Glorious Betrayal [p/io]

(Everything in italics is his thoughts.)

Walking silently, the angel felt victory within his grasp with his head bowed like a prisoner.

Fools, a village of fools. No angel could help them, maybe not even a god. They cheer as only a few see what happened. A blonde with eyes looking towards a bright future falls in love with her worst enemy. There is no glory, pride, or even dignity left for her. When you become a ninja it is obvious that you must sacrifice your feelings, especially in battle. One who can't even keep from sleeping with their enemies is not worthy of the title of ninja others work so hard for. Akihana has betrayed herself and her title and for that I can't feel the victory present around the village. What a weak and spineless waste of time.

Rain fell down upon him as he walked to see the traitor or her friend see them off. He was dressed in the robes of funerals not for a fight, but to recognize the village's own death. It was true to him now that whatever crawls into this village is chained by the bottomless pit of corruption within the walls. With the cursed darkness of the village ripping the good from the blonde savior and leaving her with nothing but it's poison. This was no way to leave Kumogakure, but it was now obvious that there was no way to stop the plague of the village. Ashur won a few battles, but lost the war. He killed people he called friends only a few days earlier. He had lost his innocence and happiness in life. What he was today was nothing close to a savior, and, to him, the only solution was to find his sweet release from the village. His robe comforted him as he felt the plague taking its toll.

Akihana, you are no better than the Raikage. Calling yourself a hero to the village like him. Ignoring the issues and sitting around within your cave. You are no hero, not even close. Akihana, you are someone I won't care to see when I meet you in hell.

With the rain drizzling down his blonde wig, he reached over to grab Hikashi's hand.

[865]

If the Raikage had thought that destroying her shrine would leave her no place to worship, he had been severely mistaken. Gods didn't reside in buildings and statues, the resided in the hearts of believers. And there was no jutsu strong enough on earth or heaven that would break her faith from her Goddess. The blonde now worshiped in the mountains, the whole looming structure was her shrine, every sharp rock, craggy peak and dusty path her altar and every star, cloud and sunray in the skies overheard a reassurance that Goddess Etro was looking down on her.

Today, the bonde was meting hikashi and Ashur for the final time. They would be on their own from her onwards and despite the difficulty she found in goodbyes, she hoped she would meet them again some day. As she waited a good way away from the border wall for the two young ninja, she could only hope they would understand some day why she couldn't go with them, how there were so many like them who couldn't escape, who needed her.

"Begging pardon Your Grace.. Are you quite certain?" For the first time since her arrival, on of her guards was finally visible, out in the open. They were alone today. Youka seem to trust her enough to at let let her pray without his clone being present. And she certainly hadn't lied when she said she was off to pray. This was the trust form of worship to Lady Etro there could ever be.

"Quiet certain," the blonde replied, a soft smile lighting her face. "You have served well all your life, brave knight," she added, turning her golden eyes to the Queensguard knelt before her. "But this is my hell to choose, not yours. Go home, back to where you are most needed. There's no point guarding a doomed spirit."

the knight remained quiet, getting to his feet and moving respectfully away from her. Presently, it was the droplets of rain that announced Hikashi's arrival before the young kunoichi came into sight. A warm smile lit up Akihana's face as the two ninja came into view. "Good morrow," she called out pleasantly, reaching to offer Hikashi a hug.

Hikashi felt the clouds cry above her with not the slightest bit of comfort in their drops. Hikashi had saved Kumogakure, but what the blonde had given up was priceless to her. Dignity, trust, and keeping your feelings out of battle were more than something as grand as saving a village. While there was happiness it laid bittersweet as she looked into Ashur's hateful eyes. She took the hand of Ashur as every raindrop felt more comforting by his side and her chakra roared inside her. Hikashi, deep down, hoped that Akihana would say that the Raikage threatened to kill her if she didn't. She hoped that the savior she looked up to had some kind of life threatening excuse for throwing marriage around with her worst enemy rather than punches. Betrayed and sickened, the lady walked towards the mountains to confront the criminal.

Upon arrival, she had her usual attire with a stone cold expression all over her face. Akihana reached over to offer her a hug and Hikashi almost felt like pulling out a kunai on her. Rejecting the hug quietly and steeping away, she tried to lock eyes with the blonde.
"Why would you marry someone you plotted against a few days ago? Don't you have a single ounce of respect for the title of ninja? It was all over the academy and general knowledge that emotions should be kept out of fights. You betrayed us and decided to win the fight in the sheets rather than with your smarts and skills. Why would anyone fall so low as a ninja?"
Her voice was as cold as the rain falling over those mountains. She clenched Ashur's hand and realized that nobody in Kumogakure really was trustworthy anymore. The rain beautifully mixed with her killing, depression, and her corruption throughout her stay in Kumogakure. While it started small, her rain grew with every crime she had done. Her parents, her brother, her pride, and her adopted son were all nothing but insignificant raindrops on her now. Each one creating the storm overhead that constantly reminded her of what she did. With her shower dripping down her clothes, she felt, deep in her soul, like killing the blonde before her.

[371]

The rejection of the hug came as a surprise but it didn't take the blonde long to catch up. It was clear from young Hikashi's expression what she meant even before the blue haired ninja began to speak. Her companion remained silent, choosing to hate with only his eyes while Hikashi spoke up, each word stabbing into Akihana with the sharpness no sword could live up to. Her wounds would be all the more painful because they would never be visible, no one would ever try to treat them because Akihana would never tell anyone they were there.

"Why you-" the young woman may have taken all the accusations silently but the knight behind her held no such reserves. His growl was audible as he stepped forwards, a hand on the hilt of his word only for his expression to sag at Akihana's quiet golden gaze turned his way.

"No Ser Arthus," she spoke, not feigning her calm. Despite the pain, this was a good thing. The more pain she felt, the less pain there would be for the two young ninja who were the future of this world. This world was theirs now, not hers. It belonged to Arata, Arashi, Dusk, Darkness, Ashur, Hikashi and all the young shinobi with lives to live and a future to celebrate.

"The young lady is quite right. I have indeed dishonored myself as a ninja and a human being. And I will make no excuses for my shortcoming, only try to stay here and repent." The knight seemed to wilt at her comment, as though physically struck though Akihana's tone had been smooth and low. "And I will start down the road to redemption right now by making sure you two never have to look at my unworthy face again. I know it's not much but you will start a new life soon... And over time, it will be easier to forget that there was once a foolish kunoichi like me."

Ashur kept a close eye on the knight as the fool was ready to fight. Hatred feel onto him in deep layers as he boiled inside. He wanted to destroy the two before him and was excited to see what kind of excuses the blonde would come up with. Upon the words escaping her lips, he felt a sudden realization of what was going here with a low hanging heart. With his face still blank and showing a tinge of anger, he let go of Hikashi's hand beside him. The words she said were soon unable to reach him as he had enough. Seeing her being through her eyes, feeling her selflessness in her words, and smelling the defeat in her soul was all making things clear to him. At the end of her sentence, he shook slightly before speaking.
"Look you guys are being a bunch of idiots if you ask me. Akihana you are obviously a nice lady and you saved an entire fucking village. Not only that but you did it all in a nonviolent way and stopped a war in exchange for a marriage I couldn't imagine being for love. I'm sorry, but that "thing" is nearly impossible for anyone to possibly loose their panties over. So, I have heard enough."
Ashur walked forward with a smile bursting the warmth inside of him. He outstretched his arms for a hug then flew forward for it. The change of heart felt better than anything he had done thus far. 
"Thank you Akihana. You are a hero to this village and I am honored to see history made before me. Whenever you find us, be sure to give us a friendly hello and we shall do the same. The gift you have given of freedom and redemption to us will take a lifetime to repay, but I am sure Hikashi and I could come up with something."

When Ashur gently disentangled himself from Hikashi and began to speak, Akihana's golden eyes went wide with shock, even more shock than the blue haired ninja's initial accusations. Behind her, she heard a gasp from the Knight as Ashur continued. His way of speaking was not refined, he seemed very straightforward, and the blonde could appreciate that. How he had managed to understand without them never meeting... It was something which proved that he believed. Deep down he believed her, and he hadn't yet lost faith in people. It would serve him well when he left this village.

"You don't have to think of something later on," the young woman offered, a soft smile lighting up her fetures despite the tragedy of the circumstances they found themselves in. She was going to miss these kids. She had known Hikashi longer but Ashur didn't mean any less to her in that moment. She could see how they made a good team. "You can repay me starting right now by looking after Hikashi really really well. She's a gift to this world, and she should be treasured as such. If you promise to always look out for her, I'll consider the debt repaid."

Akihana had learned a long time ago that goodness should never be contained. It wasn't for rewards and it certainly wasn't for feeling good about oneself after. Goodness was to spread into the world, far and wide, exchanging one kind deed for another, until it grew enough in numbers to keep the most important thing alive.

Hope.

With a smile, she opened her arms for the young male, hugging him tightly. Should the hug happen without incident, she would let him go with a look of pride in her warm gaze.

"I don't know when I'll get a chance to leave... if I ever get the opportunity. But there is one thing I would ask of you. I've given Ser Arthus a scroll that needs to get to a place Hikashi knows. She said she would find a prince and if you go with this knight, you will have no problem."

Should the two agree to help, she would thank them both profusely before her smile turned sad. "I guess this is goodbye then. I wish you both the very best in your life... Believe in yourself. Dream. Try.." she paused, her voice becoming firm with every word.

"And most importantly, try to do some good out there."

With Ashur stepping in and going completely against what she just said in his own way, she became uncomfortable with the whole situation; however, Ashur had given her time to recover and gain composure while also keeping a strong, friendly ally. As she recovered, Akihana became a much bigger person than her and talked about treating her right. A wide grin showed up on her face and she walked forward for a hug, joining Ashur.
"I am sorry for my ignorant rudeness earlier. Whatever you did is fine by me as you gave us a much greater future. Your kindness is priceless, Akihana."
After this, she heard Akihana talk of the prince and felt her face turn red as a tomato.
"Ashur you know this isn't anything like that. This is just a prince she knows who we have to visit."
Hikashi told this to Ashur before looking up at Akihana with a much more serious face. With Ashur releasing the hug and giggling at her response, the two looked at their savior side by side.
"We won't let you down."
They said in unison, voices mixing with one another. With this came Akihana's heart softening once more with a goodbye. The couple were both already getting into gear to go run the world and simply nodded at her goodbye. The sky was the limit and both of them were ready to break it in this world. Anticipation was a strong force you could almost smell coming off from both of them.
"I think we are all set to leave. We will miss you and remember your kindness, Akihana."
Hikashi nearly jumped for joy as she waited to see what was next towards their departure.

Hugging both the young ninja close, Akihana smiled through her sadness. They might be leaving but they were leaving for a life so much better than the one they had here, certainly a life they deserved. the world was now theirs for the taking.

'Ser Arthus," she called the old knight forth. His company would ensure not only that the two ninja see safe passage but that the gained entry to where the kunoichi was sending them. With Arashi's letter and scarf safely in the hands of the Queensguard and determination on his brow, he stepped forwards, silent. It was not in the nature of these men to grow emotional and Akihana respected that.

"Come on, the time has come at last." Taking each ninja's hand in her own, she waited for the knight to lay a hesitant palm on her shoulder. Once they were all connected, all four individuals vanished into the light, only perceptible as a stray sparkle of sunlight here and there. If uninterrupted, Akihana would escort the trio safely across the wall and any other village obstacles before making her way back to Kumogakure.

They may have escaped, but she had promised to stay. And she could never break a promise. This was her fate and she was truly resigned to it. And as she trudged back towards the village, she couldn't help but feel for the first time, that it was all worth it.

(Exit Akihana, Ashur and Hikashi - topic closed)

TWC: 1, 346

Approved of appropriate rewards.