Way of the Ninja

Chapter 7

Ryu, Kasumi, Ayane and Momiji were making way to Hayate's palace. Some random guard came to pick them up screaming his head off.

Since there was word about the resurrection of the fiend, the village seemed to be at a standstill, almost as if everyone was holding their breath. It felt like everyone went stagnant.

The little delivery-man boy had his face twisted in fear. His eyes showed just how nervous he really was. Every now and then he would trip over himself whimpering out.

The four ninja couldn't help but feel sorry for everyone. This thing had to be truly terrifying to cause everyone to be on edge like this.

Plus, wasn't this thing premature?

Momiji was looking at Ryu who was yet to catch his breath. The super ninja quietly lagged behind.

Their eyes met.

It was like they were speaking telepathically. Ryu telling Momiji he was fine, there was no need to worry for him.

Momiji saying no, there was all the need to worry.

If this man wasn't in his best of condition then their chances of beating this fiend dropped drastically.

The messenger stood in front of the palace, a nervous ball of sweat forming on his brow. He eyed the ninja with a salute as they entered the door.

It really was tense around here…

Hearing his respected guest enter the door, Hayate turned his head over his shoulders motioning for them to sit on the other side of the table.

Ayane took her seat next to Hayate sitting on her legs and placing her hands in her lap. Kasumi sat left of Ryu, Momiji to the right.

Hayate poured himself some tea. The sound of the water filling the cup echoed in the empty room.

Finally Hayate cleared his throat and spoke.

"As you four should know, the fiend has begun its rebirth. We've taken the necessary measures and called in reinforcements. With things the way as they are now, we'll certainly need more fire power."

Ryu sat listening to his friend speak with his head resting in his hand. He was just imagining who he called in…

"So, now that we've called in reinforcements we've decided it's best if we can route the enemy before they have the chance to move."

Ayane immediately rejected the thought.

"No way, Hayate, that's far too dangerous. With our lack of troops and Ryu in his current condition there's no way. It's impossible."

"Did you not hear what I said? I called in reinforcements to make up for Ryu's lack of vitality right now."

Ryu hummed hearing Hayate's words…

His best friend waved his hands in the air fanning off Ryu's gaze.

"So, after tomorrow pack up your things and get ready. We have a rendezvous with the backup army. Get enough rest," Hayate got up, moving over to the door of his room…then said three words.

"You'll need it."

Kasumi looked at her brother's strange behavior. He was always serious but not this serious.

This mission was going to be a handful.

Ryu sat there, his emerald eyes looking bored. He picked up his sword then exited the room. Momiji got up behind him. Together the two left the palace.

"Where are you going, Ryu-sama?"

The super ninja kept his gaze straight.

"To get some rest. He said I would need it. I surely do. Ayane wore me out." Ryu yawned underneath his mask then returned his hand next to his side.

"Ryu…"

"Eh, save it Momiji. I'm not really in the mood for a scolding, especially from my pupil."

Momiji's gaze sharpened on Ryu.

"No, Ryu. This is something serious. There's no possible way in hell that you could participate in this war. You're in no condition. You're no longer the Ryu who can take on fiends by his lonesome."

Ryu soaked up the truth easily. He already understood it more than anybody else.

"I'm aware. That's why I'm on my way to get some rest."

Momiji grabbed Ryu's hand, stopping him in his tracks. He looked at her hand vacantly.

"Yes?"

"Ryu, I don't think you're taking this seriously. You can die without even being able to put up a good fight. I've decided you're going to sit this one out. Even the world's hero deserves a break once and a while."

Ryu shook off her hand. His serious eyes bore into hers. He closed the distance between the two, his face close to hers.

"Sit this one out and watch you die? Then grieve in my room wishing that I had gone to help you? Or do you want me to go through the process of revenge once again? Your suggestion is foolish, asinine even. You're not an idiot are you, Momiji? Understand the weight of this situation. This isn't some school dance that you waltz into half wasted then leave when you're bored." Ryu clenched her hand tightly in front of her chest, his stare dug into her eyes then he spoke again.

"This is war. It's them, or us."

He pressed her hand into Momiji's chest then walked off briskly. She looked at her hand in disbelief that Ryu showed such strong emotion.

She wanted to run after him but she was planted to the ground.

A hand fell on her shoulder.

"It's okay. He's just going off to nap for now. He isn't mad at you or anything. I guess you could say it's his way of showing concern."

This was Ryu's best friend, Hayate.

She nodded solemnly. "I know…"

That's when she realized she wasn't accommodating Ryu's feelings whatsoever. A man who has licked despair's boot plenty of times, he was a man who didn't want to feel it again.

"I know. My words were inconsiderate of his feelings." Momiji sighed rubbing her hand over her forehead. "That suggestion was foolish of me. There's no way that Ryu would let me go out alone."

"For now, Momiji, just get some rest. We're moving out in the morning after all. Even if you oversleep you might as well enjoy it while it lasts."

With that last sentence Hayate dispersed in a cloud of smoke and leaves.

"Well I'll be damned…" Momiji whispered to herself. She wandered off somewhere in the woods searching for a spot to sleep.

Part 2

Ryu woke up at the crack of dawn. Slowly he sat up looking at the sky.

He had a clear view of the sky seeing how he decided it would be nice to sleep on the highest roof in the village.

Would have sucked if he rolled off…

Lightly he dropped down off the roof and onto the ground. There right in front of him he spotted Momiji looking at him with her hand on her hip.

He stared at her…

She stared at him…

"Are you going to say something or-…?"

"Save it."

Momiji motioned for him to follow her, he did as she wanted.

Slowly behind her, Ryu examined her. She was certainly growing up to be a well driven woman. Her height increased recently too.

He sure molded her into a fearsome girl.

Not too long after, Momiji and Ryu entered a small vacant building. Momiji sat down in front of a table and started to grind some herbs up.

Ryu watched her, silently taking a seat across from her.

What was that concoction in her hands? It certainly looked deadly. He looked at it in agony when she placed it in front of his face.

"Drink it."

He took the drink from her softly.

Ryu reflexively gulped.

"Now, this thing isn't going to knock me out or anything, right?"

"Drink it."

Ryu eyed her nervously. This thing smelt like death in liquid form. He sniffed it. His nostrils died on contact.

Steeling his nerves he gulped it down.

Expecting to die instantly he closed his eyes in anticipation.

But,

Nothing had come. He opened his eyes surprised.

"What was that?"

Momiji shuffled around putting her things away in her small bag.

"Medicine," she grumbles at him focusing of the bag.

"…What for?" Ryu had his mouth slightly agape in awe that something that deadly looking could possibly be considered medicine.

"Geez, don't you ever stop asking questions? Just move along already, we're going to be late." Momiji slung her bag over her shoulder then walked out of the house mumbling something incoherent. Something about Ryu being an ungrateful bastard or something…

Was she mad at him?

Ryu got up following closely behind her. He looked at her face expectantly.

Momiji's eye twitched under Ryu's stare.

"Why are you staring me down?"

"No reason."

…

"Then why are you staring me down!?"

"Well, thank you for the medicine, I guess. Do you want a hug or something?" Ryu looked at her in all seriousness.

Momiji blushed.

"Who would want to hug a brute like you? Just be quiet and come along. I don't need your after thoughts."

Ryu stopped upon hearing that. He put his hands on his hips.

"If you pass up this once and a lifetime offer you may never get anything like it again…!" Ryu teased looking away from her dejectedly.

Momiji stopped, looking at him with one hand on her bag.

Whatever, might as well take it as it comes, right?

Momiji walked into his arms.

Ryu's body swallowed her up into a warm embrace. His hand rubbed her head gently.

"Is this better for you? You don't have to keep an eye out for me you know…"

Momiji's head rest on his chest.

"No way, we'll look out for each other, as a team of course."

Ryu let out an esteemed, "hoho!" And then he looked down out her.

"You've become quite the daring character, Momiji."

She punched him playfully in the chest. "Quiet… you idiot. Hurry up or we're going to be late.

Together side by side the two walked enjoying each other's company. They had to move out soon.

Part 3

Almost as soon as Ryu and Momiji got to the palace Hayate opened the door.

"We're about ready to leave. Come in here Ryu, we're discussing where we're headed."

The two of them sat down in front of the three siblings.

Could he hurry up and get this over with…

Hayate spat out the plan quickly. They were to meet with a larger group in the middle of nowhere. There they would attack the fiend head on and hopefully destroy it before it's born.

Understanding the instructions they all moved out without as much as a second thought.

On their way to leave the village some people bid them good luck, throwing flowers at their feet.

Was that really necessary?

"They do this every time we leave the village. It's become some sort of ritual." Ryu looked to the left. The source of the voice was Kasumi. She had a flower in her hand giving it a loving sniff.

"Is that right…?"

Ryu looked down at Kasumi who was bounding with the utmost of elegance.

"Are you happy now that you're back in the village?" Kasumi shook her head yes.

"It's nice to be with my brother again. After all these years of trying he and Ayane finally were able to find a reason to let me back in. Want to know the story?"

"Not really."

"So, I was in the forest when I felt some ninja tracking me down. I wasn't really in the mood for pursuers so I attacked them. All in all I made short work out of them until one mumbled something out holding a piece of paper. He was lucky to still be conscience. The piece of paper had Hayate and Ayane's signatures on it saying they wanted to meet me. Since I knew it was there handwriting I decided to meet them. It wasn't a trick or anything. When I got here they welcomed me back in open arms."

"…Is that right…?"

She could have summed that up in one sentence.

"That's right!"

The gates moaned opened in front of them. Ryu looked forward.

Eh.

He didn't feel like walking too much.

"Hey, Momiji," he calls out. "Could you carry me?"

She looked at him like he was dumb.

"No, shut up and use your legs."

He turned his gaze back forward.

How quickly he was shot down.

After some time the ninja entered a thicket of trees, vines and branches. It was really nasty out here. Bugs attacked them relentlessly.

"They should be here any second, just please wait patiently," Hayate says.

Ryu sat down and crossed his legs. He slapped his neck, squashing a bug.

Just as that happened, he heard a helicopter.

All of them looked up surprised at what they saw.

Some people dropped out from the sky. More helicopters appeared and more people jumped out.

But among those people there were two that surprised Ryu the most.

Amongst the people who dropped down, there was Rachel, the half-fiend and a fiend hunter.

"Rachel!" Momiji shouted jumping into the blonde's strong arms.

"Oh, Momiji, how are you!"

Momiji and Rachel separated.

"Hi there, Ryu," Rachel greets.

"How'd Hayate get you to join this group?"

"I just said that there was a fiend about to be born and she was all for it. It's easy to handle people if you would just try."

Ryu shot Hayate a warning glance. Hayate waved it off laughing.

"Well, now that we're all here, we'll meet up with more people along the way," Hayate got serious after those words.

"From here on out, it's war."

That's all you guys! Thanks for all of the support along the way. This September will mark the one year anniversary for this story.

…

It's almost been a year and yet I've only released seven chapters.

Sigh…

But! I do have a reason as to why I haven't been updated frequently!

Believe it or not, I've written a serious story. It's completely original through and through. The thing is I just need some Beta testers to kind of tell me what you think and whatnot. I haven't finished editing it and putting on the finishing touches yet though.

PM me if you're interested, please!

Once again, thank you for continuing to read this story. It is appreciated!

Have a nice day you all!