Title: Ninja Scrolls
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis characters do not belong to me. (I mean, hello?)
Genre: Romance, Angst, Tragedy
Ratings: PG-13, ratings may go up. (I think?)
Notes: This is a very rough adaptation of the anime Basilisk based on the Japanese novel by Futaro Yamada. Certain parts will be revised to avoid plot predictions.
First Scroll: Four hundred years of hatred
Iga and Kouga
From afar, the Shunpu castle, which stood seven stories high, looked undisturbed and peaceful. But from a clear view just below the castle's roof, the air and dust swirled in the air in such an elegant and dangerous manner that one could foresee that something out of the ordinary is happening.
Two silhouette figures showed themselves to the spectators. One man revealed himself in a ghastly manner with a striking resemblance to that of a cold-blooded killer. His eyes were pitch black and clouded with deep hatred as he glared strongly to his opponent just a few feet away from him. He was a guy about the age of nineteen or so full of vigor and masculinity.
The other one's face paralleled the other man's face for he was such a young boy, by the age of seventeen or so with a beautiful face and a smooth skin to boost. If the shogun were to see that face, surely he will say that it's not befitting to be of a ninja. But looks certainly can be deceiving for those two men fighting and clashing in the topmost roof of Shunpu castle emits dangerous aura one would suffocate from sensing.
The one owning the beautiful face striked in a moment of certainty with his flute. He blew his flute and a strange, somewhat strangled deathly tune came out that made the earth almost shook with anger. The music the flute gave made the other man staggered for some reasons, desperately blocking his sensitive ears from the vibrations of sound and the beautiful young man, a prideful youth that he is, walked towards the writhing man in agony for he was so sure that the victory has now befallen on him.
But it was his fatal mistake, a fatal mistake of his pride for when he has finally stooped down to check the enemy's breathing; the other man spat something that made the beautiful young man scream in disgust. It was light blue sticky mucus about the size of a ball thread that splattered on the young man's face. A mucus that was made by a special substance inside the man's body that is so sticky, one would find it hard to untangle himself from it. The other guy seized the opportunity to stand and strike back with his sword when he was stopped by a commanding voice just below the rooftop.
"I have seen enough, Kaidoh," it was all the man could ever say to stop the vengeful guy from killing the other one. The one named Kaidoh obliged and jumped down to submit in front of his clan leader, Shiraishi Kuranosuke.
The one now covered in mucus, made his way down too and submitted shamefully in front of his clan leader, Takahisa Kajimoto.
"You did a horrible job, Mukahi," was all Kajimoto could say in mere disgust and humiliation for his clan. He then pulled out his kunai and shred the sticky mucus in Mukahi's face, his long crimson hair fell on the ground as the mucus came off.
A distant sound of clapping hands was heard and revealed a man by the age of forty or so. He was Hatori Hanzou the second, son of the respectable Hatori Hanzou who was the reason of temporary ceasefire of the two clashing clans of Iga and Kouga.
"Ninjas of both clans have shown supreme capabilities for me to witness. I felt delighted watching strong men with such unknown powers fight as if there's no tomorrow," Hatori remarked to them. Kajimoto bowed in respect and so did Shiraishi but the former speak up his mind with no hesitation.
"What you have just seen is only one of the low-ranking ninjas of Iga clan. Surely you would not be delighted in seeing just that performance of a mere ninja?" Kajimoto said as he pertains to Mukahi who has now untangled himself from the sticky situation he was in just a moment ago. Hatori opened his mouth in mere amazement.
"He was one of the low-ranking ones?" He mouthed. Kajimoto nodded and Shiraishi narrowed his eyes in a short span of second.
"Does that mean that there are others who far outshone him in combat skills?" Hatori asked in disbelief.
"Surely there are more capable men in our clan too," Shiraishi interjected. Kajimoto eyed him silently, the look he was giving was emitting a mixed anger and loathing. Hatori gave a roar of laughter and delight and eyed the two leaders of the clan. He then turned his head back to the direction of an old man sitting there the whole time—Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Ieyasu, now on his age of seventy-three, is now considered the most powerful man alive in Japan. By this time now, he has conquered the majority of Japan's land with the exemption of Osaka.
A powerful man that he is with the exemption of the Osaka…it almost seems perfect that Japan is now within his grasp. But his main concern now is not his enemies but his age and the remaining Tokugawa lineage. The matter of the heir to the shogunate troubles his soul gravely.
Tokugawa Ieyasu has two grandsons, Kintarou the elder brother and Koshimae the younger brother. The two of them came from the same son whom Tokugawa dearly favored and loved, Shuichiro. But the two of them are only brothers by their father for Shuichiro took two wives when he was still living.
If Ieyasu selected his older grandson, it would confirm the rule that inheritance passes through the eldest boy. But Kintarou, the elder one, is still a naïve, innocent one who does not know the gruesome world happening outside the castle and the fact that Kintarou is the son of the mistress, the second wife to put it wise, is gravely weighing his decision.
On the other hand, Koshimae, the younger one, is to be considered a prodigy at his young age but Togugawa knew that his younger grandson has no interest in leading his men and is a selfish child who only thinks of himself. Tokugawa knew that he must choose wisely between the two but…how?
Choosing between his equally loved grandsons has been made much more difficult for he saw that the entire Tokugawa family was splitting into factions, one side supporting Kintarou and the other one supporting Koshimae. Even his trusted consultants were betting between his two grandsons and this aggravates his heart.
Ieyasu knew he needed to end the jealousy and conflict but…how?
"Ninja," someone murmured.
"Ninja?" Tokugawa whispered.
"Why not use the ninjas to decide who will be the next shogun to replace you?" Jackal, the invited Buddhist monk, suggested.
"Hanzou told me that these two clans are hard to control, they correspond perfectly to the Koshimae and Kintarou factions aren't they? And besides, the two clans hated each other for hundred of years, why not free them to the pact Hatori Hanzou the first made? That way, our enemies in Osaka would never know the feud happening inside the Tokugawa lineage." Jackal continued and ended his speech with an eerie smile on his face.
Ieyasu nodded as if accepting Jackal's suggestion but the lines on his forehead appeared, indicating that he was thinking about the idea very carefully. He then settled his calm gaze on the two fine men representing the two clans. Kajimoto of Iga and Shiraishi of Kouga—their souls were destined to kill each other, Tokugawa thought bitterly.
"Are you willing to fight each other to decide the succession to the Tokugawa dynasty?" Ieyasu asked the two young leaders of the clan. The two men eyed each other for a moment and bowed, as if to submit in his authority.
"As long as Hatori Hanzou releases us of the pact, we are ready to fight until death," Shiraishi spoke solemnly, not refusing the idea at all. Kajimoto glanced sideways again and glared as if to tell that Shiraishi stole his line from him. Kaidoh remained passive on Shiraishi's side, kneeling and Mukahi, for a moment, stiffened when he heard that the pact is now void and nullified.
"Now that I have seen a glimpse of both clans' potential, by Ieyasu-sama's order, I will now lift the pact that the first Hatori Hanzou did and is officially freeing the two clans of its responsibility," Hatori said in haste. The eerie smile was plastered on his face.
"Each of the clans will select ten of their best fighters and the last of the best fighters will decide the next successor of Ieyasu. The Kouga clan will represent the elder grandson Kintarou while the Iga clan will represent the younger grandson Koshimae," he stated.
"Well then, Kajimoto of Iga and Shiraishi of Kouga, take these scrolls and make a list of your nine warriors," Ieyasu said and motioned a servant towards them.
Upon opening the scroll, the two found them to be blank and both brushes flickered across the parchment in rapid strokes in the next few minutes. Neither spoke nor moved unnecessarily as if the writing the whole ordeal is as sacred as the gods of the mountain protecting them.
IGA TSUBAGAKURE
Takahisa Kajimoto
Fuji Syusuke
Sanada Genichirou
Atobe Keigo
Oshitari Yuushi
Gakuto Mukahi
Masaharu Niou
Yagyuu Hiroshi
Kisarazu Ryo
Senri Chitose
KOUGA MANJIDANI
Shiraishi Kuranosuke
Tezuka Kunimitsu
Yukimura Seiichi
Inui Sadaharu
Yanagi Renji
Kirihara Akaya
Kaidoh Kaoru
Ibu Shinji
Saeki Koujiroh
Harukaze Kurobane
Upon the agreement of Hatori Hanzou the second, the taboo against warfare between the clans has been lifted. The ten warriors of both clans must fight each other to the death. On the final day of May, survivors shall bring this scroll back to Sunpu castle.
Whichever sides have more survivors shall be the winner and that clan shall have a thousand years of glory.
Kajimoto and Shiraishi each stamped their seals, in blood, beneath the names and gave the lists to each other and fill it out again creating two set of scrolls. When the whole listing of names was done they finally gave the finished scrolls to Hatori.
"Now take the scrolls with you and let the fight for the heir of Shogunate, begin!" Hatori Hanzou announced and both ninja, Mukahi Gakuto of Iga and Kaidoh Kaoru of Kouga left the castle as swiftly as they can. The two clan leaders followed suit. Ieyasu caught glimpse of their shadows and sighed not fully knowing that his decision was about to change the fate of twenty chosen people of two clans that are bound to fight once again.
"I wonder what my brother is doing now," a faint voice echoed inside an open cave located in the depths of the mountain just kilometers away from both clans' territories. The owner of the voice revealed himself to be a young man whose beauty might surpass that of a woman. His long hazel brown hair tied loosely on his back and his clothes revealed to be that of a thin yukata with lilac designs. He then turned around and smiled at his companion who was now on his way out of the cave.
"I am also wondering what my cousin is doing," the man replied. If the former guy showed the outmost beauty a guy could ever had, this man who stands tall and proud emits every fiber of masculinity and sheer dignity. The beautiful young lad stood beside the proud man and they both watched the magnificent rising of the sun in the east. No one would ever believe that those two young men were actually from different clans—the clans that were sworn enemies for four hundred years of history.
And no one would ever believe that they are…lovers.
"The shogun of Tokugawa summoned our clan leaders and I wonder if they'll bond our clans and stop the war for good," the charming guy said thoughtfully.
"Let us hope for the best Fuji," the proud man replied and the other guy's face shone brightly, rivaling that of the rising sun. At first, it startled the other guy. He was dazzled by that innocent face and pure eyes, those clear blue eyes of Fuji that makes him dizzy with happiness. He only came back to his senses when he heard him whisper.
"I'll hope and wait...with you," was Fuji's faint reply. The other guy merely grunted but his face showed that of a contented expression.
"Let us go back to our respected clans or else they will suspect us of treachery," the man said as he packed his things, his sword remain sheathed on his right side. Fuji suddenly had the look of forlorn and anguish on his face and the other man held him by the arm.
"Do not show me that agonized face Fuji, you're pained face brings agony to my heart as well," the guy expressed as he trailed his forefinger down Fuji's unmarred face. Fuji closed his eyes and held the man's hand tenderly.
"Why must we hide Tezuka? Both of our clans are under the pact of Hatori Hanzou and surely someday our clans will be united! So why must we endure the pain?" Fuji moaned. Tezuka paused and stayed still and for the longest time of thinking of something coherent to say, Tezuka could only look away as his arm encircled Fuji's petite form.
"Not only do we belong from different clan we are also forbidden of these emotions for the obvious reason that…" Tezuka lost his heart to continue his words and Fuji broke free from his embrace.
"…that we are both male? Is that it?" Fuji confirmed with yet again pained eyes. Tezuka replied no more.
Because it was and is still is the truth.
"But we love each other," Fuji reasoned out and there was a clarity in his voice. Tezuka knew it a long time ago and there was no denying that he felt the same way too but his responsibility in his clan was far too big to ignore.
"We ninjas are responsible for maintaining our morals," Tezuka replied somewhat emotionless and Fuji, for a second look angered but then showed a pained expression as if he was about to break down and cry.
"I gave up my morals when I met you," Fuji replied silently facing the stones enveloping the cave. Tezuka knew he had plucked the string in a very wrong way. Tezuka fight his urge to say, 'I gave mine too the moment I fell in love with you' and instead stepped outside the cave.
"We should return by now."
Kaidoh laughed in somewhat strangled way, he was covered in blood but it was not his. And as he looked at the dead body underneath him, he gave a victorious smile to himself.
Nineteen names are left on the list and the fight for supremacy has just begun.
Author's Notes: Revised 01-31-08