off Shuurai, sending him tumbling end over end, into a showdown with the rocks at the end of the valley that he wasn’t going to win. Enma jumped in the air and hung from the side of the cliff by an arm, still in staff form.
Unless he has some grand plan, the boy is doomed…He should have used the Fourth’s Jutsu right away…the Reaper Death Seal would have ended this…Although, Ryofu’s enormous chakra would explain why Ekyt didn’t try it. A chakra that huge, never mind the demon’s chakra, would take a lot of energy to pull out. After losing his girl, and learning of so much death in one night…his energy must have been lower to begin with. But that DOES give him an option…One few people know about…
Shuurai burrowed up from the ground and caught Ekyt in his mouth- and swallowed?!
“What the hell are you doing?!” Ryofu demanded. He didn’t like the uncertantity. Until now, Ryofu had more or less controlled the fight. Now, thanks to Shuurai, it was up in the air.
--
“Are you ready, master?” Shuurai asked Ekyt, who was preparing himself.
“Go ahead, Shuurai, I’m ready. After this, get out of here, I don’t want you hurt. That thing could take all of us out with those tails, and that pure chakra.”
“I understand, master. Here we go!” Shuurai hissed politely, burrowing up from the ground.
Only a split second had passed, but it felt like an eternity to both combatants. Now, Ekyt made his move.
Shuurai spat Ekyt out, and straight at Ryofu!
This is too easy! Ryofu thought, ready to finish Ekyt off.
“Transform: Adamantine Yoi Prison!” Ekyt called out.
“You think some pathetic can hold me?!” Ryofu asked, the five tails now whipping around.
“No, but it CAN protect me!” Ekyt shot back. Enma leapt towards Ekyt, and broke off into separate staffs. They formed a box around Ekyt, like a cage. It was from in here that Ekyt made his desperate move:
“Blue Flame Chakra: Activate!” Ekyt put a hand to his chest, over his heart. On his right hand, the one across his chest, a crackling, semi-transparent blue began to grow in size.
“WHAT IS THAT?!” Ryofu demanded.
“THAT is one of my kekkai-genkais! The Blue Flame Chakra! It’s pure emotion, pulled from my body. You aren’t the only one who has a second chakra to call on!”
Ekyt extended his right hand out and grabbed Ryofu, while the cage kept his tails at bay.
“TRANSPARENT HAND: FIVE ELEMENTS SEAL!” Ekyt shouted, feeling himself weaken. On his right hand, five small blue flames popped up on each of his fingers and thumb. On the pink was ‘fire’, the ring finger had ‘water’, the middle finger had ‘wind’, the index finger had ‘earth’, and on Ekyt’s thumb was the question mark, the ‘void’ symbol.
Ekyt jammed his hand onto Ryofu’s chest. Instantly, both were shot backward, wincing with pain. Ekyt sunk under water for a moment, while Ryofu had hit the stone wall.
--
What the hell did he do to me?! I can’t feel the Houkou anymore! Ryofu realized that he now wore a new seal. He could control earth, wind, fire, and water, but it was the fifth mark of the seal, ‘void’, that stopped him from breaking it.
My chakra nearly gone…time to make one more move…
--
That did it. Agh, damn it, it burns! But that thing is sealed. My chakra is almost gone, I’ve got to make my next move count!
--
Ekyt swam back to the surface, while Ryofu pried himself off of the rocks. They glared at each, and each cast the last jutsu of the fight at the same time:
--
“Blood Manipulation Jutsu!” (Property of Andr28a) This jutsu gave Ryofu control over the water content in a person’s blood, enabling him to control them.
“Blue Flame Protection Jutsu!” (Property of nextguardian) Unique to Ekyt, this jutsu repels attacks at the cost of chakra.
--
The two jutsus canceled each other out, leaving the two Shinobi standing, but with little chakra to play with. Ryofu reached for the kunai pouch on his arm. Ekyt dodged the first one and started to move, reaching into his tool pouch. But he didn’t grab a knife, or an exploding tag. He grabbed a small black jar, which had been sealed with a small scroll. Ryofu had to admit he was curious, and slightly worried. Ekyt opened the jar, dipped a finger in, and- painted his face.
“I don’t think Shinigami (the death god) is going to care how you look when I kill you, so dolling yourself up now is pointless,” Ryofu pointed out dryly. Ekyt favored him with a mild look, two red lines now on the sides of his eyes. (looks like this [normal face- 00] [‘painted’ face- -0--0-]
“Get bent. It’s not makeup. It’s the last ace in the hole I’m going to play- my own bloodline. Surely you’ve heard of the Kaguya clan and their unique ability- the Shikotsu Myaku, otherwise know as the Corpse Bone Pathways!” Ekyt pulled off his vest, then peeled off his shirt, leaving it hanging around his waist, tucked into his pants.
“Of COURSE I’m aware of it! But are YOU aware that it will do you as little good as it did the rest of your clan?!” Ryofu shot back. “Foolish…headstrong…all of them. Better that the world is rid of them! And once you’ve lost, the world will be free of the pestilence of your clan!”
Ekyt narrowed his eyes. “I know nothing of your clan…are they all loudmouthed, annoying, and manipulative, as you are?”
While Ryofu laughed and tried to respond, Ekyt reached back. He started to pull on a bone, as if drawing a sword from his back. Instead, out came a sharp bone, hardened by calcium and sharpened by Ekyt’s chakra. Ryofu did indeed know that, because his response was:
“How are you doing that without chakra! Wait…of course…that damn cigarette…” Ryofu noticed the last bit of the cigarette burning away. Ekyt put the smoking remains out, and exhaled one last time.
“It gave me the boost I needed…now, we need to finish this.” Ekyt’s voice went flat, and his face completely unreadable. This baffled Ryofu, who himself switched personalities like Sybil.
Is it that red mixture on his face? He isn’t 100% Kaguya in heritage, so perhaps that is a supplement around his eyes? It must be altering his thinking as well…interesting…Well, interesting or not, his time is ending- now!
Ryofu threw another kunai at Ekyt, then followed it in. Ekyt knocked the kunai aside with his bone, then stabbed at the incoming Ryofu. Ryofu ducked the stab, and tried to get in close. Ekyt arched his blade down, barely missing Ryofu’s head. His foot didn’t miss Ryofu, as he used Ryofu’s stomach as a springboard to leap backward, back into sword range. He continued to cut while Ryofu continued to dodge. Finally, Ryofu drew his own sword.
This blade was unique. Without showing any damage to it’s target, it could pull out and destroy the soul. Ryofu made a cut, and smugly watched as it took effect. Ekyt had blocked the strike, but his soul was gone.
“Are you waiting for something special to happen?” Ekyt made a neck-level cut at Ryofu, who only barely managed to evade it once more.
“You should be dead! Why aren’t you dead?!” Ryofu roared, finally losing his patience.
“Protection of the blue flame chakra…just because I can’t access it for jutsus doesn’t mean that it isn’t there. I know full well what your sword can do. ANY student of the sword has heard of Suitoru. (NOTE- The name ‘Suitoru’ is my property, while the sword belongs to andr28a. ‘Suitoru’ means ‘absorb’. This is not a canon name for the sword)
“I can just destroy you with the sword itself, no matter,” Ryofu murmured, as though discussing the weather.
Their fight continued another ten minutes, neither of the two gaining an upperhand. Both now had a ton of small cuts lining their bodies, but no one was going to die from them. Panting and bleeding, the two met in the middle of their battlefield.
“It is pointless to continue like this. The fight would only serve to kill us both. One of our lives may still be saved…” Ryofu was offering an unlikely truce.
“I agree. We should settle this in the only fair, unobjective way…” Ekyt replied.
“Sakura?” Ryofu asked simply.
Ekyt nodded in reply.
“Asking her to bloody to her hands…I won’t do it,” Ryofu said firmly.
“I wasn’t thinking execution…I was thinking suicide. Sakura picks, and the person she chooses to die commits suicide. Agreed?” Ekyt hated to put Sakura in a position, but this was the only fair way left.
“Agreed.” Ryofu extended his hand. Ekyt took it, meeting Ryofu’s eyes. They seemed sincere enough.
It’s strange that this fight stemmed from an innocent offer…an innocuous suggestion…and it resulted in as fierce a battle as I’ve ever even seen, let alone participated in… Ekyt bowed his head, hoping Sakura would just pick quickly, so his life could either continue peacefully, or end peacefully.
--
“Choose, Sakura. You’ve got to make a choice now. Both Ryofu and I have exhausted our chakra. You decide who lives…and dies…” Ekyt spoke as calm and placidly as he could.
Sakura looked back and forth between Ekyt and Ryofu. Both boys had so much for her, saving her life, or her dignity. She had to choose?
“There’s no other way?” Sakura asked desperately.
“No…one can not live in harmony with the other,” Ryofu replied. He and Ekyt glanced at each other. Their expressions were unreadable.
Sakura held the kunai in her sweaty hands. Could she really choose? Tears streaming down her face, she threw the kunai.
It lodged in Ekyt’s chest. He put a hand to his chest. Blood spilled out of his mouth and flooded around his hand. He was grinning. POOF!
“Death can mean a lot of things…” Ekyt said from a tree branch nearby. “Well, you’ve made your choice…And I’ve made mine…”
Ekyt pulled on his sleeveless trench coat, with the Kaguya crest proudly displayed on the back. He placed a blackened straw hat on his head.
“Consider me dead…I’m not a warrior worthy to defend Konoha anymore…and certainly not worthy of you, Sakura…the best thing I can do is leave both, free of my weakness.” Despite the clear sadness and anger, there was almost a sense of peace behind Ekyt’s anger.
“You-you’re leaving?” Sakura asked. “When are you coming back?”
Ekyt looked up, a smile spreading across his battered face. “You aren’t familiar with samurai customs, are you? Upon our greatest dishonor, we embrace one last hope to salvage our honor. In my case, my reasons for living have been taken from me. My career, my love, my focus…”
“What are you going to do?!” Sakura demanded.
“I owe you no explanation! But, I suppose you have a right to know, don’t you? I’ll tell you, but you won’t like it. I’m going to commit seppuku.”
Sakura gasped. Ryofu’s face showed the slightest change.
“You’re going to…to kill yourself like that? All because you lost a stupid fight?!” Sakura shouted. Everyone lost now and then, didn’t they?
“It’s my only way to save my honor…but THAT is lost on everyone but me, it seems! All I can say…I wish you and your ‘brother’ the best. And I want to say I understand, Sakura. He did as much good for you as I did, maybe more. I wouldn’t have envied your choice in this situation. Choosing the more powerful of the two…that was smart. You always were brilliant,” Ekyt replied, almost mockingly.
“As for you, Ryofu…you and I live different lives…stay the hell out of mine for my last few minutes. You’ve already ruined my life, you spawn of satan. If I find out you’ve ruined Sakura’s anymore than you’ve already ruined it, I will haunt you until we get our rematch in the afterlife,” Ekyt growled threateningly. Ryofu didn’t say anything else.
“Well then. Thanks for giving me a month, Sakura…a month where I understood life as something more than a warrior…And you, Ryofu…thanks for ruining everything I hold dear. I’ll see you in hell someday…hopefully, I’ll be looking down from heaven and laughing at your damned soul.”
“You’re bitter over losing the fight…” Ryofu couldn’t help but challenge. Ekyt glared at him. Slowly, his eyes turned toward the sky, as if there was a great message up there.
“There are more important things…such as life…than a stupid fight. Was it the final straw? Yes. And I hope you and your dear ‘sister’ can live with it…so ends the Kaguya clan!”
Ekyt walked away. It was only then that Sakura and Ryofu noticed Ekyt had donned his Hakama from his samurai training.
“Don’t blame yourself, Sakura. You made the only choice you could. His death is by his own hand…” Ryofu chimed in quietly.
Sakura was silently crying. She leaned on Ryofu, who wasn’t sure if this was a win or not…
What a presence of mind…the mentality of Bushido, the way of the warrior, in a time that has dated it’s usefulness…
--
Ekyt hiked until he found the most peaceful spot he could. He summoned the Elder Monkey, Enma, and asked Enma for a final request.
“Will you be my Kaishaku-nin?” (Kaishaku-nin: When a samurai commits ritual suicide, he has a second samurai, usually a trusted friend or older sibling, to cut off his head once he’s carved a plus sign in his stomach.)
“The Leaf has disintegrated…Sarutobi’s sacrifice was in vain after all…” Enma murmured, taking Ekyt’s long sword.
“Not in vain, Enma. He gave us precious time…And this enemy was not one even he could have forseen…”
“I suppose you’re right. But now- you’re betraying your promise to the Leaf? Killing yourself like this? How does it benefit anyone?” Enma shot back.
“I’m not going to do it, Enma. But it the least painful way I could step aside and let Sakura have the life she wants. I can’t be with her…not anymore. That bastard tainted her soul…And I will never abandon the Leaf…just my old life…it’s time to become someone else. Please, lend my clone your chakra while he commits seppuku…I have to work this ruse properly, or I’m of no help to anyone…As strong as the samurai code of honor is, it HAS been dated…and my own promise to serve the Leaf has not.”
--
Ekyt withdrew a short dagger from a summoning scroll. He took off his headband and laid it in front of him. He laid his family crest, and finally, his longsword in front of him.
This was all really Ekyt’s clone. The REAL Ekyt had already moved on. But still, he had to work to keep up the gruesome spectacle.
‘Ekyt’ plunged the dagger into his stomach. Both the real Ekyt and Enma had to control their chakra to make sure the clone didn’t disappear. The clone continued, carving a plus sign into it’s flesh, then bowing it’s head forward. Enma cut with the longsword and severed ‘Ekyt’s’ head.
Sakura and Ryofu stared on in a state of disbelief. Sakura burst into tears and Enma picked up the ‘corpse’ and disappeared.
--
And what of Ekyt? His life was over as he knew it. Only his promise to the Leaf kept him alive after that. Now, known only as ‘Ryouko’ in the ANBU black ops, Ekyt swore that, one day, he would kill Ryofu. But it would take time to forget Sakura, Ekyt’s first love. Ekyt could only embrace Sakura again, when he had escorted Ryofu to the gates of hell.
NOW, AN EXTRA ENDING- I PRESENT THE ORIGINAL ENDING TO THIS FIC! IT IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED CANON BY ANY MEANS!
SCHWINNNGGG!
Ekyt felt a piercing pain in his back. Then he felt nothing. Little by little, his body was numbing. Forcing himself, he turned his head. Sakura had stuck a kunai in him, at the base of his spine.
“I’m sorry, Ekyt, I had to! I couldn’t let you kill him!” Sakura sobbed. Ekyt forced himself to stay upright.
Ekyt spat out blood. So, it was going to end. Well, he could do only one more thing. Forcing his numbing hands and arms to work, he made the handsigns, the last in his aresenal, and the most powerful.
“Lord Third…forgive me…Reaper Death Seal!” Ekyt coughed out, more blood spilling onto him. He grabbed onto Ryofu.
“I told you…it’s the soul…that wins or loses fights!” Ekyt declared. The Death God, Shinigami, was floating behind him now, and had Ekyt’s soul trapped. Ekyt, in turn, had grabbed Ryofu’s soul.
“Let go!” Ryofu knew the consequences of this jutsu. He CAN’T have the strength to pull my soul out! Sakura stabbed him in just the right spot! His chakra and his life have to be gone!
But Ekyt held on. He gritted his teeth, and gave one last tug. Ryofu’s soul was now in Shinigami’s hands. The Death God greedily ate the soul up. Then, it drew it’s sword from it’s mouth, and stabbed Ekyt’s soul, before sucking it up.
Ekyt’s mask was gone now. Sakura took it off. But now she could clearly hear Ekyt’s last words.
“You’re…free…Sakura…”
FIC DESCRIPTION:
An OC clash of the titans! Ekyt does battle with Ryofu (andr28a). Ekyt's life goes to hell, and now it's a fight to the death in a last attempt to make things right! Will Sakura side with her boyfriend (Ekyt) or her oldest friend (Ryofu)?
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