Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Diplomacy ❯ Revenge ( Chapter 15 )

    &nbs p;“What do you mean ‘never seek revenge?’” Chie asked in shock, “You sound almost like you expect to-”

     “Did you see them, Chie?” Tsurukawa Sadako asked as she packed a bag, “The two men we passed by in the town earlier today?”

     “The Black-Coats?” Chie asked, “What about them?”

     “Did you recognize one of them at all?”

     “No. I didn’t.” Chie admitted. She knew her mother’s question meant she should have.

     “One of them was Hoshigaki Kisame.”

     Chie gasped. She knew the name. A well known criminal. A renegade of the Mist Village. Chie suddenly understood why her mother had been so serious upon returning to the room they were staying in.

     “What was he doing here?” Chie asked.

     “I don’t know. Nor am I particularly concerned.” Sadako answered.

     “Yeah!” Chie said with enthusiasm, “What’s it matter, when we’ll be taking him down!”

     “We won’t.”

     “What? But-”

     “Chie, you were only just promoted to Chûnin level. Hoshigaki is an S-Ranked criminal. So, I’m willing to bet, is his companion.”

     “Then taking them on alone is suicide!” Chie retorted.

     “I won’t be alone.” Sadako told her, “A group of Tracker Ninja close by made contact with me. They’ve been following Hoshigaki for a while and have asked for my aid in killing him.”

     That was unusual. Tracker Ninja typically didn’t rely on outside help. That they thought it necessary here…

     “They don’t think they can win, do they?”

     “No. But they’re determined to try. And… I’ve decided to help them.”

     “What?! But… but would just you make any difference?”

     “Perhaps. Perhaps not. Regardless, the man is a renegade of our village. It’s my duty to try. If we hesitate, he may slip away from us.”

     “Sadako-san.” said a man who entered the room. Chie didn’t see his face. It was hidden behind a mask marked with the emblem of Kirigakure. She barely even sensed his entry into the room.

     “I’m ready.” Sadako replied as she put on the rest of hear gear. Before leaving, she turned once more to her daughter.

     “Chie. Promise me, if the worst should happen, you won’t seek revenge!”

     “I…̶ 1; Chie bit her lower lip, “I can’t promise that…”

     “Chie! I mean this, don’t go after them! It will destroy you!”

     Chie couldn’t meet her mother’s eyes. When she failed to reply, Sadako merely sighed.

     “Chie…”

     “Sadako-san.” said the hunter. Sadako nodded.

     “One more thing, Chie. Return home to Kirigakure, and do not try to follow us.”

     Chie turned her back on her mother. Unable to watch as she walked out the door.

     Hyug a Kiriko grinned a twisted smirk as Tsurukawa struggled with her new knowledge. Kiriko thought the girl might actually be sick right there. It was certainly a possibility, and Taiki had certainly been, when he had learned the lengths Kiriko had gone to assure the success of their revenge. She watched the Mist girl intently, the Chônôryoku showing the woman every possible method with which her enemy might strike.

     The ability enhanced Kiriko’s extra-sensory perception to a degree few humans, even those with Kekkei Genkai, such as the Hyuga or Uchiha, could match. The ability was not perfect, Kiriko did not know with absolute certainty what would come. Instead, she saw Tsurukawa surrounded by various ghosts of herself. Each one performing a possible action the girl herself may perform. Some, Tsurukawa charging head on, going underwater for a sneak strike, were clear as day. Others, Tsurukawa attempting to run away, were barely visible. The clearer the specter, the more likely the action.

     One of the images of the girl became crystal clear. Kiriko knew in that instant that her opponent had decided on a course of action. Tsurukawa charged her head-on. Running along the water, never having both her feet on the ‘ground’ at the same time. As the girl approached, Kiriko saw the ghosts surrounding the girl shift and move again until once more an image became sharp and clear. Kiriko easily blocked as Tsurukawa came up in a spinning jump kick with a cry of “Kiri Senpu!”

     “Nice try.” Kiriko mocked, “We have that move in Konoha, too.”

     Though Tsurukawa herself remained expressionless, Kiriko saw on her face the faint ghosts of grins and arrogant smirks. Looking to her side, she saw the water begin churning and rising. Kiriko halted the flow of chakra into her feet and plunged into the water just in time for the kicks of several Mizubunshin of Tsurukawa to pass harmlessly over her. Before the Mist ninja could attempt a jutsu to harm or trap her while underwater (as she knew the girl was currently in the middle of attempting) Kiriko kicked hard and brought herself back to the surface just in time to see the Mist girl charging her yet again, trapping jutsu abandoned. This time however, Kiriko was unable to adjust or react fast enough. This time, when Tsurukawa attempted the Mist Hurricane, the first strike connected soundly with Kiriko’s head. The Water Clone strikes that followed also hit their target, connecting with Kiriko’s legs and arms. She felt the bone in her left forearm break from the attack.

     For a moment, Kiriko thought it was all over, until Chônôryoku showed her what Tsurukawa would do next, and she knew just how to take full advantage of her chance.

      220;We have this move in Konoha, too.” huh? Chie thought as her blows brought Kiriko to a halt, What do folk who live on land know about real hurricanes?

     Chie wasn’t sure if what she had attempted would work. Faced with an enemy that could foresee her moves, Chie’s first thought was to attack relentlessly, and shoot for an opportunity where Kiriko would leave herself unable to dodge, rendering her ability to see the attack coming useless. She had gotten her moment, and now Kiriko fell into the water, floating face-up.

     Chie jumped backward. She didn’t intend to kill Kiriko, not if she could help it, at least. Hinata wouldn’t wish that, and Chie knew it. Instead she waited, for Kiriko to show signs of either further struggle, or submission. The woman just laid there, bobbing up and down with the recently disturbed water of the lake.

     Was she conscious? Her eyes were open, but they didn’t move, or react. Did her jutsu do her in? Kiriko didn’t seem to be doing much of anything, it was possible her Chônôryoku had backfired on her.

     Hesitantly, Chie walked toward Kiriko and kneeled beside her. She hefted the Leaf woman out of the water and carried her unmoving body to the lake’s shore. Even though Kiriko was making no movement whatsoever, Chie’s instincts were screaming out to her. Something was wrong, but Chie couldn’t figure out what. Not until they were several feet from the lake.

     Kiriko’s head suddenly shot up, colliding with Chie’s nose. Out of reflex, Chie released her hold on Kiriko and grabbed at her nose. The Leaf woman dropped onto the ground and managed a sweeping kick which caught Chie right in the back of her legs, sending her falling to the ground. As Chie fell, Kiriko quickly brought herself up to her feet, and held up her hand to strike. From the way she seemed intent on striking with her fingers, Chie knew what was to come. The woman would aim for the neck, hitting the windpipe with enough force to damage it, and Chie’s breathing with it.

     Tsurukawa had taken advantage of creating a situation where Kiriko could not evade an attack she saw coming. In the instant between Tsurukawa’s being tripped and her landing on the ground, Kiriko had begun to do the same. A quick stab to the neck, directly into the trachea. If she did not pierce the windpipe, she would still injure it, which would obstruct, or simply halt, the girl’s breathing, and bring this fight to an end.

     She brought her strike down, upon the girl’s neck. Tsurukawa fell to the ground, clutching her neck and gasping for air. But Kiriko didn’t close in for the killing blow. Instead, she was wide-eyed in shock, turning her head to stare at three things. Her fingers, one of which had apparently broken in the attack, and to Tsurukawa, who was getting to her knees, and the object tied around Tsurukawa’s neck, a Leaf Village headband, now sporting a dent the size of two female fingers.

     “Impossible… 221; Kiriko muttered, “It can’t be.”

     Chônôryoku had shown her the possibility. The chance that the Hitai-ate around Tsurukawa’s neck would fall into just the proper location to block Kiriko’s strike. She had seen a mere phantom of an image, reflecting the odds of the event occurring as being incredibly slight. It was a long shot, should never have happened, yet Kiriko had seen it with her own eyes.

     Chie coughed, gasped, and gulped in as much air as she could. Her nose was bleeding from Kiriko’s head butt, her neck bruised. But she was unhurt otherwise. To her surprise, Chie managed to get back to her feet, and back into fighting position. She had fully expected Kiriko to move in for the kill while Chie was vulnerable. Instead, when she got to her feet, Chie found the woman simply muttering to herself. Words like “barely there” and “impossible” reached Chie’s ears. She looked down and immediately saw what she thought she was referring to.

     Guess even psychics can’t predict luck. Chie thought to herself. As Kiriko began whispering to herself about phantoms, Chie fingered the dent her strike had left, If indeed it was luck.

     “Give up.” Chie said, simply and clearly as she could. Her bloody nose was interfering with her speech slightly. Kiriko snapped out of her rant, seeming to only just remember Chie was even there.

     “Give up?” she asked, “Give up?! You expect me to simply forget what I’ve suffered?! What was done to me?!”

     “I should just ignore what he did?! Forget the pain?!”

     Chie shook her head. She was growing more unsettled by the woman she fought by the minute.

     “Even if it means my mind, my life, my very soul! I’ll have my revenge!”

     “I’ll kill him, even if it means my life!! I’ll sacrifice my soul if I have to!!”

     “SHUT UP!!” Chie screamed. She charged Kiriko, knowing well before she acted it was a stupid thing to do. Only Kiriko’s being distracted by talking to herself kept Chie’s opening from being fatal. The other woman noticed too late, and was able to only dodge Chie before she was hit by the Mist ninja’s punch. When Kiriko next looked at Chie, breathing heavily, both feet squarely on the ground, Tsuru-Nindô forgotten, a wicked grin emerged on her face.

     “That’s right… you have a vendetta as well. Just how committed to it are you?”

     “I’ll kill the man that killed her!” Chie yelled.

     “And just how far will you go to achieve that?” Kiriko sneered, “Will you put your life on the line?”

     “Yes!”

     “You would kill any enemy who stood in your way?”

     “Of course!”

     “Any friend?”

     “I-” Chie said, then stopped. Kill a friend? For the sake of her vengeance? The woman was insane.

     “You wouldn’t, would you.” Kiriko said, “Such a half-hearted avenger you are.”

     Again enraged, Chie charged. Kiriko easily caught her reckless punch and threw her to the ground. She grabbed Chie’s right arm, and planted a foot onto her shoulder.

     “So…” Chie said from the dirt, “I’m not really into it unless I’m willing to be as psycho as you are!?”

     She regretted that statement the moment Kiriko twisted her arm. Chie was unable to muster the energy to fight back. The knowledge that the woman standing over her had one arm and several other bones broken, was knowingly damaging herself, all because someone close to her died caused confusion in the Mist ninja. Conflicting emotions of rage, regret, and realization attacked her mind as she began to realize the meaning of she and her mother’s final conversation at long last.

     It was all Chie could do not to scream in agony. Kiriko twisted her arm, and stomped onto her back. Chie needed to escape this hold before the woman got bored and decided to simply finish things. Chie slowly slid her left arm underneath her. Her only hope was to do this quickly. While Kiriko was preoccupied with her other arm, and before her Chônôryoku alerted her to danger.

     Chie focused her strength into her left arm, and pushed herself up as hard as she could. Kiriko was thrown off balance by the sudden move, and leapt off Chie’s back to avoid falling over. Chie got to her feet as fast as she could, before her enemy could recover. She was back on her right foot, her left raised high. Prepared for battle once more.

     “I understand now.” Chie said to herself, then turned to her foe, “I owe you my thanks for that.”

     Kiriko raised an eyebrow. Suddenly struck with an idea, Chie decided to explain.

     “You see, when I was promoted to Chûnin, my mother took me on a training journey. It got cut short when we spotted a renegade ninja from our village. She and a group tracking him tried to kill him and a partner he was traveling with. They failed. I was told not to follow, but I did anyway and learned from one of the hunters, just before he died of his wounds, that my mother had fallen to the criminal’s partner. A Dôjutsu user who did it with a mere look of some weird kind of eyes.

     “The thing is, my mother knew this might happen, and specifically warned me against seeking revenge. At first, I thought she just meant I wasn’t strong enough to fight him. So I dedicated myself to studying and learning all I could of this man, so that I could one day face him. But now, I see the true meaning of the warning. The reason she didn’t want me chasing her killer wasn’t because I was too weak.”

     “Then what was it?” Kiriko asked.

     “The reason she didn’t want me to be an avenger… She didn’t want me to become obsessed with revenge. So focused on it I was consumed by my hatred. Ignored anything that didn’t help me, and destroying anything that hindered me.

     “In other words, my mother didn’t want me becoming a psychopath like you!!”

     Kiriko, until now listening with mild interest, was immediately incensed at the sudden insult. Chie timed her throw perfectly. Less than a second after her statement, in the instant Kiriko recognized the insult for what it was, Chie had pulled out a shuriken from the pouch strapped to her left ankle and threw it directly at her foe. It hit Kiriko’s right eye and reduced her to screaming in pain as she groped at her eye.

     Kiriko looked at Chie, her good eye wide and bloodshot in fury. She began performing signs. The veins in her head that had been pulsing and bulging all battle began to beat with more frequency. With a final sign, Kiriko screamed out her jutsu.

     “Chônôry oku - Nendô!!”