Well, I gotta say that with writing stories for my FictionPress account I was beginning to doubt I'll write this down this soon (especially since I got a slight author's block), but I added some, extra stuff to the chapter and I'm quite happy with how it turned out, so I won't complain… much XD
Naturally I wanna thank everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. I'm glad you enjoyed it and hope that Takai's story, which apparently you guys have high expectations off, will live up to them. Well, this chapter is more of an intro to it, but there are scenes that you might find interesting, concerning some, other characters in it.
Before going further, I just need to say that my exams are coming closer, so there's a possibility I won't be updating in two-week time. I believe it's best to warn you that there may not be an update until the end of January this time around. Nothing I can do about that.
With that said, I believe the only thing left to do, is to invite you to read the first chapter of N:NG in 2008! Hope you'll enjoy it!
Charter #107: Broken – Takai's Story part I
Title Page: the crypt: Takai is sitting on a coffin with his left foot resting on it and his scythe in his right hand
Taka sat on a large stone, gazing at the full moon. He didn't turn around when a sudden sound reached his ears from behind and merely spoke up with a calm, emotionless voice: "What the hell do you want, Hizoku?"
The redhead threw his teammate a quick look as he froze for a fraction of a second, and then continued forward, sitting down next to the chain user. He too gazed at the sky and without turning his eyes towards Taka, he responded: "I appreciate what you did at the eliminations, but… all this time I had a feeling you don't care about my goal at all, so… why did you do it?"
"Don't get too friendly with me" replied the other grass-nin, pointing the tip of his chain at Hizoku's throat. "I don't like you and quite frankly I have no idea why I gave up back then. First off: I don't trust you one bit! After all the saying 'like father, like son' didn't came out of the blue" but at this point the redhead's eyes settled on him, giving the coldest stare that Taka had seen so far.
"I'd prefer you not speaking of my father, especially since you know little of what has occurred those thirteen years ago" Hizoku announced, but his teammate didn't reply. He just retreated his chain like nothing happened and again took a glance at the moon. They remained silent for a while, until the redhead finally stood up and again not looking at the chain used, he spoke up: "Well, regardless to the reason, you still have my gratitude…"
"Yeah, well…" began the other boy with a tiny smirk appearing behind his mask. "Just be sure you won't screw up" and upon hearing this, Hizoku also smiled before walking away, thus leaving Taka alone on the cliff.
---That time, Konoha Hospital---
"Senkou-kun, get down from there! You still need to rest!" Mikka cried after her teammate, who balanced on his left hand, which held the rail of the balcony tight. The boy merely gazed at her, without saying a word and thus the young medic wanted to go on, yet she was stopped by her, other teammate's voice: "Let it go, Mikka, that's just how he is" Tsume announced as she sat on her bed, giving Uramaru some meat that she gathered in her palm.
"But…" the other kunoichi wanted to oppose, but then the doors to their room opened and slowly Kokoro came in with Galu close behind. The green-haired boy simply placed a basket of fruits on one of the table, as she announced calmly: "This is a hospital… you guys shouldn't act so loud…"
"But Senkou-kun…" Mikka began, pointing at the masked boy with her finger, but at the same time the son of Hokage jumped and somersaulting in mid-air, he landed safely back on the balcony, before entering the room again: "More importantly then disturbing the peace of this place: what the hell are you two doing here? You guys advanced to the Final Exam… you got more important things to worry about then us…"
"Nothing's more important then friends" Kokoro replied simply with a smirk. "Besides…" he added, pointing at this head, making Senkou's eyes twitch as he responded: "I really hate that bloodline limit of yours." The blonde's smirk only widen at the comment, while the silver-haired boy crossed his arms.
But then his right eyebrow rose slightly as he spotted something with the corner of his eye. He gazed over his shoulder at the nearby rooftop, noticing a figure standing there with the full moon in the background. The headgear made sure Senkou did not make a mistake: "It's that shadow-nin… Saiken or whatever his name was. But his entire team lost the eliminations and he forfeit himself. No-one from his village will take part in the Final Exam so what in the world is he still doing in Konoha?"
The masked boy turned to his teammate's again and as his eyes met with Kokoro's, the blonde only gave him a small nod. Seeing this Senkou again looked out the window, but Saiken was no longer there. His eyes narrowed as a worried expression crossed his face. He quickly shook it off however and returned to his friends.
---Same time, elsewhere---
Torune walked into the moonlight as she entered the garden just out front of the estate. She walked forward, not even bothering to look at the flowers around her that even in this dim light resembled a rainbow. Night wind blew, shaking leaves from the trees before her, but even that didn't disturb her. At this point there was only one thing that was important to her.
She finally reached the place where her jounin instructor sat on a stomp. The older kunoichi gazed at her student, who had a suspicious look on her face. With a slight bow, the girl spoke up, breaking the night's silence: "You wanted to see me, Temari-sensei?" she asked, now worried as the expression of her teacher didn't change.
"Where are your teammates?" Temari asked calmly, completely ignoring the girl's question. Torune hesitated for a moment and then replied: "Aoru and Tarakudo are sound asleep, while Honemaru decided that he's going to meditate before going to bed…"
"And Takai?" the jounin pushed, narrowing her eyes slightly. This made the young kunoichi hesitated even more. She looked over her shoulder and settled her eyes on a roof nearby, where sat a figure with a big scythe attached to its back. Temari followed her sight and without a word, she stood up, walking over to her student.
"I don't suppose we have to worry about him" she finally spoke up, making Torune gaze at her, completely confused. Temari bended her knees slightly and once her face was on the same level as the girl's, she announced, loud enough only for the young kunoichi to hear her: "Torune, I asked you to come, because there's something you should know. It's something that I always hid from you, thinking that was the best choice, but lately I came to a conclusion that this isn't right. You should know. And thus I have to ask you to follow me…"
"Where are we going, Temari-sensei?" the girl asked, even more confused then before. The jounin only turned her back towards her and spoke up: "To learn the truth about you" she announced as she walked into the shadows of the night. Torune seemed to froze at that, but after a moment she ran after her instructor as the two walked through the empty streets of Konoha.
Meanwhile Takai, who sat on a nearby roof, observed the two calmly. As they left the garden, he narrowed his eyes slightly and then gazed at the sky. It was full moon that night. As the stars twinkle a sad expression crossed his face.
The scythe user held out his right hand and stared at it for a moment: "Darkness… this is my only solitude. The more I think about it, the more I come to realize that this is how it was meant to be. In reality, I never really had a choice. Tarakudo, Honemaru… they did, but not me. Blood that spilled on these hands is the best example of that" he concluded with no change in his expression before he lowered his hand again.
"Choice is a very tricky thing" he continued as he gazed at the full moon again. "I recall you once saying we all have a choice, but that's just a fool's dream. After all there are so many factors we have no control over… our fate isn't in just our hands. Looking all those years back, I came to a conclusion that in actuality it couldn't end any, other way then me killing you, Touba…because I am what I am and you were who you were…"
---Five years ago in Hidden Sand Village---
"Get away, monster!" an eight-year-old boy yelled as he threw a rock, hitting a boy his age right above his left eye. The black-haired boy shut his crimson eye as the liquid in the same color flew down from his forehead, creating a small waterfall before his eye. He wanted to cry, but for some reason he found it impossible to do. Why could he not gather any water in his eyes? Perhaps he really was a monster?
"Back off, dammit!" yelled another boy, hitting the bleeding one in the head with a long stick and thus making him fall onto his back to the sandy surface. "How dare you even show your face around here? No freaks allowed!" and with that he brought his stick down, ready to smack the other boy's head again, however this time his assault was stopped by a small cloud of sand that appeared in its way: "What the…?"
Instantly the mob of eight-year-olds turned their gazes down the street, where a lone boy was walking towards them. He was no older then any of the gathered, but for some reason he felt different. His short, spiky, red hair got moved slightly by the sudden wind, yet his jade eyes seemed to be settle upon the group with determination showing in them. Wearing a mostly yellow and orange outfit, he carried a gourd that was almost as big as himself on the back.
"I know him!" one of the kids announced, pointing her finger at the redhead. "It's Kazekage-sama's son! The one with the same abilities as Sabaku no Gaara! It's Touba!" she shrieked the last part, though it was hard to tell whether it was from excitement or fear.
Touba's face however did not show any form excitement or happiness. If anything, it was rage. His eyes dropped to the black-haired boy's body with blood dripping off it in several places, right before they went back to the mob, settling his gaze upon them, making chills run down the spines of each and everyone gathered.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, holding back his anger, which made everyone take a step back. "Why do you torment this kid? Did he do anything to you?" and at those words some began muttering things like 'but he's a monster' or 'he'd be better off dead', yet this only seemed to anger Touba even further: "And by treating him like that, you think you're any better then monsters?"
"You can't tell us you're actually going to defend this… this… thing!" another boy shouted in disbelief, making sand suddenly shoot out from Touba's gourd. The group instantly screamed in horror, but surprisingly for them, the sand just swirled above the redhead, without even going at them.
Touba's eyes narrowed, as he spoke up, not even bothering to hide the fact he was furious: "Get lose" and immediately the mob ran off in different directions, none of them daring to look back even once. As all of them disappeared from his view, the redhead turned around and placed a smile of his face as his eyes meet with the black-haired boy's.
The other boy seemed both terrified and confused. Seeing this the redhead extended his hand forward, stopping it right before the other boy: "I'm sorry for what just happened. It was a very inhuman thing those guys did. But you don't have to worry, they're gone now and you're safe. Come on, I'll take you to the hospital. Your wounds might require medical treat…" but before he could finish the sentence, he realized all the cuts on the other boy's body already got closed, leaving no trace that he just got beat up, if it wasn't for blood that left the wounds earlier, covering the figure.
The black-haired boy still stared blankly at the gourd carrier, unsure as to what he should do. Kazekage's child could easily tell this much and thus moved his hand even closer to him, speaking up again: "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. They call me Sabaku no Touba, but friends refer to me as Tou-kun. I promise that starting now, I won't allow those bullies to torment you anymore…"
---a meeting that has become a premonition of a tragedy!---
And so this chapter ends. I do hope you enjoyed it and that you'll be so kind as to leave me a review once you're done. Also, I wanna encourage you all to read my original stories on FictionPress as well (and give reviews if you can, coz annonymous ones are allowed there too). They're kept in manga climax and you might just like them.
And with that said, I believe the only thing left to do is to invite you to drop by when the next chapter of this fic will be done. Until then, hopefully.