[center][b][i]Ryo Katsu,
Former living,

Becoming a ghost of the past..[/center][/b][/i]

Ryo's eyes widened. Wait, what? They were requested to exchange their lives for a kind of ANBU position? No, it wasn't an invitation. It was an order. Looking at the ground, all kind of things went through Ryo's head. All kind of memories. The first time he had entered the training fields, first meeting with Team Sayomi. The spar he had with Katsuko. The times he had bond and worked with Katsuko, resulting that the two understood each other without much need of words. The duel with Kensuke, which would be the stone that would form the foundation of the brotherly love between Kensuke and him. The acknowledgement he had gained from Kensuke, even though the latter never had said such words. No, like Katsuko, Kensuke never had to say it. It was just a fact.

[center]Kensuke was like a brother. 
Family.[/center]

His hands trembled as he felt on being on the verge to cry. His life had been quite alright for some time. A place of his own, nobody that would see him as a poor orphan kid. He was even respected by the people he cared for. Why was this happening? Stepping forward, his right fist placed at his chest, still slightly trembling Ryo spoke. [b]''I... I..''[/b] He stuttered. Images of him and Kensuke training, fighting side by side. Bleeding and being in pain together But more importantly. They had been together, as two brothers. Not bonded by blood or such commitment. No, by free will and a shared history. Of respect and brotherly love.

[b] ''I pledge loyalty to the Hokage. I promise that I will give my life to the Hokage and the Leaf if it would mean that they are safe. I am a shinobi in the service of the Hokage, this I swear.'[/b] Saying the oath with a emotionless voice, he realized that this would hurt one of his best friends. Only thing that Ryo hoped for was that Kensuke's life would get better. Hopefully....

[center]Hopefully he wouldn't forget about his 'younger brother'.[/center]