DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO, FAIRY TAIL, OR ANY ASSOCIATED CHARACTERS

So it seems that FanFiction is having its regular server glitch. Due to that, I haven't seen any of the most recent reviews, but the problem should be fixed in the next couple of days like always. If not, I could always use my email. Anyways, wrapping up the coup d'etat in this chapter so expect an end to the fighting. It's a little shorter than normal, but I felt like I needed to end it before the next one. Also, I'm glad that this story has garnered so much love from all of you. My usual goal when writing any of my stories is to do something that no one has done before, using my own original ideas, so I'm glad I was able to do that with this story as well. That being said, please read, review, and as always, enjoy!

Chapter 18

Kurenai had accepted it. She was ready to die. Ready to die holding the man she loved in her arms. The man whose child she was in the early stages of pregnancy with. When her tears had splattered against his shoulder, she looked at him and his sad, yet reassuring smile, as if he were saying that everything would be fine. And so she accepted the fact that death would keep them together forever when she saw the snakes heading towards her. But it seemed that fate had other ideas when they were repelled by a cocoon of white spikes.

Orochimaru withdrew his arm, returning it to normal as he stared venomously at his new opponent. Said opponent began to appear from underneath the swirling cocoon of white spikes that amazingly shrunk right back into a spiky pony tail that ran down his back. Kurenai gasped when she realized who it was.

"Mas-Master Jiraiya," she said.

Jiraiya looked over his shoulder sadly, for he knew that it was too late for Asuma now. "You should take him and get out of here," he said quietly. "This fight is mine."

Kurenai wiped her tears and shouldered Asuma, leaping away, back down the main road, hoping to reach the hospital in time. With them out of the way, Jiraiya knew that he could let loose, turning back to Orochimaru.

"It's been a while, old friend," he said mockingly.

Orochimaru smirked. "Oh I agree. It's too bad this has to be our last meeting, old friend."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Glad we agree on something."

Orochimaru glanced behind Jiraiya, where Manda was still on a rampage. From atop the walls, the entire village was visible, and Manda had destroyed a good portion of it. "You can't defeat me before Manda destroys the entire village. Not even those precious toads of yours can stop him."

Jiraiya crossed his arms in a smug manner. "Oh, you think so? Good thing I didn't bring any toads."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow in confusion, looking back to where Manda was. Amazingly, he saw a massive sword that stuck high above the rooftops, even higher than Manda. Seconds later, the sword fell, splitting Manda down the middle like peeling a piece of bark off of a tree.

Orochimaru's eyes widened and his mouth even opened for a few seconds. He shook himself when Jiraiya taunted, "You might want to close that before you start drooling."

Orochimaru glared daggers at the Toad Sage. Glancing back to Kabuto, he saw his faithful medic was still out of commission, attempting to repair the severe damage in his chest from Asuma's chakra blade.

Unlike his fight with the lightning user he'd faced at Tenchi Bridge, Orochimaru couldn't afford to have to be reborn again, or his body would take serious damage, and the signs of rejection would only worsen.

Without the use of his jutsu, he was limited to purely defensive battles against weaker opponents primarily. Resigning himself to fighting Jiraiya alone, Orochimaru placed his hands on the ground and a wave of snakes slithered towards Jiraiya, produced from the folds of his robe.

The snakes slithered towards Jiraiya, swords protruding from their mouths, but they were all quickly swept away by white spiky ropes.

"Art of the Raging Lion's Mane!"

Several of the white spiky ropes of his hair whipped back and forth in front of Jiraiya, leading back to his scalp. They dispelled all of the snakes quickly, just in time for the Toad Sage to avoid a punch thrown at him by a rushing Orochimaru. The snake user had burst through a gap in the snakes and aimed to attack Jiraiya directly.

After bending out of the way, Jiraiya backflipped and spewed water from his mouth that was so pressurized and condensed that it made a gash in the ground where it hit. Orochimaru had dodged that as well, then flicked his tongue towards Jiraiya, it having transformed into a snake as well.

Jiraiya leapt into the air to avoid it, one of the Lion's Mane ropes of hair biting down on the tongue, pinning it to the ground before Jiraiya landed. He used the rest of them to stretch towards Orochimaru, grabbing different parts of the tongue, and pulled. Orochimaru flew towards Jiraiya like he was shot out of a cannon.

His arm reared back to deliver a punch, but it never connected. A sphere of blue chakra had formed in Jiraiya's hand, and he pressed it to Orochimaru's midsection.

"Rasengan!"

The force behind it, as well as the power, did a considerable amount of damage to the snake user. His momentum was forced in the opposite direction, and he flew off the wall of the village, crashing into the forest below, Jiraiya having let go of his tongue.

The Toad Sage knew that Orochimaru wouldn't die that easily, but he also knew that he wouldn't come back for more after that, not without the use of his jutsu. Chuckling to himself, Jiraiya dusted his hands off on his robe. There was no better feeling than beating your childhood rival in a fight.

"Now then," he said, turning back to Kabuto. He intended to take the medic prisoner and interrogate him about Orochimaru's various hideouts and research facilities, but he was nowhere to be found.

Jiraiya cursed to himself that he'd managed to lose the both of them, but he didn't want to chase after them. They could lead him into a trap, and that would be catastrophic for the village, which was still under attack, despite its two biggest threats being removed.

Jiraiya stepped off the wall and plummeted to the ground below, landing in a low crouch. His red wooden shoes clicked across the surface as he ran to find Tsunade and report everything he'd both learned and accomplished.

Kurenai was still sobbing as she carried Asuma, who was barely clinging to life on her back. Her legs burned with all of the extra weight, but she couldn't give up. Even if it seemed hopeless, there was always a small chance that she could save him. She thought that until he whispered in her ear.

"Kurenai, stop."

She shook her head. "No! I need to save you! I need you to stay alive! We need you to stay alive!"

"It's too late...I'm…" Asuma was interrupted by a fit of coughing that saw blood drip out of his mouth and onto her shoulder.

"Just hang on!" she said.

Asuma chuckled softly. "Just put me down. I'm...too far gone."

Kurenai knew that he was right, even if the didn't want to believe it. Her feelings of grief were indescribable as she laid him against the ground, cradling his head in her hands. They stared lovingly at each other for what seemed like hours, the world slowing down around them until another fit of coughs wracked his system.

"Kurenai-sensei!"

Her red eyes lifted to see who had called. Her heart nearly shattered when she saw Shikamaru and Choji running up to her. When the two Chunin saw who was in her arms, they had two very different reactions.

Shikamaru's blood ran cold as he came to a stop several feet away, staring down with a pained expression at his sensei. Choji fell to his knees next to Asuma, the tears already flowing down his face in droves. Seeing the both of them like that only made Kurenai hurt more, pressing her forehead to her lover's.

Gajeel and Choza stood off to the side, exchanging sad and worried glances. After a few seconds, Shikamaru stepped forward and lowered himself next to Asuma, looking into his sensei's face as his eyes swirled over to meet his own.

"Don't bother...getting a healer...I wouldn't make it anyway."

"Don't talk like that, sensei!" Choji said through his sobs.

Shikamaru slapped his best friend on the arm with the back of his hand. "These are his last words," he said quietly. "Listen."

Asuma looked at them, all the color drained from his face. "Tell Ino...that she's headstrong...but also a dependable caretaker. Tell her...to watch over the both of you."

Both Shikamaru and Choji nodded, their faces showing different forms of grief. "Choji...you're a loyal friend, and a kind soul….In time, you'll become...a stronger shinobi than anyone else. Have more confidence in yourself."

"Got it," Choji managed, attempting in futility to wipe the tears from his face.

Asuma's head tilted slightly to face his prized pupil, and the one who'd become like a little brother to him. "Shikamaru...you, with your exceptionally sharp mind...are an exceptional ninja. Truly...worthy of becoming Hokage, though...you'd probably try to avoid it. All those games of Shogi, and never once could I beat you. Which reminds me, about the king...I'll tell you who it is. Lean closer."

Shikamaru bent down, his ear hovering over Asuma's mouth. His eyes widened after a few seconds, and tears began to run down his face. "What are you saying?" he asked in disbelief.

"I want you...to do this for me. I'm counting on you...to impart your wisdom to them," Asuma said.

Shikamaru nodded as Asuma turned to face Kurenai. "And finally...I'm sorry...that I can't be there for the both of you. I...never meant to leave. But I…"

Kurenai silenced him with a kiss on the lips, the tears still streaming. She looked down at him with a sad smile. "I know," she whispered.

Asuma let an expression of contentedness was hover his face as his eyes closed and his final breath escaped his lips. Choji immediately bent over and wept along with Kurenai, while Shikamaru sat back on his haunches, shock and disbelief the only words that could characterize his feelings.

Gajeel couldn't imagine the pain he was feeling. The only thing he could even equate to that would be if he lost Levy or Pantherlily, both of whom he hadn't even seen in weeks. Choza walked forward and placed a large hand on his son's back, allowing him to let it all out.

The battle had been fierce. Both sides had taken numerous casualties, but the Leaf forces had prevailed in the end. Not a single member of the Foundation was left alive inside the walls, and all of the Sound invaders had been repelled.

With all of the major players out of the game, being Danzo, Manda, and Orochimaru, the remaining enemy forces simply couldn't measure up to the overwhelming might of the Leaf, and were subsequently forced out.

Natsu had managed to find Gray amid all the chaos, and they's met Gajeel by the remnants of the great gates. As if to put an exclamation point on their victory, Gray pressed his hands to the ground and a massive Ice Geyser replaced the gates, serving as a temporary solution until repairs could be started.

The entire village spent the rest of the day running search and rescue. Any injured shinobi and civilians were taken to the hospital, while the bodies were taken to the main square and covered in white sheets.

Naruto and Yamato had reappeared some time during the day and participated in the relief efforts. It seemed that the young blonde had enough common sense to not complain about the lack of fighting he'd done, since he was carrying the dead and wounded loved ones of others.

The damage, surprisingly, wasn't as bad as it seemed at first. The enemy forces had been contained to the third of the village that was closest to the main gate. The swathe of destruction that manda had carved was the worst part. The only damages within the heart of the village were the small engagements between the disguised ANBU, and the Hokage's tower, where the fight against Danzo had gone a little overboard.

The hospital, on the other hand, was overflowing. Most of the critical cases were out of the woods, but the more minor injuries had piled up to the point where they had to sit on the ground outside of the hospital and wait their turn.

Lady Tsunade was occupying one such hospital bed, most of her chakra having been used up by Katsuyu. She was still conscious, but her transformation had been completely undone as she lay on the bed. She opened her eyes lazily when one of the windows slid open and Jiraiya stepped into the room.

"You look much better than usual, Tsunade," the Toad Sage jabbed lightly.

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I'm stuck in this bed with no chakra."

A tense few seconds of silence filled the air until Tsunade broke it. "How's the village?"

"We took some casualties," Jiraiya admitted. "But we should recover quickly. We're lucky that one of our dragon slayer friends managed to kill Manda, or the damage would have been much worse by the end."

"Danzo and Orochimaru?"

"Danzo is dead," Jiraiya said. "Kakashi saw to that. Orochimaru escaped with Kabuto after I fought him."

"I see," was all that Tsunade said.

Jiraiya smirked. "Don't worry. He'll pay soon enough, but right now, we have to worry about the village. We're more vulnerable to an Akatsuki attack in this state."

"Yes, i agree. Which is why I want you to remain in the village for the time being," Tsunade said. "We'll be better off with you here until the village is repaired and our shinobi are healed."

Jiraiya chuckled. "You're only saying that because you'll miss me," he teased, drawing another eye roll out of Tsunade.

"No, you old coot," she smirked at the jab. "I do want you to go and meet those dragon slayer friends of ours, though. They have proven invaluable, and I think you'd quite like them."

"Is that so?" Jiraiya asked, intrigued. "I might just do that. I'll have Shizune come and check on you soon as well. See you!"

The Toad Sage stepped back out the window he'd come in through, sliding it closed after him before he disappeared completely. Tsunade, left alone with her thoughts, chuckled at the always uplifting personality that was Jiraiya.

Laxus' eyes fluttered open, but he immediately regretted the decision when he was nearly blinded. Taking a few moments for his eyes to adjust, he scanned his surroundings. He was in a brightly lit room, a hospital both by the look and smell. He was laying in a bed, his shirtless form covered with a white sheet.

On his right, the wall was dominated by a large window, th village visible below. It was night now, and the destruction that he knew was there could not be seen, obscured by the shroud of darkness.

Sitting in a chair next to him was a sleeping woman. She'd leaned forward to rest her head and her arms on the bed. Laxus sat up slowly, his whole body aching from the day's fight. At the movement, the girl's eyes opened, and Laxus realized that it was Shizune.

"Hey, not so fast!" she said quickly, but Laxus wasn't listening. He used his arms to push himself back on the bed, to where he was in a sitting position. "Well, at least you're awake," she said with a small smile.

"How long was I out?" Laxus asked, remembering that he'd accepted his fate of death when he thought that was the end.

"Almost half a day," Shizune said.

Laxus groaned as the aches intensified. "What happened?"

"I was hoping that you could tell me."

"I remember that guy I fought. His hands turned my skin purple with his poison or something. After I beat him, I thought I was dead."

"I was at the hospital when you were brought in."

"You saved me?" Laxus asked quietly.

Shizune shook her head. "No, that was thanks to Shino. There were insects inside of you that only he could cure."

"I see."

As if to relieve them of their awkward conversation, the door slid open, revealing the other three Fairy Tailers. Gajeel grinned when he saw Laxus sitting up. "There he is. You look like you got run over, you okay blonde lightning?"

"From the way Natsu made it sound, he thought you were gonna die," Gray chuckled.

Natsu looked like Gray had attacked him. "I did not! I said that there was no way that some puny little insects could take down Laxus!"

The lightning dragon slayer rubbed his temples, sighing at the newcomers. "You idiots are still as annoying as ever."

"Hey!" the three of them protested at the same time.

Shizune laughed, placing her hand over her mouth as she looked at the three wizards. When the sound escaped her lips, Laxus thought that it was a sweet sound, much better than his annoying guildmates.

The kunoichi turned back to Laxus as she stood. She smiled sweetly again, this time a tint of red reaching her cheeks. "I'll be back to check on you later," she said, turning on her heel and leaving the room, closing the door on her way out.

"So how you feelin'?" Gajeel asked. "They said you were poisoned or somethin'."

"Yeah, something like that. What about you guys?"

"I fought this really big monster that almost ate me and Kakashi," Natsu said proudly. "I even lit its mouth on fire!"

Gajeel snorted. "Bet he was nothing like my giant snake."

"No way! Mine was twice as big as your snake!"

"Was not! My snake was three times as big as your stupid elephant thing!" Gajeel fired back.

Gray shrugged, ignoring the two bickering slayers. "The only guy that gave me any trouble drew pictures that came to life. He kinda reminded me of Lyon."

"Who the hell is Lyon?" Laxus asked.

Gray's eye twitched in both anger and disbelief. Lyon had only fought against them in the Grand Magic Games, but as expected, Laxus' self-centered exterior had neglected to pick up on that. He decided to ignore it, though, as the lightning dragon slayer had nearly died today.

"Laxus!" Natsu said loudly. "Don't forget that when you get out of this bed, I challenge you to a fight!"

Laxus looked up at the fire dragon slayer with a doubtful and disappointed glare. "Half of the village just got destroyed, and you want to fight me? Besides, I'd just wipe the floor with you anyways. Now get the hell out of here, you're all giving me a headache."

Gray sighed and placed his hands in his pockets as he retreated from the room. "Come on, Natsu. I'm hungry."

Natsu muttered obscenities under his breath at the arrogant Laxus as the fire and ice duo brushed past Shizune on their way out the door. Seems that the kunoichi had returned to check on her patient. Gajeel saw that and grinned knowingly. He crossed his arms and looked down at the blonde dragon slayer.

"You know, you should pay more attention to her. She's definitely into you, and she ain't half bad to look at. Plus, once she healed all those other people, she stayed right there until you woke up," he said, pointing to the chair that Shizune had been sleeping in when Laxus awoke.

Laxus raised an eyebrow at the iron dragon slayer, but Gajeel was already on his way out the door. He winked at Shizune as he passed her as well. She glanced over to Laxus, understanding what Gajeel had winked about. She blushed as she walked back over to Gajeel, sitting in the same chair as before.

"Hey."

"Hey," he responded, less dismissive of her after learning what she'd done.

"Feeling any better?"

Laxus looked down and flexed his fingers, which he still had little feeling in. "My hands are still numb, but the pain everywhere else is manageable."

Shizune nodded. "Shino said that numbness could be one of the side effects for a few days."

Another bout of awkward silence was upon them, broken only when Laxus said, "Thank you."

Shizune blushed again, looking away from Laxus as she placed a hand on the back of her head and laughed. "Oh, uh, I didn't really do much, it's Shino who did everything."

"You're pretty when you smile."

Shizune froze, cheeks more pink than Tonton as she stared wide-eyed at Laxus. The wizard's eyes seemed to bore into her, molded by years of fighting and never trusting anyone. Yet at the same time, she felt that those blue-gray eyes were inviting her in, as if they were only hard on the outside.

"Just when I smile?" she asked, a smirk on her face, causing Laxus to chuckle.

Shizune was seeing a side of Laxus that she hadn't seen before. This one was softer, and more humorous, something that was never shown with his usual hard and sealed off demeanor. Though it had only been a few weeks, she felt what was once a crush turn into something more, but not quite love. She didn't know nearly enough about him for that yet, but she intended to find out.

As you can all probably tell, I'm not exactly great at writing scenes of romance. I haven't even had a pairing in any of my other stories, so I figured I would try something new with this one. After all, first crossover, why not throw a little romance in there too? As for why Shizune, honestly, it was just something that kind of popped into my head as soon as I got the idea for this story. They just seem like a good match to me, though I have no clue how I'm going to write their progression. Most likely slowly, and with lots of trial and error.

Anyways, hope you all enjoyed, and I look forward to the next chapter as much as all of you do.