Ch. 4 Initial Strike
Yuruyasha awoke the next morning to the sound of Jin screaming at him
"Wake up you Baka! The Mist is moving in!" Yuruyasha was up in a flash, pulling his flak jacket on over his clothes. He and his brother had always been in the habit of sleeping in their clothes while on a mission. Yuruyasha looked up as his brother vanished out the door.
Sighing Yuruyasha pursued.
Jin leaped over a large chunk of rubble lying in his path, he heard his brother's footsteps drawing up on him. "About time!"
"Sorry Jin. Do you know where Noin is?"
"Nope. Probably at the front." The two ran on for a second, Jin watched his brother tie his flowing hair behind his head. "Yeah Yuru, I've been meaning to ask if you'd mind letting me take Takeshi out."
Yuruyasha looked over at his brother's cold stern face. Takeshi.... murdered his team... and not only his team... Takeshi killed her. "Sure, no skin off my nose." Yuruyasha turned at the next impasse they came to, "See yah bro, if you need me just follow the wind."
Jin grinned at the family quote Yuruyasha had used. He saw the front drawing up, Whirlpool and Mist shinobi clashed before him. Jin drew out his katana. "Thanks Yuru."
He charged forward, putting an extra burst of speed on, before leaping fifteen feet up onto the wall, slashing a Mist ninja in two, saving a Konoha chunin. He faced the massive numbers before him, and below, charging up the way was Takeshi Kenpachi. His eyes narrowed as he saw the man. "Time to pay you back for what you've done, you bastard!" He lifted his sword high, his eyes locking with Takeshi's. The fiendish Mist grinned, his fangs barred as he charged up to Jin.
"Rip of the North Wind!"
Yuruyasha rushed along the streets, slashing whatever Mist ninja dared to stand before him, be careful Jin. Don't let you lust for vengeance blind you. He leaped into the air, removing the arm and shoulder of one of his foes. He drew ever closer to Noin, feeling her chakra growing closer he leaped up onto a roof, just as an explosive trap went off where he had been standing not a moment earlier.
He leaped from roof to roof, attacking all that dared to attack him, until Noin's blue trench coat came into view. He smiled, pleased to see that she was unharmed. She was however out numbered. He leaped to her, rending two of the shinobi ringing her apart. They screamed out before dying, and Noin glanced over at him.
"Glad to see you're awake." She said, dodging a flying kunai.
He chuckled. "Sorry about that." He put his hands together, "Flying Water Dart Jutsu." The space before his hands, empty a moment before, filled with water, and streaked into five separate darts, and connected with their targets, the remaining shinobi dropped as the spears of water passed through them.
Battle raged around them, as Noin faced him. "You know, I could have handled them myself." She put one hand on her hip and cocked her head to one side as she spoke.
He grinned, "I know, I just thought I'd give you some help." The two grinned at each other, even a tiny laugh passed between them, before the roof they stood upon rocked violently. Noin lost her footing as the building shook, luckily for her Yuruyasha was fast enough to grab her up in his arms moments before its collapse. Yuruyasha leaped into the air, flipped his legs over his head, and landed on an adjacent rooftop.
"That was close." Yuruyasha put her down, feeling a touch sheepish, as her warm, light body left his grasp.
"Thanks Yuru."
He turned his head, hiding the pink in his cheeks. "No problem."
"Oh my, my." Noin and Yuruyasha spun around; startled that someone could have snuck up on them. Yuruyasha frowned. Not only had one person got behind them, but two.
The pair were identical, pale blonde hair cut bowl-style around their heads, with dark blue eyes contrasting with the paleness of their skin. The had what would be called pout-y lips, and mirrored costumes, one wore a pale blue gi, and canary yellow pants while the other wore a canary yellow gi, and pale blue pants.
"Such beautiful people," The yellow-panted one commented to the other, "wouldn't you say Stratus?"
The other nodded, closing his eyes as he did. "I agree Hemis. Such beautiful opponents."
"I would love to cut them into beautiful ribbons, and wear them in my hair." Hemis said. Yuruyasha cringed at the thought.
"So would I Hemis, so would I." Stratus agreed. The pair's eyes glinted maniacally.
Noin, reached back and drew out a kunai. "Um, I'd hate to interrupt your grotesque conversation, but who the hell are you two?"
Hemis turned to Stratus, and adopted a pout-y face, "Oh Stratus, she doesn't know who we are!" He threw his arm over his eyes in an overly dramatized motion. "It makes me ever so sad Stratus!"
"I know Hemis, she saddens me too." He consoled his brother, wrapping his arm about his shoulder and patting him lightly. Yuruyasha and Noin exchanged confused looks. "Should we enlighten these fools, Hemis?" Stratus asked.
Hemis looked at his brother, dropping his arm away. "I believe we should Stratus." The pair looked at the Konoha shinobi, the maniac look back in their eyes.
In unison they proclaimed, with drastic, stupid poses to match, "pay close attention beautiful victims, for you fall prey to the mighty Brothers Phere of the Mist!!!" They both struck ridiculous poses their hands waving in a jazzy style.
Yuruyasha, tried to hold back his laughter, but failed after no more than a second. The other three all stared at him, astonished. Yuruyasha looked up Noin. "That's the stupidest thing I've EVER seen! Hahahaha!" He laughed so hard; he had to grip his side. After a second Noin laughed lightly too, it was rather funny.
Status and Hemis both turned scarlet. "They're laughing at as Status!!" Hemis burst out. "How dare he laugh at us!!"
Stratus nodded. "I agree brother, perhaps we won't wear him after we kill him."
"Not at all Stratus, not at all! He's too rude!"
Yuruyasha slowly stopped laughing, picking himself up off the ground from where he had lain. "You peacocks actually think you can beat me?" He was slowly becoming serious.
"Of course we can! We are undefeated in the Mist!" Hemis proclaimed.
"And we'll prove it now!" Stratus drew out a long sickle, while Hemis brought forth a spear, as long as a quarterstaff.
"Now behold the legendary weapons of the Brothers Phere!" Hemis said, holding the spear aloft, "Cumulus!"
"And Nimbus!" Stratus added, raising his sickle up. "And together we will kill you!!!"
Yuruyasha sheathed his katana. "Pfft! Please, you fairies aren't even worthy of my blade. Be gone, before I decide to end your pathetic existence."
"He's mocking us again Stratus!" Hemis said, anger crossing his face.
"I know Hemis, but he'll be dead soon."
"Yuru, wait I've heard of these guys, I wouldn't underestimate them, I've heard of these guys can be pretty vicious once you get them riled up." Noin commented, refusing to look away from the pair.
Hemis immediately turned joyful and leaped into the air a number of times. "Did you hear that Stratus? She has heard of us!!"
Stratus embraced his brother and the two jumped together. "I know! I know! Hemis its so beautiful I want to cry!"
"Oh, God spare me." Yuruyasha interrupted, the two stopped their leaping and glared at him.
Hemis picked up his spear again. "He's making me mad again Stratus."
"Very, very mad, Hemis. Shall we kill him now?" Stratus retrieved his sickle.
"Indeed." Fire seemed to erupt in their eyes. Noin, took a step back, raising the kunai to defend herself. Yuruyasha put his hands in his pockets, a bored look crossing his face.
He sighed, "If you insist on dying then by all means, come at me."
"We'll make you regret those words." Stratus said.
"That we will." Hemis added.
"Do you guys ever shut up?" As Yuruyasha finished the pair vanished with such speed, that he barely avoided the shaft of Cumulus, as Hemis darted toward him. Crap. They're fast. Yuruyasha's eyes widened as he saw the spear tip flying for his chest. Luckily he brought his arm up at the last moment, blocking the blade against his forearm, the spear tip grazing his shoulder. He landed hard, falling to a knee, and a moment later Hemis put the spear toward his face.
"Yuruyasha!" Noin exclaimed, she went towards him, to save him from the spear, but Stratus appeared before her, crouched down, Nimbus in hand.
"Ah, ah, ah. I'm your foe, you pretty ninja." He struck out with Nimbus. Noin jumped back, as the blade grazed her shin.
She landed hard, "Damn that was fast." She looked up to see Stratus lick the blood of his sickle.
His eyes widened with pleasure. "Oh, such a wondrous taste. Ooh, its so good." He glared upon her. "I must have more!!"
"Ah shit."
The clash of metal rang out as Jin's blade, met again and again with Takeshi's cleaver of a sword. Jin wore a grim, spiteful glare, as his face drew close to Takeshi's after their last clash. Both men pushed with all their might, trying to force the other back. Takeshi, as opposed to Jin, had a manic grin splayed across his visage, as if he were enjoying the battle.
Both men pushed off the other, and both skidded back nearly a yard each. "It's been a long time Jin." Takeshi said, resting his sword on his shoulder.
"Too long." Jin said. "I should have killed you long ago."
"Please. Like you could have killed me. You were nothing then, and you are nothing now."
"Don't underestimate me Takeshi." Jin said. "I've grown far more powerful then I was then."
"Really? 'Cause what I heard was that you were nothing without your brother by your side. That is after all how you reached the Village isn't it? With Yuruyasha's help?"
Jin's eyes became slits. "I don't need Yuruyasha's help to end you." Jin charged again, slashing out to meet his foe.
Takeshi deflected, and threw out his foot to kick Jin. Jin knocked the blow aside with his hand, and punched out at Takeshi, only to have his fist caught in his hand. "My, my." Takeshi mused. "Perhaps you have grown a little since then." He gripped Jin's hand tighter; the bones in his hand began to crack. Jin kicked up, loosening the grip, but also giving Takeshi the leverage he needed to force Jin's sword away.
Jin, threw his hand below him, pushed off and leaped away from Takeshi's blow. The rock wall splintered beneath his massive sword. "Impressive. That was the Eagle Style Taijutsu of your house wasn't it? It looks familiar..." Takeshi scratched his head for a moment. "Didn't your little friend Tabi use that style?"
Jin glared again. "Shut up! You have no right to talk about her!"
Takeshi grinned widely again. "Whatever do you mean? She was my kill, I can speak of her as oft as I want."
"You bastard! She wasn't an animal to be hunted! She was a human being!"
"More than that am I right? Wasn't she your girl, Jin?"
He was right. Tabi had been in a relationship with Jin, but that all ended with Takeshi's sword cutting her life short, literally. "Speak of her again, and I'll be sure that your death will be gruesomely slow."
"Big words." Takeshi charged toward Jin, "let's see if you can back it up!"
The two charged again, Jin poured his wind chakra into his blade, sharpening and honing it to a killer edge, capable of rending most anything. He slashed out as he passed Takeshi, feeling the metal of his sword pass through Takeshi's flank.
He grinned, following through with the blow, landing firmly on one knee. He felt a tingling sensation in his left shoulder, and a moment later he felt blood fly from an inch long gash. He put his hand to it, When did he...?
"Impressive." Jin looked over his wounded shoulder, Takeshi stood, bleeding from his right side, Jin had hit, but he had not slain his foe. "That is a different blade than the one you had last time. It surely would have cut my sword in half, had I deflected." Takeshi grinned. "Luckily I struck your shoulder, disrupting the chakra flow to your sword."
"Damn you." Jin stood again.
"Such language doesn't befit warriors such as us." Takeshi scolded.
"Don't insult me by lowering me to your level." Jin said, attacking again.
Takeshi met his blade, blocking it against his. "Hmm. It seems the time for talk is over." He pushed Jin back, and shoved the edge of his blade into the ground. Jin watched him flash through a number of seals. "Then I guess I'll end this now." He thrust his hands toward Jin. "Die, now. Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Jin sheathed his sword, "I told you not to underestimate me Takeshi." He put his hands together. "Sonic Lightning Jutsu!"
Yuruyasha stared down the tip of Hemis' spear, a wave of lightheadedness coming over him; he clutched the side of his head, grimacing.
"You feel it now don't you?" Hemis asked. "That is the power of my Cumulus. It thins the blood, making it hard for my foes to concentrate or draw on their powers effectively."
"And you feel it too." Yuruyasha heard Stratus address Noin, "Nimbus makes the blood heavy, clotting in the veins, making attacks sluggish and in time, impossible."
"Noin," Yuruyasha spoke, "You alright?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Then how's about we end these clowns?"
"Yeah." He heard her labored breath behind her. I should end this fast. Yuruyasha thought as Hemis and Stratus began to laugh.
"End us? Stratus did you hear him? He thinks he can end us in that condition."
"I heard Hemis, he's underestimating us again."
"No," Yuruyasha interrupted. "I'm not underestimating you, you are underestimating me while overestimating your chances." He darted up over Hemis' head, faster than the eye could see, landing behind him.
"What?!" Hemis began to turn, only to meet Yuruyasha's elbow connecting with his gut.
"After all you don't even know who you're fighting." Yuruyasha uppercut the hunched man, blood spattered into the air, as Hemis flew backwards, Cumulus falling from his hands.
"Hemis!" Stratus moved to his brother, but after only a step, he froze, Noin standing between them.
She wagged a finger in his face. "Ah ah ah." She opened her eyes, her sharringan shining a dark red the three tomoes, glaring down on Stratus, "Your fight is with me."
"An Uchiha..." Stratus looked afraid now, as he looked into the Sharringan.
"Yep. Now be afraid."
Hemis tried to pick himself up, only to get kicked back down by Yuruyasha. "Who are you?!" He demanded, spitting blood.
"I am Yuruyasha Shojjono, one half of the Kamikaze Brothers." He watched Hemis' eyes widen. "And your death." Yuruyasha struck down at Hemis, he felt bones break, and the windpipe collapse. "It's over."
"Don't be too sure." Stratus said. "Hemis and I are unique." Yuruyasha looked down at the body and his eyes widened as it vaporized, and reformed beyond Yuruyasha's radius of attack, Cumulus in his hand. "So long as one of us lives, the other can regenerate constantly."
Noin glared. "Kekkei Genkai."
"You could call it that." Hemis grinned, as he looked back at Yuruyasha, who now hung his head over, in what Hemis could only guess was defeat. "You see it now don't you?" Yuruyasha's shoulders began to shake, slowly at first, and then at a faster rate. "That you cannot..." Hemis stopped as Yuruyasha burst out into explosive laughter. "What? What is this?"
Yuruyasha looked upon him, a crazed look in his eyes, Hemis stepped away from him in fear. "Stratus?"
"Right." Stratus flung himself onto Noin's knife, opening his throat up. Noin stepped away as he vaporized and joined his brother, both gazing fearfully upon Yuruyasha.
"What's wrong with him?" Hemis asked.
"I don't know." Stratus responded.
Noin looked at him too, "Yuru? Are you okay?"
Slowly the laughter died away, but the crazed look lingered. "Never better." He drew out his katana. "Perhaps you two are worthy of my blade. Kekkei genkai..." He laughed again. "Ready Noin?"
She grinned, glad to see that Yuruyasha had gotten serious. "Always." Her Sharringan eyes befell the scared pair. "Let's do this."
Takeshi's eyes widened as the electric current shot through his water dragon, and hurtled toward him. He gritted his teeth, and dove aside, just as the bolt struck where he would have been not a moment ago.
"Damn you! When did you master Lightning manipulation?!" Takeshi demanded.
"Two months after your attack." Jin's hand began to crackle with lightning energy.
"You mastered it in such a short time?! Impossible!"
"You forgot who you're dealing with didn't you?" Jin raised his hand, the lightning crackling loudly. "I'm Jin Shojjono, nothing is impossible." He grinned at Takeshi's plight. "Die."
The bolt cascaded off his hand, blasting toward his foe. The ground erupted where Takeshi had stood. Jin closed his eyes. "And so it ends."
"Don't be too sure!" Jin turned his head, just as Takeshi blind-sided him, launching him over the side of the wall, into open air.