Chapter 22 - Finding Your Place!

Lady Tsunade WANTED to smile. She wanted to laugh. Her position forbade it, of course, but still…

That kid is something else. WHERE he got the idea to do what he did is beyond me. Then he sends a message to boot! Just when I think I’ve seen all his tricks, he goes and pulls a jail break!

“Ekyt, what the hell were you thinking?!” Tsunade finally asked, though without the usual hostility in her voice. The situation was just too damn funny.

Ekyt was sitting by the windowsill, relaxed, while his team was standing ramrod-straight in front of Tsunade. He stretched himself, and turned his head to Tsunade to give his answer, which was out of character for him.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it? But, to answer your question…” Ekyt leapt up onto the windowsill, smiling widely. “…I don’t know. It just popped into my head, and I went with it . Lemme guess- the Mist village has complained?”

Tsunade couldn’t help it anymore; she had to laugh.

“Ekyt, you are among the biggest shoot disturbers I’ve ever had…but you get the job done.” Tsunade stood up, standing at the window next to Ekyt. She clasped her hands behind her back, enjoying the breeze, and the break from her feud with Ekyt.

“Yes, the Mist has been in contact. You scarred the hell out of them, they still can’t believe that wasn’t orchestrated by the Leaf. Just what is it you did?”

Ekyt shrugged, smiling happily. “A little of this, a little of that, and some flash and sizzle to get my point across.”

“And what IS that point?”

Ekyt grinned even wider. “Don’t screw with my Leaf brothers and sisters, natch!” Ekyt jumped across the room and over to Katsuyori, his mask off and a wide smile on his face.

“That reminds me- (bites thumb) here we go!” Ekyt reached into his summoning scroll and extracted the sword of Kideyori Amakatsu, Katsyuori’s father. The sword now belonged to Katsuyori, who now had one of his dreams fulfilled. Right then and there, Katsuyori decided to swear his sword to the Leaf.

And maybe I’ll even learn some ninja tricks…I hope you can see me, father. I’ve found my place, and I’ll make you proud of me yet! Wielding your sword, I cannot, and will not, fail!

“That’s a first, Katsuyori,” Ekyt said with a grin, ruffling the boy’s hair.

“What’s that, sensei?”

Ekyt shrugged. “Well, you’ve smiled. You never did that before. Did Sai teach you?”

Katsuyori hadn’t thought of that. It had been an unconscious gesture, and had felt natural and relaxed. He couldn’t explain exactly where it had come from, and that was the strange part. Perhaps he had always imitated his sensei’s serious demeanor? With Ekyt sporting a grin himself, had Katsuyori just parroted the gesture?

No…It was genuine.

Katsuyori looked up, not sure what to think. But he felt a weight had been lifted…what was different? IT wasn’t getting the sword so much, it was losing something. Anxiety? That was it! It was absent! For the first time in years, Katsuyori didn’t feel the pangs of anxiety.

“Sensei! My anxiety! It’s gone! I mean, I feel it, but it’s not acting up like it usually does! Like there’s less of it!”

“That’s wonderful, Katsuyori!” Sakura exclaimed.

“Yeah! Your whacko sensei is nuts enough for both of you! Believe it!” Naruto couldn’t help but chiming it.

“I’ve never felt anxiety…What is it like?” Sai wanted to know. Everyone had clustered around Katsuyori, save for Ekyt. Ekyt was the one who answered.

“It’s a natural emotion, but augmented in the case of myself and Katsuyori. Fear, trepidation, coupled with a seemingly-endless adrenaline rush. It’s very…unpleasant. Worse, because few believe you when you say there’s a problem, and fewer know how to deal with it…or, rather…how to deal with WHO has it. Does that help?” Ekyt asked, his smile wavering slightly at reliving those feelings. He felt them enough naturally.

“What causes this pain?” Sai asked.

“Anything, everything. There’s no rhyme or reason to feel it, but you do. It’s how you deal with it that defines you. You can curl up in a corner and die, or you can go out fighting. It all depends on who you are.” Ekyt cocked his head, trying to remember something.

“Oh, that’s right! Thank you for taking care of Katsuyori the way you did. It meant a lot. He may not be my son, but he IS my student. And my friend. Maybe ‘Bunbu Itchi’ will happen yet! For now, I’m going to get out of here before Lady Tsunade decides to toss me in jail. I’ve got to tell Aki her son is safe anyway.”

Ekyt put two fingers up to his face, then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Tsunade and the others looked over. Sakura giggled, Naruto chuckled, and Tsunade shook her head.

“So he does it again? Tries to escape my clutches? Well, no matter. I’ve got no problem with him. The goofy bastard. The next time one of you sees him, kindly tell him that for me.”

--

Ekyt knocked on the door of the Akakamadori’s back room. Aki, tears staining her make-up, sniffled and stopped crying at the site of Ekyt.

“Ekyt? You’re back! Oh, thank God!” She snatched Ekyt up in a hug. Very quickly, she moved so her head was on Ekyt’s shoulder.

“Tell me! Is my little boy alright?!”

“Just fine. And I think he’s changed. But you’ll see,” Ekyt told Aki, whose tears had turned joyful. Ekyt wasn’t done.

“Listen, it’s very important now: Katsuyori, you, and your husband, you ALL need training. I can’t stress it enough. The Mist may come after Katsuyori, or even you. All of us in the Leaf will protect you, but you’ve got to trust us, and trust me when I say you need the training.”

Aki noticed that Ekyt’s shoulder had been cut. She didn’t say anything about it, but instead nodded.

“I will. We will. We’ll all train. What do you recommend?”

Ekyt thought for a moment. “Leave Katsuyori to me and my comrades, after he’s spent some time in the academy. As for you, I recommend learning medical ninjutsu. You can mix drinks, why not poisons? They don’t have to be lethal, but the protection they offer is important.”

Aki stood up, her tears drying, her face determined. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family! I trust you, Ekyt. If you say I need this, then I need this. And I will give it everything I’ve got!”

Ekyt smiled again, nodding. “It might be best for you to move your trade to closer to the Hokage mansion, for protection. I know Lady Tsunade won’t mind. Especially opening up a new place for her to get her favorite brand of sake.”

--

Ekyt knew he would have to face Tsunade eventually. He also expected to have to run for it again. As it turned out, Tsunade, Katsuyori, Sai and Yamato found him first.

“I’m putting the four of you together. As Team Kakashi has reformed, Sai and Yamato are without a team. As are you, Ekyt. So, Yamato will be your sensei, while Sai and Katsuyori, once he graduates from the academy, will join you as Cell B.”

“Cell B?” Ekyt asked.

“ ‘B’ for ‘Backup’. You four will act almost exclusively as backup to the other teams, due to your varying points of strength. But if you’re going to be a team, you’ll have to face the chunin exams eventually, Ekyt. And you can’t face them without this. Sakura!”

Sakura stepped out from behind Tsunade, and held out a familiar object- Ekyt’s headband! He had forgotten he hadn’t been wearing it, it had been so long.

“Thank you. It’s nice to be back. Hopefully, it’ll stay that way this time!”

Just as Ekyt finished saying that, a parade of people marched up to him. His smile not wavering yet, Ekyt titled his head.

“Now who could this be? Ah, the Mist Village! I’ve been expecting you!” Ekyt smirked. The leader was being carried around in a throne, covered with black cloth. Ekyt zipped forward and kicked the two attendants carrying the front, then splintered the throne, revealing the ‘champion of the mist’.

“I DID say to stay out of the Leaf Village’s business, didn’t I?” Ekyt asked. The Mist Villager stood up and pointed a sai at Ekyt. It gleamed dangerously in the sun.

“Ekyt Kaguya, you’ve interefered with the Mist for the first and last time! You’ll sign your contract with hell in your own blood!”

The man began to swipe with the Sai. Ekyt just dodged each time, until he stepped to the side and kicked, knocking one sai into the ground.

“I’d prefer we didn’t use weapons in a friendly contest,” Ekyt pointed out, knowing full well he was pissing this guy off and then some.

“YAGH!” The Mist villager rushed, drawing a hidden dirk and slashing Ekyt across the stomach.

“Bastard!” Katsuyori drew on the Mist Villager and diced him through the stomach with his sword. “What is your name?!” Katsuyori demanded. He aimed the tip of his sword at the stunned Shinobi. “I won’t ask again…WHAT IS YOUR NAME?!”

“My name is Watashi Bokuwa. What concern is it of yours?!”

Katsuyori kicked the man hard enough to draw blood.

“Someone with your family name killed my father! Tell me who it is! You know damn well. Kideyori Amakatsu was my father! TALK!”

“It was my brother! It was my brother! I swear, that’s all I know!” the man backpedaled, straight into Ekyt, who was holding his stomach closed.

“Did you come here for a match with me? If you did, then let’s get on with it. If not, kindly leave.”

“He’s mine, sensei!” Katsuyori snarled, his sword already drawn.

“No, Katsuyori, you’ll kill him. Me…I have more restraint. I’d only come CLOSE to killing him. That’s assuming he and his entourage aren’t out of town by the time I turn around…”

No one was there when Ekyt turned around.

--

“Teuchi, his next bowl is on me,” Ekyt nodded to Naruto, who has happily scarfing down his ramen. Ekyt pointed down the line. “And his, and his, and hers, and hers. And, hell, I don’t know who that guy is, but his too.”

Tsunade, Sakura, Naruto, Sai, Yamato, Katsuyori, and some guy Ekyt didn’t even know were all eating on Ekyt’s tab. Ekyt himself had just opted for a drink, his stomach really hurting too much to eat, even after Sakura had pieced it back together.

“Are you buttering me up to get good missions, Ekyt?” Tsunade joked.

“You bet! So, when do I start?” Ekyt shot back.

“Well, you’re a little rusty…so, you can start by cleaning my office tomorrow. Anything to add Sakura?” Tsunade was clearly going to have fun with this one. Little did Ekyt know she wasn’t kidding.

“Well, actually, I DO need some ingredients from Sunagakure. So do you, Lady Tsunade, we’re low on almost everything.”

Tsunade nodded. “Okay. Clean my office- D ranked. Ingredients- C ranked. Then, I want you to go with Asuma’s team to the Land of Trees, where you’ll assist them in investigating attacks made by an unknown arsonist. While you’re doing that, Yamato and Sai, you’ll be helping Katsuyori to get into Shinobi shape. I don’t want him in the academy for long. He’s got missions.”

Somehow, the Leaf Village felt like home again to Ekyt.

NEXT TIME: AFTER TWO MEANINGLESS CHORES, EKYT ACCOMPANIES ASUMA, SHIKAMARU, CHOJI, AND INO TO THE LAND OF TREES! BUT A DEADLY SURPRISE AWAITS THEM…

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