Chapter 10 - Truth

Ryouko could see it so clearly now…how had he not noticed before?!

Because I didn’t want to believe it…but it’s plain as day now…

Ryouko had wandered aimlessly for hours, sorting out this problem in his head. But the memories he had tried so hard to forget kept getting in the way.
-
(the headbands…that’s right. The Leaf symbol…damn it. But all I knew then was that they were enemies…)

Ryouko faced the three ninja. The rest of the village was engaged in combat. By an estimating glance, the village wouldn’t hold for more than another hour, unless something was done quickly.

“Is there any hope of asking you to leave peacefully?” Ryouko said hopefully. His hand twitched- was it nerves, or did he want to draw his sword so badly his body was nearly forcing him?

Ryouko didn’t expect a response, and he didn’t get one. Instead, the ninja discussed him as though he weren’t there.

“A small boy like this? THIS is what’s been wreaking havoc on the others? I can’t believe they needed our help for such a small thing!”

“Not that it matters- we’ll just be holding on to that blacksmith and-”

SMASH!

Ryouko’s sword smashed the one speaking in the mouth. “Speak of him again! I dare you! Speak of my sensei again and I’ll mount your head on my mantle!” Eyes narrowed, jaw set, chest ragged with heavy breathing- that little comment snapped Ryouko into battle mode. This surprised even the season ninja. Instinctively, Ryouko knew that was his only chance- play on that surprise. So he kept attacking, driving the ninja back. A quick glance told Ryouko that he had a good territorial advantage. Just a few more steps…

Ryouko swung once more, then kicked against a wall of the valley. Rocks tumbled down from the top. As the ninja tried to get away, their legs sunk into the mud puddles Ryouko had created earlier (see last chapter). The rocks crushed the ninja’s legs. Ryouko knew that he just had to break their hands, and the threat was over. He’d have no part in killing them. He WOULD, however, do what was necessary. A sword at one of the conscious one’s throats, and Ryouko would get his answers.

“Where is Kishootsu-sensei?! Tell me know or I kill you- all of you. I’ll curse you family for seven generations- now speak!”

[/b]

-

Ryouko’s dazed wandering led him to Lord Hokage’s mansion. He hadn’t planned to wind up here, but apparently his will to learn the truth was stronger than his desire to sort things out at his own pace. To little Ryouko, it would mean the world to know why his tiny village had been such a target. There HAD to be a reason. Not that he hadn’t considered it before, but now Ryouko wasn’t fighting a war while pondering why the war was happening. His mind was much more clear, despite the newly added burden.

Ryouko felt his collar grabbed roughly. He struggled to maintain his calm, nearly failing, but managing to turn around to see who had him. It was a jonin he didn’t know. He certainly wasn’t a friendly fellow. Using his middle finger, he pushed his strange dark spectacles higher up on his nose.

“Please state your business with Lord Hokage. He is a busy man, and is currently with his two year old grandson, who I will be teaching and bringing to glory! I will not have you disturbing the honorable grandson!”

Oh brother. “I live up there,” Ryouko nodded with his head toward a room near the top floor. “My business with the Third isn’t so urgent that I would trouble him now. So I’d just like to get in and get some rest. So, if you will please let go of my collar…”

“I don’t believe you! You’re lying! You’re attempting on the honorable grandson’s life!”

“…No, I’m not. But if I WAS, why would I do it when the most powerful man in the village is with him?”

“So you admit it!” Ebisu declared. Ryouko couldn’t believe it. Was this guy serious? NO ONE could be this stupid and pompous! It was just incredible that someone had survived this long in a time of war.

This one must have never seen the front lines of combat… “No, I don’t. I’m not out to take ANYONE’S life. If you’d like proof, I’ll show you my sword…” Ryouko drew the blade out a little bit, showing that his blade wasn’t sharp. Ebisu, however, leapt back.

“You impudent little…you drew a sword! On me! The teacher of the Hokages! A Special Jonin in charge of-”

“You’re special alright,” Ryouko growled. “Just answer this: Am I getting a fight from you, despite the fact I’ve told you I don’t want to fight? Is a fight what you’re after?”

“Don’t presume to challenge me! You don’t know who you’re dealing with!” Ebisu shot back, taking up the most ludicrous combat stance Ryouko had ever seen. It looked like two peace signs made with fingers, then crossed so that they were on opposite sides of Ebisu’s head.

“Not knowing what I’m dealing with never stopped me from doing what needed to be done. You picked a fight with me. Now either put up, or shut up. Either way, put me DOWN!”

On ‘DOWN!’, Ryouko kicked off Ebisu’s stomach, propelling himself into the air with a twisting leap to break the arrogant jonin’s grip. Ryouko landed and laid his sword down once he had taken it out of his belt.

“Please don’t take further offense, but I don’t turn my sword on allies…even stupid ones who pick fights to satisfy their own egos. I just want to go inside and ask the Third some questions, and get some rest. It’s been a long day for me, and my mood is REALLY slipping. So either move to fight, or move to let me by. Choose quickly, because I’m not waiting for you for very long.”

“Don’t make the mistake of threatening me, you arrogant little punk!” Ebisu snarled.

“Then don’t make the mistake of getting in my way! You’re making up problems as you go along. Now move aside, or I’ll forget we’re allies long enough to FORCE you out of my way…”

Ebisu snapped and attacked. Like so many others, he underestimated Ryouko. He led in with a reverse-hand punch.

“HYAH!” Ryouko barked, parrying Ebisu’s hand, smashing his own into Ebisu’s gut. His other hand followed up and cracked Ebisu on the chin. Shifting his weight, Ryouko threw Ebisu, sending him skidding through the dirt and grass outside the Hokage mansion all the way to the street. Apparently satisfied, Ryouko picked up his sword and put in his belt. He had made good on his promise to FORCE Ebisu out of the way after all. You could expect nothing less from a man of integrity.

--

Lord Hokage had never seen little Ryouko wear such an expression. It was one of the most heart-wrenching pain and confusion. The stoic boy TRIED to mask it, but it shone through like a beacon in the night. Their was no trace of warrior on his face- only of shame and humility, worry and fear. What Lord Hokage didn’t know was what it was that Ryouko feared. All he could gather was that it was something so agonizing that it was wrenching at his very soul.

“Ryouko? Is something the matter?” Lord Hokage, being as understanding a man as there ever was, had to acknowledge the boy’s efforts to hide his pain.

Ryouko sniffled- yes, sniffled. A warrior NEVER sniffled, in Ryouko’s opinion. How little he knew of the world. There would be many times where it was okay to shed tears. No one could mask pain all the time. You had to share your sufferings with others. No one was truly a loner.

“Sir…why did the Leaf attack my village?”

It was a simple questions, and straightforward. All the same, Lord Hokage had trouble answering it. He had seen this coming, at least a little bit, and had meant to bring it up himself. But it never seemed to be the right time to speak of it. Ryouko was but a boy, and still fragile in psyche.

Lord Hokage breathed out, steadying himself. “Ryouko, there is no easy way to tell you this. Your village was…I never imagined it would be so hard to say…but your village was subjugated by Orochimaru.

“Orochimaru? Sir, I only know the name, not the history. If you might enlighten me…”

Lord Hokage did- it was time for Ryouko to know. “Orochimaru was the most gifted ninja I’d ever seen, myself included. His talent came along once in several lifetimes. But, as you know, power doesn’t make a person ‘good’, or even ‘strong’. For his own reasons, Orochimaru began to seek the forbidden ambrosia- immortality. That caused him to leave the village, once I found out about the many crimes he had committed. In other words, Orochimaru is the embodiment of evil. His name is so forbidden most dare not even speak it. Now, your question…why your village? Orochimaru owned your leader. He commanded him at every turn. Your village is in close proximity to ours- we couldn’t allow Orochimaru to have it. So we had to decide: save the village, or destroy it? When we were met with such stiff resistance, we had no other alternative- we had to destroy the village.”

Ryouko sat in stunned silence for a few moments. Lord Hokage continued- this part would be even harder to speak.

“Do you know why you were so hated when you first came? Why so many came to oppose you, and why so many ignored your cries of innocence? It’s all here…” Lord Hokage reached inside his robes and handed Ryouko an envelope. Ryouko took it with a silent ‘thank you’, and opened it. His hands began to shake, and his face paled further.

He saw himself and Kishootsu. Wanted posters.

“You and your sensei drove our troops back again and again. No doubt you were both unaware that your village had been infiltrated. All the same, you and your sensei became know amongst us as ‘the Tiger’s Fang and the Heaven’s Temper’.”

Ryouko could remember suddenly. Kishootsu-sensei…he always called me ‘little tiger’ and told me to ‘show my fangs’. And his name…Kishootsu… ‘temper’…his 50-inch ‘Sword of Heavens’… Niten Kanshaku Ryu (Two Heaven Temper Style)…Why didn’t I notice?

Ryouko handed the picture back, his face paling even further. “I never knew…But it’s so clear now…But one thing I don’t understand…why would the Leaf try to execute sensei, and then hunt me? Why not just tell us and gain our favor?”

Lord Hokage seemed surprised. “Our messages never reached you? Or your sensei? No…no, of course not…they’d be intercepted by your leader…but executing? We don’t believe in that at all…are you certain that they were Leaf shinobi?”

Ryouko strained his memory, but couldn’t think at the moment. The headbands had been hidden in the dark, and he had only seen his sensei’s face at the time. And when he was running, there was no way he would look back and remember an enemy like that.

Rather than announce that he couldn’t remember, Ryouko bowed deeply to Lord Hokage.
“I never knew of the sins I have to atone for…all the people I’ve hurt…tell me…did anyone die because of me? Do not speak to ease my conscience…”

“No. You never killed one of us. You came close, but that’s a testament to your skill, really…”

Ryouko raised his eyes briefly, then looked down again. “…Then my sword serves this village and all who inhabit it, until I’ve made penance for what I’ve done. Knowingly or not, I obstructed the flow of justice I’d always idealized…it can’t be forgiven with words alone…”

Ryouko looked up, his eyes once again the warrior’s. “Let me help, Lord Hokage. My conscience will not be eased until a number is set…”

Lord Hokage sighed, but he knew there was no other way. Ryouko wouldn’t allow him to just ‘forgive’ his ‘sins’ like that.

“Very well.” Lord Hokage cleared his throat. “You will complete twenty-five missions; some ingrained with your daily activities. After that, you will be named a citizen, and all will be forgiven.”

--

Little Ryouko felt relieved- he knew a measure of the truth. That would allow him to sleep a little more soundly, perhaps. All the same, more tugged at him.

I never knew I was an enemy of this village…it says so much about the inhabitants. They haven’t killed me. They must hate me so much…all the pain I’d caused their loved ones, both physically and mentally. I never knew…I just never knew. But I couldn’t have known. Regardless, a sin is a sin; a trespass a trespass. I’ve trespassed against these people. I will work to make them accept me. This one will no longer be their enemy. I swore to wield my sword for good, and I will. I believe the Leaf is mostly good.

Sensei…are you alive? This feeling I’ve had recently…could it be true? I always believe you indestructible…could you have survived that massacre? Well, the threads of fate have been spun- if it’s destined for us to meet once more, so we shall. For now, I’ll follow the path that I believe you would like me to follow. And I’ll help raise your child- there, at least, there can be no mistake of what you desire.

Lost in his thoughts, Ryouko nearly missed a scene that bothered him to his core.

-

“You boys get lost! Make fun of her again and you’ll be answering to me!”

A young blonde girl was standing up, defending her pink-haired friend. Both girls were young, around eight years old. A group of boys their age were giving them a hard time about the pink-haired girl’s forehead, and the blonde’s irritating meddling.

“Get out of the way, Yamanaka! You’re too close if Haruno’s big forehead is hidden!”

That earned hearty laughed from the group. For Ryouko, listening from a distance, it earned a nasty remembrance.

-

Ryouko sat down, crying in the dirt. His face was scraped, and his nose bloodied. The four bullies standing there just laughed at the pitiful figure on the ground.

“Then stop us! You don’t like us telling you the truth about your ugly face? Then stop us! Come on!”



-

Ryouko took off down the hill at top speed, zipping past the blonde girl and the pink-haired girl. Both girls looked up in shock as a boy a little older than them suddenly came to their defense.

“You’ll take it back right now, won’t you?”

Ryouko had picked up the head bully by his shirt and lifted him against a tree, smashing him hard into the trunk.

“I won’t ask again- you’ll apologize to those girls, won’t you? Or will I force you to eat the dirt at their feet until you do?”

The boy being held against the tree laughed. “You must be kidding, you skirt-wearin’ pansy! Lookit’ this, I’m supposed to be afraid of this sword-toting creampuff?!”

“I dislike being insulted, but someone with such pitiful intelligence…I consider the source before being insulted. You couldn’t wear a hakama- they’re for warriors. If anyone here should be wearing a dress, it should be you. And correct me if I’m wrong, but you seem AWFULLY close with your friends…” Ryouko didn’t like to throw insults, but short of using his fists or sword, this was the only way to crack bullies like this. But this one was defiant.

“You little piece of dog crap! You’re defending two ugly-@$$ girls? You MUST be stupid to get involved with us! We’ll insult whoever we like, including those girls and you!”

At that point, the others boys kicked dirt on Sakura. Ryouko flashed back to his own dirt-covered face. In a rage, he threw what was handy- the leader of the pack he had by the shirt. He took out all four boys in one throw. As they lay in a heap, Ryouko walked over and grabbed two by the collar. He hauled them over to the girl’s feet, then shoved them so they wound up bowing.

“Apologize to them- now.”

“We’re sorry!”

“Please forgive us!”

Ryouko let those two go. They ran for it, forgetting their two friends that remained. Not that they could have helped them. Ryouko picked them both up by the collars and dropped them by the girl’s feet.

“Your turn. Say you’re sorry, and you can walk away with whatever dignity remains…”

“I’m sorry!” one boy instantly begged. Ryouko let go of him, and he took off. But the other boy- the leader- remained defiant.

“Never. They’re ugly ho’s.”

SMUSH!

Ryouko pushed his captive’s face into the dirt at the shocked Sakura’s feet. True to form, Ryouko kept his word- that boy ate dirt for a full ten seconds. Ino was delighted, and Sakura just starting to get her sense of humor back. When Ryouko let the boy up, he let him go after a short warning.

“Mess with them again, and you won’t taste dirt- you’ll taste blood.”

The problem solved, Ryouko bent down. He wasn’t yet sure about girls- he knew they were different, and acted different, but he didn’t get the technicalities. Not that it mattered to him. He was ten, and a life was a life in his eyes. Currently filling his eyes in a literal sense were two large, green, tear-filled eyes.

“Are you alright, shojo-san?”

Ino suddenly spun around. Shojo-san? Is he serious?! BWAHAHAHA! Come on! I could see ‘ne-chan’, or ‘jo-chan’, but shojo-san?! Who TALKS like that?!

Sakura, meanwhile, was just trying to calm down to answer him.

He seems like a nice boy. He’s not scary now…

“I’m fine, thank you. But you don’t have to call me ‘shojo-san’. My name is Sakura.”

“And I’m Ino. And did you SERIOUSLY call her ‘shojo-san’? You’re one weird kid! What’s your name?!”

Once again, Ryouko had to answer lamely. “Well, uh, my name isn’t important…”

“Oh yeah? It seems like you’re one of those ‘manners’ people. You’re s’posed to give your own name when someone gives you their’s. So speak up!”

Ryouko exhaled hard. She’s a handful, that one. Okay, so I just tell them my name is… “It’s Ryouko. So it’s Sakura-dono and Ino-dono? I’m not used to calling people by their first names, I’m afraid…”

“-dono now? Lay of the respect a little, will you? You’re our age, so I’m calling you Ryo-kun. And you can call me Ino-san. And that,” Ino pointed at Sakura, “is Sakura-chan. See, I’m more I important than her, so-”

Ryouko effectively stopped listening at that point. Instead, he stood up, offering a hand to Sakura. She took it, and he helped her to her feet.

“Take care now. It was nice to meet you both.”

--

RUROUNI RYOUKO?!

“Hmm?”

“Oh…”

Two swordsman meeting were rare, to say the least. In this day and age, when swords were taboo to all but the government, meeting another with a sword meant one of two things- instant comradery or instant bloodshed.

One swordsman was known throughout the land. His red hair, cross-shaped scar, and small physical appearance marked him as the legendary Hitokiri Battosai. Hitokiri Battosai was famous for brining about the era of reform, the Meiji era, by being ruthless with a blade. These days, however, he was a rurouni (wanderer) going by the name of Himura Kenshin. He also used a bizarre sword- Sakabato, or reverse blade sword. The sharp side of the sword was on the back section, and the dull side was where the blade should have been. It was a symbol of a promise- a promise not to kill.

The other swordsman was much younger than Kenshin. He was barely ten years old, with thick brown hair and inquisitive eyes. Like Kenshin, he dressed traditionally. Also like Kenshin, he didn’t use a traditional sword. Instead, he used an Iai-to, or a training blade. It was a small sword, barely larger than a wakazashi, and had no sharp edge. This samurai couldn’t remember his name, and went by ‘Ryouko’.

BONK!

“Oro?!”

“Introduce us, Kenshin! Where are your manners?!” a black-haired girl, apparently acquainted pretty intimately with Kenshin (no honorific at all?), gave him a rap on the head, apparently as a punishment for bad manners.

“But Kaoru-dono, this one doesn’t know him…” Kenshin answered around a throbbing lump on his head.

“Hey, little miss, you’d better settle down,” a tall, brown-haired man said with a confident air. He looked like a typical tough guy.

“Yeah, seriously Kaoru! You freak about the smallest things! I don’t think this guy’ll take Kenshin away.” A smaller boy with wild black hair toting a shinai seemed to be unable to restrain himself.

Ryouko bowed to the group. “I’m known as Ryouko. I’m the last student of the Niten Kanshaku Ryu. It’s nice to meet you all. Might I ask your names?”

Before his question could be answered, Ryouko felt a hand on his shoulder.

“A violator of the sword-banning act? Hmm?”

Ryouko’s face paled. He had forgotten. Now he was caught!

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