Chapter 58 - Accepting an Offer

“You know he won’t go for it. You KNOW that, don’t you?”

Tsunade’s amber eyes glared at the council in front of her. But they weren’t backing down. Tsunade was overruled.

They don’t know what’s right anymore! Their minds are rooted in the past! What’s LEFT of their minds. I just waged a costly war with this boy- I don’t want to stiff him again! He’s been nothing but a good warrior and a brave man- I get that now. To do this to him is tantamount to spinning him around and kicking him in the @$$ again!

“I’m sorry Tsunade, but we feel it’s best. The ‘Ryouko’ project must be terminated,” came one voice.

“Yes. It’s not as though the boy isn’t capable…there are those who are more capable, however…” agreed a second voice.

“But not like him! He would protect those two with his life! You were the ones clamoring for more protection for Naruto! NOW you want to take away what I’ve already done to protect his life?! In what ancient tome did you read that something so stupid made sense?!” Tsunade stood up furiously, but a gentle hand eased her back down.

“(Cough) If it pleases the council…” Ryouko began, still kneeling at Tsunade’s side. Once he was given the nod, he continued speaking.

“Removing me from this mission will create a gap. I’m already included in those who know of Naruto’s imminent danger. Removing me means removing someone with the knowledge and desire to protect him and this village. As you know, I was a genin for years, long after others who gave less to the village were promoted to chunin and beyond. I’ve learned to appreciate assignments, and to take what ones I can get. But removing me- Sarutobi-sama’s last student- from such an important mission…either you think little of my abilities, or you don’t trust me. I ask the esteemed council to tell me which it is, and to give me time to remedy the problem.”

The council nodded as one. “You’re dismissed. As of now, this project is terminated. We will not outline our reasons to you. You may leave now.”

Ryouko was calm as he walked out. He walked past Tsunade, giving her a look of thanks and understanding.

“I appreciate all you’ve done for me, M’lady. I mean that. Thank you.”

With that, Ryouko swept out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

--

Ekyt, first thing, marched to Naruto.

“That was me. In the black, guarding you. I’ve just been removed from that assignment, so I don’t have to feel guilty telling you about it. Do me a favor, Naruto- watch your back, and come to me if there’s any trouble. You’re stronger than me; we all know that. But if you’re faced with a problem your power can’t turn back, seek me out. I’ve promised to help you and Ojo-sama, and I’m going to. The council be damned if they try to stop me further.”

Naruto and his team was shocked, but Ekyt didn’t give them time to say anything. He kept moving- he had to inform the next person of his dismissal. As distasteful as it was, when one door closed, another opened. This door was an interesting one.

-

“So, if you’re still…interested, I’d like to accept your offer.”

Azami had been having lunch with her father, but insisted on speaking to Ekyt when he showed up, even though he had offered to wait.

“Offer? You mean…a partner? You, working outside the law? C’mon, you’re yanking my leg, right?” Azami had narrowed her eyes, assuming this was a joke. But it became apparent Ekyt wasn’t kidding.

“I’ll be limited,” Ekyt admitted. “I don’t kill, and I won’t hunt a Leaf Villager- and no one but criminals. But protecting is what I do, and I’d love to be of service to you.”

Azami looked around cautiously, not seeing anyone who could be a threat. Then she turned back to Ekyt.

“If you’re serious…absolutely. After those gravity-using puppets, I’m a little shaken up, I’ve gotta admit…” Azami hated admitting that, so she tried to get Ekyt to blush. “…So, how about the other kind of partner? Y’know, the whole bedroom scene?”

Ekyt jokingly slid close to her, an arm around her waist as he swept her off her feet. He had a pout on his face as he stared her in the eyes.

“We’ll see where things wind up,” he said with a wink. Then he smiled widely. “Well, you got me to blush after all, but it looks like my counterattack was successful.” He pointed to the red lines under Azami’s eyes.

Azami blushed at the look on Ekyt’s face. Bedroom eyes? He’s good. Very good. That’s the second time he’s gotten me to betray myself like that. He’s got the makings of a good hunter if he can pull a switch from ‘pissed’ to ‘take me’ in no time flat.

“Alright then. You might want to get some gear that covers you up. Unless you don’t care if people know you…” Azami advised, righting herself.

“Please, call me ‘Ryouko’ on missions like that. After all, Ekyt would NEVER do something like that. But dark Ryouko, angry at the world and wanting to escape…well, his personality is still in the works. But he and Ekyt…two separate people as far as anyone not in the know is concerned.”

“Ryouko, then. That’s good- Ekyt wouldn’t be cool enough to be seen with me,” Azami shot back, wanting to get some revenge for her school-girlish reaction to Ekyt’s provocation.

“Yeah, that’s true,” he admitted with a laugh. “So, what do I call you on the job?”

“Mistress.”

Ekyt raised an eyebrow. “Commander.”

“Master.”

“Captain?” Ekyt said hopefully, not wanting to call her mistress. Azami thought that one over, chewing her lower lip thoughtfully. Finally, she nodded and gave her approval.

“Captain it is. So, Ryouko, go get yourselves some quick-release weapons- you’re about to enter a whole new battlefield. Don’t kid yourself into thinking I don’t know jutsus- there’s just not always time to break them out, no matter how skilled you are. I’ll get your some more details when I’m done eating.”

“Give your father my best, then,” Ekyt replied, taking to the rooftops.

--

Later on, Ekyt and Azami were due to meet. Well, Ryouko was going to meet her anyway. Ekyt hadn’t dressed like this since his vigilante days, but it felt good to be back- free of the political bullshoot that clogged up the system. It was good to take a step back now and then- getting into a rut didn’t solve anything. Getting out of the rut, digging a few footholes, making a new path- THAT solved things.

Swish. Click. Crack.

‘Ryouko’ had replaced Ekyt. A mask over his face, no headband (instead, a hood), long black trench coat (stocked with weapons), and boots replaced his normal wear. Ryouko wasn’t just a physical difference.

Ekyt was polite to a fault most times. Ryouko said what he was thinking, if it benefited him.

Ekyt only voiced his displeasure. Ryouko DID something about it- if it benefited him.

Ekyt was shy around girls. Ryouko wouldn’t shy away from them.

In other words, Ryouko was almost the antithesis of Ekyt. The one thing they had in common was the most important of all- justice. The difference there was that Ekyt followed procedure- Ryouko took the law into his own hands. In many ways, this ‘new’ dual existence was both more liberating and more taxing than his old dual existence. Then again, one more change was apparent.

Ekyt was alone. Ryouko was not. Whatever the nature of his relationship with Azami, Ryouko wasn’t chasing an impossible dream. The girl was still out of his league in his mind, but this girl was interested. That was an improvement. Not that Sakura would ever be completely removed from Ekyt’s heart- some things just weren’t possible. Ryouko, however, was content to help Azami. Speaking of her, she was due any second.

Azami appeared right on cue, covered from head to toe in white.

“Looking good, Ryouko. Are you ready?”

“I am, captain.”

--

Tsunade wasn’t happy. Ekyt never turned down missions unless he was majorly annoyed. Such was the case, apparently.

“They shouldn’t have done that. If anything, they should have let me make him ‘Ryouko’ full time…(sigh) I felt better when he was protecting my apprentice and my favorite knucklehead.”

Tsunade wanted, more than anything, to see Naruto and Sakura grow into their full potential. They could be two of the next Sannin, Sasuke being the Third. Their potential was easy to read- the sky was the limit. As long as their was training available, they could always be better; stronger. But their lives were also in danger each day. Even with three ANBU agents around them, Tsunade still worried for them. That’s not to say she wasn’t confident in them. She was more of a concerned mother- confident, but not wanting to take any unnecessary risks. The type of mother who would spare no expense to see her ‘children’ protected. Maybe even the type of mother who would pay to see her children safe.

“I wonder…the council didn’t say I couldn’t hire additional protection for Team Kakashi…”

--

Ryouko picked up the letter from the carrier bird- one of the many of the Hidden Leaf. He stroked it’s back to make it let go of the letter. It cooed in appreciation, then took off toward the Hokage mansion.

“Irony so thick you could slice it with a kunai,” Ryouko commented. “Never thought work like this would come from so close to home.”

Azami read the letter, smiling merrily. “So they booted you off that mission, THEN hire you back without knowing it. You’ve got some bad karma, Ryouko.”

“So it would seem, captain,” he said with a snicker. “Well, it’s your call. I’ve got no problem with protecting. It’s what I was doing to begin with.”

“Well, the money is certainly right…you Leaf’s are rich little bonbons, eh?”

Ryouko snorted. “Hardly. M’lady won’t spare any expense to save her best, though. What she’s offering is…generous, for someone who is watched so closely by a council who thinks 500 yen will still buy you enough dango to feed a family.”

“I’m actually more concerned about you,” Azami told Ryouko. “Your two lives might intersect. Are you sure you can handle that? I mean, no offense, but I can tell- even with that mask, you still worry for the girl.”

“All the more reason I should be on this mission,” Ryouko replied. “Put it this way- we get paid by our success rate. When it comes to protecting Ojo-sama, my success rate is one hundred percent.”

Azami pretended to be impressed by the fake show of greed. She knew full well that Ryouko’s ‘inner-Ekyt’ was worried sick. She didn’t need this mission for the money- she needed it to make sure Ekyt/Ryouko was stable enough to handle this new life. Call it a dry run for a real mission.

“Fair enough, then. We’ll get started right away. Hope you can stand sharing a tent with a girl.”

Ekyt would have blushed. Ryouko would have laughed. Instead, both happened.

“You’re not familiar with my sleeping habits if you think I just lay down and crash, then…”

“What if I don’t give you a choice?” Azami asked mildly, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“You never know, you might get lucky,” Ryouko said. His inner-Ekyt was screaming at him- that was NOT the correct thing to say to a lady!

“You smug son of a dog!” Azami said with a laugh. “Well, you’re fun to work with. Trust me, though- YOU getting lucky isn’t something you need to worry about.” If only it was, though. What do I mean to you, Ryouko?

“Ah, you wound me, captain.”

I can’t tell if she’s joking or not anymore…is there really an interest here? If so…one of us has to make a move here. But it won’t happen- both of us are cautious by nature. We don’t know enough about each other. So it’s going to become a contest to see who can find out more about who.

Or am I over-thinking this?

“One more thing, Ryouko- we have a side mission. The Mist wants one of their own caught- alive. He slaughtered a family, then escaped the village. It’s our job to bring him in. So don’t drop your guard- see, I know a little of your past. You’re not popular with the Mist, are you? Something about ruining an execution of theirs…” Azami was curious. This was, in fact, one of the first times she had heard the name ‘Kaguya’ thrown around- usually, it was taboo.

“They tried to kill my student and a good friend. I stopped them. They came gunning for me. My student stopped them. They attacked a kid I can’t stand…I stopped them. So, it’s kind of tradition for them to try to pester me, and for me to ruin them in return. Kind of the way of the world, y’know?” Ryouko said all this casually. Doing something (stupid) like that and living to tell the tale was actually a claim to fame- just not one Ekyt/Ryouko was interested in.

“Well, okay. But if your playmates stop by to play tag, I take no prisoners,” Azami warned.

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