A/N: Here we are! Yet another chapter where stuff definitely happens! Hope you folks enjoy! :)
Rain cascaded in the night, cold rain ripping through colder air and mist that clung to the skin. Not a great night to be outside, but the guards of the Kyofu Clan's Estate stood at the ready to prevent potential threats from entering the marble front gates. One such threat stood before them, a blue-skinned kunoichi gripping a katana in her hand and glaring at the two men. She looked as if she wanted to fight, like a flustered animal that was lost and confused, but such impressions were only skin deep. In her hand was a brand new katana she forged herself, the equivalent to a teddy bear for a little girl. Holding it, having it on her person, was the only way she felt safe and secure anymore. But nobody would know this, nobody would believe her even if she said it. Nobody, except the one she came to see.
The marble gates opened with loud, imposing creaks, and a redheaded girl poked her head through the opening in the entryway. Sakana could see the curious nature in the way Tenshi looked her up and down, and beyond the kunoichi, the Hoshigaki could see Torakuta standing not too far behind her; the protective shadow, as Tenshi often called her.
"Sakana? What are you doing here?"
Indeed, such a question made sense to ask. It was night time, freezing, raining, basically illogical in every single reason as to why one would show up to visit at such a time, and with a weapon in hand on top of that. Sakana's single eye was fierce as usual, quelled primal instinct kept her from fighting past the guards and rushing into the compound to see her friend. Seeing the concern in her friend's face had almost broken her hard facade, but she kept it in place by breathing deep and clutching her weapon's sheath harder. It was obvious to Tenshi that this was serious, as she could hear Sakana's grip tighten on her coping mechanism.
"...I wanted to speak with you...alone."
Tenshi only held her position for a moment, pondering what would warrant a one-on-one talk with such a girl. She motioned for Sakana to enter, and the Hoshigaki did with unusually slow, calm movements. She was trying rather hard to keep it together here...surely, this had to be a big deal. The marble doors closed behind her, and as the two young kunoichi walked towards Tenshi's residence, the orange-haired girl waved off Torakuta. A silent dismissal of the protection she knew she didn't need, and although Torakuta's frown indicated she didn't like leaving the two alone, she gave a stiff half-bow and quickly turned away, briskly walking anywhere but where Tenshi and Sakana were going.
With haste, Tenshi opened the entrance to her home and lead Sakana inside, shutting the door behind them both. Sakana was dripping with rainwater, her long hair sticking her to back and face, yet she did not shiver as anyone else would. Tenshi shuffled in front of her still friend, folding her arms from the cold of night. "What is it," she asked.
"It's raining, and I have nowhere to go."
"What? What do you mean?"
It had been a few months since Jiyuu left the village, and only Sakana knew why he had run away. It was a secret she kept bottled up inside, something that ate at her mind day after day like a pack of piranhas. Her father, of course, was not too pleased with her failure. His wrath was infinite in the face of disappointment, and not even her brothers would try to help her if he went on the warpath. No such thing happened, but instead, her father went down a different route of punishment. Her soul was wounded, yet it was something only she could mend, as difficult as it was. Still...having someone to speak with was...
"I got disowned," she croaked, frowning harder when she heard the weakness in her words. "I'm not allowed in my own home anymore, and I'm not allowed to step foot in the forge. I set up my own near my father's...pocket money, you know...but he gets all the business, and I'm not as good at the trade as my brothers..."
The two kunoichi were quiet while thunder rumbled outside, the clean and dry one covering her mouth with a single hand while the wet, dirty one glared at her own feet. She was ashamed of herself from coming here and blurting her situation out so others could know, but she didn't know what else to do. It felt relieving to let someone know she was not exactly okay...but what exactly could come out of such a move? Nothing, really.
She was just tired of people not caring about her.
The trance that Sakana had fallen into was so deep that she failed to realize that Tenshi had walked away. Something soft and light hit her in the face, making the Hoshigaki stumble back and grit her teeth expecting a battle; the soft plop of a bundled-up white bathrobe in front of her feet made her pause. Lifting her chin, Sakana saw Tenshi with her arm extended. She didn't seem happy, but Sakana knew it was not due to her own intrusion. This was a look Tenshi developed when someone needed her assistance, someone she cared about.
"It sounds like you need a hot shower and a place to stay for the night."
"N-No, I'm..."
"You're shivering, Sakana." Tenshi's observation made the Hoshigaki tense up. The orange-haired girl put her hands on her hips and raised her chin, clearly not ready to take 'no' for an answer. "Hot shower, some tea if you want it, and a warm bed. That's what you're getting tonight and I won't hear anything against it."
"..."
A quiet morning, as was to be expected. It was dark in the room, after all, with moonlight still filtering through. Tenshi's eyes had cracked open only a sliver, and her head lolled to it's side on her pillow. The time on the clock that was perched upon her nightstand read 2:07 A.M., too early to do much of anything except roll back over and go back to sleep. And yet, Tenshi felt too well-rested to even harbor the thought. Her attention shifted to her friend, who laid sprawled out on her own bed; her sheets and blanket were tossed about, her exposed blue limbs sticking out from underneath in all directions, and a snot bubble was clung to her nostril. She slept with a mouth open, breathy but low snores rumbling her side of the room.
At this site, Tenshi had to look down at herself. She was under her perfectly pressed sheets like a pencil: straight and narrow, without any indication that she wanted to take up more room on her mattress than she already did. She woke in the same position she slept, and she couldn't help but smile when she glanced back at the Hoshigaki rooming with her.
That's exactly how you slept during that night, too. And when you woke up, you said it had been the best sleep you ever had.
She sat herself up in bed, gingerly pulling the sheets off herself without a sound. Just as silently, she stepped off of the bed, and walked in front of the single window the room had to offer. The moon was incredibly bright, and even seemed to shimmer among the stars. Light cascaded down from it, enveloped her in pale radiance, a sensation she normally found quite nice. But her smile was withering, and thoughts that had lingered in her mind throughout the trip so far began to stir once again.
I'm here...I'm actually here, on this journey to become clan head. I've been told my whole life that this would happen, and it finally is. I'm going to be a leader...for the first time ever.
Each breath drawn and released became heavier, and she placed a knuckle between her lips, feeling the onset of stress.
There will be many heavy expectations thrust upon me, I've always known that. But am I really ready for all of that?
A sudden pop snapped through the air, and the surprise noise made Tenshi jump. She turned to see that Sakana's snot bubble had burst, and following that, the Hoshigaki was starting to grumble and stir. Her only eye remained shut, but a small frown creased her brow as she pushed herself into a sitting position on the bed. Her neck popped as she rolled her head over her shoulders, and a single hand reached up to massage the back of it.
The soon-to-be clan head was quiet as she watched her friend grab her own bedding and fling it to the side, still remaining sat in the bed but certainly awake.
"You worry so loudly that it woke me up," Sakana mumbled, but Tenshi had known the Hoshigaki long enough to understand she was only teasing; her tone of voice didn't make it obvious, though. "Why are you even up?"
Swallowing a little, Tenshi brought her attention back to the window. "...oh, I...I was just thinking, that's all."
"About what?"
"Where my life is headed."
"So I was right, you were worrying."
"..."
Grunting, Sakana got out of bed and stretched, rubbing the sleep from her eye before opening it. She glanced at the floor, looking around for her clothes that she threw down before she jumped into an old ragged shirt to sleep in; the darkness was making it a bit difficult. "You've got nothing to worry about, y'know."
"I wouldn't say that, Sakana."
"Yeah, I know, that's why I'm saying it for you." Finally spotting them, Sakana pulled off the shirt she wore and grabbed her Seven Swordsmen attire from the floor, quickly pulling the pants on. "What do you even have to worry about? You're going to be married to the guy you've always liked, you're getting a nice position in your clan that you've been hoping to get your whole life, you got me here to keep you from dying of boredom on this little trip. Seems like you have it pretty good."
"..."
The pants came on, and then the shirt followed. Sakana tossed her hair behind her head with a single hand, it's wild and wavy nature just the way she preferred; low maintenance but intimidating all the same. "Look, I'm not much older than you, but you've already done more than I have in life. That should tell you how good of a path you're on. I guess you could argue that I've got no clue what it's like to be in your shoes, and you'd be right. But I know that something like this has to be tough. If it was easy, anybody could do it."
"Yes, but-"
"But nothing. You don't realize all the hell you went through to get here? I saw you work for this position." The arm warmers slid over Sakana's forearms, and she sat on her bed to put on her leg warmers right after. "I saw you train with Torakuta, watched you leave those boring-ass political meetings with your clan elders, and actually get stuff done in the field as a kunoichi. Half the stuff you did, I'd never have the patience or talent for. You're smart, you're capable, and you're better at the diplomatic stuff than most of your clan mates. You getting this position wasn't luck, you earned it."
Tenshi turned her back to the window, and looked at the blue-skinned woman just as she finished putting on the last article of clothing. The Hoshigaki wrapped some loose bandages around her neck and shoulders, and then faced the soon-to-be clan head.
"Tenshi, you shouldn't worry about something you've trained for. Clearly you have what it takes, or we wouldn't be here." Sakana gave her a low teasing smirk, and held a finger up. "Just remember that I'll always be the stronger kunoichi, though. I have to win against you in something."
Despite the plucky attitude her friend was trying to rub off, Tenshi's nerves didn't settle. Oh, she tried to return the smirk, she really did, but Sakana could only see a weak, quivering corner of the mouth that just couldn't quite get up into a normal smile. It quickly fell, and Sakana's did with it.
"It's nothing like that, Sakana...I...I just know that there will be things that I'm expected to do, some of which are totally out of my control."
"Hmmm. I know what you're talking about now."
The response made Tenshi visibly shutter, and a light blush dusted her cheeks. "Ah...you do?"
"Well, I mean, I can guess," Sakana muttered, folding her arms beneath her bosom. "I've known you long enough to understand why the clan is so willing to let you marry Tsuyo after becoming clan head. They expect you two to strengthen the clan via bloodline, with strong children. It's normal in all clans, even if some like to hide it more than others."
"..."
"But the pressure to have strong kids is tenfold for you, I bet. A natural Rinnegan and Sharingan are almost impossible to find nowadays, and by some insane chance of luck, Tsuyo happens to be an Uchiha. His blood is inside you, and you already are a descendant of the Uzumaki, who are descendants of Senju. You were able to pull out an ancient power, and it's thrown your influence in the Kyofu Clan to the top."
"...I see you've spoken with Tsuyo about this."
Sakana huffed a bit at the unamused tone Tenshi used. "Well, he brought it up, if you must know. It was none of my business but he educated me. I've learned not to ask a lot of questions growing up, and I won't start now. I don't care how Tsuyo is an Uchiha, or the specifics about why what he told me works. That kinda stuff is so...unimportant."
"Why's that?"
A shirt that rested on Tenshi's bed was swiped up by Sakana, who's barbaric grab ruined the neat folding job done to the clothing. "Because it wouldn't matter if you didn't have the Rinnegan, or if Tsuyo didn't have the Sharingan. You're both strong in your own rights, and your children will eventually surpass you."
Before Tenshi could open her mouth to speak, Sakana tossed the shirt to her, which the orange-haired girl caught without hesitation.
"Power is something that can be passed down," Sakana spoke, "so it shouldn't be something to worry about. The hardest thing about being a child who's expected to be a great warrior is to maintain your innocence. This is the only thing you should concern yourself with, not if you can do a job you're clearly ready for, and not if your children will meet everybody's damn standards. Just be a good mother, and you'll be fine."
"...thank you...but...Sakana?"
"Hm?"
"Why are we getting dressed?"
At this, Sakana smiled. "No better time to roam the town than at night, right? Let's enjoy ourselves before we have to be professional again."
After a few minutes, the door to the hotel room creaked open. Sakana stepped out first, stretching her arms above her head and making soft moans, while Tenshi followed behind, wiping her eye free of sleep. There was no time like the present to sneak some fun into this trip of her's, even if it meant running out when daylight had yet to break. Of course, however, nothing was that simple. As soon as her eyes opened, Tenshi had taken note that both of the guards stationed outside her room, one being Torakuta, were gone. They would never abandon their posts, especially not for an occasion this big. And while the orange-haired girl had her small realization, Sakana too had put together context clues of a more sinister situation. The relaxed, easy-going nature she walked out with disappeared, and was replaced with primal growling as she pulled down an arm warmer, and summoned forth her sword from the sealing symbols tattooed to her forearm. She clutched the weapon tightly in her hand, single eye darting down one direction of the hall, then down the other. They were alone, and it was far too quiet; a terrible combination.
"Sakana..."
"I know they're gone, but the situation's worse than you think."
"...how?"
The Hoshigaki sniffed at the air, and growled again.
"...the floor smells like carpet cleaner...but there's an underlying oder that I could never mistake. It's weak, but it's there."
The observation made Tenshi's skin go cold, and her training as a kunoichi was the only thing preventing her from really freaking out. One only had to be around Sakana for a day to understand just what she was referring to, and what it meant for their situation.
Blood was spilt here. Not only that, but there was a very serious effort to conceal the scent and the scene of whatever crime happened. Tenshi knelt down, and placed her hand against the rug floor of the hallway. It was still damp, meaning this had only happened an hour or two ago. There was an attack here, for sure, and the disappearance of her two direct bodyguards lead her to believe that they had been the ones to die. But if this was an attack on the Kyofu Clan, an attack on her, then why had none gone into her room? Why was she not awoken to the sounds of Torakuta yelling and cursing during battle?
Nothing was adding up, and it made Tenshi's chakra begin to surge through her body faster as her fists tightened from the tension. Her mind was going through many thoughts about how incredible the attacker must have been, but their motives left her all the more curious. Why only attack her guards and not her? How skilled were they if there was no time for Torakuta and her other guard to fight back?
Sakana began to walk down the hallway, quietly as she could while gripping her sword at her side; Tenshi, of course, stayed close behind her. She could feel Sakana's killing intent growing, and on top of that, there was some foreign killing intent coming from elsewhere. She could see the muscles all along the Hoshigaki's arms tensing; she was ready for a fight to the death, and Tenshi would be ready to have her back in whatever was to come.
But Tenshi was so innocent that she was ignoring the obvious. Sakana, more cynical in the mind, picked up on extra clues. There were absolutely no signs of a struggle; no scorch/water marks or damage from jutsu, no slices in the wall from weapons, not even the stench of sweat from a taijutsu user. A fight hadn't happened...if there had been, surely someone as talented as Torakuta would have been able to fight back and alert them, and there was CERTAINLY no way someone of that caliber could be taken down by surprise alone. It had to be done by someone nobody would suspect, someone smart enough to clean up after their own mess...someone who wanted to leave Tenshi for last...
The thoughts made Sakana's frown worsen, and she grit her teeth so hard that she felt she would crack some of them from the pressure.
There was a Judas in their midst.
Deathly silence filled the halls of this place, and as the two kunoichi made their way towards the exit, killing intent began to pulse through the air. It was more than palpable, almost capable of making one choke and freeze up in pure fear. Though the two were bracing for battle, an aura of dread still blanketed itself over them, the feeling that this was going to be something the likes of which they were not prepared for. And, upon reaching the stairway leading down to the reception area, they were correct.
All the lights were off in the reception area, differing greatly from the hallway they had just gone down. And yet, spilling through the glass doors of the entryway was just enough pale moonlight to reveal a silhouette. The room reeked of iron, a strong indicator that blood was spilled here, and dripping noises plopped from where the person in the reception area stood. This person stood totally still, head lowered and attention at their feet. Patient, like a predator awaiting prey.
Keeping her breathing as quiet as possible, Sanaka looked back at Tenshi. The orange-haired kunoichi looked like she wanted to call out to the silhouette, to draw it's attention and demand answers. But the Hoshigaki would not allow it, placing a finger to her lips in a shushing manner. The light-user understood Sakana's state of mind, and chose to stay close behind as Sakana brought her attention forward once more, and took cautious, slow steps down the stairway. The decent, in reality, took no less than a minute. In Sakana's mind, however, it seemed each step was hours apart. The stress, the pressure, the tension she was feeling was too much. She agreed to come along on this trip as a bodyguard, yes, but Tenshi had assured her that there was no real danger to be had. It was going to be a little vacation, a simple getaway where they could enjoy themselves one last time before Tenshi was too busy to do much of anything. Yet here she was, thrust into a situation akin to a horror story. Someone who was capable of taking out all the guards who were supposed to be stationed around this place (which Sakana had assumed, since none were present) was no easy task. That alone prepared Sakana for a difficult battle. It wasn't until she reached the ground floor and the silhouette turned around that Sakana, and Tenshi, found out how serious this would be.
"...hn hn hn..."
The blood-splattered assailant lifted her head and opened her eyes. Pale, pupil-less Byakugan seemed to glow in the faint light, and the trembling orbs focused in on both kunoichi.
"...have you nothing to say," she asked, voice breathy and hushed, but holding back a sense of glee.
The Hoshigaki stiffened her stance, keeping the sword out and pointed towards the enemy. "There's nothing to say...damn traitor. You're one of them, of all people..."
"You're only partially right, Hoshigaki. I'm not just one of them...I'm one of their leaders."
Though subtle, Torakuta could see Sakana's hand twitch as they gripped the sword handle harder. And even in the dark, she could tell the Hoshigaki was starting to sweat.
"To be totally honest, I don't care whether you know or not. You're both going to die, and I'll no longer be bound to that retched clan compound. I'll no longer be required to train some little doujutsu-loving harlot who would never reach my level of capability." Her eyes became half-lidded, and a single arm rose up as she pointed a finger towards the kunoichi hiding behind Sakana. "...do you hear me, Tenshi? Do you even understand how long I've waited for this moment? How often I've dreamt of this..."
Frozen in place, Tenshi could do nothing but stare like a deer in headlights. She was clutching at her shirt, her breathing grew slower as her heart rate rocketed past healthy speeds. Warm liquid dripped from her eyes, but the chilling sensation of betrayal lingered, crawling across her back.
The sight amused Torakuta.
"Hn hn hn...I've waited quite a while, ever since you were considered to be the clan head. That opportunity belonged to me, once. I've done more for our clan than most people would be able to remember...but you just had to go and fancy a man with a doujutsu...two of them."
With little warning, a black spear of dark chakra was fired from her fingertip, aimed at Tenshi's head. Sakana had been ready for such a surprise, and was quick to jump in front and deflect the attack with a swing of the sword. There was a clank, and the dark chakra dispersed into black wisps. The Hoshigaki took up her stance again, going on the defensive once more as opposed to her usual, overly-aggressive fighting style.
Torakuta's thin smile vanished, and her arm fell to her side. "And you, the Hoshigaki bodyguard that Tenshi wanted so bad. You should have killed her long ago when you had the chance, and saved both of us the trouble."
"Shut it, you bitch," the kenjutsu-user growled through gritted teeth. "I'm gonna cut you to ribbons..."
Light burst from behind Sakana, and warm chakra shrouded the Hoshigaki as Tenshi stepped to her side. Her eyes were glowing a vibrant purple, and quickly, the deep color spread across the entirety of her eyes, with small black rings rippling out from the pupil. The tears were still visible, her body still shook, but there was an emotion so prevalent coming from Tenshi that it threw Sakana off. An emotion that she had seldom felt from such a person, something that was a driving force for people with a far lower moral standing than one such as her.
Rage. Rage for Torakuta's betrayal. Anger at the false loyalty that was put on display for her clan. Hatred at the fake smiles and encouraging lies that had been given to her when she needed help. Disgust at what had happened to her guards, her clan members, and her friends. Rage for what Torakuta represented, and what she lead in her double life...and how much it affected her life outside the clan.
"Sakana, I'm not letting you kill her alone. Do not turn down my offer to fight beside you...that's an order."
Sweat rolled down Sakana's jaw, and dripped from her chin. Tenshi was even whipping out the 'I hired you' card. She wanted blood, the blood of a traitor. The angel passed Sakana in a calm stride, approaching Torakuta with an even stare. It was a stupid move to make, and when Sakana grabbed Tenshi's shoulder to stop her, she found her hand shrugged off; tonight was full of surprises.
"Oh...so you're approaching me," Torakuta spoke, smugness tinting her stoic voice.
"Where are the guards," Tenshi asked. Her frown and her growing killing intent made it clear she wasn't playing around.
"You already know the answer to that..."
"...I see," Tenshi muttered. "...to think that you, of all people, would d-"
She was shoved to the side by a diving Sakana, both of them narrowly avoiding a large spear of light that was fired at them from behind. The projectile met the open palm of Torakuta, and was swallowed by darkness. Sakana took the rear without hesitation, returning to her defensive stance with bloodlust beginning to leak from her soul, and Tenshi continued to face Torakuta head-on, sparing only a quick glance over her shoulder to see who had attacked her. The Hoshigaki's sword rattled in her shaking hands, and the snarl on her lips lifted further and further upwards when she saw the assailant.
The guard who had been stationed outside their doorway, struggling to stand upright while keeping his arm extended towards them. He was a puppet without strings, his head limp and mouth agape with sweat and blood, HIS blood, covering paled skin. His eyes that were once dull and filled with boredum and a desire to go home were now voids...onyx holes that could suck away the warmth from anything that stared into them. Veins protruded from beneath his flesh like foreign worms embedding themselves in a new home, pulsating and writhing as they commanded the empty husk to keep light chakra focused in the palm.
Yes, he was indeed a good puppet, but Tenshi saw only a poor man who's life was taken and who's legacy had become nothing but a joke to Torakuta. "...what have you done to him," she tried to say in a serious tone, but she choked on her words. She was terrified of what was happening, and putting up a tough front when SHE was the center of all this trouble was much harder than she could have ever imagined.
Of course, Torakuta was quick to catch the weakness in Tenshi's words, and giggled. "Ohhhh, I think you should be more concerned about the others..."
Her very form became draped in blackness, dark tendrils that wrapped around her and turned the kunoichi into a sillouhette that sank into the ground, dispersing into the shadows like a mass of snakes. Perhaps it was the foreboding way she had spoken to Tenshi, or perhaps it was just pure instinct on the Angel's part, but either way, Tenshi's first decision after the words had hit her was to spread her arms apart, and gather chakra into her palms.
"LIGHT RELEASE: HEAVENLY BARRIER!"
Light burst into the room, a light so engrossing, warm, and blinding that even Sakana had to lower her sword to shield her eye. The light was not of Tenshi's own creation, nor was it bursting in from Sakana's direction. A beam of heavily condensed Light chakra was cascading down on the two kunoichi in an instant, and Tenshi's Heavenly Barrier technique had saved them both from a very untimely death. The light bent around the semi-sphere that coated the two of them, dispersing wildly at the other end of her defensive technique and punching holes throughout what was once a happy, quiet hotel. It must have looked very dazzling from the outside, far away from conflict...but here, in the midst of a life-threatening situation, it was anything but.
The cascading light stopped, but Tenshi didn't dare drop her barrier. She could see clearly who stood before her, who had blown off the entire facade of the building she was in and left nothing more than scorched walls and a dilapidating building. Like a stunned dog, Sakana violently shook her head to snap out of the blindness that the light inflicted on her. The only eye she had cracked open, and the first thing she saw was that the puppet guard was gone. She looked over her shoulder at Tenshi, and her eye widened considerably. She could feel her body drop a few degrees, as the situation became quickly apparent to her.
A simple escort mission, this no longer was. Not since her first mission as a kunoichi did she feel so unprepared to dive in and perform her duty.
On the other side of the coin, Tenshi was furious...so furious, that her anger was overpowering her senses...she couldn't show it...on the outside, she was stiff and motionless with her arms out and keeping the barrier in place. On the inside, fire swathed throughout, and emotions began to run rampant. Sadness, despair, fear, hatred, disgust, rage...hopelessness. This had happened under her nose, and she was too busy looking towards the future that she forgot to see who was walking beside her...
...all twenty of the guards that came with her, excluding Torakuta, were positioned outside the hotel. Some were on rooftops, others in the streets, yet all were looking at her with those voided eyes and twitched their shambling bodies. Pale puppets, each of them with veins protruding under their flesh and awaiting orders. Tenshi knew all of them by name, got to know them on a personal level. The one to the far left had a wife and three children waiting for his return, and the one on the far right always got into arguments with her sister over the smallest things. These weren't just sacks of meat, not just guards...they were people, who had dreams and aspirations.
And now they were mindless drones made to kill Tenshi...and the thought of it all made tears drip down her cheeks.
The black wisps gathered upon the rooftop across from the hotel, and took on the form of Torakuta. The full moon was behind her, giant and foreboding as it made Tenshi's personal trainer seem all the more dangerous. Placing the back of her wrist just in front of her mouth, Torakuta let out a very condescending 'ooooooh ho ho ho ho!' as if she had been bottling it up for a while. Her laughter was drowned out by scared, innocent civilians running to and fro in the streets, but she paid them no mind; that laugh was for herself, and it certainly felt good to let loose.
"Tenshi Kyofu? Head of the Kyofu Clan? Nonsense!" She lowered the hand she held in front of her face, and pointing it's finger to the kunoichi pair below. "Prove to me that you're worthy of being the clan head!"
Sprouting from her back with a vicious sound akin to meat ripping apart were two giant black angel wings, a single flap being used to fan them out. Their feathers cascaded all around, and Torakuta's Byakugan seemed to glow with a stronger, more palpable eerie light. Her plethora of corpse puppets followed suite, though white wings of glowing light chakra formed from their backs, and their eyes began to glow with a heavenly aura. With Sakana growling over Tenshi's shoulder, the latter was certain that the former was not aware of what the situation truly meant. Those wings, they weren't just for show.
In our clan, after reaching a certain age, each member is branded with the Blessed Seal, a rune that is scorched into our abdomens and strengthens our chakra output tenfold, even more for Light Release techniques. Any jutsu that was dangerous prior to using the Blessed Seal would become hyper-lethal after the fact...she seems to have corrupted her own seal with a malicious chakra, but the others are normal...
...no...they aren't normal...they're looking to kill me, aren't they? These aren't the same people I knew...
Tenshi's grit teeth began chattering, and she could feel her legs grow weaker in tandem with her resolve growing more powerful. She had the will to fight, to stand her ground, but her body wanted to run, her common sense said that this was a situation that needed to be abandoned. To deal with twenty of your own clan, and with them using such a powerful seal on top of that was just...
There was no way they would willingly do this, so why did their corpses fight? Were they perhaps under some elaborate genjutsu that willed them back to life? No...perhaps Tenshi herself was under an illusion? There was simply no way all of this was happening...
"TENSHI! SNAP OUT OF IT!"
The sudden words cut through Tenshi's foggy state of mind, and her Rinnegan widened when Sakana grabbed at her shoulder and shook her.
"WE CAN'T JUST SIT HERE BEHIND A BARRIER! LOOK!"
The Hoshigaki's blue hand stuck out and pointed at the fallen angels before the two kunoichi, and each one, save for Torakuta, was going through the same hand signs. It was a series of motions that Tenshi knew herself, something she drilled into her own head years ago when she was still trying to become a chuunin. The series ended with each fallen angel aiming their hands at Tenshi, fingers together and forming a diamond shape in the gap between connecting thumbs and pointer fingers. Screens of white chakra formed in the diamond shapes, and if one's hearing was sharp enough, they could hear a very low hum as spiritual energy was gathering en mass.
They were preparing to fire Diamond Beams at her, a Kyofu Clan technique that could pierce almost any defense.
The grin Torakuta wore was fading, and a more business-like expression took it's place on her mug. "Now...stay put." Her Byakugan pulsated as it activated, and she could see full and well that, despite having no direct links to her corpse puppets, they were still channeling chakra to and from her being. They were still readily accepting orders, though they lacked the precise control she could directly grant them if she were at the wheel. It didn't matter to her, either way, because those under the Corpse Puppet Technique fought as they would when they were alive once put into 'auto-pilot' mode. They were all good shots with their jutsu, and that was all that mattered to Torakuta.
"...it will be over soon, and your eyes will belong to my village."
Sweat began to pour from Sakana's forehead, and her gills flared open when her breathing grew harder. She shook Tenshi again, shouted her name and demanded they move. Tenshi was still stuck in place, unmoving, Rinnegan trembling as they jumped from angel to angel. The tears that dripped from her eyes before now flowed freely, though she did not sob and break down like a child. The sight of what was happening was just too much for her to comprehend, her mind and body unable to keep up with everything they were registering. She needed to fight. No, she needed to run. No, she needed to kill them. No, she needed to save them. No, she needed to hide from them. No, she needed help...
"...I dont understand," she muttered to herself, unmoving still. "This can't be happening..."
"FUCK!"
Tired of waiting around, Sakana stabbed her sword into the ground, got on a knee, and weaved through hand signs. "WATER RELEASE: SNAKING WATER PILLAR!" Her fist slammed into the ground twice to create the start of a small tunnel, and pouring a massive amount of chakra into her gut, she fired a torrent of water from her mouth into the hole. It cut through the earth like a worm dug through sand, snaking and slithering until it went beneath Tenshi's defensive technique and fired out from the ground before them. It made it's way for Torakuta, but the dark angel threw her hands out to the side far before the jutsu reached her. A black version of Tenshi's own Heavenly Barrier covered her completely in a perfect sphere, and the water technique slammed against it with the force of a speeding train. The power of the Snaking Water Pillar could not be denied, as the remnants that shot around the defensive technique cut through the stone and metal that were present in the surrounding buildings, but it was power that would not be effective in this instance.
With the aid of the Byakugan, Torakuta could see through the mess, and continued to stare at a motionless Tenshi.
It's always the same with you, she mused. You put on your tough front at the start, but when the pressure's on, you always collapsed...you always needed someone to help you. Such a pitiful quality to have in a leader...a flaw that I, myself, don't carry. But the clan wishes to be fools, and fools they will continue to be...even after I've finished my work here tonight.
Despite Sakana's best efforts, her jutsu was beginning to weaken fast. It was powerful, but demanded a hefty supply of chakra immediately. The volume was no issue for a Hoshigaki, nor was holding the technique...but to keep it at full strength over a minute was like asking someone to exhale with the same force for the same amount of time. Eventually, one had to stop and breath. Yes, the technique was strong, but it did nothing to slow the Diamond Beams from charging up. She continued trying to maintain the technique, but she could only imagine just what the hell Tenshi was doing, standing there like a fool for so long.
Little did Sakana know, Tenshi was flashing through memories of her life with Torakuta. Moments swirled around in her head, happier times where this scenario was never even something one could consider. Training sessions in the early morning, Torakuta buying them both ice cream when she was just starting the shinobi academy, Tenshi being taught by the older woman basics on political matters, gossiping about the boys trying to be shinobi and swooning over the men that already were...Tenshi sharing her feelings about Jiyuu, and Torakuta subtly encouraging the kunoichi to follow her heart's desires and not listen to the clan. Perhaps she said that because she knew pursuing Jiyuu would make her more popular in the eyes of the elders, perhaps she was being genuine and didn't want the clan to push Tenshi around like they did to her. Either way, their roads met here...and there would not be another happy moment for them to share again. All of this, all of those laughs and smiles and approving nods and words of encouragement...lies. They were all lies...
She came back to reality in time to see Sakana's technique end, and for the Hoshigaki to fall on her hands panting for air. The Angel herself was hyperventilating, looking back up to the Dark Angel responsible for all of this. The Diamond Beams finally fired, and threatened to put holes in both kunoichi.
This was when something finally snapped in Tenshi.
...I understand now...
Letting out a blood-curdling scream full of pained wrath, Tenshi lifted her head to the sky and forced chakra into her own Blessed Seal. Giant glowing angel wing of light sprouted out from her back, but the normally calm and warming light now burned, singed the skin of Sakana and any who would have been close. The barrier that wrapped around the two became such a bright, grossly incandescent veil of pure white light, and began to expand at a pace too rapid for Torakuta to have predicted. The Diamond Beams were useless, simply being cancelled out when met with an equally powerful barrier that continued to balloon all over. It expanded so much that it began to do even more damage to the hotel than what had been done already, and the blinding light would make an onlooker from far away believe that a star had fallen into the streets. The barrier stretched out into the streets, and threatened to harm Torakuta and the fallen angels if they did nothing. Of course, all of them flapped their wings and soared into the air, Torakuta dropping her barrier technique and hovering above all her puppets to clearly see what was happening.
The barrier dispersed into small particles of light, and Tenshi was still screaming at the top of her lungs into the night sky above...at Torakuta. Her Rinnegan were trembling, her tears coated her cheeks, and the raw chakra emanating from her body was strong enough to make her hair and loose rubble around her levitate. She could only think about how her whole life had been up until this point...she knew she was a pawn for the Kyofu Clan, and how she was asked to be clan head only because her offspring would be genetically capable of developing doujutsu like she did. She was a stepping stone, but at least she would have been happy...she was definitely a capable and respected kunoichi at home, but deep down, she had been kidding herself. She knew she was no leader, nor did she ever desire to be...but she was told she could be by Torakuta. She was made to believe that everything would be fine, that she was born for this. It was all a lie, all a setup. Torakuta never liked her...she had only sought to take the position herself, and believed putting someone like Tenshi before her would be seen as noble. And, when Tenshi proved she was not up to snuff, Torakuta would have been the next obvious pick. It was all meaningless to Torakuta, this game she played with Tenshi's emotions...
...now I understand...how he feels...
She continued to bellow out like a wild animal, her soft features ruined by a fierce scowl and widening eyes. This was about more than taking her Rinnegan for the Hidden Abyss. This was personal...this was being done out of spite. This whole fight was to be a show of force, and Tenshi's anger had built up higher than ever before...she was ready to put all she had to show on display for her enemy.
"TOOOORRRRAAAAAKUUUUUUTAAAAAAA!"
Said kunoichi's eyelids lowered some, slight interest taking hold of her. Her name was spoken by Tenshi, yet with the tone of a killer, someone who desired blood. This was a turn she did not expect to see in the frail little girl.
"TOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAKUUUUUUUUTAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The massive wings coming from Tenshi's back fanned out, and she pointed a single finger at the Dark Angel above. "YOU WON'T LEAVE HERE ALIVE! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR YOUR CRIMES AGAINST OUR CLAN TO THE FULLEST EXTENT!"
"Hn...you're welcome to try enforcing such a punishment," the Abyss-nin shouted down to her before becoming black wisps once again, disappearing into thin air just as one final command was given.
"Kill them both."
In a blind rage, Tenshi leapt up into the air, flapping her wings and soaring high in a pitiful attempt to reach Torakuta before she disappeared. She didn't make it in time, and flipped around to see ten of the fallen angels were surrounding her. The technique Torakuta was using was not unlike what the Nara girl used during the Chuunin Exams all those years ago...if only Tenshi could exploit it's weakness, she could have the advantage. But now, she had other pressing matters at hand, and she was ready to face them head-on.
Down below, Sakana stood herself up and wiped sweat from her face. The other ten fallen angels landed in the rubble that was once the hotel, surrounding her. Swearing under her breath, she pulled her sword from the ground and took up a defensive stance. Tenshi had abandoned her, left the Hoshigaki to fend for herself...guess there was a first time for everything. The whole situation was a mess, and as nice as it was to see Tenshi taking things seriously, nothing boded well for either of them.
Gripping her katana harder, Sakana steeled herself for a battle that she knew, in some form or fashion, would change their lives forever.
