Episode 52: Win and Lose
Kenpachi was starring up at the ceiling, lying on his bed. He wasn't wearing his eye patch, which he must have left at the Leaf. He felt sick, almost like he was going to puke. In fact, he wanted to puke to rid himself of that feeling.
He felt numb all over his body, and the room appeared to be spinning. That didn't help with his sick feeling.
"Yachiru..." He mumbled.
Ikkaku was sleeping in his hospital bed, his broken Bankai pieces beside his bed. Yumichika was sitting next to his bed reading a book. Neither of them were aware of Yachiru's death.
Naruto and Sakura were walking side by side across the Village.
Naruto had his demon sword strapped across his back.
Sakura had her hands wrapped in fighting bandages.
Both of them were sweaty and tired, and they were walking out of a gym.
"I'm going to go back to Kenpachi's house maybe he's gotten back from his mission."
Unohana teleported in front of them.
"Miss Unohana..." Naruto nervously said, taking a step backwards.
"Naruto. Sakura. Leave Kenpachi alone."
"What? Why?"
"Leave him alone until he begins talking to you. Yachiru Kusajishi has been killed."
Naruto's eyes widened.
"Is she that pink haired girl that is always with Kenpachi?" Asked Sakura.
"Yes. If you go up to him, I fear that he might lash out at you."
Naruto nodded. "Thank you."
Unohana teleported away.
"Damn... Yachiru. I liked her. She was nice." He looked down at the ground.
"Naruto..." Sakura mumbled.
"The question is... where am I going to stay while Kenpachi's grieving?"
"You can stay with me, if you want."
"Really, Sakura?" Naruto's face reddened slightly.
"You had to make it weird, didn't you! It was just a friendly gesture, that was all!"
Tatsuzo was standing in front of the Kinkage.
"Yes, I understand." He turned, and he walked out of the room, and he went to the hospital.
Rinji was sitting on his bed, talking to one of Unohana's Chunin, Isane as she was healing him. Another nurse was standing by the door.
Tatsuzo knocked on the door.
The nurse let him in.
"Hey, Tatsuzo." Rinji called.
"Rinji, I heard you took out an Akatsuki by yourself."
"Ah, straight to the point as always."
"Not really." Tatsuzo mumbled.
"What was that?"
"I said next time you can save some of the action for me."
Rinji laughed.
"Don't move around very much for a little while and you'll be fine." Isane and the other nurse walked out. "Call if you need anything." She told him as she was walking out.
"Rinji, there's a lot of news that I need to tell you."
"Oh yeah?"
"I don't even know where to start. All of this news is going to depress you, too."
"Damn." He took a deep breath. "Okay I'm ready."
"An Akatsuki attacked the Leaf. It was... the leader. He destroyed the Leaf... killing countless Leaf Shinobi. Including Kakashi Hatake, son of the White Fang. And the Hokage is now out of action."
"Everyone in the Hatake Clan dies so young. Disappointing."
"As Kenpachi was at his mission, he went to the Leaf on a hunch. He then watched as Pain destroyed everything. He battled Pain, and he defeated him. At the cost of Yachiru's life."
"You're right. It did depress me. Do you have any good news now?"
"Well Yumichika, one of the other guys from Squad Eleven has killed an Akatsuki, and you killed another. And Kenpachi killed all Six Paths of Pain. And we disposed of the rings with Metal Style Jutsus. Though, they can make new ones just as easily... they won't come looking for them."
Rinji went to say something, but Tatsuzo inadvertently interrupted him.
"I almost forgot. Sasuke Uchiha killed Itachi, his older brother. The more dangerous Akatsuki are dead. Such as Pain, with his optical link with the Six Paths. Itachi, with his mastery of the Sharingan. Kakuzu, with his ability to take people's hearts. Hidan, with his immortality. Currently our spy Gin Ichimaru says that the ranks include: Konan, a woman who can turn to paper to avoid attacks. Her weakness is water. Tobi, a mysterious man. We know nothing about him. He suspects that he's Madara Uchiha... but that is not confirmed."
"Madara? He's been dead for a long time..."
"Reanimation Jutsu."
"Shit, I forgot about that- oh hell."
"What?"
"With a Reanimation Jutsu... all of our Akatsuki friends could come back. We need to keep tabs on all of them, even the dead ones."
"Right. Anyway, so the rest of the roster is... Kisame Hoshigaki, a former Seven Swordsman, who can steal chakra. Ulquiorra Cifer, who recently replaced Tobi- who replaced Pain as leader. His abilities are unknown. The next is Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, who replaced Barragan. His abilities are unknown as well. Then there's Gin himself. Who has a Zanpakuto like all of Squad Eleven. It can grow to extreme lengths. There's also Zetsu, the Akatsuki's spy. He can teleport to places. The rest of his abilities are unknown."
Rinji nodded. "Continue."
"Right, so next there's Tier Harribel, who does Water Style Techniques. She replaced Hidan. And Tobi previously replaced Kakuzu. Nnoitra Gilga Replaced Itachi. He has a strange axe-like weapon, but his jutsu are unknown."
"Is that all?"
"No. Before Sasuke Uchiha killed his brother, he killed Orochimaru. A former Akatsuki. They're currently getting his ring now."
Kenpachi clenched his fists. That attack by Pain... would have killed me. He thought. Because of the strange effect of taking chakra... that attack would have killed me. Yachiru figured that out. She's smarter than I give her credit for. I better thank her.
His eyes suddenly widened. Shit. I can't.
He sat up. "No point in waiting around here for things to get better." He grabbed the letter he was supposed to give to Naruto, and he started looking for him.
"Kenpachi!" Naruto cried as Kenpachi appeared.
Kenpachi nodded. "I have a letter for you."
"Kenpachi, you shouldn't be here..." Sakura said.
"And why is that?" He asked. He didn't sound hostile like he normally would.
"You should be at home. Resting."
"This news is important. It can't wait. Resting can."
Naruto opened the scroll. Sakura looked over his shoulder.
Dear Naruto Uzumaki,
The Leaf Village has been destroyed by Pain- who was later killed by Kenpachi. Kakashi Hatake has been killed along side Shizune and countless Leaf Ninja. Sasuke Uchiha has killed Orochimaru, and after that he killed his brother Itachi. His whereabouts are currently unknown. The Hokage is in a coma, and has been for several days. The new Hokage is Danzo. We want you and Sakura Haruno to head back to the Leaf now.
Tears ran down Sakura's face almost instantly.
Naruto gripped the scroll tighter.
"Naruto..." Sakura choked.
"Damn!" Naruto dropped the scroll. "Why does all of this have to happen at once?" He clenched his teeth. His demon sword fell down to the ground.
"GET BACK!" Kenpachi ordered.
Sakura, confused, just stood there.
Suddenly red energy formed around the blond ninja, and it turned into the form of a fox around Naruto. It had one tail. No. Two. Three. The red chakra began to bubble, and Naruto's eyes turned red and animalistic.
Kenpachi teleported in front of Sakura, and grabbed her by the collar. He threw her backwards, away from Naruto who slashed at both of them.
Sakura landed with a thud.
"Get help. Now." He didn't sound angry like he normally would have.
She nodded, and ran away. Naruto... She thought.
"Naruto!" Kenpachi called. "Calm down!"
Naruto suddenly flew at him with a slash.
Kenpachi dodged to the side. "Naruto! If you don't calm down I'll have to fight you!"
A fourth tail emerged. The bubbling stopped. But his flesh started to tear apart.
"Uzumaki..."
Soon, he appeared to be a miniature version of the Nine Tails.
A young man with brown hair was standing with Anko, Kenpachi's Forest of Death proctor, and a pale boy with black hair.
"Oh no." The man with brown hair. "Naruto!" He sprinted towards the Steel Village.
"Naruto!" He called.
A fifth Tail emerged. Then a sixth.
"Naruto Uzumaki. If you can hear me... know I don't want to fight you. But if you stand against my village I'll cut your throat out." Kenpachi's serious and blood thirsty demeanor was beginning to surface once again. He drew his sword.
The boy roared at him, and a wave of red chakra shot towards Kenpachi. Kenpachi gripped his sword with both hands, and he slashed down. The two waves of chakra collided, and forced against each other. After a moment of struggling, Kenpachi's blast over powered Naruto's. He charged at the beast, and slashed down at him, letting go with his less dominate hand.
Six Tails Naruto caught the blade, and then punched Kenpachi in the face, and charged at him punching him in the chest, forcing him into the ground.
Suddenly steel walls formed around the two, protecting everyone else from the battle.
Tatsuzo suddenly dropped in.
"What the hell...?"
"Don't kill him. That's Naruto under there. I don't care what the hell happened to him, he's still a member of Squad Eleven."
"Kenpachi, Naruto's a guest from the Leaf... he can't join your squad."
"Shut up and fight." Kenpachi charged, stabbing at him this time. The beast leapt backwards, and he blasted another chakra wave at Kenpachi.
Tatsuzo tackled the swordsman out of the way, but he took some of the blast to his shoulder. He grunted. "If Rinji was here this'd be easier."
"Why isn't he?"
"He got injured in his battle with the Akatsuki. Nothing serious, but he can't leave the hospital."
Naruto charged at the two.
"Here he comes. I'll be a decoy, while you attack him."
"Don't die."
"Right."
Kenpachi jumped to the side, and Naruto slashed at Tatsuzo, who jumped backwards and he avoided the attack at the last second. Kenpachi slashed down at him.
Naruto cried out, it wasn't the cry of a man, but the cry of a demon.
Kenpachi clenched his teeth, and gripped his sword. "If this was anyone but you, Naruto... I would have enjoyed this battle."
Tatsuzo cracked his knuckles. "Let's do this!"
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