Battle in the Mist
.
The fog only gets thicker. Gon continues to run, troubled by the sudden lack of noise from the other exam applicants. And even though he has tried his best to follow Killua's advice, he has lost sight of the group ahead of him.
His nose crinkles, and his boots halt against the swampy ground. No. Something is wrong. The smell of the earth has completely changed, the temperature plummeted beyond the doing of any air currents.
"Oi! Sasuke!"
The distant call has Gon in both curiosity and alarm. That voice does not sound like any of the examinees. His hand clutches his fishing rod harder. It must be a monster of the marshlands.
Naruto curses again, pushing his way through the ferns and wildlife. He has already been late to dinner once, and if he does not make it back to Tazuna's soon, Sakura-chan will scold him for sure. Speaking of Tazuna's, which way is the house again?
Also, where the hell did Sasuke go? Damn it, he cannot see anything in this annoying fog!
Sasuke stands still. His eyes reopen, and the same blanketing white greets him.
"Tch." So not genjutsu either.
A kunai swivels in his hand. He does not know who casted this mist technique, but the most likely candidate is Zabuza's ally. In hindsight, it has been incredibly foolish of them to be training outside of Kakashi's supervision. The enemy now has the perfect opportunity to kill them one by one.
Cold realization hits him. His body has already acted, in a full sprint back.
Shit! Naruto is in trouble!
Gon peeks through the gap between bushes, his head ducked in the grass. The fog is starting to lighten, revealing a contrasting orange. The figure is coming this way. If it comes too close, that could be bad. Gon also does not know what type of monster this is. If it behaves like a foxbear, he should run while he still can. Otherwise, it might be wiser to remain hidden, especially if the monster has yet to sense him.
The footsteps stop.
Now is his chance, he should-
A whip past his ear. He stops cold at crack in the tree ahead, the kunai protruding out.
It takes a moment for Gon to realize the attack is not directed at him, but at the rodent creature paralyzed a centimeter short of the weapon. The animal had not managed to move as quietly.
Naruto lowers his hand.
"W-whoever is there, come out! You want to fight, then stop hiding like a coward and fight me!"
There is no response.
A minute of heart-pounding silence later, Naruto drops his shoulders. It must be his imagination acting up again. He shivers. Why does this fog have to be so creepy!
Just as he readies to move on, a humanoid silhouette has revealed itself.
"Okay." The figure pockets his hands. "No need to yell."
Gon is standing, fishing rod in hand. Sweat trails down his neck as he watches Killua casually approach the monster.
Killua keeps his gaze level. In his periphery is Gon, still unnoticed by the monster. Good. Now the other can make a clean escape.
Gon can run and let him deal with this.
Inside his pockets, his nails are sharp. Killua has been trying to hide his true nature, but he supposes it can't be helped.
His eyes glaze over.
This will be over fast.
A blur of metal, and his foot makes a last second pivot. A kunai juts out from the ground, separating him from Naruto.
Killua is broken out of his concentration. Another enemy? But he did not sense any-
The gravity of the situation sinks in. He acted too recklessly. Had he remained hidden, he could have gathered more information, known what he was up against.
No, no point in regretting that decision now. It is still better they target him instead of Gon.
Killua leans back, a shuriken slashing his shirt. His palm rises to catch an incoming fist, before he flashes above, jamming a claw into his enemy's chest cavity.
To his surprise, he finds nothing solid. Inside the burst of smoke, Killua notices the next attack too late.
Naruto grins when his kick lands, his opponent sent rolling in the ground several meters away. Killua forces one more roll, as more kunai impale the earth beside him. Given the timing and trajectories of the weapons so far, there is probably only one other opponent. Probably.
If there are only two of them, he can take them on. Alternatively, he could make use of the fog and make his escape in the opposite direction. Or-
Hands burst out from underground, trapping his ankles. Killua stares at the incoming barrage of fists and realizes just how wrong he has been.
"Eat this!" one hundred Naruto simultaneously yell.
Killua braces himself. There is the sound of impact, but he is oddly free of pain. Instead, a suitcase is flying through the air, puffs of smoke in its path.
Naruto finds his face making collision with rubber soles. The rest of his clones disperse.
Freed, Killua takes his opportunity to bolt, hard enough to sink the earth beneath his feet.
Running by his side is a boy he did not expect to see.
"Why didn't you run away?" he asks Gon.
Gon looks like he knows the answer no better than Killua does. But then, after a small moment of thought, he smiles.
"I couldn't leave without you."
When Naruto comes around, the fog has cleared. Standing by his side is Sasuke, peering down at him.
Naruto groans, rubbing the imprints on his cheek. "What happened?"
Sasuke hates to admit that he does not quite know either. His gaze falls on the abandoned fishing rod, suspended upon a branch. Then the suitcase on the ground, cracked open to reveal what appears to be mundane paperwork and medicine.
Given their fast retreat, those kids were more afraid of them than the other way around. A bunch of failed recruits by Gatō? No, it is possible they are unrelated. One thing is clear though...
Sasuke thinks back to that spike of killing intent he felt earlier. He does not want to entertain the thought of what would have happened had he not arrived in time.
Naruto blinks at the hand extended to him. Sasuke has his gaze averted.
"Heh." With a grin, Naruto lets Sasuke pull him up.
One thing is clear: they have to stick together.
.
Battle in the Arena
.
Gon collapses on the bed of their hotel room. Now that he has reached his objective, they have no more reason to stay in Heavens Arena. But what now?
Killua is packing their bags when he notices a card in the pocket of Gon's jacket.
Hanzo's Master Disappearance Superior School.
Killua sweatdrops. For a supposed shinobi, the guy is really lacking in subtlety.
"Oh, that's right, Hanzo invited me to his homeland!"
Hanzo is pretty strong. Might be worth the trip, Killua muses. He flips over the card to see no further information. "Where did he say his homeland is again?"
It took two weeks of travel, but they are finally here. A huff, and Sakura smiles, admiring the giant gate of the Village Hidden in the Clouds. With the invasion messing up the finals, the shinobi nations decided a redo of the exam was only proper. Kumogakure gladly stepped up to be host this time.
Unfortunately for Sakura, she comes short of the final stage again. So she sits in resignation beside Kakashi, brochure in hand. On it are the brackets for the remaining contestants. What makes this year unique, however, is the break from typical one-on-one. Instead, matches will follow the Kumogakure tradition: tag team.
Given her teammates, that can be both a blessing and a curse.
The crowd cheers. Naruto waves to the audience while Sasuke quietly joins him in the limelight. On the other side, two different boys are making their appearance. The two sides greet and…
"EH?!"
Isn't he the monster from the Hunter Exam? Gon thinks, confused.
Sasuke narrows his eyes. It's that white-haired boy.
Gon exchanges a look with Killua before nodding, stepping up to face Naruto. Sasuke and Killua fall back to the sidelines.
The whistle blows.
"Kage bushin no jutsu!"
Gon glances around the arena, surrounded three-sixty by shadow clones. He ducks the first, dives for the second, only to be knocked in the jaw by a third. No good. It does not matter whether they are real or fake, they all hurt!
Clones continue to assault from all sides, but Gon proves to be nimble. Once he has gotten in rhythm, he manages to evade or block the bulk of the attacks. As for the hits that do land…
Naruto frowns. What the hell. His punches should be knocking his opponent out. Yet, he can barely make the other turn a cheek. Moreover, it feels like he is punching rock.
Well, if that's the case...
The flow of motion has changed. Gon reacts accordingly, evading the boy catapulting towards him.
As Naruto flies past, he grins. An awaiting clone catches his wrists, using his momentum to fling him right back at Gon.
"Oi, here's payback for the other time!"
Gon turns around to meet the soles of Naruto's sandals. Simultaneously, three more Naruto are charging in triangular formulation. Together, the combined force of their kicks sends Gon high in the air.
"U-" Another upwards kick.
"Zu-" Once more.
"Ma-" Higher.
"Ki-" And higher.
Gon's eyes widen at the silhouette against the ceiling lights. From above, the real Naruto slams the full weight of his final kick onto his opponent. "RENDAN!"
A booming collision into the arena.
Naruto lands in a crouch, wiping the sweat from his brow. Heh, let's see how he likes that.
A drip. Another spot of red colors the floor tiles.
Naruto's grin falls. His stance shifts in alarm when the debris clears to reveal Gon straightening up. But then, he notices something bizarre.
Gon is staring at him in unabashed awe, oblivious to the damage on and around him.
"That was so cool!" Gon can barely hold back his excitement.
It takes a moment for Naruto to recover. Once he does, he rubs his neck, an embarrassed blush on his cheeks.
"You… you think so?"
"Yeah, I'm really glad for this chance to fight you! Your movements are harder to read than Gido's, and your doppelganger technique is even better than Kastro's - and he was a 200th floor contestant!"
"I see, I see." Naruto nods, despite having never heard of any of those names. "I must be pretty good then!"
"One of the best!"
In the audience, Sakura's eye twitches, as she watches her teammate's ego inflate to astronomical levels. By her side, Kakashi is more wary than exasperated.
It is difficult to say whether or not that boy is doing this intentionally, but he has just hit Naruto in his weak spot - his thirst for acknowledgement. Naruto will fight for recognition. Die for it. But give it to him, and all of that determination just…
Dissipates.
In the arena, Naruto and Gon are both laughing.
Still smiling, Gon says cheerfully, "And that is why I must hit you!"
"Yup, and that is why you must-" Naruto blinks.
A cut through his clones. Before him is a flash of green that was not there before. His reflexes kick in, catching the attack… of an empty boot?
Naruto does not even feel the uppercut until he is in the air. Dammit, the bastard tricked him!
Sasuke frowns at the familiar pattern of upward blows. This boy is just like them. He learns.
"Ni-"
"Jū-"
"Sō-"
Gon propels himself up from his handstand, flashing above Naruto.
Oh, hell no! Gritting his teeth, Naruto manages to fend off both his punches and grab his kick. Gon is undeterred, slipping out of his second boot. "REN-"
Both their skulls meet. "DAN!"
The stonework of the floors scatters from impact.
The audience has hushed, waiting in anticipation.
On the floor, Naruto chuckles darkly. His combo attack is not exactly original, but he would have never guessed someone would copy the technique and use it against him. He thinks back to Bushy-Brows, then Sasuke. Is he… is he finally the one worthy of being mimicked?
His elation is cut short by a sudden jolt of pain, as he collapses back down.
Kakashi eyes the cracks in stone, rippled across the arena. Up until now, Gon has not managed to land a hit. While dexterous, the boy simply cannot match shinobi speed. Furthermore, both his reflex and reaction reveal a painfully obvious lack of combat experience.
But now that he has landed a hit, Kakashi revises his earlier assessment. What the boy lacks in experience, he makes up for in potential. Devastating potential.
From the sidelines, Sasuke watches his teammate slowly rise. Even with every clone buffering his fall, the impact was brutal. His gaze turns to the other boy.
The picture is wrong. Gon continues to be in worse condition. Blood is running profusely down his temple, his limbs ridden with fractures and welts. So far, he has done nothing but land one hit, yet he is dancing with nothing short of exuberance.
"Yatta! I did it!"
… because one hit is all he wanted.
Sasuke realizes too late, as Gon is already halfway across the arena.
"Naruto!"
A slap. At the call of his name, Naruto turns around, confused by Sasuke's outstretched palm.
The strike has him down before he can even open his mouth.
Killua lowers his hand. To Gon, he sends a thumbs up, who returns the gesture from the sidelines.
Sasuke clenches his jaw. As he thought, the opposing team does not have two fighters. They have one. The white-haired boy must have carried them to the finals. Gon is simply there for thrills, to complete his own self-imposed goals.
Sasuke looks at Naruto's prone form, then the proctor.
"What now?"
"The match is over when both contestants on one side are down. For now, you may substitute in his place. If your partner is conscious before the match end, he may substitute back in."
"I see."
As Sasuke flickers in, Killua leaps back.
Enough games. Sasuke shifts into stance. It is about time the real match began.
Both disappear.
Gon stares in awe at the blurs of motion. This is his favorite part of the tournament; everyone here is like Hanzo, moving so fast as to disappear. That Killua is as good as the shinobi… Killua never ceases to be amazing!
Gon is wrong. Killua is barely keeping up. Whatever his eyes can detect, his mind cannot process. The only thing saving him are the reflexes he gained from assassin training, training that his opponent is all too familiar with.
Whoever he is, Killua knows he is dealing with something different, someone stronger than anyone they have faced so far. The attacks are remarkably fluid, with a precision to rivals his. And no matter what Killua does, it always seems like the other is one step ahead of him, capable of cleanly predicting each of his moves.
A shift in the air. Killua crosses his arm to block, and the two scatter to opposite sides of the arena.
Killua analyzes his opponent, his mind mapping all possible scenarios and outcomes. He cannot afford to be careless here. Gon is counting on him to take this guy out; their team has no chance at victory otherwise.
Only, the longer he studies the situation, the greater the feeling that something is off. That something is missing.
"Have you figured it out yet?"
Killua freezes at Sasuke's smirk.
A wave of chakra burst free.
"You're outclassed."
When the match ends, Sakura rushes forward.
"You did it! Way to make the comeback, Sasuke-kun!" She had been worried with Naruto there, but she knew she could count on Sasuke to pull through. And on two-to-one odds!
Sasuke regards her with a bored expression. "What are you talking about."
Sakura is confused until she notices Naruto. From the corner, Naruto is waving at her, fully conscious. Rejuvenated even.
Kakashi places a hand on her shoulder.
"Naruto was faking it, Sakura. Never once did they have the disadvantage."
It is supposed to be a hustle. As soon as Sasuke gives the signal, Naruto feigns defeat. When Sasuke later comes into trouble, Naruto would then henge as him and substitute in without their opponents knowing the wiser.
A good strategy, but a wasted one, considering Sasuke had no problem finishing both off himself. The gap in strength is too wide.
Kakashi glances over at the boys on the opposite side of the arena, watching one gather the other in piggyback. Nonetheless...
The match should not have lasted as long as it did. Afterall, those boys are not shinobi. They do not know how to fight with their lives on the line. Compared to his team, they are still pure.
Killua ignores the pain down his body, focusing all his energy on getting his friend to the hospital.
On his back, Gon lies unconconscious. His limp arm swings with every step, angry with color. The warmth of his blood is soaking into the fabric of Killua's shirt.
Killua stifles the emotions bubbling in his chest. This is his fault. If he had not lost, Gon would have never faced that guy himself. If he had not lost, Gon would not be in the state he is now.
Killua snaps shut his eyes. Forgive him. Next time, he will not be so useless.
.
Battle in the Valley
.
"Accompany on!"
Two bolts of light descend upon the earth.
Gon and Killua blink at the surface beneath their feet, or the lack of.
"Gah!" In splashes, they both sink into the water.
Once they help pull each other to the shoreline, they examine their new surroundings, the rocky cliffs and crashing waterfall. This place does not resemble any place on Greed Island, or any place they know, really. Yet, the air contains that familiar saturation of aura, that distinct feeling they get right before they meet-
The sound of imploding stone draws their attention.
Against Naruto's back is a crater. Limp, he peels off and falls into the valley below.
His hundred meter drop is cut short by the snatch of a yoyo.
As Killua helps pull Naruto over the edge, he notices the other boy is as drenched as they are. Confused, Gon turns to the attacker standing on the other cliffside statue. The sight is disconcerting.
"You guys again." Naruto has forced himself up, his voice hoarse. It does not look like he can really see them.
Instead, his attention is on Sasuke only. There is a notable tension in his muscles, his nails angrily digging into the ground.
"Sorry, but if you're looking for a fight, now's not a good time."
With that, he charges.
The surrounding aura makes Killua's skin jump, as he snatches Gon by the wrist. They have to go. Now. These guys are inhumanly powerful, and their own lives could be in jeopardy if they get caught in the crossfire.
Gon's footwork is clumsy in their retreat, as he continues to stare at the ensuing battle. "What's going on?" He does not understand the scene playing before him. "Aren't they friends?"
Can two people who try to kill each other still be called friends?
Sasuke is arms-deep in Naruto's chest, his only regret that he missed the heart. This is how it should have been anyway. That day in the mist, he saved Naruto from this fate. Naruto is only alive because of his multiple interventions. Sasuke is only taking back his favor.
With a shaking hand, Naruto grabs onto Sasuke's arm. His breath is choked, but not because of a pierced lung. Water drips off his chin.
Are they still friends?
Startled, Killua grabs Gon last second, rolling them both onto the ground just before the shockwave hits. Another howl, and the earth rumbles, the air suffocating and hot. Never has Killua experienced an aura this thick or malicious, not Hisoka, not even Illumi.
A touch snaps him out of his terror. Gon is pulling him up, leading them forward. They still need to get out of range.
Crashing down are the first drops of rain.
Killua presses his back against a tree. Gon has collapsed at his foot. It will take them a moment to catch their breaths.
Whatever joys they had from their gaming adventures has faded, as they are forced to familiarize themselves with this new reality, a reality currently beyond their understanding. Why had the card sent them here? If it had been to fight Naruto and Sasuke again, they would have gladly taken up the challenge. But what they witnessed was not...
"Killua."
Something about Gon's tone is worrying, but Killua keeps his patience. Finally, he asks, "What is it?"
Gon looks strained, like he does not know how to verbalize his feelings.
In the end, he stares Killua in the eye and says, "Can you promise me something?"
Killua thinks he knows what Gon will ask.
"Sure."
Killua is wrong.
"I know this is a stupid thought, but just in case we ever…" Gon cannot stop thinking about the violence, the rupture, the splashes of blood. He swallows. "If we ever become like that, promise me you'll leave my side."
While Killua is frozen, Gon continues, "I don't think I'll have the willpower to separate if it's just me. It has to be you, Killua. Promise me you'll leave if we ever come to that point."
After Killua recollects himself, he lowers his gaze, eyes hidden behind his bangs. Gon does not understand. He does not understand that for Killua...
"Yeah," he says. "I promise."
.
Battle in the Dark
.
The ANBU squadron comes to a halt. Kakashi looks down at Pakkun, who shakes his head. They have lost the scent.
Kakashi examines the landscape before them. Konoha has not suffered an infiltration this bad for nearly a decade, and to be robbed of that of all things. Furthermore, even if they find the thief, can they stop him? No one has seen a speed like that since the Yondaime.
By his side is Naruto, who is preparing his traditional hand sign. He is not giving up just yet.
There is a crackle and jolt, as Killua feels a momentary loss of balance. The electricity running through his system has depleted. That is fine. He is almost at the border.
He digs in his heel. A presence ahead. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not; he is not going to risk it, already making a beeline to the right.
Unfortunately, his detour ends up costing him, as a mob of kage bushin soon blocks his path.
One of them drops down. "It's you," Naruto says.
Killua examines his periphery. In the end, he relaxes his stance.
"Hey."
The friendly tone catches Naruto off guard. His expression changes, his posture loosening as well. He outstretches a hand.
"If you give me the jewel, I'll let you go. I'll even convince Kakashi-sensei to call off the hounds."
The offer is a genuine one. Killua appreciates that. Unfortunately…
"Sorry, no can do."
If there is some honest way to obtain the jewel, Killua would agree in a heartbeat. But for something like this, Konoha will set no price, leaving him with no option.
Naruto's gaze falls on Killua's right pocket, where a glow leaks through the cracks of his fingers. He thinks back to Kakashi's words. The nyoi jewel has the ability to grant wishes, but its power is only as strong as the need. The jewel will only glow in the hands of someone consumed by true despair.
On the surface, Killua is relaxed. He is normal. On the inside, he is broken. He is clutching onto this last hope as if it is life itself, and if Naruto wants it back, he will have to pry it from his cold, dead fingers.
Naruto raises a kunai.
"I'm sorr-"
The clone is slashed in half, as Killua blitzes past.
A grin. "You don't owe me any apologies."
At the border, Gon sits. He waits. All around him is nature but no sound, the animals absent. There is a call of his name, but he does not react until Killua has materialized by his side.
To Gon, Killua gives a faint smile, his palm open with an offering.
"I got it. We can bring Kite back now. Everything will be okay."
At the last word, Killua fights back a choke, everything in his language less of an affirmation and more of a plea. A raw, desperate plea, as he waits for Gon to say something, anything.
Gon continues to stare at the jewel, rich and vibrant and bright. It brings some color back into the night.
All of Killua's efforts are rewarded when some color returns to Gon's eyes as well. It is flickering and brief, but enough to send Killua to the brink, because it means the Gon he knows is still there. Just like how Kite can still be brought back, Gon can still be brought back.
"Thank you, Killua," Gon whispers.
However, before Killua can give him the jewel, there is a swoop of something from the skies. Killua jerks away, preventing the jewel from being snatched at the cost of a gash to his hand.
Blood drips, but Killua's attention is on the sudden blankness in Gon's eyes. They are sunken and as dark as the nen flooding out from his body. No, Killua begs, keep it together a little longer, Gon.
A hawk perches on the arm of its summoner. Watching from the precipice are red eyes. A chokuto unsheathes from its scabbard.
His strike is soundless, a clean cut from shoulder to hip. But something is off. The spin of the sharingan captures an after-image, a blur where his blade should be.
Sasuke lands, his sword in three fragments at his feet.
The other boy is still kneeling with his back turned, though with one hand suspended higher than before, nails extended.
Slowly, Killua turns.
On instinct, Sasuke propels back, increasing their distance. For the first time in a long time, there is a surge of adrenaline through his veins, the distinct drumming of fear.
What cold eyes, he thinks wryly. This boy may be deader than he is.
The jewel exchanges hands, with Killua closing Gon's palm. He stands.
"Return to Kite, Gon."
Shuriken shoot towards Gon in an attempt to stop his leave. They are knocked into the ground by the hard whip of a yoyo, as Killua materializes before Sasuke's path. An exchange of four, five hits, fold, swerve and kick before both break to opposite sides.
Killua straightens, waiting. Behind him, the forest is clear.
Sasuke ignores the numbness in his arm, the fractures in his bones. His sharingan studies the flow of chakra within his opponent, how it instantaneously reshapes around areas of the body to be a weapon or shield, similar to the mechanism behind Gaara's sand.
Gaara.
Sasuke is mildly impressed. He has not been expecting a challenge from this boy, not after that crushing defeat a year ago.
This works in his favor. Training has been too slow, too easy. All of Orochimaru's prisoners and test subjects are wearing his patience. It is about time he fought someone worthwhile.
Sasuke disappears in a flicker. He better not be disappointed.
Naruto leaps faster, straight in the direction of the glow. To his surprise, the holder of the jewel is someone different.
Gon snaps his head, eyes piercing straight into Naruto's, catching the other off guard. Gon's feet grinds to a halt, his body twisted into an animal-like formation, one that is ready to pounce.
"Woah, woah, hold on!" Naruto holds up both hands. "Can we just talk about this?"
Gon continues to stare at him, unmoving. It looks like he has heard and he is listening, but he does not understand. Talk? What is talk? What is there to talk about?
Naruto stares back, wondering what on earth happened. If Killua looks like he had been dragged through hell, Gon looks like he has sunken right through it.
He shakes off the thought. No, there is no time to be worrying about others. Right now, he needs to focus on the mission. And that means stalling long enough for the original to get here.
"Yeah, I think there has been a huge miscommunication. See, that jewel-"
Naruto stops mid-step; Gon has stepped in sync, his body tensing, unwilling to let Naruto come any closer.
"... that jewel belongs to Konoha," Naruto says, staying where he is. "Your friend stole it from us. I just want to get it back."
Rigid, Gon looks at the jewel in his hand. Stolen? It was stolen? It does not belong to him?
"You guys don't seem like bad people," Naruto continues. "If you hand it to me now, I'll let you go. We don't have to fight."
Naruto feels sweat run down his neck. Do not rush in. Always try communication first. Avoid conflicts if possible; he has learned that much from Jiraiya. Still, something in his gut is telling him words will not resolve this, that he is better off relying on his fists.
Gon's expression remains blank. Stolen. Killua stole this? No, Killua isn't like that. Killua is a good friend. Killua only does what he wants him to do.
Thoughts and emotions continue to whirl inside Gon. He does not understand. What does he mean bad people. How are they bad people. Why does he have to hand it over. He cannot hand it over. Kite needs this. Bad people. When did he become the bad person? Bad. He just wants to save Kite. How did he become the bad one when all he wanted is to save Kite?! When.
How.
Why.
Why. How! WHY?
Naruto arrives just in time to witness the earth shatter.
Fires burn the field. Sasuke dodges the whip of another yoyo, the curse seal spreading down his neck. Behind him, the landscape has been sliced into a jigsaw, one tree imploding after the next, a path of destruction created by the simplest of toys.
Killua has made his resolve. Gon will return to Kite. Anything that tries to get in the way of that will have to kill him first.
Sasuke has made his resolve as well. Transformation complete, he sidesteps through Killua's attacks with ease. A windmill shuriken unfolds in his grip.
Killua redirects his yoyo back to deflect, before he catches sight of a second shuriken, hidden in the shadow of the first. He narrows his eyes, flicking his wrist.
His yoyo wraps itself around a tree, as he swings himself through the gap between two spinning blades, the metal grazing past his skin.
A grin. Caught him.
A pull of the wire and both shuriken unlock midair, sending the blades propelling in all cardinal directions. An incoming blade reflects in Killua's pupil, before a rib-shattering bang. The blade shoots past his head.
Sasuke's eyes widen at the image before him: the other boy knocked outside the trajectory of his attack by the bludgeoning force of his own yoyo. His dedication is almost admirable, if not for the fact that he has already lost.
Blood splatter on the ground, a hand broken through to the air. Lightning is even more illuminating than fire, throwing the world into frightening lights and shadows, sharpening the contours of Sasuke's face.
Slowly, the chidori quiets down. Sasuke can feel the other boy going limp around his arm.
It's over.
Killua thinks so too, his claws around Sasuke's head.
"Caught you."
Sasuke's last sight is of a grim smile, then the world rotated one-eighty.
Killua collapses alongside Sasuke's corpse.
After what seems like an eternity, he gathers the strength to yank Sasuke's arm out of his chest cavity.
Gon…
Electricity crackles. On unsteady feet, Killua begins to make his way in Gon's direction. That blast of dark nen earlier had to be from Gon. If Gon is in trouble, Killua needs to be there. No matter what, he will have his friend's back...
He will protect Gon…
He will protect Gon...
He will protect…
Naruto's eyes widen at the sudden apparition before him, bright to the point of blinding. He does not feel the claws piercing through the incinerating energy of his chakra cloak, the skeletal hands wrapping around his neck. He does not hear the crack and twist, nor register the weightlessness of it all. His mind is too gone, too deep into the kyuubi's influence, for any of that.
The rasengan in his hand unwinds into harmless air.
Gon stares at the fall of Naruto's decapitated body, all the bubbling energy in the air dispersed. It takes him a moment to understand what he is seeing. It takes him a moment to recognize the blood-sodden figure standing before him. To recognize his friend.
However, before Gon can call out his name, his own vision has blackened. His jajaken disappears.
Kakashi picks up the pace, a sinking feeling in his gut. The only thing more horrifying than the malicious blasts of kyuubi chakra is the sudden absence of it. Now, the foreign aura he felt is gone too, leaving the world all too quiet.
"I smell blood," informs Pakkun, "two and three o'clock."
Nodding, Kakashi and the ANBU squadrons split. By the time Kakashi arrives at the battlefield, the remnants of a katon has consumed half the land. Kakashi breathes through his sleeve, darting through the scorching heat towards what looks like a fallen figure.
But the closer he gets, the more distorted and horrific the imagery becomes, and Kakashi finds himself paralyzed when he recognizes who it is.
A second later, a wall of fire and smoke separates them, and Sasuke is gone from view.
Half a kilometer south, the ANBU squadron finds the forest decimated into rings of wasteland. In the center are two befallen bodies, one they recognize and the other they do not, with never-ending tendrils of black hair.
Somewhere in between them are the broken shards of the nyoi jewel.
On instinct, one ANBU rushes towards it.
He finds his head on the ground.
The other members stop, retreating back at the appearance of a third boy. Cold sweat trail down their backs.
When Gon awakens, it is daybreak. He wishes he could say he remembers nothing of the previous night, but that is false. He remembers everything.
He remembers waiting for Killua at the border.
He remembers Sasuke's sudden appearance and attack.
He remembers confronting Naruto, and fighting his inhuman form.
He remembers Killua's interference before either of them could deal each other the fatal blow.
He remembers…
"You're finally awake."
Standing a cautious distance away is foreign man, with three masked soldiers behind him. Gon tenses, but then loosens upon seeing their surrender.
Kakashi verbally confirms this. "We don't want a fight."
Kakashi's gaze falls upon the shattered jewel, then upon his befallen student. His voice is weighted. "We just want the return of our comrades."
He could do nothing about Sasuke, but Kakashi will be damned if he lets Naruto rot away in a place like this.
His sincerity reaches Gon, who slowly nods. When he gathers the courage, he faces his friend and says, "Killua, I'm sorry but-"
Gon can see through him.
"... is it okay if…"
Just like last night.
"...we s-stop…"
When Killua appeared before him.
"...here."
With a hole where his heart should be.
Electricity continues to crackle, although Killua is nowhere as bright as he was last night. Against the morning light, it is difficult to see his glow at all. Soon, he will fade completely and drop as little more than a set of disfigured limbs.
"We can't come any closer than this," Kakashi explains wearily. "It seems he rigged his nerves to kill anything that comes within range of you."
Kakashi refrains from saying more.
Killua has his back turned, so Gon cannot see what Kakashi sees. Maybe it is for the better. Gon is already in shock over his friend's broken body; there is no need to see his friend's broken expression too. He has no need to see Killua's eyes, lifeless yet filled with unspoken sadness.
"K-Killua."
It takes twelve more hours for the kanmuru to wear off. In that time, Gon grieves in the only way he knows how - through broken sobs and unrestrained bawls, clutching his friend in his arms despite the second degree burns. Unlike with Kite, he has no more room for anger this time. He has no more room for anything, his own body drained and empty and filled with a gaping pain that he hopes to ease by hugging Killua's body tighter but it doesn't.
In between hiccups, he also manages to scrape together a few words. It is always the same ones - "I'm sorry, Killua."
Gon apologies. And he continues to apologize. Because he messed up, messed up bad, and so he apologizes because that is all he is taught and all he knows. His words are unheard and nothing can be mended from them, but he repeats them all the same, repeats them through his tears in a mantra.
Once the kanmuru dies, Kakashi and the others show their respect by leaving. In the hands of one ANBU are all the collected shards of the jewel, colorless and dead. To think three boys would lose their lives fighting for this, only for the jewel to be broken in the process.
The sun is down again, but there is no light to shine through the night this time.
.
.
.
All around were fires and electricity, blasts and screams. Forgotten on the ground was a jewel, its glow gone unnoticed. Different colors were swirling together - anger, loneliness, sorrow, hate - yet all with one resonating desire. One unanimous wish.
The jewel cracked.
.
A/N:
Haha, really Lily? Crossover battles? You're basically asking to be flamed at this point. And I get it, I'm horrendously biased. One of these pairs I've known for thirteen years, invested thousands of dollars in, and read hundreds of fanfictions of. The other, I've been mispronouncing their names up until last week. So it's only logical my heart would bleed for one but not the other.
Overall, this has been a lot of fun to write. Naruto and Sasuke have such good battle synergy. I love how they just instinctively sync up and can fight as an extension of each other's arm. Gon and Killua, on the other hand, have more of a divide and conquer approach. However, they resonate well emotionally and help each other grow.
As they say in the shinobi world, you aren't truly fighting until heads roll. So I've committed myself to a battle royale-esque finale. In my mind, the survivor came down to Naruto or Gon. Naruto, because of the kyuubi. But I chose Gon in the end, because Gon has a hax even greater than the kyuubi - a true friend. For me, battles are not just about power, but also about skill, teamwork, and most importantly, character personality and motivation. In the end, everyone was fighting for himself, except Killua. So that decided it.
Finally, because I am a sadist, I wanted each of the characters to be defeated in the way they fear most. For Sasuke, that is to die in a humiliating, meaningless manner. For Killua, that is to be an emotionless killing puppet. For Naruto, that is to fade out, alone and untrue to himself. For Gon, that is to live without forgiveness.
Hope you enjoyed! :)