Wandering Heathens

Broken Bonds

Kakuza looked down at Shinjo who was getting to his feet, readying his sword. "What you remember is true. I did kill him and the Elders and left you to take the punishment. I tried to go back for you, many times over the years, but the opportunity never presented itself."

"YOU LIE!" Shinjo shouted, advancing on her with murder in his eyes, "because of you I lost my memories and my family! I spent years paying for your mistakes!" He said as he clutched the broken chain symbol on his robe. Kakuza laid her small hand on his, over the symbol, and let her tears of regret, sadness and sorrow flow. Taken aback by her show of raw emotions, Shinjo hesitated in his anger.

Ryuu noticed Shinjo's conflict and stepped between the two, forcing them apart. "Don't let her sway you. She's our enemy" he growled at Kakuza. Shinjo reached out and grabbed Ryuu's hand, the one holding the senbons at the ready, and lowered it. Ryuu turned to face him, asking what he was doing. "Let her speak" Shinjo commanded.

Kakuza seized her chance, pushing aside Ryuu and embracing Shinjo. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "for everything. If I could take it all back, I would." His arms wrapped around her lithe frame and he buried his face in her hair, seeking comfort. "I care about you, more than I have anyone else that I've met."

"Oh good Kami, are you really falling for this shit?! Shinjo! She's manipulating you! Again! Wake the fuck up!" Ryuu shouted at his friend. Shinjo lifted his head from Kakuza's body and looked into the woods, his mind processing everything he had just learned and internally warring with himself over his next step.

Obita spoke from the trees, "you still have a family. The Akatsuki is your family. Stay with us and you'll be rewarded. Leave us and you will be hunted." Ryuu grabbed Shinjo's shoulder and wrenched him around to face him. "We're family! I saved your orphan ass when we were kids! It's always just been me and you!" He was beginning to feel desperate the longer Shinjo took to reach a decision. He had thought it would be simple: help him remember, kill Kakuza and return to their nomadic life, but it seems emotions and decisions are a lot more complicated than he had given them credit for.

Shinjo clenched his sword's hilt and gritted his teeth. All the lies, all the betrayal, he didn't know who to strike out at. Except the one person who embodies everything he was angry at. He turned quickly and his blade slashed in an arc, pushing Kakuza back towards safety. Obita chuckled as she watched the two men square off against each other.

"What're you doing?!" Ryuu screamed, sparks flashing off the kunai he was using to defend himself. Shinjo rained heavy blows on him, not letting up in his barrage. He found himself pinned against a tree and activated his Kinjutsu cloak, the chakra armour deflecting Shinjo's blade and the fire burning through the tree, providing a means of escape.

Shinjo smiled darkly and felt his chakras flowing in his body, gaining more and more power as he let them mix, until he felt that he would combust from the unleashed energy. He cloaked himself, blue and black flames licking the air around his body and his hand hovered over the seals on his sword. He muttered a few words and the seals slipped off, one by one. He looked at the night sky, the stars silver points on an inky backdrop, and closed his eyes.

Snapping them open, he glared at Ryuu and charged, roaring his anger. Ryuu quickly wove signs and two dragons made of fire rose up from the ground. Shinjo slashed at them but his blade went through their chakra forms and he screamed as he was burned. "Shinjo! Stop!" he begged, tears pricking at his eyes as he watched Shinjo tear off his burned robes.

He attacked again and this time he overwhelmed Ryuu's defences. He was on the ground, covered in cuts and bruises and sure he had a few broken bones. Shinjo knelt beside him and asked "why didn't you stop me?" "Because...I don't want to fight you. You're my partner. My comrade" Ryuu choked out, blood dripping from his mouth. "I was all of that. Now, I'm reborn. It's time for the past to die."

Shinjo raised his sword above him and aimed it at Ryuu's chest. His blow didn't need to be accurate in order to do its deadly work. "MIZU DOKU!" He yelled as he plunged his sword into Ryuu. The redhead screamed in pain as the weapon pierced him and began to scream in agony as the poison leeched from the blade and into his chakra system. His Kinjutsu cloak faded and he tried to crawl out from under Shinjo and away from him.

"You fucker!" He gasped as he pressed a hand to the wound. Shinjo smiled savagely and laughed, "there are perks to remembering! You look beautiful, in all your agony. Stop fighting and let poison take you!" Obita landed beside Shinjo and laid a hand on his shoulder. She looked at the defiant, but dying, man in front of her. "Leave him to me. Go with Kakuza and rest before your next mission" she ordered. Shinjo sheathed his sword and with one final contemptuous look at Ryuu, turned and walked away. "...Jo..." Ryuu whispered before Obita's Kamui engulfed him.

He fell onto hard earth, the grass tickling his nose and mouth. "I knew you were weak," Obita snarled at him, "and to think you might have taken Rin's place..." Ryuu coughed and spat blood onto the ground and painfully sat up to look at Obita. "If I knew I was competing with a dead man I wouldn't have gotten involved. Go, back to your precious Rin, and leave me the fuck alone!" He collapsed back onto the ground, exhausted from his little fit. Obita stood and spat on him before Kamui-ing back to the Akatsuki base.

A short time later he heard voices. He couldn't make them out nor did he want to. He just wanted to die, to end the pain, to end the memories, to end it all. I'm ready. He closed his eyes and gave himself over to the Afterlife.