Reader x Masakage

I listened to UtaPri's drama CD on Shining Theatrical Troupe and since I roleplay as Masato, I figured out that writing something inspired by the drama CD may help, so here I am! Hope to hear feedback or comments from you. <3

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"Princess, leave it to me. I, Masakage, one of the top shinobis of the Saotome Ninja School, will not be defeated easily!" the blue-haired ninja shields the princess with care, glaring right into the enemy's eyes fiercely.

So, their mission was to assassinate his beloved princess, the princess that holds the fate to the unity of all clans in Kyoto?

He wouldn't give in this easily, not even for once.

Soon after he shields his princess, he threw a smoke bomb right away, ensuring that the the enemies sight will be affected and leads the princess to the escape path.

"Hime, please follow quickly." the blue-haired ninja whispered and held out his arm quick enough to pull you away from the fighting scene, and began to dash across corridors and secret pathways without pausing his steps.

You nodded quickly and followed. Though you are not an expert as your clansmen do, but you received certain amount of training just in case this situation happens.

And it happened. Right in front of you.

Both of you passed through underground tunnels and hidden paths in an amazing speed, avoiding the traps that the shinobis have built in the castle swiftly. The only thing that he had in his mind was to protect the princess - The one that he would risk everything of his to protect, even with his life.

Protecting you is more than just his duty, more than his pride, more than just victory in battles, and even more than the unity of the place that he shed blood and tears... It's his undying love towards you that kept him strong enough ever since he was really young.

For his current state, all he could do is to stay strong enough and ensuring that his beloved princess could live on, no matter how his fate leads him.

"Hime, are you fine right now?" He asked gently, while still being alert of his surroundings. He knew well that the enemies' skills are on par of his, that they might be able to trace their path even though he tried to conceal every possible track that allows their location to be leaked.

"Is that so... To be honest, I'm glad that you are staying strong for the sake of all the shinobis. I'm really grateful, hime." he gave you a serene smile, and bowed at you formally.

You shook your head and ordered him to get up right away. Being a little flustered for receiving compliments from the man that you love and being happy at the same time, you wished that you could spend more time with him other than these kind of situation.

But there's no time to feel that way right now. You know well enough that you are going to be assassinated as soon as you leave your guards down, so you sat up straight and pretended that nothing happened.

Right after he stood up straight from bowing, his gut feeling tells him that there is something odd. What's more, where did Syonosuke go? For his abilities, he shouldn't be defeated easily too. But why isn't he here...?

Could it be...?

It must be.

"Hime. We have to leave now. Syonosuke is fighting somewhere around here, so we had to leave, for your safety. I'm sorry."

As soon as he finished his words, he quickly piggybacked you and continues his search for another safe place, somewhere safe... Just for you to survive.

"A Shinobi's job is to protect your employer, and you devote your life to your employer until the contract ends." A voice echoed in the male's mind again and again that Masakage almost lost his ability to focus, but soon enough he managed to pull himself together and tries to flee from the castle.

Until the moment you hear footsteps that doesn't belong to you, nor the ninja that is carrying you...

"Masakage, behind you!" You whispered.

"Hime, I know. I'll definitely keep you safe, so do not worry. Just like what I've promised to you." he replied.

"How could he be so calm when the enemy chased up so quickly?" you thought. But then again, if it weren't for Masakage, you've been assassinated right on your futon, dying in your sleep.

"Sasasasasasasasaa..." The sounds of footsteps got closer and closer, and Cecilmaru appears and began to throw his shurikens towards your direction.

Almost startled at the speed of the enemy, Masakage jolted for a tiny moment. The blue-haired man knew well enough that he can't feel fear right now. The person that he's in love with... Her life, and her destiny is on his hands. He HAD to protect her, no matter what.

"Knocking on the wall jutsu!" he shouted, and a stone wall rose quickly from the ground and blocked off the shurikens.

Casting a few more illusion jutsus that he mastered, the enemy, Cecilmaru was distracted for some moment. Noticing that he couldn't lose the golden chance to escape, he ran towards the cliff.

However...

It seems that luck wasn't on his side as soon as he sees the brunette chased after him sooner than he thought.

Just... What is he?

He knew that it may be futile to continue fleeing with the princess this way, so he let the princess down and shielded her protectively for once again. "Hime, do not let go of my back. I'll fight for victory, and I will not give up, no matter what it takes."

As soon as Cecilmaru began to speak, the blue-haired male gave him a determined, and deadly glare towards the enemy. "Masakage, and princess... I don't need the two of you... All I need to do is..."

And the brunette began to grab his shuriken and kept on throwing the shurikens towards the duo continuously.

"Knocking on the wall jutsu!"

Another shuriken.

"Knocking on the wall jutsu! Knocking on the wall jutsu!"

And the battle lasts for another hour, until both ninjas started to breath heavier and heavier due to fatigue.

And the foreign-looking ninja began to summon a weird kind of jutsu...


"W-what kind of jutsu is this? This isn't even a ninjutsu!" the startled male shouted with rage, still shielding his princess protectively.

And the opponent only returned him with a smirk, and began to chant his magic at Masakage while shooting out more shurikens.

"K-Knocking on the wall jutsu!" the blue-haired ninja summoned another wall, but his has drained almost all of his energy that he wouldn't know if he could really survive anymore.

"You monster! You are using the spells of demons!" he continued shouting out of rage, glaring angrily at Cecilmaru.

But glaring wouldn't work on the enemy, and he knew that.

He need to make sure that the princess is kept safe, but there's no way out.

Just... How exactly would they be able to survive?

Thud.

The shuriken was an inch from his neck, cutting a few strands of his blue-hair already.

No good.

"Hime, please be careful. I'll protect you until the very end." he whispered quietly.

Thud!

Thud thud!

"Masakage! Be carefu-" You shouted, while starting to feel the guilt of having the man that you love for protecting you even if the chance of survival is tiny.

A shuriken just managed to hit Masakage, followed by Cecilmaru's constant damage of his magic, Masakage knew that he had to stay even stronger for this opponent.

Cecilmaru from the Shining Ninja School... Huh. He'll make sure that he would remember this opponent's name forever, and make sure that he would train harder and harder in the future to defend his beloved princess from people that are stronger than him.

"Hime, are you alright?" He asked with a soft tone, but you could hear him begin to pant in pain. It hurts inside, but you knew that something like this may happen.

Seeing him to protect you with such devotion... You couldn't help yourself but to pray that things would be fine soon.

"I'm fine. This is what shinobis are for. We are trained to endure these pain, so I'll be fine." the blue-haired male continued his words again, hoping that you wouldn't feel too emotional over the situation before you.

"...Nyakanyaka!" Cecilmaru continued his magical attack, and Masakage pulled out a scroll to summon another wall to protect himself from the attack.

Again and again, one wall after another...

As soon as he realizes that he's overusing his jutsus that will wear him out, the protective walls begins to fade and Cecilmaru's magic attack hits Masakage, right onto his chest.

Then another blow of magic attack on the same spot, then to his legs... Repeating his attack until he is able to kill both you and Masakage.

"I won't give up! And I will not hand her over to the likes of you! " Your protector yelled with his spirit, and continuously blocking the attacks in your place. He pants even more frequently, but he is trying his best to stand up straight and returning the attacks.

With a couple of hand gestures, he managed to deal some damage to Cecilmaru with his hidden jutsu, but the damage dealt on the magician was so much lesser than he thought.

He knew it. His chakara is depleting so rapidly along with his stamina.

Curses.

In that split second, Cecilmaru managed to hit Masakage on his chest with his magic again, and this time, it hit him hard.

And your protector coughed blood from the attack and fell on the ground on his knees.

"Hime... R-run... Flee from this place, and l-leave this to me..." He coughed once more, and trying to assure you that he will be fine.

But the both of you knew that it wouldn't be.

"Hime... Please... Go now, stay alive, and stay safe." He placed an arm on your head, and this time, he stared into your eyes with his warm affection, and slowly caressed across your face to wipe off the dirt and the traces of tears away.

It's the first time, and it will probably be the last time that you will receive his kindness like this.

And you saw Cecilmaru preparing for another attack again.

Without saying a word, you pinned Masakage on the ground, and blocked off the attack for him instead.

Fortunately, it didn't harm you too much, but your arm gotten a few scratches from the attack.

"H-hime! What are you doing? Y-your arm!" Masakage quickly look into your arm worriedly, and you could see his pained look while examining your injuries.

"Hime... I've told you that I'm the one should be protecting you..." He held you tightly, whispered with a broken voice while trying his best to compress his sobs. "Nn...? You don't want to see people getting hurt anymore...?"

He let out a sigh, while placing an arm on your head again. "You are the one that I'll be protecting with my life, and I'll fight for anything for you, to bring peace for you. Please... Don't do anything like this anymore..." he smiled bitterly.

"It... hurts to see you being hurt... Please..." He muttered quietly.

And he pulled you right into his embrace, after knowing that Cecilmaru wasn't able to pull off an attack after casting too many spells in a go.

"Hime... Please, go now."

"Hime... Please, go now," Masakage pleaded.

And this, is the first time in your life that you hear him to sound like he's about to break down into tears due to emotional pain. You can't help yourself but to feel the pain that makes your heart to throb in pain.

The pain in your heart, it's worse than any of your wounds that you had on your arm after protecting your beloved Masakage that is already badly wounded, and yet...

"Go!" the blue-haired shinobi begged, for once again.

"Honyakanin, honyakanan..." the brunette from a foreign country is trying his best to pull off another attack towards Masakage, but somehow, that spell of his didn't work too well.

Realizing the situation, you held Masakage tightly and refused to let go, hoping that he would at least understand that you are seeing him as somebody that is more important than anyone else, more than just childhood friends... more than anything.

"H-hime... Please... Don't do this..." Masakage pulled you into his warm embrace for once again, allowing you to bury your head into his chest, since he somehow managed to know that you aren't feeling well to leave, either.

What's more, with your limited skills and training, fleeing may not be a good option without him by your side, too.

"(name), it's not the time to cry, it's not the time to cry, you have to stay strong for him, and look for a way where both of you could live together!" you chanted silently to yourself, praying to Kami-sama, hoping that this havoc would end in an instant.

While Cecilmaru is being confused on why his spells aren't functioning alone, Masakage, somehow, decides to comfort you with his tenderness, hoping that you will feel emotionally better, for the least.

"It will be fine, princess. I promise to you, with my life, and my name of Masakage," he whispered gently while you are still burying your head within his embrace and holding him rightly, and pets very, very softly from the very top of your head, slowly along with your length of hair.

You nodded, while both of you are slightly embarrassed of such closeness among the two of you, but somehow the two of you didn't mind. (Since the two of you secretly loves each other and were being such a dere of not telling to each other.)

And the fight between Otoyaemon and Syonosuke somehow reached the top of the cliff and caused major collapsing of rocks and soil.

"Knocking on the wall no jutsu!" Masakage casts another spell, and this time, protecting the stoned Cecilmaru along and the three of you are saved.

"Hime, daijoubu ka?" Masakage asked again, while you were clinging onto him so tightly because you were so afraid to let go, and being afraid that he would disappear, too. You didn't say anything because you are somewhat surprised, that he chuckled softly for a short moment, telling you that he will protect you and there is really no need to worry about anything.

Cecilmaru thanked Masakage, while Syonosuke managed to help Otoyaemon to get rid of his annoying clones that even Otoyaemon is confused by the clones and now, the two clans of ninjas gathered once again, and are prepared for the real fight.

Just when everyone are about to begin, the sounds of firework appeared from the other end of the cliff, signifying to the enemy clan that they have to retreat.

Now that everything ended peacefully for today, it's time for all of you to return to the castle to make plans for escorting you to another castle, since there will be another time where the enemy would return for the assassination again.

"Let's go?" Masakage asked, reaching an arm to you with the lightest tint of blush.

You nodded, and held his hand.

Syonosuke was all surprised, of course, but you told him not to bother and made him to stay quiet using your position as the princess, and somehow, he actually walked ahead of the two of you a little, mumbling random words quietly...

And the two of you continued holding hands while flustering like crazy on the way to the castle.

--- The End ---

That's all for today! :>