Destiny of the Cursed
Chapter 24: Double Trouble
Katana fell backwards as she barely missed the swipe. Blood welled up on the imprinted gash on her face. She reached out for her sword and brought it upwards at her defense just in time. Dark Katana's sword struck down on her, similar blades clashing against each other.
"Give up." The fake stated. Katana glared but chose not to answer. She sent a swift kick on the fake's gut, throwing the other one off balance. She sprung up on her feet and backed a safe distance away from her onyx-eyed twin.
Dark Katana recovered fast from the attack, standing up to meet the golden orbs glaring at her way. She sneered back. Both charged head on with the same jutsu in their minds. "Dendou Tora!" Bolts of lightning flashed at every direction, engulfing the whole diameter around them.
An explosion erupted, sounding like thunder roaring. In the midst of the smoky fog, two figures jumped away from the deep crater left from the impact, both completely unharmed. This isn't working! Thought Katana in agitation as she braced herself from an incoming assault.
Her clone's weapon descended down on hers. She sidestepped and jerked for a slash. The look-alike deflected the move and thrust forward. She jumped back.
No matter what they did, their strength remained equal. They had the same attacks, same jutsu, same agility and speed. The fight was clearly a draw.
"Stop struggling." Said Katana, "It's no use. Our strengths match. Your only choice is to return inside me."
Dark Katana scowled at her. "We were never equals!" she spat angrily. "I am always the stronger one…the bolder one who's not scared of unleashing my true power." Then she smirked. "You, on the other hand, would remain a weakling like the rest of these Konoha shinobi."
"I remain human." Answered back Katana, just as angry. "I care for these people, for this village, and they are what make me strong. You…You're nothing but a monster!"
"Then tell me…why would you want a monster back inside your body? Hm?" challenged the evil twin, leaving Katana unable to answer. "Why…would you want me, a curse, to stay? When you can always kill me, right here, right now?" She dropped her sword, leaving her open and vulnerable.
She's giving me a chance to finish her…Katana stared at her in disbelief. "Well?" demanded the fake again. "What are you going to do now? Won't you end your suffering?" It was a trap, Katana knew. There was a catch. There was always a catch.
Finally, something snapped inside Katana's mind, the gears in her head slowly comprehending. She snorted. The smirk on the double's face was wiped away. "What's so funny, girl?" Katana chuckled lightly, putting her sword back on its case. "You. You're funny." She said as a matter-of-factly.
Dark Katana grimaced. "And just what would make me seem so humorous?"
Katana's mouth curved into a cunning smile. "I thought that you, of all people, would know that I'm not that shallow or stupid." She gave the latter a knowing glance. "If I kill you, it would be like suicide then, won't it?" The look-alike's mouth dropped open. "How did you…?"
"You're a part of me, after all." Said Katana. "You're in my blood, in my chakra system, and in my mind. Any harm that I would bring upon you would end up on me later on."
Dark Katana growled, picking up her sword and placing it on Katana's neck. Katana's smile broadened. "And I believe the situation works vice versa." She continued. "If you kill me, you would have no solid container to return to, thus making you vanish like any other wasted chakra in the air."
The blade pierced through her skin, making crimson blood ooze out of the tiny wound. "I'd just have to get a new container then, right?" hissed the curse. Golden eyes narrowed. "There's a reason to why I'm still breathing right now…If my body wasn't compatible with the curse when Tamiko accidentally gave it to me, I would've died back then. Only certain people have the power to carry the burden of curses. Face it, you're stuck with me."
This time around, Katana's tone of voice challenged her, dared her to do it. Dark Katana's face darkened, pulling back the sword little by little away from Katana, until she sheathed her sword back again.
Katana sighed. "Alright. Now, let's not waste any more time and—"
"What makes you think I'll return to your body?" Katana stopped in mid sentence. A twisted grin on the clone's face told her everything wasn't a happy ending yet.
She raised an eyebrow at the remark. "So, you're not going back to me?" The doppelganger shrugged. "Didn't say I wouldn't. But I won't just… yet."
"What?" exclaimed Katana furiously. Dark Katana made a teleporting hand seal. "Taking me back ain't gonna be that easy…" She didn't vanish that instant as they both expected. Instead, the fake was glued to the ground, unable to move a single muscle.
Katana sighed again in relief, until she realized that she was in the same situation. "What the hell?" she protested. "Oi, don't explode just yet….troublesome…" Katana's eyes widened. "Shikamaru? Guys?" she asked hopefully. A kunai in her throat made her freeze. She saw Tenten do the same to the latter.
She inhaled slowly, preventing herself from panicking. She recognized the chakra of the person behind her and calmed down eventually. "Sakura, drop the kunai."
The medic-nin swallowed hard, her palms sweaty from anxiety. "How do I know if you are Katana?" she asked in doubt. From the other side, the copy whispered something to Tenten and the weapons mistress sighed in relief, letting go of her.
Katana's eyes widened in shock, the kunai pressing harder. "You liar…" hissed Sakura angrily. In alarm, Katana's head jerked back. "Sakura, you're making a mistake!" she shouted, sending the smirking clone dirty looks.
"Am I now?" spat her friend, threatening to slit her neck open any time. "Sakura, wait!" It was her voice, but she was sure she didn't say anything. Looking forward, she saw the double approach. "Sakura", said Dark Katana, "let me finish her."
Sakura blinked rapidly. "A-Are you sure?" she asked, bothered by the fact that Katana wanted to kill the fake herself. She nodded without hesitation, onyx eyes glistening in pure malice. "I'm quite sure." Katana was thrown out of Sakura's grasp but she remained stuck in Shikamaru's shadow bind. Naruto intervened from the group. "Katana-chan, you don't really have to go that fa—"
"Shut up!" She snapped. Naruto flinched. The look-alike glared coldly at Katana. "This is my chance to end this…To end her." She murmured and took out her blade. Katana could almost imagine the smooth steel of the weapon, cutting through her, her blood ran cold.
So…this is how I'll die? She released a ragged breath and craned her head to the side, painfully smiling at her friends who glared at her. "Naruto, Sakura…" she said, closing her eyes as the other one swung the sword. "Goodbye!"
For a moment, Katana felt nothing.
She saw nothing, heard nothing but the fast beats of her racing heart against her ribcage. Am I…dead?
"Clank!"
The urgent sound made her golden eyes snap wide open and suck in air in a gasp. The first thing she saw was Gaara, who stood in front of her protectively; his sand had a death grip on Dark Katana's arm. "Oi, Gaara!" yelled Naruto indignantly, trying to pry the grainy particles off the copy's arm but failing miserably. "What the hell are you doing?"
The redhead ignored him, his gaze never leaving the clone. "You're not Katana." He stated stoically, shocking all of them.
A nervous chuckle escaped the twin. "W-What do you mean, Gaara? S-Stop kidding around." She tugged her arm, but the sand only tightened its coil around her.
"Gaara! What do you mean she's not the real Katana?" demanded Naruto. "Her eyes." Replied Gaara. "They're the eyes…of a heartless killer."
"You're smart, boy." Snarled Dark Katana, her nightmare black eyes glaring at his teal ones. Gaara's expression was unwavering, showing not a trace of fear on them. "Hurt Katana again and I will kill you." The threat rolled out of his tongue like venom, calm but serious.
Sakura covered a hand on her mouth. "Oh my god…" she mumbled, hastily helping Katana up her feet and hugging her tight. "I'm sorry, Katana. I'm so sorry." The brunette nodded, letting out a relieved breath as everyone gathered around her in concern.
After a few minutes to compose herself, Katana walked up to the copy and frowned. "No more games…Just go back to my body." Dark Katana snorted and smiled conceitedly. "You're not getting me back that easy. Junsei Kurayami!"
"Everyone, scram!" barked Katana, jumping away from the toxic fumes. "Hinata, Neji! Where is she?" Activating their byakugan, the cousins found the chakra easily through the thick mist of poison. "Tenten, three o'clock!" ordered the male Hyuuga prodigy.
"On it!" Replied Tenten, flipping a scroll open. A shower of sharp blades rained down on the spot, waving out the haze. With a clearer view of the opponent, Katana shouted, "Kuroi Kago!" Black bars sprung up around the double, forming a cage with her trapped inside. "Dendou Tsume!"
"Kuroi Kaki!" The sword mistress slammed her hands down on the ground, black flames from her body trailing fast towards the cage and engulfing its bars before the claw shaped chakra made contact with it. Dark Katana drew her chakra fused hand away from the burning steel. "You insolent girl!" she roared furiously, gripping her head in frustration.
Although covered in flames, Katana's aura was threateningly icy. She paced deliberately slow towards the cage and stopped in front of her twin. "Give up." She said coolly.
"Never!" hissed Dark Katana. Eyebrows furrowing in disapproval, Katana snapped her fingers and the confinement around her vanished, much to everyone's shock, including the double. "What is this?" asked the look-alike in suspicion. Gilded orbs bore into coal eyes. Katana grasped the hilt of her weapon, pulling it out of its case. Wary looks from the group focused on the sword. She pointed it to her pulse.
"Katana-chan!"
"Katana!"
"What are you doing?"
The brunette ignored the alarmed protests of her friends and instead paid attention to the widened eyes of the curse. When black eyes glowered at her, Katana knew she made the right move. Panic was the only thing Katana can see in her twin. "Go back to my body or I kill myself." She stated. What are you going to do now?
"You're bluffing! You wouldn't even dare!" Nervous laughter escaped Dark Katana, trying to hide the dread that built up on her. Katana raised an eyebrow and punctured her skin lightly, her gaze on the copy never faltering. "Try me."She whispered in a dead serious tone.
Color drained from the double's face. "You will regret this."
Dark Katana slammed hard to her body, disintegrating into dust-like particles. Katana's eyes flashed black, turning into gold, then black again. The air around her was starting to freeze with the powerful chakra suddenly bursting inside her. Her body shuddered violently, collapsing limply to the ground. Painful wasn't enough to describe it. The agony was torturously slow, making death seem like a better choice. She could almost feel the curse's chakra, crushing every single one of her cells.
It wasn't long before she coughed out blood. Katana's vision turned blurry and red. The last thing she heard was panicked screams and a voice telling her to hold on before finally, passing out into unconsciousness.
Pain. That was all she could think about. It hurt everywhere. Even thinking about it hurts. I can't take anymore of this… Maybe I shouldn't have taken her back. She was right. I am starting to regret this. Is this suffering really worth living? I wanna die. Dying means sleeping forever right? That way…I won't feel anything anymore.
"Katana…" Katana? Is that me? Is that person calling for me?
"Katana." I know his voice… He used to say my name a lot of times…
"Katana, please…" What does he want?
"Open your eyes." Open…my eyes? But why? It hurts too much, Tou-san…
"Katana, wake up… please…" Who is this another person? He seems important to me too. Who was he again? Red hair… teal eyes right?
"It's me…Gaara." Gaara? Oh, yes, Gaara…That's his name. Sabaku no Gaara...
Katana opened her eyes feebly, the light of the room momentarily blinding her. After getting used to it, she craned her head to the side, resisting the urge to scream at the contracting ache. Her sleepless grey orbs fell on two men sitting beside her, staring like idiots with wide eyes.
She would've chuckled at the sight of them if it wasn't too painful to do so. She let out, instead, a weak-willed grunt. In an instant, Kakashi was out of the door to call Tsunade, muttering something like, "stay with her" to the teenage Kage. Aquamarine eyes gazed back at her again, his strong hand capturing her pale and cold one. He squeezed it gently, allowing her to see the unmistakable worry in his eyes.
She tried to smile, but her efforts only resulted into an upward twitch of her mouth. "How are you feeling?" he asked lowly. She gave him a sarcastic look. How do you think I'm 'feeling'?
"You lost a lot of blood. Tsunade-sama said something about chakra overload." He explained carefully. "But she told us you'll be alright..."
A thin eyebrow rose. Do you doubt her? He shrugged as answer to her unspoken question. "I can't help but worry. Hatake-san was worried for you as well."
The door creaked, making both of them glance at it. The blonde Hokage entered with her medic robes, Kakashi and Shizune following behind her. Tsunade smiled at her and Gaara. "I'm glad to see you're awake now." Katana nodded once in thanks. Tsunade did her a quick check-up just to make sure her chakra level remained stable. "I have good news and bad news." Announced the Sannin after clearing up the equipments. "What do you want to hear first?"
"G-good." Croaked out Katana in a hoarse voice. "The good news is," said Tsunade, "your chakra level is in a stable condition. There's nothing to worry about now, but I will want you to stay here and rest for three days." Then she sighed. "Unfortunately, Team 7 and 8's retrieval mission is tomorrow. So, I'm afraid to say you can't go."
A frown of confusion took over Katana. "What m-mission?" Tsunade blinked back at her in the same confused way. Then with annoyance, she faced Kakashi. "You didn't tell her?" she demanded angrily.
"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama…" the copy ninja bowed in apology, a guilty look on his face. "W-what didn't he tell me?" asked Katana again. Kakashi sighed and took a seat on her bed. "Remember the day I told you Sasuke killed Orochimaru?" She nodded cautiously.
"Naruto…came up with a plan, that if we try and go for Itachi, the same person that made Sasuke run away, we might be able to bring him back." Katana's eyes widened. "W-Why didn't you tell me? We finally have a chance to bring him back!" she shouted at him, leaving a burning sensation on her dry throat.
His eyebrows furrowed in sorrow. "I didn't tell you…because if this mission fails again and we are not able to bring back Sasuke, I can't bear to see you torment and blame yourself for the second time around." She looked down. "Maybe it's better if you stop trying to do what you promised. You're only hurting yourself."
Katana's fists clenched around the sheets. "Stop trying?" Her head snapped up. "I can't just stop trying! I promised! I was the one who—"
"Stop blaming yourself!" shouted back Kakashi and grabbed her shoulders. "We both know he's not coming back! He's not the Sasuke we once knew! Sasuke's dead and you know that!"
"He's not dead yet!" argued Katana. "He's dying!" Kakashi stopped his grip on her. Katana hugged him gently. "He's dying slowly and he needs us. He needs us to change him." The older man relaxed against her, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame. "We can't stop now, Tou-san…" whispered Katana hopefully. "Not when we still have hope."
End Chapter