Chapter 95 - The Dark Underside

NOTE: THIS CHAPTERS CONTAINS MILD-MODERATE SPOILERS TO THE REAL NARUTO UNIVERSE.
-NG


Chapter 95

Danzou was set to meet with Tsunade. The day, as Ekyt would remember, was warm and sunny- until Danzou came. Then the sky darkened, and rain spilled from the clouds. It would be forever etched into his memory: Danzou walking in, two flunkies at his side. His eye and Danzou’s eye meeting, each knowing what would happen if the other made a move.

Sakura was tense, tightening her glove almost compulsively. Shizune kept on reaching for the needles hidden on her forearm, ready to react to the slightest touch.

Most of all, there was Ekyt. Mimizu on his shoulder, he was the picture of calm intensity. He projected nothing but confidence as he listened to Danzou not even try to cover up attempting to assassinate him. The others were nervous, angry, or both, but Ekyt was simply calm and ready to go.

“Elder, we both know what has happened, and why you’re trying to remove me from the equation.”

Ekyt’s voice seemed deeper and more powerful- rather like the Third Hokage’s voice. But that was just another part of Ekyt’s quiet confidence.

“Yes, we do. Your connection to our foolish Third Hokage and your insistence on avoiding killing,” Danzou agreed. His wooden walking stick suddenly seemed a lot more dangerous. There was no doubt that Danzou had some kind of abilities that were well hidden due to age and disease. No one could command respect without some kind power. Otherwise, that ‘respect’ was called ‘love’.

Ekyt was amiable, though not smiling. “Well, I’m not going anywhere. You, Elder, are the one at the disadvantage here. Our village tends to agree with my way of thinking. And I refuse to back down from you, whatever your credentials.”

“Do you think I disrespect you, Ekyt?” Danzou asked, cunning in his voice. “Would I order your assassination if I didn’t believe you to be a problem?”

“Not at all. I’m honored you’ve bothered with me,” Ekyt replied, spreading his hands in front of him. “But the problem here is that I don’t want to die- not at your hands. And certainly not at a flunky’s hands! I will, no doubt, die before my time, but it will be a warrior’s death. If nothing else, I’ll see to that. So that leaves us little to discuss, doesn’t it?”

Danzou moved closer. Ekyt wheeled closer. They were close to eye level, so bent with age was Danzou.

“Our sacrifices for your kind should speak volumes about us. What do your sacrifices say?” Danzou questioned, meaning for it to be harsh. He didn’t count on Ekyt’s answer.

“My sacrifices? Well, charity should be mute, elder. Otherwise it isn’t charity. But that notwithstanding, the impression I hope to leave is a man who was certainly desperate. Thirsting, but never finding water enough to quench his thirst. Metaphorically speaking, of course.”

“And the meaning of this metaphor?”

Ekyt’s face tensed slightly. “I contradict myself. I protect peace, yet I’m a warrior. I need war to be a warrior, don’t I? Beyond that, I enjoy fighting, though I don’t enjoy killing. Paradoxal, isn’t it?”

“Indeed,” Danzou replied. “I believe war to be a necessity, and I want to see our people prosper. Don’t you wish the same?”

“Of course!” Ekyt said, almost snottily. “But I don’t want to prosper at the expense of others. That is the difference in our thinking. And this recent attempt on my life makes me believe that this won’t be resolved with mere words.”

Danzou straightened slight, drawing himself up as much as his old bones would allow. “Are you asking me to fight you?”

Ekyt shrugged. “My words were certainly open to interpretation, weren’t they? You can take whatever meaning you wish away from them. That’s certainly your prerogative, Elder.”

“What kind of ANBU leader would be so squeamish about taking a life?” Danzou asked Ekyt, venom dripping into his voice. “You have yet to kill a man. And yet you ask your assistant to kill!”

Mimizu rushed to Ekyt’s defense, immediately and with her usual intensity. “Captain Ekyt has never asked anything like that of me! I kill if it’s necessary! And you’re tempting me, you old-”

Ekyt patted Mimizu’s back. “No need to get upset. He has a right to an opinion, after all.”

Mimizu grumbled, but calmed down, crouching on Ekyt’s shoulder, suddenly feeling vicious. Old bastard…

“Now then, Elder. We’ve made our meanings as clear as two ‘deny we exist and burn before reading’ ANBU commanders can. The move is yours. Should you choose not to move, then I’ll be happy to finish this. I’ve never killed, and I certainly didn’t believe an Elder of my own village would be the first person I’d kill…”

“Do you mean to try?” came Danzou’s challenging reply.

Ekyt raised his eyebrows. “Well, I have a warrant for your arrest. If you choose to fight me…yes, I do.”

Using his chakra puppetry, Ekyt worked his legs so he could stand up. He stood next to Elder Danzou, their shoulders touching. Both their heads were lowered as they spoke in serious tones. (Note: Think of Aizen and Ichimaru in the 3rd Bleach ending, 5th squad version)

“I WILL kill you, Danzou. Directly or indirectly. You’re a threat I can no longer ignore. I won’t die by your hand. This is fact.”

Ekyt and Mimizu were ‘connected’ it seemed. Because the instant Ekyt’s chakra scalpel was activated, Mimizu took off, running on the ceiling. Danzou’s guards turned to her, but found her sword cutting their arms off before they could even think of reacting.

And Ekyt? His hand, glowing with a blue energy, plunged into Danzou’s stomach. Three inches below the navel exactly, Ekyt struck Danzou’s ‘Ki’ point. This bent Danzou over even more, allowing Ekyt’s hand access to some vital organs, which he began to rip apart.

“Old bastard. You made me a liar…” Ekyt said, shaking his hand off when Danzou fell to the ground and blood leaked from his mouth. “I said I’d kill you. I guess I am soft. Or maybe killing you feels like kicking a puppy. Or, more likely, I just wanted the pleasure of arresting you.”

The ‘day’ would be remembered for ten minutes of small talk, threats, and a fight that lasted less than thirty seconds. It didn’t take much to define a day. It was a simple increment of time. It’s meaning and value varied person to person. For Ekyt, this moment was just another of him doing his job, and satisfaction that he had just nearly destroyed someone who hated his sensei.

To Mimizu, the day would mark the first time she’d seen even a hint of what Ekyt could do. It reaffirmed her decision that he was someone worth her time and admiration.

For Tsunade, the day showed her that Ekyt could be the man that the next three Sannin needed to walk with them. It also outlined him as a man that would get his hands dirty when it was required- whether it was asked of him or not.

“My Lady…it might be best for me to return to the library. It won’t do to have too many people view my weakness. It’s not a vanity. It’s more of…well, I don’t want every idiot with a kunai knife trying to ‘prove a point’ by taking me out. There are greater things I’ll need to prepare for…”

Tsunade watched her best agents taking Danzou away. Distracted, she answered “Fine. Anyone in particular you don’t want to see you, or know about you?”

Ekyt clasped his hands, steepling his fingers. “That’s easy. I only want to see one person. Taro Masamitsu. Azami’s father and I need to talk. And, of course, anyone who’s already seen me this way. But I do not want Yuushi to see me. Okayu is fine. I don’t want my assistant captain to get lonely when I go rather…comatose.”

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, not liking the tone of this conversation. “Comatose? What are you planning?”

“Training, in a word. Using genjutsu to create a training situation. I can tailor the situation to my specific fears, and then destroy those fears,” Ekyt told her. “I know fear is part of my humanity, but there will be plenty to fear when the Akatsuki come. In fact, Danzou has awakened a new fear that will need to be dealt with…”

“And that is?” Tsunade led him on, making a ‘keep talking’ gesture with her hands.

Ekyt sighed, a look of shame on his face. “I do need war. Without something to protect, I have no purpose. But I want peace for everyone else. It’s a mind-bending fear for me, My Lady. One I…have no counter for. Not yet. But it’s not a pressing concern, I suppose. War won’t be eliminated within my lifetime. Well, it’s doubtful anyway.”

Sinking back into his wheelchair, Ekyt looked very tired. Not surprising, as he had expended half of his half of remaining chakra in that short burst.
I hate this…but there’s no choice. I have no other way to prepare. I’ll trust Mimizu to protect me while I’m under in the genjutsu…

“Ekyt, I want you to make me a promise,” Tsunade said finally, her voice kind and forbidding at the same time. “I want you to promise me you won’t throw your life away unless absolutely necessary. You know Sarutobi’s prophecy about you, don’t you?”

“The one about ‘becoming a legend or helping the others to be legends?’ Yes, I know of it.”

“Good. Because I’ll give you the purpose you need. Protect the next legends. And more than that- become one yourself. Don’t settle for understudy. Take the main part. You understand what I’m saying, don’t you?”

Ekyt spun his wheelchair around, heading for the door. “I do, My Lady. And I promise you. But one thing at a time. I must correct my mistake. This is something I have to do. I can’t let the Akatsuki win. If they do, legendary or not will be the least of our worries.”

--

Ekyt couldn’t let on the real reason he was so ashen. The reason he was sure that Danzou’s goons had shown up like that. Not to mention the reason he had to silence the old man.

“Mimizu…I’ve sided with Itachi.”

Mimizu didn’t stop walking. She didn’t even turn her head. But he could practically smell the fear coming off her.

“There’s more to that story than any of us knew,” Ekyt said quietly, hands folded in his lap. “He’s the good guy here. And I need to let him know just what went on. It explains why he’s been so intent on keeping me alive. Why he’s never given me a real fight… I was a fool to believe I could have stood up to him.”

Itachi, you knew the Third Hokage’s belief. That someday Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto would form the next Sannin. And you heard about me, too. I don’t know how, but you want me alive to protect your brother. You need to know things have changed…that I might not be able to do that…

How did Ekyt discover all this? And when?

“Mimizu, when I was in the library for the first time, I read a book authored by Madara Uchiha. And in it, there was an unauthorized history of the Leaf Village. I didn’t want to read it- this was the blackest of books, and shouldn’t have existed… But I couldn’t stop. I needed to know more…”

Things became difficult for Ekyt. He stayed in his chair, but it was obvious that he wanted to get up and pace. Sitting down all the time was killing him.

“Say no more. Ekyt, I’m your assistant. That means my loyalty is to you. You don’t need to explain yourself to me, unless you feel you need to bare your soul to someone. And what I’ve heard…or, rather, haven’t heard. This is one of those ‘deny it’s existence’ things, isn’t it?”

Ekyt nodded, smiling slightly. “Yes, it is. What I say next might very well save our village. We need Itachi. That bastard child of Azami’s has his DNA in it, too. I can’t defeat it. Not alone. Even if it’s just one time…I’m going to fight alongside Itachi.”

Mimizu cocked her head. “You’re telling me this for a reason, and I’m not liking where this is going…”

Ekyt patted her head, trying to comfort her. He actually reached out and hugged her- an extremely rare gesture, coming from him.

“Don’t worry. This is very likely going to annoy all the wrong people, and I don’t want you caught up in the cross-fire. I’m going to take a page out of Itachi’s book. Well, sort of. Mimizu, I’ve written the truth- my truth- of what’s about to happen. I want you to give it to Lady Tsunade. She’ll understand. And then…I’ll need you to kill me.”

Ekyt was already writing something down on a sheet of paper, even summoning his hawk will speaking so matter-of-factly about the darkest hour of the village.

“More accurately, you’ll ‘discover’ this book, ‘kill’ me, then give the book to Lady Tsunade. Before my body is discovered, too. Only a select few can enter this library, so it could be days before I’m found out. By then, I may already be in combat.”

“And as for me? I won’t leave your side!” Mimizu said firmly, clutching Ekyt’s arm with an iron grip that belied her tiny frame.

“You can stay loyal to me and what I stand for, but we’ll be physically separated out of necessity. If I might ask a favor of you…”

“Anything!”

“Take care of Asuna and the others. I plan to come back alive. But if I don’t…well, I’d like to die knowing that the people I worry about most are secure. And of course, that includes you. So make sure you take care of yourself, too.”

Mimizu hugged him tighter, burying her head in his chest.
“How long will you be gone?”

“Don’t over think this. I won’t even be leaving the village. And my ruse might not be necessary. In fact, I leave it up to you. If people find out I’m asking Itachi for help…well, then you’ll be a hero when you put that sword in ‘me’.”

Mimizu was considerably relieved. She noticed, however, that Ekyt’s chest was shaking, as if he was holding in some heavy emotion.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “I was just thinking of the letter I’m sending to Itachi. It’s a hard one to write, but…It needs to be done.”

Ekyt had finished the letter, and even summoned his hawk, but he couldn’t quite get the gumption up to let it go. It was the hardest letter he’d ever written:

Itachi,

I know the history. I’ve sided with you. This creation will not be under your control. Creating a being like that is very risky, no matter what kind of power you command. We need to stand together to stop it.

Also…on the matter of Azami. I’ve said some terrible things to both you and her. And I will never be able to apologize enough. I am unfit to be in the company of either of you, be it skill or as a man. Forgive me, hate me, whatever you need to feel. But I ask two things of you:

First, that you’ll consider returning to the village. It’s time your brother had the family he needs, and only you can provide that.

Second… This is difficult to word, but… Take care of Azami. I told her to pick the ‘better man’ of us. When I said that, I had vague hope it might be me. It’s my fault she’s being torn apart emotionally. No matter how she tried to hide it, I could tell. Please tell her that I advise her to pick you. No, go further- tell her that I said she needs to pick you.

Itachi, our pasts aside, we agree on one thing- Konoha. Even if you hate me, if you can find it within to love Konoha enough to fight alongside me…
If not, then we’re doomed. And it will only be a matter of time before your creation turns on you.

Consider carefully before responding. Send word by summon before arriving.

Regards,

-E

PS: Tell Azami her Father will be fine. I’ve learned how to undo the jutsu within him.
--

Itachi read the letter dispassionately, frowning in thought and concentration. Someone else knew about his greatest secret. That was both good and bad in a situation like this.

He won’t tell anyone else. But return to Konoha? That would mean meeting Sasuke again. But if he’s right…and this thing can’t be controlled…

The rest of the letter wasn’t what Itachi expected either. But Ekyt had often surprised him, so he didn’t dismiss any of it as crap. Instead, he showed it to Azami.

“Back to Konoha?” she asked, a hint of longing in her voice. She wasn’t a high-maintenance girl, but the thought of a real home appealed to her.

“It’s best,” Itachi told her confidently. “There is too much truth here to dismiss all of it as worthless. But there’s no doubt he’d one this in secret. We’ll need to be prepared for if and when the village rejects us…or Ekyt.”

Azami sighed a little, but reached into her cloak, revealing a spare cloak. “He can always join the Akatsuki if he needs to run. I think a bigger problem is Kisame.”

Itachi didn’t agree. “Kisame’s loyalty is to me, and to violence. Not to the Akatsuki.”

“We’ll need to be ready to leave quickly, then…” Azami looked away, pink on her cheeks.

“Are you worried about seeing him again?”

Azami shrugged. “Not so much that. I just wonder how he’ll treat me. I mean…I DID try to kill him…twice. And I DID betray him after swearing I loved him. I’m not worried about him hurting me- I’m worried that I’ll reflexively kill him if he tries something stupid.”

Itachi and Azami both leapt backwards suddenly, as if by some unspoken cue. A giant snake came from under them. It was mostly purple, but had black markings and yellow eyes. It’s jaws were wide enough to easily swallow the entire Akimichi clan in one gulp.

If there was any doubt in who was behind the attack, it was gone when the ‘perfect child’ Azami and Itachi had worked on was swallowed up.

Itachi landed, coughing up blood. Azami immediately dug for pills inside his robe.

“We’re going to Konoha,” Itachi said, taking a pill.

“Lady Tsunade can cure you, too,” Azami reminded him, thinking of the amazing work she had seen firsthand. “But I guess we can classify this as a business trip. If Orochimaru plans to absorb that thing, he just got the Sharingan.”
--

Ekyt laid on the table, his eye fluttering rapidly. It was as though he was dreaming. More likely, he was having a nightmare.

Mimizu, Asuna, and Okayu watched for a while, making sure he was okay. When they were sure he was fine for the time being, they began to talk quietly amongst themselves. It was mostly mindless chatter, since Asuna didn’t know Mimizu and Okayu well. And especially since Mimizu didn’t know a good deal about Okayu.

“This place is nice. I’m going to hate going back to the temple after this.” Asuna stretched her arms out happily. This position also gave her a chance to check on Ekyt out of the corner of her eye.

Okayu and Mimizu were going to make homes here. Okayu didn’t want Yuushi to be without his brother anymore, and Mimizu felt herself to be the Hawkeye to Ekyt’s Mustang. Both of them had found the purposes they were lacking as two of the ‘heirs to the Seven Swordsman’. It was nice to be respected without being feared. The two went hand and hand in the Mist Village.

“I can’t believe the Mizukage was assassinated like that!” Okayu exclaimed. His hands twitched toward his swords. “Not that he didn’t deserve death, but still…”

“The old man wasn’t THAT bad! Besides, we did stuff he told us to all the time. We probably could have ganged up on him and took over the government.” Mimizu said this so casually you really couldn’t tell if she was serious or not.

Is she really just a twenty-one year old girl? That ambition sounded awfully real… Asuna thought to herself. Of all of them, she was the most useless in combat. That bothered her to no end, given her new company.
That, and criminals seem to want to destroy my temple. Wouldn’t it be great if I could give them a beating, so they’d never try it again?

Mimizu noticed that Asuna was deep in thought, so she did what she always did when Ekyt started thinking too much. She jumped up onto the miko’s shoulder.

“Whatcha thinking about?!” she half screamed, right in Asuna’s ear.

“Ah! Don’t do that! I’m not that self-mutilating idiot!” Asuna shouted, pointing at Ekyt. “What in the hell is he doing to himself, anyway?!”

Mimizu bit her thumb. “Well, he put himself in a genjutsu to train. At least, that’s what he said. What that genjutsu is about…”
She shrugged. What Ekyt feared, besides girls was anyone’s guess.

“I…wish I knew more. So I could help him on the battlefield…” Asuna whispered.

“Ohhh, a widdle cwush?! Huh, is it? Is it?!” Mimizu wheedled, hanging from Asuna’s neck by her legs.

“No! I’ll have you know he kissed me once, and there wasn’t a spark! But…I have to admire him. All the ways he’s been rejected, he keeps finding reasons to protect the people that reject him. And he just keeps getting stronger. In fact, when he spent six months hiding at my temple, when he and I would talk at four in the morning, these ideas would hit him. He’d tell me, writing it down while he talked. He explored every possibility. But one night, he was quiet. There was even a tear in his eye. He totally didn’t want me to see it, of course. Guys are like that.”

“He hardly seems the type to just cry. What was his reason? Did he say?” Okayu had to admit to himself that he was curious about someone like Ekyt crying.

“Well…it went like this…”

--

(Four months earlier)

Ekyt was playing with a kunai knife, sitting in his shed. It was past midnight. The night looked just like any other night. But to Ekyt, this night had special meaning.

“Hey. Is something wrong?”

Ekyt shook his head, shaking himself out of his trance. Asuna was carrying a tray of tea. She set it before him, on a low table. Then she smoothed her hakama and knelt down herself.

“Nothing’s wrong. Hey, when did you become my servant?” Ekyt intoned, chuckling a little.

“Oh, shut up! You don’t know where the kitchen is. And knowing you, you can’t cook, so you’d just needlessly tear up the kitchen.”

“And you just happen to be the one who has to clean it, right?” he shot back, smiling. He really enjoyed the mindless bantering with the young priestess. He felt comfortable around her.

Is it love? I’ve asked myself so many times. I had ‘love’ with Azami. It’s a pretty distinct feeling. If I’m still doubting it, then I’m not in love. At least not yet, anyway. God, why am I thinking of that horror story that is my love life tonight, of all nights? There’re other things to worry about.

Or is that thought process why I’m still single?

After a few minutes, Ekyt apologized. He had taken to wearing a dark purple hakama, with navy blue gi top. He fit in a little better that way.
“I’m sorry, I’m just distracted. See, tonight is kind of a couple anniversary’s for me. I never thought about it before, but the night the Third Hokage died was the same day I came to the village. And that’s tonight. Hard to believe he’s been dead for a year already. Not to mention all that’s happened during that time. I wonder if he’d approve?”

Asuna cocked her head. Ekyt was always in a pensive mood, it seemed. The boy seemed to live to reminisce about regrets. Regrets he could do nothing about.
Ordinarily, Asuna would give him a smack for thinking like that, but she decided that loosing someone close to you was an okay reason to be in a thoughtful mood.

Asuna thought of her sister for a moment. But Ekyt’s voice broke her concentration.

“Kiss me!”

“Huh?” Asuna managed to say. But Ekyt was already reaching for her, his face getting close to hers.

His eyes…they’re so serious…He’s not going to stop at a kiss! Oh, be gentle!

Ekyt was sitting back down, chuckling a little. “Sorry, sorry. But I can tell when you’re starting to dwell on things you shouldn’t…”

“You bastard!” Asuna roared, bouncing her half-full cup of tea off his head. “How DARE you pretend to defile an innocent maiden with that serious look?!”

“Hey, YOU took it in what context you wanted. Don’t blame me!” he replied back, taking a calm gulp of his own tea. “But it DID feel good to play with you like that. Now I know why the kunoichi back home always did that to me when they could.”

Asuna grumbled, but she calmed down and had a laugh. A priestess who had a dirty mind was a funny thing.

“Besides that, I can tell you like to be in charge from the way you browbeat when you trained me.” Ekyt sat back down happily, well aware that Asuna would probably consider killing him.

Anything to forget…For her, her sister. For me, the way I helped my sensei die.

Will I ever stop questioning that? There was no way to talk the Sarutobi-sensei out of performing the Reaper Death Seal. If I had done it, then he would be sad. And it wasn’t my place. That was his grudge to settle. For me, I was the student who was supposed to support him.

And I did. I tried to kill Orochimaru first. And when it came to it, I helped him do what he felt was right.

So why do I feel so bad about it? Damn it, it’s messing with my head! Why did he have to die? And why did he die for nothing? That stupid snake bastard survived! Just like he always does! Damn it!

A tear of frustration ran down Ekyt’s face. Asuna, who was just getting ready to playfully tackle him and ‘playfully’ beat the crap out of him (Since he wouldn’t fight back. He still won’t hit girls), had leaned close. She saw the look on his face, and a snapshot of it formed in her mind.

Once he noticed she had seen, he brushed the tear away angrily. “Sorry. I was just thinking of Sarutobi-sensei. And how I helped him die…”

He’d explained this to Asuna before. She just gave him a quick hug, then excused herself to get more tea. It was clear he needed a minute to settle down; that wasn’t likely to happen with a girl in the room.
[/b]

--

“…So I couldn’t do much to help him. But I tried. It must have killed him to help his sensei die. I guess that would bother me, too. After all, I watched my sister die. Maybe that’s why I try to take care of Ekyt. When my sister died, he did all he could to save her. And he also went out of his way to make sure I was taken care of. That stupid jerk is a class act.”

As Asuna tried to compose herself, she heard a moan.

“…kill me…” came Ekyt’s voice, weak and burdened.

Everyone rushed over, seeing he was still in the genjutsu. Clearly, it was too much for him. Time for a wake-up call.

Mimizu tapped his shoulder, muttered ‘release’, then stepped back. It was lucky she did, because Ryouko took a wild swipe at the air and nearly beheaded her.

“Ugh…I couldn’t last…” Ekyt muttered, a hand to his head. “How long was I under?”

Mimizu shrugged. “Three hours or so. A really long time!”

Ekyt groaned again, sitting up with some effort. “Not long enough, but it’ll have to do. Oh, hi everyone. Sorry, ‘m a little groggy righ’ now…”

No one made any big deal about it. Everyone had heard about Ekyt’s habits, so no one was too surprised. They also didn’t ask what he had been training about. It seemed to be a private matter. Instead, they sat back and watched him get into his wheelchair.

“I’d better eat something. I must’ve burned through almost all my chakra after that stunt.”

--

No one had ever really seen Ekyt eat. It seemed like he lived on Chakra cigarettes and training. And maybe some sake. But he must take good care of himself to be in such good shape.

Drinking his tea silently while the others talked, it was becoming uncomfortable for Ekyt. The wheelchair, the eye patch, being forced to hide in the library… It was not the life Ekyt wanted; not by a long shot. He wanted to belong to the Leaf Village. He wanted to make his life. Granted, he did still want to be a legend, but how likely was that? He was more likely to walk with the legends as Sarutobi-sensei had predicted. But maybe…

He didn’t say legendary status was out of the question…and Lady Tsunade DID tell me to aim higher than a servant to the legends. Maybe they know something I don’t?

But look at me? How could I be a legend like this? I can’t even leave the library!

No matter, that’s now what’s important. What IS important is what Itachi does next.

The others saw Ekyt deep in thought, and tried to be quiet. But their quiet was what alerted him to their eyes watching him.

“Huh? Oh, sorry. That genjutsu I put on myself was pretty brutal. I was just thinking about it.”

Ekyt took a gulp of tea. It didn’t seem like anyone believed him. But they weren’t going to say anything. Instead, Mimizu hopped up onto his shoulder, taking her placed as his self-appointed guardian. Ekyt had to smile a little, and relaxed unconsciously. There would be time for stress later.

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