The Cat and The Fox

Chapter 15

Naruto was nearly wordless at what Rulan had done to Chiaki. An unimaginable thing Naruto thought Rulan wouldn't do as Chiaki was a precious person as he could see and tell. As for Rulan, he had already lost it. Everything now was seemingly worthless because he had failed to accomplish that he had wished for – not the mission but a goal of a dream since long ago. Even Chiaki was the least in his thoughts now.

Suddenly, Rulan's eyes became pure black, the hair spiked up on end, and both hands were now like claws. Naruto couldn't believe what he was seeing, Train as well, while he was running up to Naruto. Briefly, Rulan was gone in a flash in front of their eyes and right up next to Naruto ready to hit him with his claw hand.

"WHAT?" Says Naruto in a frozen state.

"NARUTO! BLACK CROSS!" Shouted Train ash he stopped quickly, pointed his gun at Rulan, and shoots. The attack hits Rulan, making an "X" as it pushed him a few meters away from Naruto.

To Train, that was unbelievable as he could somehow felt energy running through his body into his gun, Hades, creating the attack to come about. "Could this be "chakra" that Naruto's power comes from in this world?" Thought Train as he refocuses and rushes to Naruto's side.

"Train?!"

"Naruto!"

"Why are you – ?"

"Well, I just didn't want things to end without me knowing that everything was going to be okay before I left."

"What do you mean?"

"Naruto, what I'm saying is that there's a possibility...I may be transferred back to my world without notice. So before that happens, let's end this battle."

"Right!"

"YOU TWO WON'T BEAT ME!" Exclaims Rulan as he got had already gotten up, his clothing a bit more torn on the edges from the force that had hit him upon the impact.

"Is there a way to defeat this guy, Naruto?"

"I was going to say if you had any ideas, Train."

"To think I let Train go out there," said Kakashi with a sigh.

From the sidelines, Kakashi was a bit disturbed now since when Train was rushing to Naruto, he too, thought that Train had an idea. However, that was something to be seen and left in their hands. Although, it's not like they didn't have any plans it's just that there wasn't really time to engage in a plan.

"Naruto."

"Yes?"

"Back me up!"

"Got it!"

Looking at Naruto and Train, Rulan was throwing a raging fit as he rushed up at them with shadow clones. Unexpectedly, the two of them had to back track and were now back to back against each other.

"Ok, never mind…unto Plan B."

"Train, do you even have a Plan B?"

Truthfully, Train didn't but still he wasn't even expecting there to be clones. After only just being here for a few days, Train was still not accustomed to this world yet.

However, Rulan wasn't just going to stand by and wait for them to make a move. Signaling his clones, they rushed inwards towards Naruto and Train. While dodging and fighting back, clones after clones vanished but more and more kept coming.

"Damn, this feels endless!"

"I can agree with that."

At that point, Naruto wanted to create his own bunch of shadow clones to fight back. However, after all the strain he did with his other techniques, it probably was not a good idea. Although, to him he didn't care since they were stuck in such a bind.

Train, on the other hand, had been able to keep up due to his "cat-like" abilities but even that was not enough to suppress against Rulan's shadow clones. As some missed, the others were able to land their own attacks which made it difficult to avoid or fight back.

"Gaaaurgh!"

"Train!"

Rulan had successfully land a punch into Train's cheek that was strong enough to send him flying across the ground. As Naruto rushed to Train's side, he looked up at Rulan to see an evil smirk.

"Heh!"

"Tch, Train!"

Kneeling down, Naruto oversee to it that Train was not hurt in any major harm. From the looks of it, Train luckily survived the blow.

"O-ow…"

"You okay?"

"Of course not, my cheek hurts…" said Train as he looked up at Rulan rubbing his cheek.

Suddenly, they were at it again. The remaining clones, which still consisted of so many, had ganged up on them once more.

Back to dodging, Naruto and Train were at it again. This was already starting to become a bothersome battle that would only start to worn them down.

"Do we need to really hit all of them?"

"Not necessarily."

"Then couldn't you just send that spiraling attack at him?"

"Train, it is not that easy. Sides, the rasengan takes time to create and within that amount of time, the enemy could already land an attack on me!"

"Oh, right."

"I'm serious!"

"Ahaha, sorry."

Train looked around and could see that everywhere was just trees going on endlessly. This was not his type of battle but the field was something he could work with. Now...if only there was two of him. Suddenly, an idea popped came to Train.

Quickly, Train whispered to Naruto about this Plan B of his while Rulan's clones closed in on them. It did not occur to Rulan to what they were doing but whatever the plan they had in stored, it would not work or so he expected.

"SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

"What is –?"

Again, just the same old trick? There is no way that Rulan would fall again for it. Sides, if it meant that they have reverted back to using the same tactics, it's only obvious that they have run out of luck. Closing in, Rulan send forth his own clones to attack.

However, Rulan's clones were slowly being pushed back by Naruto's clones. Now was their chance.

"Just give up, Naruto!"

"Never!"

"What can you do anyway, huh?!"

Little did Rulan know that the Train that was in front of him was just a clone.

"I will defeat you!"

"Hah! Like you haven't already tried enough?"

Train's heart was racing. Not only was he hoping this plan would work, it was their key play. However, would it work out the way he planned it though?

"You're just all talk aren't you, Rulan?"

"What?"

Naruto looked up and grinned at Rulan as his clones pushed Rulan's further away from him.

"You got some nerve, you BRAT!"

"Hah, like you ain't one yourself!"

As Rulan became too focused on what was in front of him, he had forgotten about keeping up his guard behind. Naruto also came to realize this and continued to further take hold of his attention as Train closed in. In a swift of the moment, Naruto's had his clones dispersed, except for the fake Train besides him, and Rulan was once again closed in on him.

"I got you now!"

However, what Rulan saw was not a face of someone in distressed, it was a grin. Why? He had Naruto and Train right in front of him, trees blocking from behind, his shadow clones encircled them, and nowhere else to go but up. Either way, it's his win.

Train saw his chance. Stepping out of the trees above, he pointed his gun at Rulan. However, sensing Train's presence, Rulan also didn't have a look of disappointment. With a signal of his hand, his own clones threw kunais and shurikens at Train as he figured, it to be a clone as well – guess was correct.

"It's my win, goodbye..." said Rulan as get ready to hit both Naruto and Train with a jutsu of his own.

As Rulan's clones were holding down Naruto and Train, suddenly the ground below him rumbled. Frightened for might be what he thought it was, Rulan aimed at the unknown fake Train and Naruto in front of him. As he did so, at the same time, Naruto popped up from underground and Train from right above aimed at him.

"RASENGAN!"

"AURGH!" Rulan tried to block it but this time he was to late to react and was hit as he went on on knee and pushed back a bit. It also depleted his strength of keeping his clones stabilize, which all of them dispersed at Naruto's attacks.

"RAILGUN!"

"WHAT?!" responded Rulan as he saw sparks of lighting to only then react in pain. "GWAURGH!"

Even at the site of it, Naruto cringe at how he would have reacted to. Dispersing his clones through his own will, Naruto went up to Train's side – both not too far from Rulan's body. Standing, waiting to see if he still had the strength to still fight.

That seemingly lightening attack even surprised Kakashi himself as he amazed at the skill it took create. However, as a teacher, duty calls as he continued to where Naruto and Train where. Of course, he was not the only one, as The Ii twin younger brothers, Huto and Tohu, along with aiding Chiaki, an arm each, also headed towards Rulan.

"No. NO. NO! THIS CANNOT BE! I CANNOT BE DEFEATED! IF I...IF I LOSE..." exclaimed Rulan as he struggled to get up. This time, it was him feeling the numbness and defeat that he had not felt in a long time.

"H-how could this have happened?! H-how...?"

Arriving at the scene first, Kakashi went up next to Naruto. To make sure that the two were alright, he skimmed at them and could see that they were able to take down Rulan, who, after a while struggle, finally got up on his two feet – heavily injured.

"It's over," said Naruto.

"No, I-I can s-still – ack?!"

Rulan was cut off by his sentence as something strike through his heart. Kakashi, Naruto, and Train were not the only ones shocked as the arrival of the Ie twins and Chiaki put them at shock too.

"Urgh..." sounded Rulan as what pierced him was taken out as he fell down to the ground.

"RULAAAN!" exclaimed Chiaki as he scurried to his side.

While Naruto, Train, and the Ie twins went up to see, Kakashi was skimming the area for whatever enemies was present. However, he only saw a fate shadow of a man that seemingly had a tail attached. As the figure was on the move, Kakashi could only determine who the person was – a member of the Akatsuki, from the information that was given to them during a brief meeting. It was futile to catch up with the figure and thus, Kakashi remained and went to join the others.

"Rulan, RULAN, RULAN!"

"Ch-chiaki? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me, Chiaki. You're gonna be okay! Everything will be –"

Chiaki was cut off as Rulan touched his arm. Even the Ie twins pondered but was curious as what Rulan was going to say.

"Where is...?" asked Rulan as he was looking around for Naruto – nearly beside him, standing. With a point of his finger, Rulan urged Naruto to come to him.

As Naruto hesitated for a bit, he then proceeded forward, knelt on one knee. Coughing up some blood, it make Chiaki even more worried for Rulan's condition as talking right now was not a key point to be making. However, it was not his move to make decisions.

"Y-you...promise me...something."

"Alright."

While the two were working out some sort of deal. Kakashi took Train aside from the group and questioned at what happened during the battle.

"This is such a tragedy," said Train.

"Yea..." replied Kakashi.

"What was that?"

"Another enemy we have yet to deal with face to face."

"One of the people after Naruto?"

"Precisely."

"What is going to happen now?"

"We have yet to know. So those attacks...were yours, huh?"

"Yea but...it seems like that last attack I did, I can no longer do anymore. I'm back to the me...after that battle...back home."

Kakashi did not quite understand what Train meant but however, he did not want to question him any further as well. Since Train was not from their world, more questioning would only go onto as unanswered mysteries.

"Kakashi-sensei!" exclaimed Naruto standing up waving his hands to signal his teacher to come over.

"Be right there," Kakashi replied as he nodded to Train, who also followed suit.

As the two made their way over back the group, Naruto spoke to Kakashi about Rulan's deal. Quickly, as the two agreed, Kakashi went over to Rulan and knowingly that he could not make any promises, at least he was assure the safety of the three kids.

"R-ru...lan..." said Chiaki holding onto him for dear life while he had continue to try stop the blood and not cry. By his side, the Ie twins tried to comfort Chiaki.

"Fox boy..." said Rulan.

"It's Naruto."

"Na...ru...to."

"That's right! Naruto Uzumaki!"

"Heh, still got that cockiness I see?"

"At least you will remember my name now, right?!" Naruto said with a grin.

"Nine-Tail Fox Naruto Uzumaki."

As Rulan said those words, Naruto paused, with a serious face and listened in. The tone was enough for him that the dying enemy did not yet say.

"They will be coming for you."

"I know and I'll be ready when they do."

"I-in that case –" cutting off his own sentence one again, Rulan coughed up blood while trying to maintain his breathing.

"RULAN!"

"Chiaki...I-I'm sorry...and than..k...you."

"No, don't say that!"

"I could not even protect what I wanted to the most and yet it was snatched away from me. Chiaki, you're still young but I know you will learn something from this so...stay strong. Stay...strong...you two twins as well. Please...take care of...Chiaki...for me."

"Yes," replied the Ie twins.

Chiaki couldn't stand it and tears just rolled down his face. Burying his face almost upon Rulan, still trying to contain the blood, and knowing that it was fruitless, made the sorrow in his heart grew.

"Maybe...just maybe...y-you...c-can stop...pain."

"What?" pondered Naruto.

"Pa...in."

With that final phrase, Rulan passed. As Chiaki tried to shook a response from him, there was nothing. No sign of life.

"RULAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"