The Colour Purple Chapter 56: Numbers, 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.

In a place between cold and warm. This time of the day was perfect for your body to lay in a confused state. It would have been better if Eiji Kisaragi let himself sleep a little bit longer, but now he was curled round sideways in fetal position and bolstered his upper body with his elbows on his thighs. Eiji was just a few steps until he could finally convince himself awake. He breathed out his mouth.

The old ninja guard was about to heave his body up when he heard the sharp sound of porcelain crash down onto the wooden hardwood from the second floor. As immediately as it had begun, the startling, chaotic sound ceased. Every bone in Eiji's conditioned body wanted to launch up – leap up and run trough that door and head upstairs. Instead, he waited for a handful of seconds. As the commotion subsided, Kisaragi's right hand crossed his chest and wrapped his hand over his shoulder and breathed out jokingly.

A soft sound. Then nothing. Eiji turned around instead and tucked his feet into the blanket that draped over his head and pushed his face deep into his pillow. This time was a different time from long ago, it was okay to lay back and rest – and let the will of the world continue without his intervention.

…

It became apparent after a few tens of minutes that seemed to drag on like hours – Eiji opened his eyes once again because in the dark world he had wanted to remain in, his mind was already alert and active. Eiji looked up and it was ten minutes before five thirty in the morning.

Breathing out a frustrated wheeze Eiji put both palms on either side of his hips and swiveled to sit up by the side of his bed. "Damn it," he said when he realized that he couldn't fall back to sleep.

"Damn it." Eiji said weakly in his stupoured state. Eiji ran the fingers on his right hand over his bangs and curled the tips of his fingers into his scalp. I will never understand. Why.

These sleepless nights, is something you do for all of us, who have passed before you.

Eiji felt the burden of three bodies over his shoulders. {I remember this feeling.}

…

She covered her mouth with her open hand. The morning air was dry and suffocating. Unlike the smooth journey from hours prior, the dry hoarse feeling in her throat left much to be desired. She coughed once then twice and finally, when she found herself back in the real world she walked away from that tree from which she slept and made her way to the familiar clearing that she had grown accustomed to the past week or two now. It would perhaps be the same sound – but to her surprise it was far from it. The calm rusting sounds of her six men waiting for her was replaced with a more fervous, chaotic tune.

A quick rusting of steps, one passing the other in a quick sense of urgency… One and then two steps she expected in such an early morning was replaced with a panicked pace that rustled through the dried leaves under their feet. Then, a quick and hard thump when a 150-pound body compressed the soil underneath before throwing chunks of earth skywards in its wake, all in immediate fashion.

It was much, MUCH too early in the morning. What welcomed the ninja captain, Yamashita in the wee hours of the day was the vision of a masked man rushing headstrong, his entire body hunched forward, leading the way. The slight crispy crunch of dried leaves exploded under his left foot as he rushed forward, and in both hands was, as quick as Yamashita could disassemble into frames - and comprehend - a knife thrust forward.

In .86 seconds, much quicker than any average mortal man could unholster a pistol and accurately fire upon a target. In an instant beyond our comprehension, that knife would penetrate its intended target, and she couldn't do anything to change the flow of time.

However.

Then, as immediately as it bade her wake, a hand with five fingers outstretched came into view and separated that wooden tanto blade between that ninja and herself. The world swirled around an axis that was centered around the core of her body – all in an instant.

The female ninja, Yamashita all too late finally woke from her walking slumber.

It was a familiar body – Eiji Kisaragi had put his own body between herself and the assailant. The old man wrapped the fingers of his left hand over his enemy's right wrist, curling it solid over the thumb that held the knife, firm and taut. Eiji pushed his entire weight downward in a sharp, jarring motion to disorient the line of attack, then, in an immediate reply, crossed his right arm over his left and made the bottom, fleshy part of his fist one with his enemy's chin.

The once smooth sound of the morning's soundtrack suddenly became erratic. Eiji's right palm under the aggressor's chin pushed his head back and dislodged his consciousness for a split second – and that was enough.

…

The flow of time reversed and reset. Once again Yamashita found herself standing silent, unmoving as a makeshift wooden training blade thrust up and launched itself into Eiji's face that remained defenseless.

…

Rewind 4 seconds.

Yamashita walked at a calm pace, likely 25, maybe 50 yards, too far away from the chaos in front of her. {You cannot beat Eiji that way.} She uttered silently in her mind when she watched one of her students launch forward with a wooden tanto training knife in his hands. She didn't slow her pace and walked calmly towards the result that she expected…

It was much too early… Number 6 disappeared in mid step, 12 feet, a full two men's length, as he finally made peace with his demons and committed his entire body in an attack towards Eiji. With his next step he disappeared.

Then, as immediately as it bade her wake, a five fingered hand came into view and separated that wooden tanto blade between that ninja and herself. The world swirled around an axis that was centered around the core of her body – all in an instant.

You LAUNCHED and jumped into the invisible step much too soon.

The ninja, number 6, disappeared into a crooked vision of nothingness before reappearing just inches from Eiji's face. Eiji's left hand wrapped around six's thumb, pushed downwards to dislodge the line of attack and pulled him back, effectively disorienting his body mid flight. In the same motion Eiji rammed the bottom of his right hand into his chin. He separated his mind from his body in that split second that he lost control.

He couldn't even feel the world spin around, and as quickly as it had started, he was already comfortably resting his back on the green grass, still damp from the cool morning dew.

The next thing that number 6 felt, was the smooth, rounded tip of his own training blade press firmly into the side of his neck. Eiji's left hand gripped solidly onto his thumb, and reinforcing the hold was Eiji's opposite hand tied, near permanently it would seem on his wrist. Plain as all to see, number 6 still held the training blade in his own hand but within a sequence of quick movements Eiji had redirected that same blade back at its owner.

"Ah…" Ah, number 6 stuttered.

But, "Tsugi!" Next! Was all the reply Eiji gave him when he released his grip and opened his arms at the next hapless young victim in front who dared face him eye to eye.

"That was quite fast, even for you," one of the masked men held his hand out to hoist his comrade up. "Fast to LOSE." He grinned under his cloth mask. "Eiji-san absolutely overpowered you, belly up like a dog."

"HEY." Number 6 grunted, but he cautiously held his embarrassed scoff half in mid breath.

"Do not you worry, Eiji will probably have his way with each one of us by the morning end." This time though, his sneering tone – a playful, sly rib at his teammate escaped his mind and left his lips. It seemed… as he gripped hard onto his comrade's own to pull him back up…

It seemed like those words, harsh cruel words said by one boy to another – they, who understood that they had to stay quiet all their lives - had been held back an eternity by an invisible wall. A cruel, flirtatious manner understood only by men. This too, Yamashita silently noticed. …and, by breaking their bodies, perhaps Eiji broke down more than that. A number embroidered on their uniforms. One boy, the number 3, curled his fingers around 6's own and pulled him up to join them again after being thrown onto the ground. All these years she didn't even notice the meaningless, indiscriminate numbers. The female captain, Yamashita, of the noble Yagami palace, who always looked forward, away and never beneath her, never looked back. Only this time… All these years she didn't even notice the meaningless, indiscriminate numbers behind her as she walked.

"Eiji-sama!" A body from the group walked forward confidently. On his breast and cloth mask was the number 1 embroidered on, he addressed a man he now easily regarded as a teacher and perhaps a slight notch below a lord. Arrogantly, sarcastically, or maybe absent mindedly, he still said it. "Eiji-sama. If I may…" He requested.

"What do you want to work on, mister 1." Eiji asked as he rolled his right arm in its shoulder socket while bracing his left hand over his back as far as it would go.

"How about boxing? No," he corrected himself, "How about empty hand?" The boy with 1 emblazed on his body asked. With both fists slowly blossoming to an open claw, by the opposite sides of his jaw comfortably and relaxed he made one step and two towards his elder.

"Fine." Eiji replied, brushing both arms vigorously over his thighs to dust off the dirt and replaced them lazily aside and wide on each side. His eyebrows relaxed and limp, Eiji tilted his head side to side in a slow lethargic rhythm – and when they reached the limit of their arc a dry resounding crack of Eiji's vertebrae split the air. Crack – left, then crack, right. His right fist was floating a full 12 inches wide away from his right ear, and his left was stretched out unorthodox stanced forward. Elbows hardly bent Eiji put his left clawing hand up in front of his left eye while tilting his head in a very aloof, uncaring way… He didn't really care. The look on his eyes was further accentuated by the emotionless, covered lower half of his face. He didn't even, 1 noted, instinctively curl his shoulders up to protect the sides of his neck as most enemies would.

"Itsumedo…" Eiji invited. Anytime… "Itsudemo doozo…" Attack when you are ready.

Come on. Any time. Eiji teased as he curled his open palm inwards.

A left jab from number 1 made its way to Eiji's right temple. A quick and hit then another – two jabs were too easily parried by Eiji's right hand that swatted them annoyingly like flies. Eiji's enemy moved left and right, as soon as he started and as soon as his masked colleagues could keep up with his quick, erratic movements he was already gone. The other 5 ninjas couldn't help but be impressed. As best as they tried, they just could keep up with 1's erratic, spastic movements. The unpredictable motions – when his gallery expected him to appear from the right, he would appear tilted on the left side instead and launched quick motions to keep the old man on the defensive.

Eiji pulled himself back cautiously. He swatted the frantic jabs one after the other. With no apparent rhythm, he pushed them down then to the side, sometimes up then back down again in defense.

1… 1… 11… 1… 111. Without a committed pace, the ninja continued to apply pressure to Eiji with his left jab. Then, 2! His right fist impacted at Eiji's left block full on just barely blocking the blow to his face. Eiji reeled back from the attack. Despite years of his body tempered as steel, it took all his conscious effort to keep up with the young man. Just as the boy pulled his right cross back, Eiji didn't feel the boy's left, now open palm grab his wrist and push it down in the same motion. Now, the right side of Eiji's face was exposed.

1 heaved a forceful grunt from his diaphragm and launched a full force left hook at Eiji whose right hand was now limp by his waist. Open hand – Eiji recalled – and IT wasn't beyond the rules.

{I have you! I HAVE YOU!} 1 roared in his mind, so close he could taste it. The young boy twisted his entire body at the waist to hurl that left hook at Eiji's waiting, unprotected face.

It…

It was just simple boxing after all. After all that, the young boy simply supposed that no matter what, all it took after all this time was courage and youth – that was something a tempered old man could not buy, no matter how much the time. So the boy imagined it, he followed through with his mind and saw his left hook drill into Eiji's temple and he decided that in the next action he would unleash a three hit combination that would end with an uppercut to Eiji's chin without regrets. By that time, he was already imagining what he would say when he would humbly help the older man up from the ground.

As darkness was simply a prelude from the light – in so doing –

"Do not look up just yet…" Eiji sneered. "I am still…" I am still down here.

It was JUST simple boxing after all.

While all of his young colleagues were much too busy watching their senior's, 1's hands and shoulders, Eiji instead – kept his gaze low and downwards at 1s feet. Despite 1 being able to make his upper body disappear, his lower half, that what was chained to the ground was less flattering and more plain to see.

Do NOT trap yourself in a BOX.

1 tilted his gaze from his skyward gaze. However, by that time it was already too late.

Your feet, "and your lazy arrogance," betray you, young man.

1 tilted his gaze down from his skyward rise. As a reply, creased crumpled skin by his tired eyes still had that aloof, despicable eyes stared back – Eiji tilted his face forward at his left palm that made contact with the muscle under his enemy's chest, and his right arm bent in a right angle to curl the once invincible left hook to the boy's side...

…

Just like [you] and me. Even if you think yourself unique – there are MANY people in this world – who – who want to be more beautiful… There are those who want to be richer. There are those who want to be braver. Because – they wanted to escape from what they were…

But – these men… had asked for something, far humbler… They did not wish to be richer…

…

1's ace, that left hook was now trapped within Eiji's blocking, right arm, and the retaliation was too fast to follow.

The unexpected pressure, even weak, if it was without defense made 1's spine curl into itself as he lurched backwards. Instead of the left hook embedding itself with a finality into Eiji's cranium the next INSTANT moment was the impact of a quick right cross from Eiji delivered, weaker but just enough quick force of a meager jab into the side of 1s chin.

1 tilted his gaze from his skyward gaze. However, by that time it was already too late.

"Do not look at my face, boy." Eiji reminded.

Eiji's right fist attack slashed forward in a blunt cut upwards.

Granted, with enough training, Eiji's enemy had enough of his faculties to pull both arms over his face, but not in enough time to prevent Eiji's punch from dislodging his consciousness from his brain. Then it happened, not quick enough for the others to see, but Eiji's left hand sprung to life, jabbing forward, then in the same motion he swirled around clockwise – a backhand slap with a clawed left hand – finally, quicker than anyone else could follow 1 was on the ground face first as Eiji twisted his right foot on the dusty ground to loosen the crunchy feeling in his joints.

Do not challenge an old man, if you intend to box, but you allow him to cheat you…

"A BROADSWORD ATTACK," Yamashita put her hands at her hips, still not sure if she should console her men or praise such an unorthodox "open hand" menacing attack. Yamashita chuckled out- the sound slightly muffled from all to hear. "No matter how many times I see it…" she said to Eiji who now bent is tired old shoulders back at the female ninja captain behind him…

Her pupil was now on the ground stunned and helpless.

"It is such a FANTASTIC attack."

{You can't beat Eiji that way.} She uttered silently in her mind. She didn't slow her pace and walked calmly towards the result that she expected…

…

If I may be rather prejudiced, sexist, and indifferent. I can believe that a woman, who had spent over 5 years of her life with younger, INFERIOR men – she would eventually call them, her children. Especially if she were denied such a privilege.

Number [6]… he was too impatient, and too eager to fight. Then that number [3]. He was probably too cautious… Then what of number [1]? Did he look up too high?

Before this one instant. The Ninja Master Yamashita never once discriminated, amongst the clouded haze of meaningless digits that were emblazed on her children's bodies.

In a slight moment, numbers had names. Something they were so long denied.

And all it took – was a STUPID – a stupid old man, she, she had watched so long.

…

But – these men… had asked for something, far humbler… They did not wish to be richer…

They did not wish to be more beautiful. These numbers, did not wish to become so popular. Not richer, nor even lazy or carefree. [We all, ALL of us, wanted to be free from the lives that was presented to us.] And… and while each of us, at least once in our lives, felt a sensation of fear and wanted to be STRONGER. These people wanted to become strong – simply…

They wanted to FIGHT. Because – Because FIGHTING was all they were able to do.

…

1's cheek thrust itself into the ground with Eiji's palm silencing the world around him as the earth rose up to cloud his vision.

…

WE were bred for FIGHTING. This was all, and, the only, the ONE and ONLY thing we could do well… In this prejudiced world.

…this was the only thing we could do well. SO we DID it. We HUNGERED FOR IT.

…

This too, Yamashita silently noticed. …and, by breaking their bodies, perhaps Eiji broke down more than that. Eiji Kisaragi broke the numbers that embroidered on their uniforms.

Chapter 56: Numbers

Now, may I know your names…

…you become MEN now.

"Sorry… To keep you waiting…" I said… "For far too long for another chapter."

A Sequence of Uneventful Mornings part 2.