Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.
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Red Moon
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They sped through the trees, muted blurs against the encroaching shadows as night began to fall. Already, Sakura felt uneasy. There was an undeniable pull in the air, thick and heady. A siren's call of mischief and mayhem. Red moon.
Demons would be out in full tonight.
And as her luck would have it, she found herself hunting one of their very own.
She signaled to the rest of the hunting party to veer right.
"Sakura…."
"I know."
They stopped at the unmarked border where a flurry of wild magic mixed and mingled. An electric dance all at once playful and dangerous. It caressed her skin like a lover, tickled her lips and sparked on her tongue. It was not forbidden to cross territories but if one did of his own free will, well…everything became fair play. No court would vouch or come to the rescue should something go astray.
She crouched, sweeping leather clad hands over dead earth the shape of footprints. What was once green was now devoid of life. Leaves turned to brown ash in her palm as she grimaced beneath her large hood.
"He grows stronger with every step and now that he's crossed…the darkness will have its way with him."
She straightened at Neji's somber words. "Take the others and head back. It's a red moon. I won't risk any lives tonight."
Sakura was one of the best hunters he knew and if any fae could navigate demon territory, it would be her. She just so happened to be the most stubborn too.
"Be careful, Sakura. I refuse to suffer Naruto's wailing any more than I have to."
Her laugh was soft, instantly soothing. "He'll be occupied for the next few days, I hear. Something about wooing your pretty cousin," she teased, catching his pained sigh.
"Don't remind me," he said. "Return safe and sound."
Sakura nodded, green eyes bright in the rising twilight.
One. Two. Three steps and she took off after her prey.
…
"Did you feel that?"
"Hnn…"
"We've got a visitor."
And they were not alone. Shisui took a moment to savor the giddy rush as their lands seemed to burst with life and anticipation. It didn't take long for either to come to the same conclusion. Hunters.
Dark eyes flashed with excitement. "And here I thought we'd only be stuck with our own tonight."
"Keep yourself in check, Shisui."
He ruffled his younger cousin's hair as he sped by, grinning. "Don't pretend you're not as excited, Itachi. Now come along, we should give our guests a proper welcome."
It wasn't often the Fae crossed into demon territory, but when they did, it did not go unnoticed. Their visits were few and far between and tended to be diplomatic in nature. So it went without saying that this was a most unusual occurrence. Most knew to keep away from their territories during red moon nights. Dark beings liked things that glittered and shined and the Fae, well, they were the brightest of all. The red moon only enhanced the allure, drove those with little control mad with want and the insatiable urge to bite and taste and feed.
As his cousin so dutifully pointed out, to say he wasn't intrigued would be a lie. Hunters were an entirely different story and a part of him itched to see one in action. They were merciless, swift in their hunts and even swifter with their kills. For a kind who were known for their fun and games, they were surprisingly ruthless. With a huff, he quickly fell into step at Shisui's side.
…
Sakura couldn't shake the sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. She had precious little time before everything saw the color red and she'd be fighting more than just her target. A glance above only made her quicken her pace and—
The clash of steel against steel rent the air.
Jumping back, Sakura didn't have time to assess how far he'd fallen into darkness for he was already escaping; a disgusting, wraith-like creature no longer recognizable as fae. She fell into pursuit until they burst into an open clearing just as the moon bled a darker shade of red. Her every sense was heightened as she skidded to a stop.
"Surrender and I'll make your death quick."
A sinister grin crept across his almost face and he tsked, long tongue darting out to lick too thin lips. "You inssssult me, Hunter."
So they were going to do this the hard way, then. Sparks flew when their weapons collided. Curved daggers crossed over her chest took the brunt of his attack before her kick landed square in his gut. She flipped over and the next moments were a volley of parries and strikes too quick to count. She sidestepped and slashed him across the ribs, spun and sliced clean down his back. Black blood poured from the deep gashes, splattered across her cloak.
He rushed and she met him head on, her twin daggers sliding across his blade in a long, beautiful steel kiss until she was close enough to spin around him and ram an elbow into his lower back. She jumped away when he twisted but instead of a downward swing of his sword, he grabbed hold of her ankle and suddenly the world was spinning and she crashed into the ground, her daggers flying from her hands. He was on her in an instant, but she was faster. Wrapping her legs around his neck, Sakura flipped him over and crushed him into the ground, using his body as a springboard to jump away.
He didn't stay down though and emerged from the cloud of earth and rubble almost too quick for her eyes to pick up. His knee connected with her stomach and the air forced its way from her lungs. Bending backwards, she narrowly dodged a roundhouse kick and then another. With one powerful uppercut to his jaw, she sent him careening into the air and not a second later she was above him, landing a heavy downward blow to his middle that nearly tore him in half. Sakura used him to soften her crash back into the clearing and prepared to end him. However, his deafening scream and the wave of tainted power struck her hard and fast and she was sent hurtling towards the trees. Dragging her hand through the ruined earth to slow the impact, she spit out the blood and straightened from her crouch.
Well, wasn't he just full of surprises? The darkness must've been festering inside him for far longer than they'd believed. She cursed when black magic seeped into his body, stolen from the land around them and morphed his body into something other. Something unnatural and wrong.
Unclasping the hook of her cloak, she let it flutter to the ground as long pink hair cascaded around her shoulders from her high ponytail. Sakura reached behind her and gripped Katsuya, her fae war axe. Twirling the finely crafted, double headed weapon in her hand, she swung it up and over, reveling in the melodic whoosh. It seemed they were definitely going to do this the hard way.
Consumed by black magic, he cried for her death and came for her in a rush of madness. Claws swiped down from behind her, but she rolled out of the way and back to her feet in one smooth motion. She swung her axe in an outward arc, catching him across the chest. Close, but not close enough. She watched the wound close and knew she needed to finish this soon for every second wasted he would only grow stronger.
She shifted her stance and shot forward like an arrow, going on the offensive. She wielded Katsuya with practiced ease, every blow and swing swifter and truer than the last. Sakura was unrelenting. She cut through black magic, through claws and tore apart dying flesh. His blood sizzled across her elven armor as she flipped over him and dragged the razor sharp edge up and over his face, destroying his gleaming left eye.
He shrieked and it echoed throughout the clearing, empty and hollow. From his body, sharp blades of dark magic twisted and shot forth. Sakura countered with a powerful swing that dug up earth and wind and damn…she coughed blood when black magic penetrated her armor and tore through her left shoulder. But she didn't let that stop her. With a sudden ferocity too wild to tame, she swung and released her axe in a deadly spin. Using her speed, she flew straight towards him, leapt into the air and hooked her legs around his shoulders just in time to catch Katsuya and slide her clean across his throat.
His body crumpled beneath her and she came away with his head in one hand and a thrumming war axe in the other. As tendrils of white magic swirled around her, she whispered the ancient rites of the old world and what was once fae slowly faded to ash. She took a deep, shuddering breath, the aftermath of the hunt still racing through her blood.
But there was no time to rest or linger. The moon was at its peak and drowned in the deepest scarlet.
Securing Katsuya to her back, Sakura summoned her curved daggers and slipped them into their leather sheaths hidden under the elegant war axe. Taking off at a run, she snatched up her cloak just as a tremor vibrated beneath her feet. The dread from earlier returned and pooled something fierce in the pit of her stomach.
The ground suddenly exploded and all she saw were fangs and smooth black scales as she leapt back to avoid being crushed or probably eaten in this case. When the dust cleared, she stood facing a giant two headed snake.
"Faaaeee…" it hissed in a lazy, hypnotic way that certainly didn't bode well. Sakura cursed her luck for the second time that night. She could feel other demons on the fringes, no doubt drawn by the commotion and the mix of magic. This was going to be a bloody free for all.
The throbbing pain in her shoulder reminded her of her injury, but she currently had bigger problems at the moment.
It struck and she jumped up to avoid its massive fangs only to whip out her curved daggers and swipe at the second head that came from the other direction. She flipped back and on her descent, slammed the hilts of her blades together, twisted, and brandished a double-edged spear. She raced forward, using her weapon to catapult her in an arc. Both heads attacked, fast and efficient, its body slithering right to left as it tried to snap her up. A sharp tip grazed her thigh and it felt like fire against her skin. Sakura pivoted and slashed, almost got impaled by another terrible fang, and spinning in the air, pierced her weapon in the underside of its bottom jaw and cut clean down with stunning white magic. In a rainfall of blood, she scaled the side of the falling snake head and severed its twin in a beautiful flourish of iridescent steel.
Hitting the ground, Sakura saw the shadows move from the forests all at once, some going to feast on the flailing reptile and others eyeing her as their next meal. After all, fae was a delicacy around these parts. She unlocked the hilts of her spear and flicked the dripping blood from their sharp edges.
The red moon enhanced the blood lust of demons and those who could not control it fell victim to its clutches. Her magic was like a beacon to them, an alluring siren call they could not resist. She'd be lucky to come out of this in one piece. As if a drop of water had fallen into a still pond, she only had a moment to brace herself before all hell broke loose.
They came for her from all sides and she slashed through them in a graceful, mesmerizing dance. Splatters of red and black painted the scene as she cut them down. Spinning her body, she slashed through flesh and bone, crushed faces with powerful punches and aerial kicks that sent bodies flying. Ducking low, she swept their legs out from under them and drove her blades into their hearts with devastating efficiency.
But a sudden murmur had pierced through the mayhem. Something even darker was here. She could feel it, see it in their shifting, pitch-black eyes. They hesitated as she slowly rose, demon blood dripping from her armor and curved daggers. They looked at her, then beyond, and she knew they were trying to decide if she was still worth it. Sakura chanced a look to her left just in time to see black flames turn demons to ash, to see bodies torn limb from limb in less than a heartbeat.
A pulse of magic more ancient and far more frightening rumbled through the clearing and that was enough to send them scrambling back to the shadows.
She reached for the comforting, engraved handle of Katsuya, readying herself for the worse…
"Sakura…"
Her green eyes immediately hardened, knowing full well what kind of demons lurked here and the tricks they liked to play.
"It's been a while, sweetheart."
She knew that voice. But…
"Looks like she still wants to rip your heart out and eat it, cousin."
"Gladly."
Perhaps she should've anticipated running into these two, but she'd honestly didn't think the Hunt would end up this messy. With this being a red moon night, they were probably out patrolling and had felt the ripple when she'd crossed over the border. She relaxed, relieved she wouldn't have to fight her way out of this one.
"It's only been a few decades," she remarked.
"But it's felt like centuries!"
She snorted at Shisui's dramatics as she sheathed her daggers. A grimace crossed her face when her shoulder burned in pain.
"You're hurt." Itachi reached out to brush soft strands of petal pink. When had she become so devastating?
"I'm fine," she assured, offering a weak smile. "Is there running water nearby?"
Itachi nodded, sharing a worried glance with Shisui.
"I need to get there…now…"
It wasn't long after when they arrived at the river. Sakura immediately began to remove her upper armor that fit like a second skin, undoing the leather buckles and bindings, releasing her arm guards and tearing off the left sleeve of her undershirt. From the weeping wound, dark veins of black magic had spread. It was an ugly thing, its spindly invasion already engulfing her shoulder, traveling down her arm.
Kneeling at the river's edge, she summoned the water forward and let it cleanse her wound, clenching her jaw when it burned something fierce. With whispers in the old language, Sakura spun a healing spell with potent white magic that charged the air around them. Black leached from the gaping hole in her shoulder, fell in rivulets down her arm before it began to run pure red.
Despite their desire to help, Itachi and Shisui remained quiet and vigilant, knowing well enough not to interrupt when Sakura was healing. It was when she nearly keeled over that Itachi caught her in his arms.
"Thanks," she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder. "Have I told you how much I hate red moons?
"Many times and yet you keep coming back."
She laughed and then winced. "Don't make me laugh."
"You need rest."
"I need to get…back…"
"Not tonight." But his words went unheard. She'd already fallen into a healing slumber.
Shisui shook his head before grabbing her discarded armor and weapons, admiring the Fae craftmanship. Watching her wield these had been a sight to behold and not for the first time that night did both he and Itachi wonder how much she'd grown.
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A/N: Fae!Sakura has been been bothering me for a while so figured I'd give it a shot. Demon!Uchihas, I think, are a weakness of mine…well, anything supernatural and fantasy really. I'll probably continue this at some point…maybe…
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