The Colour Purple Chapter 35: a valid conversation, a king of fighters fanfic

The Colour Purple... The King of Fighters '95

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This (chapter) fanfiction was originally written circa: [XX.96] (Thank you)

"Which Character are you?"

Note to self: Legacy chapter numbering (32- - -), does not match. [Original chapter written 2013]

ORIGINAL CHAPTER.

Chapter 35: a valid conversation

Eiji gasped for breath, sucking in oxygen rapidly, desperately as if he was clinging to dear life itself, as if at the last instant, he gurgled when his throat was CUT, mercilessly, as if we were all just revived from death. HAUG.. hagh.. hah.. ha.. ah.. then his heartbeat finally rested into a calm yellow pace.

With his one hand Eiji covered his mouth and, in a frantic panic he realized that his fingertips touched bare flesh. His left hand erupted into life, grasping, clawing by his bedside. He was no different than a toddler drowning in a pool. His heartbeat began to race at the realization that his bare face was exposed. Gouging his soft futon, slapping down, his grip eventually made its way to his nightstand table. He felt a familiar sensation and grabbed onto his mask desperately. Eiji pulled the cloth over his head and in a feverish urgency placed it to cover the lower half of his mouth.

His body looked like it was on fire, twitching, the beading sweat ran down his back. But when the mask finally found its proper place, the screaming in his head immediately ceased.

Eiji commanded his tense shoulders to relax. He pushed them back into the futon that imprisoned him. A calm breath escaped his lips and through his cloth mask. His breathing finally settled to a familiar rhythm with that filter between him and the world.

Eiji looked up at the ceiling. The room that was once dark eventually became real to him. The hues, the shades of grey separated into distinct colours, into individual shapes. He continued to gaze upwards. Steel rods seemed to escape his eyes and penetrate the ceiling above and kept his head motionless.

His brain that was once petrified and cold was now throbbing. Blood was flowing through his veins. Reality had welcomed him back – again.

Perhaps in dramatic fashion the old Kusanagi ninja remained quiet for 4 minutes before he decided to break the lucrid silence. [Lucrid] – 'to have full use of one's facilities and clear to the understanding.'

"Good morning." Eiji calmly greeted - quite a surprise that he didn't even bother to clear his throat that had been plastered dry shut for days.

No answer.

"When a man greets a woman, so early in the morning…" Eiji politely, sternly advised through that wall. "It is only proper she reply."

"Good morning, Eiji Kisaragi," replied a female voice from the other side of the wall.

"Yamashita..? Is it?" Eiji asked cautiously. "The Yagami ninja – with Kaori Kusanagi's face?"

No answer.

"It seems you've grown dea.."

"I HEARD you, Mr. Kisaragi." Yamashita retorted sharply through that concrete barrier. "Though, I must admit," Yamashita continued. "I would very much rather be remembered as the woman who GUARANTEED that Eiji Kisaragi awoke in his own bed, safely…"

No answer.

"Do you always…" Eiji began to talk but abruptly stopped himself mid sentence. "Thank you, Miss Yamashita." Eiji uttered. The female ninja could detect the strained tone in his voice, but didn't react, and simply, quite simply relished the moment softly.

"Do you always talk this way? It is rather peculiar." Eiji continued talking to the dark wall.

"I do not think it peculiar at all." Yamashita said. "In fact I think you talk in a similar fashion. It seems that you and I have trouble with constrictions and slang."

"I believe it is called 'contractions', Miss Yamashita."

"We typically do not speak that way in Yagami palace." She said. "While colourful, and perhaps somewhat convenient, it seems very inappropriate."

"I can respect that. Mayhaps all ninjas speak this way. I hope they continue to at least." Eiji smiled under his mask.

"I see." Yamashita came back. "I appreciate the lesson in English grammar."

If a woman would have told me that, and perhaps had she had said it to you… you might've thought to yourself – was that sarcasm? Was that a sharp reply made by someone who really didn't care but to be-gone with the [assiduousness] of everyday.

However, to a man like Eiji – of dark humour and painful clarity, he didn't so much as flinch. He understood that - that the woman behind that wall, who spoke much like him, despite its rough edges, with perhaps a much too polished transparency that hid behind no fanfare, was honest and sincere. A very peculiar conversation, between two [people], a man and a woman, whose borders that defined insult and reality, were surveyed at totally different places from everyone else in the world.

Good. He thought. That is a respectable trait.

"How long have I been unconscious?" Eiji asked.

"For two days." She said. "Quite honestly, I think it quite remarkable your body was able to recover at such a short time." The voice from behind the dark wall told him.

"…and of Iori?"

"The young master is still in a coma. My men took both you and the young master and brought you back [home] after that fight. It seems that you really broke his body down."

…

Across the hallway in that two-story house, all the doors on the second floor remained closed and not a single body scurried in the hallways. It gave it a slight lonesome feeling. Much like Eiji's room, the thick curtains were pulled shut and kept the sunlight from entering into that dark dismal place. The black room – and even if it was too dark, did not suppress wisps of dust from floating upwards into space, glistening lightly before dying out like small stars.

"He is in his room right now, and just needs some rest – his body, and Orochi's gift will do the rest. Typically the purple would heal him but I suppose, after facing against Eiji Kisaragi he would need more time." Yamashita mused, her index finger across her masked lip.

Iori lay motionless on his bed. His hands were straight down his sides and his face pointed up sternly, so still and proper, likely no different from a corpse in a coffin. With no movement and no sound, the room felt like an eerie box separated from the outside world and existed with a time of its own pace.

"Just as a precaution, our doctors strapped an IV to him." Yamashita continued.

By Iori's side was a tall steel stand, and hung on top was a plastic intravenous bag that dripped a clear fluid into a glass drip chamber, from that, a long tube was directly connected with needles into Iori's inner arm.

On the opposite side of that dark kingdom sat a young woman dressed in a traditional Japanese Kimono. Her shoulders were slumped from fatigue but she tried her best to keep her head upright. Her face was slightly slumped forward, looking down at her hands that gripped the cloth around her knees anxiously, somewhat nervously.

In order to keep herself focused she wiggled her fingers while still maintaining a fist, gripping onto her kimono. The joints of her fingers bobbed up and down steadily like pistons in a car engine. Slowly and steadily, just trying to stay calm. She had already forgotten how long she had remained awake, but it was beyond duty that she kept watch over her master's unmoving body. The room was pitch black, but after a few moments, your eyes would adapt to the lack of light – you could make out the different hues of grey and shapes distinguish themselves from each other. The slave girl bit down on her lower lip. She was in a place if uncertainty, fear, and perhaps something else.

"We do have one of our own watching over him." Yamashita assured Eiji.

Seeing Iori motionless and petrified on that bed, receiving intravenous treatment in that silent dark prison made him seem more human, the slave girl's worried thoughts swirled outwardly. Her uneasy, and rancid fear was like dark thorned vines that emerged from her feet and spread out in that room. He was so helpless she cried.

The great, powerful Iori Yagami – who, even at the tender age of 8 years old could go head to head with Eiji – no, even Lord Hajime Yagami. A prodigy, raised, cultivated and shaped with great ruthless care – was still and motionless. However, now he looked so weak, and helpless, with no one to protect him save for that young girl who stayed with him with utmost and unquestioning loyalty. She clamped down with her trembling fists on her lap. If Iori… If Iori wasn't there… she…

"Haugh!" Iori's mouth parted with a loud, laboured gasp. The young woman IMMEDIATELY looked up. Her legs sprung back to life but as her thighs tried to lift her body up, but her bottom sank back down into her wooden chair. She had been sitting down for so long that her legs had grown numb and wasn't even able to let her stand. In a fit of frustration, she let go of her kimono and hit her thighs with the bottom of her fists repeatedly. She made a soft whimpering sound, defiant and pleading.

It was no use; her legs were asleep and didn't succumb to her command.

She looked up – and Iori was again motionless and silent, though breathing normally and peacefully. The slave girl scratched her face and massaged her legs. Just a little longer. She would stay awake for a little longer, because, she thought, her master would wake up at any moment.

…and how horrible it would be if she wouldn't be awake to greet him when he opened his eyes. Oh please God. Please, let me see his eyes again, she prayed.

"Do not worry, Kisaragi." Yamashita said. "With her at his side, the young master would not dare leave us so easily."

…

"I see... at least he is still alive." Eiji breathed with a slight sigh of relief he tried to hide midway as he spoke, resting his head on his pillow. "…and what of Billy?"

No answer.

"…"

"Oh yes, the gaijin (foreigner)?" Yamashita asked.

No answer.

"For someone seemingly quite intelligent – you are rather quite narrow minded." Eiji scoffed.

"…?"

"In New Hong Kong (NHK)." Eiji said. "Aren't we ALL foreigners?"

No answer.

"He was an amusing one… That Billy Kane." Yamashita laughed sharply. "Geese Howard's men were watching the fight also, and refused to let us take him home. They insisted to take him to a hospital after the young master hurt him."

"I see."

"Before that blonde haired British man collapsed. I must tell you, he tried his very best to hold your body up proudly, Eiji Kisaragi." She said. "Before he saw the darkness, it seemed to me, he cared for YOUR body before he did his own."

…

"You fucking CUNT!" He called out, jabbing his fingers in the air imagining them rip into Yamashita's body mercilessly. "You GOD DAMN fucking BITCH. Just…"

The blonde haired man, dressed in a black suit and dark hat that loomed over his face waved his hands around furiously – out of control. He was totally beside himself, at the edge of sanity he was ready to come unglued and tear into the female ninja in front of him.

"Hey! That's enough man." One of his men came by his side and tugged at his biceps. "Hopper calm the FUCK down."

Hopper turned around in response and shoved his subordinate back with both hands without a second thought. "Sol, YOU shut UP!" He roared. The young blonde haired man sent Sol back in waiting with the rest of his dozen, similarly dressed cohorts with his open palm and returned his attention to the female Yagami ninja.

"What the HELL is wrong with your boy, you fucking BITCH. I swear, if anything happens to Billy I'll fucking KILL YOU." Hopper snarled. "Don't you dare even so much as TOUCH Billy. Your fucking FUN SWAY, Chinese VOODOO, goddamn herb bullshit! He's coming with us to the hospital, you ugly FAT pig."

Even if Hopper had a dozen of Geese's men at his disposal. The 5 ninja elite who bolstered their captain, Yamashita, simply crossed their arms and looked at each other playfully. They chuckled amongst themselves at the blonde haired foreigner's wild show. It wasn't even worth their effort to speak. The arrogant Caucasian was simply going through the motions as those white folk always do. All bark and no bite they mused as they exchanged glances and snickered amongst themselves. They were sure if it came to blows 6 Yagami ninja was sure than more than enough to decimate his black suited ranks. They just laughed and looked every which way – waiting until the show was over so they could go home.

"This wasn't part of the deal." Hopper continued on with his spiraling tirade out of control. "What the FUCK is wrong with your mad dog?! Billy was there to PROTECT him and he fucking ripped in to him. You shit... you SHIT YOU UGLY CUNT!"

"Fine. Fine." Yamashita held her hands up in order to try to diffuse the situation. Quite surprisingly, she kept herself calm and maybe, the clear understanding that her men could cut down Geese's troupe in an instant was the only thing that kept her civil. "If you want to take your man, that is fine…"

"FUCK YOU!" Hopper, beyond all reasoning cut in, jumping up, the invisible chains around his neck clattered taut, "I'm going to FUCKING break your arms and legs you CUNT and when I'm done with you, all you'll be good for is sucking off tourists on Tuesday nights!"

Quite crude and preposterous – but Hopper's men held their emotions at bay, but not for very long.. Re broke his calm stoic face and began to burst into laughter, clutching his gut. Perhaps it was from the absurdity of the statement, or perhaps it was from the touché, crude fashion of his leader's words… or maybe it was simply because he had never ever, in his life ever seen the cool, emotionless Hopper show this much rage.

The dozen men behind Hopper didn't have the luxury to continue their berated laughter when Yamashita marched sternly into Hopper. The instant after their eyes locked, she propped her breast up and firmly pushed them forcefully THROUGH Hopper in familiar 1960s gang fight fashion. The female ninja perched her nose merely centimeters from Hopper's, her eyes stern and taut, cleaving into his matching gaze.

"If you dare open your MOUTH again." She warned. "I will cut both your arms, chop off your penis, and FEED it to you."

Hopper looked across at Yamashita's solid, determined gaze, mouth agape. At her challenge, Hopper had no comeback to fling back at her. She simply stood there in front of him, dead serious. At the slightest provocation perhaps, she was ready to completely destroy the world underfoot.

From either side, none of the men dared to speak for fear of breaking the glass rod that was at wits end. Hopper's shoulders trembled furiously at its sockets, but in response Yamashita stood firm and motionless, ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation.

None of the men dared speak for fear of unleashing Armageddon. Sweat drops beaded on their foreheads, not wanting to disrupt the silence. It was an uncomfortable tension, not knowing what to do next, both sides held their hands at the ready but steadied their weapons; they remained at the impasse.

Without warning, when the thick heavy fog was too much to bear, one of Yagami's ninjas put his hands to cover his mouth, but it was too late and he had let loose a rabid laugh. He laughed out loud – ripping into the crowd. At the preposterous scene.

Then the other four couldn't help but laugh amongst themselves, praising their captain who cut down the Caucasian at a moment's notice.

Ah-ha… HE.. HAH.. HAHAHA! They laughed in unision.

Hopper's hands trembled so violently it seemed that his arms would rip themselves from their sockets. He turned around and marched towards the black Lincoln and popped open its trunk to his subordinates unsure panic. The black suited Caucasian men behind Hopper simply looked at each other in panic, not knowing what to do.

Hopper thrust his hands into the trunk of that black car, and in the next instant exposed the hard steel barrel of a Russian AK-47 combat rifle. "You think that's funny, do YOU?" Hopper SCREAMED. "You think that's fucking FUNNY!?" He marched from the back of his car and made a steady pace towards the female ninja captain, ready to drive that barrel through her head. Cocking it back and forth with just one hand. Hopper twisted the rifle sideways and pumped it forward as easily as the clueless gangsters did in action movies. Sideways with one hand he popped that AK-47 rifle towards the crowd of ninja in that park.

"You think you're funny? That it?!" Hopper challenged Yamashita. "Okay… Let's see how you…"

"Goddamn it.,. STOP, Hopper!" Ripper put himself carelessly in between the man and the ninja. Ripper put his left hand over the triggerguard of Hopper's rifle, trying valiantly to push him back. "You're insane Hopper." Ripper cut in. "This is a public park. What the hell are you doing?"

"You've got 6 dumb fuckers in their pajamas standing in front of you, and a dozen black suited thugs with unmarked black vans on the other side.." Hopper started, "And you're worried about an AK-47?"

"Billy's hurt, man" Ripper valiantly tried to reason with his comrade. "The longer we stay here, the more in danger he'll be in... wake up, man!"

That much was true, Hopper finally reigned himself in and relaxed his grip on the combat rifle. "OK, but..."

"Shut up!" Ripper said all the while pulling Hopper back into their black van. "Just calm down... We got to get Billy to the hospital." He pleaded.

The engine of that black van roared to a start. Ripper pushed hopper back into its body and he himself, climbed back in. "Get your man home, ninja." Ripper said over his shoulder. "Forget about it, we'll contact you later."

The motor erupted to a roar and the van's chassis finally began to move.

Hopper pushed his head through that sliding gate one last time, he was going to get the last word in... "You CUNT… I swear if anything happens to Billy…"

"Just, just SHUT up!" Ripper exclaimed one last time when he grabbed a fistful of Hopper's hair and pulled him back into that dark void. The sliding door shut with a resounding THUMP and the last of Geese's caravan sped off to follow.

…

Accented with brief pauses of silence, each ninja, separated by that cold, plain wall that looked [back] at them, searched for clues for what to say next. Even though silence was a legitimate form of conversation, it was not entirely comfortable for people the likes Kisaragi and Yamashita who uttered words plainly and never found any reason to flatter or mince them.

So preposterous – that even ninja can exist – and have a conversation in the real world with the rest of us. Without anything else to say – nothing else to do - Eiji tilted his chin and looked down at his attire in that bed. Ugh.

Eiji uncovered his blanket to the side and looked down to his legs. He… "W… Were you the one who dressed me?" Eiji grit his teeth - his expression couldn't even touch awe, anger or even disbelief. The tension in his brow made him forget what he was thinking seconds prior.

Yamashita, let herself go for a moment and smirked. She covered her masked face with her hand, nevermind that a concrete wall separated him and Eiji,

Eiji weakly slumped his shoulders backwards – it was no use, he was so flabbergasted and didn't have any energy to make another move. He had been clothed in blue pajamas, with cartoon penguins dotted throughout. His shirt was a pink 'Nomo' New York Dodgers shirt that had a cartoon bear on the front – in the front it said "GAMBARE" (you can do it). The shirt's collar, and sleeves were trimmed with powder blue. It was a baseball shirt he had bought by accident and he had painstakingly hidden in the back, dark recesses of his closet – in 1992 everyone in Japan hoped, the Japanese pitcher would play for the United States. They dreamed that he would be recognized – and though this man, a nation's dreams would become reality.

That DREAMS would become something that even a simple man could conquer.

"Yamashita!" Eiji called out.

She felt an easy feeling in her chest. "YAMASHITA!" Eiji said again. The female ninja decided to stop her smile. That was payment enough. Maybe sometimes, we can become happy in mediocre moments of yesterday and today.

While there was no immediate answer, Eiji just knew and accepted it. "You just HAD to find the most OBNOXIOUS thing in my wardrobe didn't you."

Yamashita… "I hope it is to your liking, Kisaragi-san." : )

…

"Tell me, have you been waiting there for very long?" Eiji asked.

"Not for long. Probably… about… 18 minutes." Yamashita answered slowly.

"Liar." Eiji couldn't help but shout out. "Kaori Kusanagi was a HORRIBLE liar. Thanks to her, I can spot one from a mile away."

"Is your world, Eiji Kisaragi…" Yamashita wondered out loud, "Simply defined by what women do or do not say to you?" she unconsciously turned her head to the side, as if in a television drama – with no one watching, as she folded her arms into each other gruffly.

Do not both of us find pleasure in cutting down the others around us? Instead of swords and muskets we use words to lash out. Yamashita, the female ninja stood up from her slump on the wall. She made her way to walk away from the useless [conversation] that she made the mistake of sharing with the wounded man behind that wall. But – however – she stopped her tracks. Yamashita cleared her mind. Arms steady at her sides. She stopped and stumbled backwards and leaned back against [that] wall.

Even if the prison of death would do him wrong…

Once again, both their minds raced against each other. They tipped the scales back and forth in an exchange that was a fine art between weapon and silence. Hatred and respect were simple, poisonous drinks best enjoyed by two.

In broken places… the world had become… but does it not, in those fissured and torn places in the world…

"Even if…" Eiji opened his mouth.

Respect and envy.

…in those broken places, the strongest men exist?

"That was quite the fight. I do not think I've ever seen anything so moving." Yamashita interrupted Eiji.

"…"

"Your fight, you were indeed incredible. Honestly, I never thought you were capable; Back then, I never saw you in this way before."

"…"

When this war ends, let us stop.

"In Yagami palace, we were taught that our natural enemies, the Kusanagi ninjas were cruel, dirty, unhonourable things." She said. "Hajime Yagami often preached that the cause we fought was just, and was right. But, after seeing this fight, I doubt that now."

[Doubt]. I think that was what you said, the word that tangled and could cut down great powers. You are a fortunate man, Eiji Kisaragi. That even upon death, your comrades bravely came to your call.

You are a fortunate man, Eiji Kisaragi. For, even after the clutches of death had his cruel way with them - your FRIENDS be true.

Despite my master robbing you of such treasures, you still continue to fight.

I wish, I could experience such a grand friendship at least once in my lifetime, Yamashita placed the back of her hand to cover her lips.

"Kaori Kusanagi… she was beautiful, wasn't she?" she asked.

"Yes.. Yes, she was." Eiji replied in a downcast sigh in that dismal room. "She was the most beautiful woman in the world."

…

EPILOGUE:

February 14, 1983.

"Do not waste my time. So, what does a Yagami ninja have to say to me?" Kusanagi said so matter of factly.

The Kusanagi ninja guard eased his grip on the female Yagami ninja and pushed her forward towards their master. As a reply her right foot rammed into the ground, her toes tore into the ceramic tiles underfoot, catching her weight. She spun around, left hand grabbed the Kusanagi guard on his collar. She pulled him in and before he could understand what was to happen next, she hurtled her body and threw a sharp right cross between his eyes.

On instinct the parade of guards made for their swords, yet before the fool's shoulders hit the ground, her hands were already up in surrender. "You bitch." The troupe growled.

"Your men do not know how to treat a lady properly, Kusanagi-sama." She immediately cut at the fearsome man in front of her. Her blood boiled on instinct. She couldn't stop her heart beating when he sensed their aura encompassing her, the burning flames around her seemed to want to tear into her – rape her inside out. To a Yagami ninja, to be put in a pool of Kusanagi blood made her heart beat feverishly beyond her control. Conditioned for so very long, this wild beast wanted to rip the world around her apart with that disgusting – disgusting blood.

"Kusanagi-sama!" She said disgusted, with her hands up when those words escaped her lips.

"Stop." Kusanagi commanded. They all remained silent and held their tracks.

"I say it again – do not waste my time – say what you have to – if I am NOT satisfied, then I will kill you." Kusanagi sai…

The Kusanagi Ninja captain snarled – he wasn't going to have any more and put his hand at his sword's handle. With a glint of steel cutting across that dark throne room, he held his sword up about to strike…

"I know where she is…" the female ninja unceasingly cut in.

I KNOW WHERE [SHE] IS.

No response.

The sword was held in its place with red and orange flames. All five fingers outstretched Kusanagi held it there.

She looked up from her slump, forcing herself from making any sudden moves. When she was sure, when she was certain that the world had stopped, she made her peace…

"Yoshiki Kusanagi… I know… I know where Kaori Kusanagi is hiding…"

…

STATIC . on . T H E . T V

Eiji, what kind of man are you? To move hearts this way? Despite the tasks of time.

Watching him, watching Eiji for so very long – she couldn't help but feel her heart move.