Shinobi Legends

The Fight

Part 2

Chapter 1

Ever since Inu's death, Mav had become more and more distant. She had never appeared in the shades like the others before her. Everybody went to the shades after death, unless their spirit was killed and tortured. Mav sincerely hoped that this had not occurred. Then they were doomed to wander the Earth forever. Even though Mav was married now, he still hoped that there would be a way for Inu to come back. But, in his secret heart he doubted his own wish.

Later in the afternoon on the one year anniversary of Inu's death, Mav and his Mizu got into a huge argument which ended their marriage. Mav sat down later that night and cried. He buried his face in his pillow and did not hear the sound of a wolf howling. But he sat up quickly when he heard footsteps in his house.

"Get out of here Mizu!" he yelled.

"I'm not Mizu, Mav." A familiar voice came.

Mav whirled around to see Inu's spirit standing before him.

"I-i-inu?" Mav stuttered.

Chapter 2

Mav couldn't believe it. His dead friend was standing in front of him. Her face was covered with scars and her clothes were soaked with blood. The wounds that caused her death had never ceased to bleed.

"Yes…" She said tenderly. "I came to see you."

Mav was speechless as he stared at her blood stained jacket.

"See what I've become?" Inu sighed. "See what I am cursed with?" She paused and looked back at Mav. "I've been watching you for some time now Mav. You seem to be doing well for yourself."

"Y-y-yes." He stuttered again. "It's great to see you."

"You too Mav, you too."

Chapter 3

"But how?" Mav asked. "How are you here?"

"As soon as I died my soul was rendered paralyzed, thus dooming me to this task."

"Task?"

"Yes," she said, depressed. "My soul will never rest in peace. I will wander the world forever."

"Is there any way we can save you?"

"No…well, there is one way…no, it's too dangerous."

"No, tell me." Mav insisted. "What is it?"

"It's too dangerous."

Mav crossed his arms and looked at her. Inu sighed.

"Fine"

Mav listened to her intently as she began to quote from ancient writings.

"For one's life to be restored, the overlord of death must have another. Unless their life is exceptionally important to another. The love of the other must overpower the grip of death itself."

Chapter 4

For awhile, nothing was said. Then, Mav got up and went over to Inu. He placed his hand on her shoulder, but to his surprise, his hand didn't phase through her body. Instead, he felt the pain she endured the day she died. It was almost too much for him and his knees weakened under the enormous force. He managed to stay on his feet. Inu's body was cold from death and she was sad, and lonely. Her eyes showed how fragile she really was. Not being able to bear it any longer, he lifted his hand from her shoulder and walked into the spare bedroom. He came back with an extra pair of clothes.

"Here." He said, never looking into her eyes. "Let's get you out of those bloody clothes."

Chapter 5

After she had changed, Inu laid her old clothes on the edge of the bath tub. But, it wasn't long before her new clothes were stained with her crimson blood just like the old ones.

That didn't help much… She thought.

Mav thought the same thing. Once Inu's spirit was calmed, Mav showed her a spare bed that she was welcome too if she chose to stay. She wasn't sure if she would though, since she couldn't sleep.

At about midnight, she wandered into Mav's room because she knew he wasn't sleeping. She could hear him rustling around in the other room all night.

"Mav?" she said quietly. "You awake?"

There was a slight silence before he answered with a yes.

"I thought so." She said, still whispering as if there was somebody else in the room that really was sleeping.

"Yeah. I can't sleep." Mav said, also whispering.

"Mav…why did you give me refuge here? You know I'm dead."

"Yes, I know. But I can't help it. After all, I am your teacher, and your friend."

Inu smiled.

"Yeah, I guess you are."

"I have a question for you too Inu."

"Shoot."
"What happened to Kunai's spirit?"

Inu sighed and then began.

"Someone caused my pre-mature demise. When I died, my soul was sent to hell, leaving Kunai's on earth. She talked to you after you awoke in the forest and then ascended into the heavens, leaving me in hell. Will my murder as death bring me back to life?"

"No, I guess not." Why did she leave you?"

"There was nothing she could do for me; I was gone before she could save me. She felt it was her duty to tell you what had happened, thus abandoning me."

"Oh." Mav said. "But, how was it that that man was controlling your body after you were dead?"

"He managed to get the chip into my body the very second before I died, leaving him control of my body. You weren't really fighting me." She paused. "Mav, why are you so curious about this?"

"I wanted to know why you died. Why I lost you."

"That's sweet, but I have noticed over this past year that you have become distant. You have stopped training others and the only ones you talk to were Mizu and Exgamer."

"What do you expect?" he said passionately. "I lost my best friend."

Inu smiled and sat on the bed next to him. He gave her a blanket even though they both knew it would serve no purpose to her.

Chapter 6

Inu went back into the other room.

"Get some sleep Mav." She whispered as she closed her door. Mav nodded in agreement and laid down and before long, drifted into a deep sleep. He had a vivid dream that night. Inu seemed to rise out of a swirling mist, and then she was standing before him among the trees, and her coat was shining with a brilliant light. Although her jaws did not open, Mav could hear her talking in his sleeping mind.

"Love is what shields us from the pain and fear and loss Mav," she whispered. "What shields us from ourselves too."

Love Inu? Mav though as he felt the bitterness of how she had left him. The stories command us to love, but isn't there a law in life that makes love nothing more than a word we use for our own?

"Perhaps love takes cunning, Mav. I despaired too, and at last it made me believe even more in a family. Believe in life Mav, and freedom. Be true to your own nature, but don't let it turn on itself. And Mav, love is not a commandment, it is a need, as real as eating. But, like the wolf in the old, old story, love must be free, as free as the birds. Free to leave and return."

Inu paused. "But make me a promise, Mav. Promise that if you truly love someone, you will tell them and not keep it a secret."

Mav stirred in his dream. "But you died Inu. We all die," he whispered with sudden anguish.

"Perhaps only when we know that we can truly begin to live. To see the wonder of it all, not the darkness. But something in our thoughts splits us, and we must beware."

"Where are you, Inu?"

"I am there. I am in the rain and the skies. I am in the tree and the flowers. I am in the sunlight and the moonlight too."

Inu and the dream were gone. Mav opened his eyes and threw the blankets off of him and got up. He headed for Inu's room but she wasn't there.

Heh, I guess you really are everywhere. He thought. Come back soon Inu.