Chapter 27: Fundamentals
The water rippled as Sasuke and Kouji jumped down onto it. The circles spread and interlaced as the two combatants faced each other.
"Go Sasuke!" Naruto cheered from the bridge. Sakura glared at him and whispered harshly.
"Aoi! His name is Aoi!"
"Wha…?" Naruto stared at her blankly. "No, it's not. His name is Sasuke."
"Idiot!" Sakura whacked him on the head. "Don't mess around! This isn't the time to be funny." Her hands gripped the railing so tight the white stone began to crack.
Naruto smiled brightly at her.
"Don't worry, Sakura-chan." He grinned. "Sasuke's not weak. He won't get himself killed."
Sakura blinked into Naruto's cheerful demeanor and sighed. He was right, even without Sharingan eyes and fire techniques, Sasuke was one tough customer.
But is he tough enough?
Below, on the left, Kouji stood confidently, but glaring intently. What kind of skills did he have?
Kouji held up a hand and one of the subordinates tossed him a shuriken holster, which he latched to his right thigh.
Left handed… Sasuke thought mildly as he pulled a kunai free with his own left hand. Kouji had one as well now and they both glared at each other, waiting to see who would strike first. Kouji, however, didn't wait for a strategic leaf to fall. He charged water spraying from his feet. His path curved to the right, clearly aiming for Sasuke's unarmed side.
Stupid, Sasuke sneered, doesn't he see my shuriken holster?
Sasuke gritted his teeth, withdrew a shuriken, and raised it to block, but Kouji had other intentions. Just as the metal objects were about to collide, Kouji dipped his kunai and pulled it up, wedging it's tip into the shuriken's hole.
Sasuke took the opportunity and swung with his left hand that the brown haired boy with his kunai. Kouji, still subduing Sasuke's shuriken with his kunai, spun, withdrew a shuriken swiftly from his holster and caught Sasuke's attack, not metal to metal, but right into the leather-covered handle.
They stood front to back; Kouji's ponytail tickled Sasuke's chin, both blocking the other.
Suddenly Kouji grinned and shoved his foot backward into Sasuke's stomach. The motion sent Sasuke flying backward, his kunai and shuriken flying forward. The weapons flew across the river, over the bank and landed securely, embedding themselves in trees. Sasuke skidded over the opposite bank before planting his feet to stop. He slowly regained his balance, holding a hand to his pummeled stomach. He glared out at Kouji, standing passively on the water, a shuriken in one a hand and a kunai in the other, a slight smirk on his face.
The kick was relatively light in comparison to some of those blows Sasuke had been dealt, yet a more disturbing factor played in his mind.
This guy is really fast…
"YEEAAAH!" The Hidden Cloud ninja cheered.
"That's the way, Kouji-sama!"
"You kick his ass!"
"No one messes with Lightning Kouji-sama, Leader of the Raibara!"
"Bastard." Naruto muttered between his teeth. "That was a cheap shot."
Sasuke walked back out onto the river and stood at the same level, but ten feet left of Kouji.
"I'm not done yet." Sasuke seethed.
"Good." Kouji taunted, "Neither am I."
Like a quick-draw, Sasuke whipped out a shuriken and flung it at his adversary. He didn't wait to charge until Kouji dodged it. Sasuke chased his shuriken and, when Kouji flicked his hand up to swat the shuriken away like a fly with his kunai, Sasuke was ready. He grabbed Kouji's wrist, before it could come down, and aimed a punch at his head. Kouji ducked out of harm's way as Sasuke's arm slipped passed, and brought the shuriken in his left hand back in preparation to strike Sasuke's exposed rib cage. Sasuke pulled his arm in reverse, slamming his elbow into the back of Kouji's head. Kouji buckled forward and lodged the shuriken into Sasuke's right leg, above his shuriken holster.
Sasuke gritted his teeth in pain as blood vomited from his thigh. He squeezed his hand tighter around Kouji's wrist and punched Kouji squarely in the jaw. The fore sent Kouji careening backwards, and the brown-haired boy followed it through, turning it into a no-handed flip and kneeing Sasuke in the jaw. Sasuke let go of Kouji's wrist and stumbled backward. Kouji finished off his back flip and rubbed the back of his head in pain, his nose bleeding freely. Blood from the both of them dripped down their sweaty features and disappeared into the water.
Crap, Sasuke cursed as he yanked the shuriken out of his leg, blood spewed forth like an uncorked champagne bottle. I can't beat him like this. I have to use a technique… but what the hell can I use?
Naruto and Sakura watch with grinding teeth as Kouji hurled another shuriken.
"Watch out, you idiot!" Naruto screamed. The silver metal star struck Sasuke in the forehead, or rather, passed through his forehead and hit and over hanging tree branch as Sasuke exploded like a waterfall. Water flew everywhere and even Kouji, wiping drops from his eyes, blinked in confusion.
"What the hell?" Naruto exclaimed.
"It's a Mizu Bunshin!" Sakura exclaimed as it dawned on her.
The wall of water evaporated to reveal the real Sasuke, hands clamped together, a small cut on his cheek from Kouji's stray shuriken.
"Tajyuu Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Like out of a graveyard, at least a hundred copies of Sasuke pulled themselves out of the river and all charged at Kouji.
"Gya!" Some of the subordinates cried, leaping on to the bridges railing. "We have to help him!"
"No." A stern, oddly familiar female voice spoke behind Sakura.
"But, Ma-"
"You heard him, this battle is man to man. Have you no faith in Kou?"
"Sakura-chan?" Naruto's voice pulled her away from that of the familiar speaker.
"What?" Sakura turned to look into his bewildered face.
"When did he learn that?" Naruto pointed to the melee beneath them. Kouji had plowed through most of the Bunshin already.
"Do you remember when we were in Wave country?" Sakura said. "We fought those weirdoes?"
"Oh yeah! That girl used the Mizu Bunshin! Sasuke must've copied it!"
The real Sasuke lay in wake, kunai poised, as Kouji tackled the last of the water clones. Sasuke had to admit, this guy was talented. Using nothing but nine shuriken and some fancy foot work, he'd defeated every Bunshin. Unfortunately, he'd only had nine shuriken to begin with, and they were all lodged in a tree or tossed into a bush, none in the water for easy access.
Bizarre… Sasuke muttered to himself. And I wonder why he doesn't use a technique…
A toll had defiantly taken a toll on Kouji. As he finished off the last of the clones, he was covered in bruises and his breathing was heavy. So worn he was that he didn't even notice Sasuke sneaking up swiftly behind him until it was too late.
Kouji spun as Sasuke slashed with a kunai, slicing Kouji's chest. Hot blood spattered everywhere, mixing with Sasuke's and the water,
"Kouji-sama!" The audience roared as their hero hunched over his wound.
"Just give up." Sasuke muttered mercilessly. "You have no weapons and can't fight in that condition."
Kouji straightened a little and chuckled. Sasuke stared at him questioningly.
"Let's just say I'm not done yet." Kouji sneered. He slapped his bloody hands together and made a few hand seals. He didn't call out the name of the technique, but Sasuke could feel it. The air became spicy and sharp, the hairs on the back of Sasuke's neck stood on end, Kouji's much more so; Sasuke was positive if he didn't have that ponytail, he'd look like a porcupine.
Kouji stood up straight and held out a hand to the left bank of the river. Sasuke looked at the bank curiously. His shuriken, the one that had hit the tree, twitched, pulled itself out of the tree and flew into Kouji's hand.
What the hell! Sasuke gawked widely as Kouji threw the shuriken at him. Sasuke knocked it away with his kunai and noticed to his astonishment that the shuriken stopped just before it hit the water and flew back into Kouji's hand.
Something sharp dug into Sasuke's back. He yelped in pain.
The shuriken he threw at my first Mizu Bunshin! And Sasuke stood between it and its master. Sasuke looked around and noticed all the other shuriken returning to their owner from trees and bushes.
None of them fell into the water…Sasuke realized in horror. This guy… he planned this!
Every time a shuriken landed in Kouji's hand, he would immediately throw it and every time Sasuke knock one away, it would fly back to Kouji like a magnet. It became an endless volley; Sasuke lost track of how many there were, 10, a hundred, it didn't matter. Kouji could throw two at a time, while Sasuke could only hit one; he didn't have the time to reach for another weapon. His hands began to slice up, thin scars riddled his body and as Kouji approached him, they increased in number.
Kouji grew closer, three feet, two feet. Sasuke didn't have a minute to think about what he was doing.
Suddenly, the barrage of shuriken stopped. Sasuke's eyes opened wide in pain as Kouji's fist grounded itself in his stomach. White hot pain, like a first degree burn, shot through his arteries. For a moment, Sasuke felt like he was in Hell itself, then all went black.
-
"SASUKE!"
Sakura leapt down from the bridge, closely followed by Naruto. She ran up to the two boys and accepted Sasuke's limp form.
Kouji faltered backward and was caught by two of his subordinates.
"You two," the familiar female voice commanded as she stepped out onto the battlefield. "Get Kouji-sama to the hospital. I'll take care of the clean up."
Sakura looked into the face of the female speaker and gasped.
"Y-you!" She pointed at the girl.
Before her stood Madoka, Recently-Defeated-Karaoke-Champion Madoka. Her long, light hair had been pulled back tight and her eyes were sharp behind rectangular glasses. Her black uniform had a crisp and clean look, her rose button was displayed proudly above her heart and she wore her hitai-ate close around her neck. She looked nothing like the karaoke singer from yesterday.
"You know these people," Kouji wheezed in pain, "Madoka?" He gave her a suspicious look, like the parent that questions their teenager whom they know has pot.
Madoka pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"No." She replied curtly. The look in Kouji's eyes didn't falter, but he let it slide as he was carried away.
"You!" Madoka pointed to the peanut gallery of Raibara members. "Go back to the base. I'll take care of these three." The many ninja disappeared at her whim.
"You two." Madoka looked down the bridge of her nose at Sakura and Naruto as they cradled Sasuke's limp body. "Follow me."
-
Sasuke blinked. Or at least he thought he did. He couldn't tell in the darkness that surrounded him. Familiar voices echoed from somewhere above him.
"Thank you for letting us stay here." Came Sakura's voice from somewhere to his left. The darkness that shrouded him began to disappear into obscure blotches of color.
"Oh no problem, Akane-chan." A deep, unfamiliar male voice echoed from the same area Sakura's had. "You and your friends can stay here as long as you sing in the bar. It's a good thing Madoka-chan came to me so soon; this place is going to fill up like a drunkard's mug in the next few weeks, what with the festival and all. That hostel is going to be mighty crowded."
Sasuke tried to sit up, but a piercing pain shot out from his stomach. He yelped out in pain.
"Sasuke!" Sakura called out. He heard hurried footsteps as someone rushed to his side. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Stupid, don't try and sit up yet!" Sakura whispered, her voice marinated in concern.
Sasuke blinked as the darkness cleared, gritting against the pain and Sakura's berating, he sat up. He looked down at his hands as they swam into focus. His fingers, palms, wrists all the way up his arms were hidden within layers of bandage. In fact, as he now saw, most of his body was too. A large bloody patch smeared the white strips over his stomach; he could feel the hot moisture as he put a hand over it.
He took a quick look around the room. The small place looked like a modern bedroom with three beds, a closet, and a window with a balcony. Besides Sakura, there was only one other person in the room, a burly man in an apron.
"Oh, this is Futotta-san." Sakura explained, seeing Sasuke's gaze. "He's agreed to let us stay here for a while."
Futotta smiled and grinned.
"He owns the Karaoke bar I sang in last night and he's letting us live above it as long as I sing here."
"Ne? Akane-chan," Futotta called, "I have to return to the bar. Come down in about fifteen minutes and I'll set up the microphone for you."
"Hai." Sakura called as the owner left the room. She gave a sideways glance to Sasuke. The boy didn't respond, only glared darkly ahead of himself. Sakura gulped; she didn't like the look on his face; she didn't like it one bit.
"Excuse me," a stern female voice resounded from the doorway. Sakura snapped to look.
"You again!"
Madoka leaned casually against the door frame. Her light blonde hair had been freed of its ponytail and her glasses were gone, but everything else remained the same.
"What do you want?" Sakura hissed. She didn't know whether to appreciate or despise this girl. Madoka was a chief officer in Kouji's crew, yet it was her who had set them up with this arrangement. Madoka bypassed Sakura's question and walked up to Sasuke.
"You're not too bad." She muttered to him. Sasuke glared at her out of the corner of his eye. "Few people can hold their own against Kouji-sama, so I'll give you a word of advice." She glared like a killer down at Sasuke.
"Don't pick a fight with him." She raged, "You're lucky he didn't want to kill you, or you'd be nothing but a smear on the ground by now."
"What?" Sakura whispered. This guy was only toying with Sasuke!
Madoka turned around and casually walked back to the door.
"You people obviously aren't from around here," She sang. "or you'd know that Kouji-sama is the son of the Raikage. He's also the Hidden Cloud Village's youngest jounin." She half turned to face them. "He didn't have any intention of killing you today, only teaching you a lesson about the value of his crew. He's not a bad person, but I suggest, once you've recovered, you leave this place and never come back."
Sakura scoffed.
"Why are you helping us so much?" She muttered. "What's it to you if we pick a fight with him?"
"I want something in return, obviously." Madoka scoffed. "In exchange," she suddenly threw them another killer glare, "tell know one that I was ever here in Suiyo-Kame or at this Karaoke bar."
Sakura rubbed her head in confusion as Madoka left the room. If possible, their mission had just gotten a lot more complicated.
Sasuke continued to stare into nothingness. The words of Madoka meant nothing to him. Only one thing bothered his mind.
That technique, Sasuke seethed, what the hell did he use! How was it possible to attract shuriken that way? And that was no ordinary punch to the stomach either. Sasuke's mind racked up a million questions and no answers and the more questions he came up with, the more pissed off he got. It didn't make sense. Nothing made sense!
"Sasuke, let me re-bandage your stomach." Sakura said pulling out a wrap and he smacked the roll out of her hand in frustration. Sakura held her hand, taken aback.
"S-Sasuke?" She muttered. Her bandage wrap flew across the room and was snatched out of the air by a hand. Both Sasuke and Sakura turned to see Naruto standing in the doorway carrying all three backpacks. His normal cheerful mentality seemed to have been washed away, for he glared at Sasuke with full seriousness.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Naruto met Sasuke's dark attitude and gave it a run for its money.
Sasuke didn't answer, only continued his sinister gaze.
"What a loser," Naruto taunted, "you can't even beat that one guy. So much for the clan of genius ninja." His words dug into Sasuke's pride like an ice pick. Sasuke gritted his teeth.
"Naruto!" Sakura cried. "What?"
"No wonder Itachi is still alive, if you're too weak to even defeat one ninja." The comment went too far. Ignoring his blinding pain, Sasuke leapt out of bed and lunged at Naruto, grabbing the boy by the collar.
"You bastard…" Sasuke shook with rage.
Naruto chuckled evilly.
"Now you're talking my language. Let's take this outside."
Author's Note: BWAHAHAHAHA! Feel my eternal love of cliff hangers! I'm so evil :3 Anyway, everyone thank you so much for reading my story. I hoped you enjoy the many, many twists this chapter had to offer. Now do you see I don't show some things for nothing;)
About Itachi: No sorry, it was indeed Sasuke in the photograph... However, I didn't show him in Chapter 6 for no reason. So keep him in mind. Like Kakashi, he's not doing nothing either. ;)
Next Chapter: Friend versus Friend? The secret to Kouji's technique is...?