He felt himself being shaken gently at first then harder when a voice echoed to his ears. "…ke…suke…Sasuke!" It was Seasor and apparently he was very annoyed. "Wake up, Sasuke! You overslept!" This time he shook him violently and Sasuke woke up in response. He opened his weary eyes and saw the blurry vision of Seasor next to him.
"Seasor? Is that you…?" He whispered quietly and stretched out while yawning.
"It's about time you woke up! We're going to save Missy today!" He left his side to go put his shoes on while Sasuke rubbed the sleep in his eyes. Flashes of his dream rushed back to his mind. His eyes widened then he felt his left wrist for a mark, scratch, bump, anything but found nothing.
'Was it a dream or did it really happen? I can't see myself commit suicide just for aniki even if he's away.' He climbed out of bed and quickly got dressed while Seasor impatiently waited. He sat in a chair, staring at his blade in deep thought as Sasuke slipped the Tetsusaiga at its place. He tied on his headband and slipped on his shoes. "I'm ready now. Let's go." Seasor nodded silently, still staring at his blade and Sasuke picked up a very annoyed Vaporeon. Seasor sighed and strapped the sword to his back then followed Sasuke out of the room and downstairs to the bar. They ate breakfast without exchanging words with Seasor staring down at the floor and Sasuke pondering over the dream. Vaporeon, however, was not concerned with either of the boys. It had only one thing on its mind, killing Groudon. They paid Tracey then walked out and down to the boat. Some sort of riot was going on between an angry mob of people and a poor salesman but they ignored the scene and kept walking.
"So this is it." Seasor stated nervously.
"Do not fear." Vaporeon replied while Sasuke held it close from people who walked by rudely. "With the Tetsusaiga Groudon will surely fall."
"I hope." Sasuke muttered under his breath. He placed Vaporeon into the boat and helped set sail northwest. Seasor still stared at his blade in deep thought while Sasuke daydreamed, something he doesn't do often. He was thinking about the past of him and his brother, laughing, playing, having a good time brothers usually have before he was taken away. He could've sworn he just heard his younger, innocent voice saying, "I love you, aniki." out of nowhere but he shook it off and forced the memories to the back of his mind. He stared blankly at the sea until the Forsaken Fortress came into view. The bright blue sky quickly turned dark and the sun was replaced with the waxing gibbous phase of the moon.
"Now listen to me," Vaporeon received the attention of the two boys then continued. "There is no doubt in my mind that Groudon knows we're here so proceed with caution."
"Right, but first let's blast open this wall." Seasor pulled out a small blue ball out from his bag then threw it at the giant wooden door. It exploded causing the remains to crash into the water and to splatter everywhere. They sailed straight to the place Sasuke fell to last time and climbed onto the sidewalk. "Are you coming?"
"No, I will guard the boat from demons if any should arrive now go!" The boys ran up the steps to a platform where the barrels were last time but no barrels were left.
"This isn't good. Where are the barrels?" Sasuke scanned around frantically but Seasor just looked at him.
"Barrels?"
"Last time there were barrels now there's none! I hid under one last time so I couldn't get caught but…"
"Okay, calm down Sasuke. Let's just run through until we get to the top."
"Whatever." He sighed then led the way up the stairs and onto the wide platform with only one searchlight scanning far away from them. They hurried off and up a few other flights of stairs then entered the first room. They blazed right through it and continued their streak until they reached the room with the two pig monsters guarding strictly. Sasuke drew the Tetsusaiga, transforming it like always, and charged at the first guard. Seasor watched as he sliced it in half before the pig turned around. He killed the other guard who put up more of a fight but still was no match. The Tetsusaiga transformed back and he sheathed it.
"What were those things? They're disgusting with the pig snot and drool everywhere."
"Yeah, I know. I hope we don't see any more of them."
"You and me both." Sasuke opened the huge door and walked outside, right into the last guard. "I'm taking this one!" Seasor pulled out two kunai and continuously stabbed it until it died. He put away the kunais and rushed around the tower with Sasuke right behind him. They jumped the last huge gap and opened the towering door of the prison Missy and the other girls were held in. The door creaked open and Sasuke peeked his head in. He looked up and around cautiously for the bird then stepped forward carefully. "Will you go?" Seasor shouted then shoved him to the center of the room.
"Stop! That is exactly how I got thrown out!" He yelled at Seasor then looked up quickly into the night sky.
"Sorry! I didn't know! What's wrong now?" Seasor snapped back and followed Sasuke's gaze.
"It's nothing. Last time the bird dropped down on me out of nowhere and I don't want it to happen again."
"Sasuke! Seasor!" Missy shouted from behind the cell bars. The other two girls glanced over to what she was calling out to. The boys looked over at her and smiled.
"Missy!" The boys shouted happily and rushed towards the door and pulled on the knob but with no success of opening.
"Now how do you think you're going to open that door without a key?" A voice echoed to their ears and they turned around to see Kikyo and two of her pirates. Zuko and Morris walked past them and pried open the door then carried the rich and poverty girl away on their shoulders. Missy ran up to Seasor and Sasuke and hugged them so tightly that they almost suffocated. She bonded them in the hug and almost made the boys fall over. Kikyo smiled at the three when Zuko came back. Missy let go then punched both of them in the stomachs.
"What took you so long?" She scolded harshly while they suffered then smiled friendly at them.
"Same old Missy." Seasor grunted while bending over in pain. They slowly stood up after a few minutes and Kikyo glanced over to Sasuke, noticing the Tetsusaiga.
"Where did you get that sword?" She gasped and walked towards him. Sasuke heard her and turned around.
"Huh?" Missy and Seasor kept talking and Kikyo smiled apologetic at Sasuke.
"Oh, never mind. By the way, aren't you forgetting something?" She pointed up and watched Sasuke and Seasor follow her hand. They spotted the monstrous bird flying overhead. "We'll take your friend back to Outset with us. Don't worry about her. You have bigger fish to fry."
"But Lady Kikyo, she's-" Zuko tried to reason but Kikyo shot a glance at him, making him shut his mouth.
"She's fine now do as you're told!" Zuko sighed then grabbed Missy's hand and pulled her towards the door. Kikyo followed them but stopped before the door and turned around. "Good luck!" She left them alone and the door slammed shut and locked after her.
"Sasuke, let's go!" They ran to the ramp when the floor started to tremble beneath them like an earthquake. Water instantly fired up from the floor like a geyser and flooded the whole ground up to two feet in less than a minute. They started to run higher and higher up the ramp and ascended closer to the ceiling until the bird dropped in and almost knocked them off. Seasor jumped to his feet first and fended off the bird while Sasuke tried to keep his balance. He finally stood up and pulled Seasor up the ramp.
"Hurry up!" He let go and Seasor ran next to him and closer to the wall while the bird kept trying to pluck them off. They ran across wooden bridges before the bird rammed into them and smashed the wood like crackers. They kept dodging each swipe, slam and pound from the bird until they reached the top. The water was now right on their heels by the time they made it.
"It's there! I see it!" Seasor panted when the cold night air reached them but the bird quickly threw itself on the roof to block the boys.
"Get out of the way, Seasor!" Sasuke pulled out the Tetsusaiga, transforming it, and smashed the blade right on the crown of the bird's mask, severely cracking it. It screeched in pain then fell and sunk in the water. "That'll teach it." Sasuke muttered and sheathed his sword.
"Don't be so confident." Seasor said aloud but quickly covered his mouth.
"Why?" Sasuke looked back before he climbed on the roof. It was a flat, enclosed circle with steel spikes lining the edges of the inside wall. The path to the wooden room Groudon waited in was blocked off by spikes jetting from the ground.
"Um, forget you heard that." He removed his hand then climbed onto the roof.
"Whatever." Sasuke mumbled irritably again. As the hole in the roof started to slowly close, the bird forced itself out of the water and rocketed into the sky. The door closed right before the water reached the top and sealed it inside. It flew around the building and was followed by the searchlights lighting up the sky. "I don't think so." Sasuke complained then took out the Tetsusaiga again, transforming it. The bird roosted right in front of them and pecked its beak but they evaded. The beak stuck in the ground and it struggled to free itself. Sasuke took this as an advantage and started to pound the mask with his blade, crushing it until it smashed into tiny little pieces that landed everywhere. The bird released itself from the ceiling and screeched in pain. Its real face had dark brown feathers and long red ones sticking up from the tip of its head like a mohawk and its eyes were scarlet. It flew away and started circling again to be followed by the searchlights.
"Leave the rest to me!" Seasor shouted and pulled out his sword.
"Why should I?" Sasuke sneered and carried his sword in one hand, letting it rest over his shoulder, almost like he's posing.
"Because I said so, that's why!" Sasuke shot him a dirty look before he turned back to the enraged bird. He focused on it, tracking every movement until something happened, his onyx eyes turned crimson. His left eye had one black center pupil with a small, tear drop-shaped one above it. A black ring ran through the smaller one and around the center pupil. His right eye was the same except that it had two small pupils on either side of the center.
"Finally, I've done it." He chuckled to himself, feeling proud but not that much. "Though it's not complete yet." He held the Tetsusaiga out in front of him when the bird flew closer.
"You mean the sharingan? You reached it?" He let out a sigh of relief and looked somewhat surprised.
"Yeah, what did you think?" Sasuke answered him while keeping his new, powerful eyes on the bird.
"It's about time! And here I was thinking you would never get to use your clan's bloodline trait!"
"What's that supposed to mean? What, that I can't match my brother in strength? Is that it?" While Sasuke threw a fit, the bird dive-bombed them and ran its claws across the roof, leaving many scratches on the metal. It landed in front of them and speared its beak once more. Sasuke was too far away but Seasor avoided impact. The bird stuck once more then Seasor took the chance to slash at its head. He kept up his attacks, each one more powerful than the last, until the bird finally screeched out in pain one last time then died resulting in a large explosion leaving a big cloud of black feathers. When it cleared, the floor spikes were gone. "Come on, Seasor!" Sasuke ran past him while sheathing his sword. They reached the top of the Forsaken Fortress and stood in front of a regular, oak door. The door frame was decorated with skulls, both humans' and demons', and a picture of a fire-breathing red dragon painted on the actual door. "Well, here it is. Seasor, don't do anything stupid." He kept his sharingan activated and his voice remained serious. Seasor gulped silently when Sasuke proceeded to open the door. They walked in but the door shut behind them, trapping them like rats. The room they were in was fairly large. A blood red carpet stretched from the door all the way to the windows in the back. It was decorated with massive, wind-like fire patterns with black traces of a giant demon breathing those flames out. Windows lined the sides and back of the room and overlooked the entire back of the fortress while rotten skulls lined the walls and hung over the door. The man in the back, looking out of the windows in strict patrol, was Groudon. He had his arms crossed and his back towards the boys but smirked when he heard the door shut and the boys stop.
"It's been a long time, boy." He started in a low and deadly voice. "I see you came far just to kill me." Sasuke gripped the Tetsusaiga but kept it sheathed while glaring at Groudon with the sharingan and Seasor joined in too.
"What did you want with those girls? Why did you capture them?" Sasuke growled out in a command more than a question. He never let his guard down in his presence and neither did Seasor.
"I'm looking for a certain woman so I can eliminate her along with that foolish half-breed that you two so dearly love. It is a shame. She would have been great like me if you two wenches weren't slowing her down."
"That's it!" Sasuke fumed in anger then drew out the Tetsusaiga, transforming it. He charged at Groudon before Seasor could stop him. "Die!" He swung his sword at him but Groudon almost invisibly drew out his long sword and deflected the blow. This caused him to turn around and show his handsome face. Sasuke was thrown away by the impact and landed harshly on his back on the cold, wooden floor. The Tetsusaiga dropped from his hand and landed instantly transformed to its old state. Sasuke tried to get up but he soon realized he was slashed harshly on his chest. 'But…how did he-' His thoughts were quickly cut off by coughing up blood.
"Sasuke, hang on!" Seasor tried to run to his friend's side but his legs wouldn't move. Sasuke was left lying under Groudon's blade.
"Humph! You cannot kill me with the Tetsusaiga alone! How foolish. Go back to the underworld and tell that to the fool who made the sword!" He attempted to slice Sasuke in half until he noticed something from the corner of his eye. An arrow flew straight for him but he easily sliced the arrow in half then glared at the figure standing in the open window. It was Kikyo with her bow and a quiver full of arrows. "You…" He growled then let his cold eyes focus upon hers when she readied another arrow. "I've finally found you."
"Let these boys go." She glanced over at Sasuke then Seasor before she realized she made a big mistake. She instinctively shot the arrow but Groudon sidestepped then knocked the bow right out of her hands. Seasor picked it up in time before it hit the ground as Groudon grabbed Kikyo's throat roughly then lifted her off the ground. She tried to pry his hand away to stop the choking but failed miserably.
"You dare order me? Now that I've found you I can kill you right here and now along with these two." He walked forward to let her dangle in the air, above hundreds of feet. The wind blew harshly, making her feel cold all over, especially her feet. "After you die, go tell my brother that I've finally won this war." He heard a flapping noise then turned to face the boys but they were gone. He realized someone snatched Kikyo from his hand so he pulled it inside then looked out the window to come face-to-face with Valoo. "Impossible…" He whispered as his eyes widened in shock. Valoo shot fire right out of his mouth angrily and set the whole room ablaze. Groudon roared through the flames then the burning wood collapsed on top of him. Valoo flew around the fire triumphantly with Komali and Quill carrying the others. They flew off into the night as the building burned into ashes.