REVIVAL

And now, born from the ashes, she is now a warrior in bloodied black.

Amie Kaufman

Author's Note: Hey everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the War Arc so far. I do not enjoy writing fight scenes at all but with all the drama and conversations involved, I can't resist.

Revival Spotify Playlist:

open dot spotify dot com/ playlist / 2MHRRWqU5uFibl2DcpKWa0?si=032wftj5QqK_Vowhdztw3w&dl_branch=1

(Just change 'dot' to '.' and take out the spaces in between!)

Chapter XXXI: The Royal Power Prism

She couldn't believe it.

Stood before her are the bodies — reincarnated bodies — of her family members. Tou-san. Kaa-san. Yuki-neechan. Sara-neechan. Kuma-neechan. In the flesh. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would ever have this chance. But they're in the middle of the war. A war that could potentially end them all.

With shaky knees, she walks up to them, eyes glued on them. She's afraid that if she as much as blinks, they will disappear. Tears gather in her eyes, her throat aching.

"I-is this real? Is it really them?"

Kakashi looks utterly defeated in front of her, knelt on the floor and broken despite having lightened up at her presence. But why?

"Yes, it is. They've come to help." Kakashi smiles.

As if in slow motion, they gather around her. She's older than her sisters now, they look up at her with smiles on their faces. Her mother as radiant as ever, her father didn't tower over her like he used to in her memories.

With an outstretched hand, her mother plants it over her cheek, tears streaming down her cheeks. "My baby, you're all grown up."

She rests her hand atop hers, her mother's thumb wiping the stray tear on her cheek.

"Is that my armor?" Yuki says.

She nods.

"Looks second best on you, Imoto."

Imoto. She hasn't been called that in a long time. Far too long.

She opens her mouth to respond but a bone-chilling bellow echoes from across them.

Not too far away, the Ten-Tails stares back at them with multiple eyes and a dead look on its face. The sight makes the hairs on her arms stand. A man stands before it, ruffled hair and a scarred right side of the face.

He looks oddly familiar.

"Kakashi, who is that?" She asks as she loops his arm around her to keep him steady.

"Yes, Kakashi. Why don't you tell your girlfriend who I am?" With a maniacal grin on his face, the man watches their interaction. "Tell her about the past you try so hard to hide."

But the man in question can barely look at her, eye glued to the ground. "It's Obito."

Obito Uchiha? Now that I think about it, his attire is familiar. Tobitobitobitobi…Obito is Tobi.

An unsettling feeling makes a shelter in the pit of her stomach. No wonder Kakashi is so out of it.

She taps him on the shoulder, signaling him to look at her.

And he does.

"It wasn't your fault, you hear me? It wasn't your fault."

He doesn't say anything but the look in his eyes is absolutely shattered. Shame. Guilt. Pain.

"Hatake." Yuki calls him out then taps him over the head. "My sister is not ending up with a frail loser, you understand? Now, finish him up or I'll finish you up myself."

"Neechan…" She says as the tears in her eyes gather.

"We'll have time to catch up later." She grins. Behind her, the rest of them give her knowing smiles. They know their time is short, but at least they have time. And she's taking that chance.

Yuki's little pep talk must've sparked something in him because Kakashi stands upright beside her now, determination in his furrowed brow. Tenshi couldn't help but stare, heat creeps up her cheeks.

"So, are we just going to stand here or are we going to kick some ass?" Kaida shouts from behind them. "Hey, babe." She pulls a grinning Gai's collar into a smack on the lips, the Green Beast blushes afterwards in a lovesick haze.

"I like that one." Kuma adds.

"Tenshi…" he calls her out.

"Let's talk later." She grins up at him. "After we save the world."

The light reaches Kakashi's eyes, the outline of a smile through his mask. "Yes, ma'am. I'll hold you onto that."

"Naruto-kun?" she says. The glowing boy grins, tears on the corners of his eyes.

"Neechan, thanks for coming."

"Anything for my favorite boy…or is it man now?" She pats him over the head as she pulls him into a hug. "I'm going to need your help with the Ten-Tails, is that okay?"

"What's your plan?" The boy smirks.

The duo huddles, the Lady nods at her General. The group of them share smiles.

"Attack!" Kaida shouts.

Tenshi whistles as she runs off a nearby shallow cliff, Rubichan swoops in to catch her. The wind against her hair whooshes against her, the view of the people below growing smaller. She guides her dragon to near itself towards the monstrously large prism.

With a touch of her hand, she exerts effort to pull the floating crystal island up ahead. It follows her lead as she directs it across the large monstrous creature. Next to the Ten Tails, they look like mere ants. Even the Land of Prism is only the size of its torso.

The muscles in her body begin to ache, something Gato warned her it would cause a lot of strain.

"That's the power and the curse as the bearer of the Royal Power Prism, Tenshi-san," he says, "It comes with a lot of responsibility…and a lot of sacrifice."

And she takes it to heart.

"I'll be needing your help, baby girl." She smiles at the dragon below.

Rubichan croaks in agreement. Pulling in a deep breath, prismatic light comes out of her mouth. The particles get absorbed by the crystals and reflected at the Ten Tails. The creature screeches at the attack, the magnified light burning its eyes.

Naruto speeds up from below her. But just before she could say anything, Obito arrives before her.

"Tenshi!" Kakashi shouts from behind them.

Obito ignores his cries and shoves her to the ground. Silver awaits her down below. Kakashi jumps up to meet her fall halfway and catches her in his arms.

"I guess you've made your decision, Kairi-hime."

She remains silent as they stand before the dark-haired man.

"What is he talking about, Tenshi?"

Their entire army, along with friends and family, pause from behind them. Pale fists struggle on both her sides. The words refuse to leave her lips. She's didn't want this conversation to come up this whole time. But he's decided to let her face it head-on.

Instead, she slowly turns to him. A worried eye stares back at her, his scarred eye shut close. Above it is a headband. 'Shinobi', it says.

Shinobis are supposed to protect, kill but with honor. They're supposed to risk their lives for the greater good of those who are innocent, right?

So why does the word do nothing but make bile raise up to her throat? Why does it make her stomach churn? Her insides boil?

Why is she here risking her life and those dearest to her for them?

The Ten Tails continues to screech in pain at Rubi's assault, but the floating crystal falters. Without uttering a single word, she raises her arms once again, she growls in pain.

"Why, Princess, are you going through all of this for them? Is it because you fell in love with one of them?" He continues to prod, an menacing smirk on his lips.

"Obito!" Kakashi scolds.

She ignores them.

"Neechan," Naruto calls out, his large rasengan on-hand as he jumps up towards the Land of Prism. "I've got this."

Bam!

A colossal impact hits the ground, making it shake. Kakashi catches her before her knees give out. She's draining her energy at a rapid rate. She doesn't know if she could hold for long.

When the dust settled, two other figures stand before them. One had dark long hair and red armor. Beside him, a man with long gray hair in a ponytail stands tall, in a body armor similar to hers.

What is going on?

"Uchiha Madara," her father says from a few feet away.

Her mother's gasp can be heart too. "It's…it's Lord Riku."

It can't be…

"Why is he with them?" Gato joins.

Naruto walks up next to her, brows furrowed in frustration. "What the hell is going on?"

But Obito just laughs. "Did she really not tell any of you?"

Kakashi looks at her and she at him. His expression is laced with concern. "What is it, Tenshi?"

But she doesn't answer. It will break him, the very cause he's giving his life up to, isn't what he thinks it is. And she doesn't want that. It will also turn some of her people from their cause. This revelation will shift everyone's morale.

Obito is an evil genius.

"Why are your expressions like that?" Naruto asks as he looks at her family from behind them. "What is going on?"

"Kakashi, you're a part of them."

"What…are you talking about?"

"Don't!" But he ignores her.

"Konohagakure and some other shinobi countries gathered up to sabotage the Land of Prism."

The man beside her falters. Slowly, he shakes his head. "No…we'd never do that. That's not true."

Naruto stiffens.

"But it is." Obito points at finger at him. "You are the reason why the Princess doesn't have a family. You are the reason why she's been homeless all these years, her people divided. It's because of this senseless brand of 'shinobi' you all pride yourselves in. You're nothing but cold-blooded killers! Who are you to say that you are these heroes, hm? Everything you did was to kill and destroy."

Her blood runs cold at his words as they slip into her mind.

"They do not deserve our sacrifice," Lord Riku says through his teeth, dark eyes narrowed. "Everything we worked so hard against, peace with no war, they took advantage of." With a raise of his hand, Lord Riku disables the floating island, dropping it to the ground in a loud thud.

Rubichan growls but Tenshi calls for her to go to Kaida.

Her breathing grows shallow as she clutches her chest. As much as she hates to admit it, everything they've said are the very thoughts that plagued her all these years. And she's managed to swallow it back on her way over. But now, those words said back to her, kills something inside her.

"Tell me that's not true, Neechan." Naruto says, a halfhearted chuckle emits from his lips, "These guys are just talking nonsense, right?"

Kakashi couldn't say anything. Instead, he awaits for her answer in horror. His hand on her back shakes violently.

Warm wetness trickle down her cheeks, she couldn't hold them in any longer. She drops to the ground on her knees, covering her face in both her palms. "It's true. I saw it happen."

Silence.

There is no use hiding it.

"Tenshi, why didn't you tell us?" Mira asks.

Gato and Anzu stare in horror. It only makes sense. They were absent during the whole ordeal, only dealing with the aftermath of it all.

"However, I am merciful," Riku says, "With the Infinite Tsukuyomi, I will allow them to live. Forever there will be a world of peace and perfection just like what I've strived for, like what the Land of Prism worked hard to achieve."

"By living a lie?" Kaa-san challenges. "Riku-san, as much as I admire what you've done not only for our clan, but our nation, I cannot allow for this to happen. It won't solve anything."

"How can it not? Besides, I don't think that is up to you to decide. Kairi-chan over here seems to have made up her mind."

A cold hand pats her over the head, she turns up to meet her mothers doll eyes and gentle smile. Just like how she used to look in her mind. "Kairi, do you remember the last thing I told you?"

"Don't let this harden your heart, Kairi. This is just an unfortunate result of an unfortunate system. They're not bad people." Placing a hand atop her chest, crystal blue eyes look into hers, tears brimming on the corners. "Remember, love, always choose peace. Always be on the side of peace. Only peace can break cycle of war. Only love can break cycle of hate."

"You can be with them again, Kairi-hime," Obito says, "You can live the life you've always wanted with your family, even have Kakashi with you. Never-ending peace and joy. Isn't that what you want?"

She turns her to check on the people behind her. None of this would exist. No wars, no lives sacrificed, nothing. How bad can being in an infinite loop of dreams be? Is it really too wrong to want peace?

The image of her laughing with all of her loved ones warms her heart. She could be in the arms of her family, a loving family that she lost too soon. And they could live their lives together forever. Not only that, she and Kakashi can live their lives unbound by duties and situations that will set them apart. It's all she's wanted, offered at the palm of her hand. All she needs to do is nod and it will all be hers.

No more pain, no more tears. Just pure bliss.

But it's all make-believe, isn't it?

The image shatters into tiny fragments.

"I will choose love," she says as she lifts herself from the ground, "I will choose peace."

Kakashi watches her with wide eyes. "Tenshi…"

"And I will let others choose as well! What you offer isn't any of those. What you offer is pure dictatorship over our choices, our will to choose taken away from us." She continues with balled fists. "I will be with my family, yes. But it's not them. I will be with the man I love, but it's not truly him. They're just fragments of my imagination. And I refuse to inflict that nonsense on anyone else!"

Tenshi smiles at the people around her. Her family. Kakashi. Naruto. Her friends. Her people. All these lives, these beating hearts, they deserve their freedom. "I love my family and I love my people, I would give my life up for them with no second thought. That's why I continue to fight with the shinobi. I believe that there is still a future for peace and not peace that lives in my head, but peace that is true in my heart…and soon, everyone else's. We will achieve it."

"Neechan." Naruto grins as he wipes a tear from the corner of his eye. "You're still smart as ever."

"I'm sorry, Tenshi." A deep voice says from beside her.

The corners of her lips tug upwards as she turns to Kakashi. "It's not your fault. It's no one's fault. We can learn from our mistakes and we all have a lot of growing to do. I believe that."

Lord Riku glares at her. "Foolish girl. You can't be entrusted with ruling when you're this gullible!"

"You're wrong, Riku." She says. "I believe I'm the one looking at the foolish one here. And you'll realize that very quickly once we win this war."

She takes Kakashi's hand in hers and squeezes it before she takes her fingers between her lips and whistles. Rubi swoops in from behind her. She lifts the Prism nation from the ground once again.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouts as Obito swallows him into his Kamui, going along with him, leaving the boy standing on his lonesome.

"Naruto, he'll be fine," she says and smiles, "Right now, I need you to take the helm of this. Do you think you can do that?"

The people behind them smile, determined looks on their faces. Thank God her words got through to her people, their spirits unwavered by the delicious temptation dangled in front of them earlier. Pride swells in her chest. The other Prism ninjas sprint below the island to help her lift it up. Including Gato and Anzu. The rest of them fight.

Naruto grins back at her, hopping atop Rubi as they float towards the Prism. "Are you kidding? I was born ready."

Her father lays a hand on her shoulder, her sisters stand behind her. "Our first and last fight as a family," he says, "How about we go out with a bang, ladies?"

They all nod at him, his words hang over her head.

"Riku won't know what's coming for him." Kuma adds.

Sara just chuckles.

"Let's do this." Tenshi says. "I've got time before I need to land the final blow."

"Then that's all the time we need." Yuki winks.

"Don't worry, Kairi," Riku says as he stands across them, cracking his knuckles, "You'll be joining them soon."

He releases Prism Shadow Clones, multiple fluorescent bodies just like his. This was his special technique that no one could ever replicate because it took too much precise concentration of prismatic chakra to an atomic level. It could even kill some who attempt it. But the man lives up to his name.

They rush towards her family members, engaging them in hand-to-hand combat. Leaving the two of them alone.

"How about this? Royal Power Prism versus Royal Power Prism. You'll see the true power it yields, Kairi-chan."

"It's a shame it's come down to this." She falls into position. "But I'll take down my gramps if that's what it takes."

Nearby, the Ten Tails continues to screech as Naruto lands neverending blows at it, his rasengan's power only magnified through the Prism nation.

Riku scowls at the sight, he does a few hand seals creating a new clone. "Looks like I have more important matters to attend to. We'll have to take this to some other time."

And with that, she's left to deal with his extra clone as the man rushes up towards Naruto. The boy struggles as Riku brings down the Prism with just a hand and barely any effort. With his other hand, he disperses the people helping it up.

"Deal with him! I've got this." Sara shouts. Glowing in purple, she conjures up vine-like strips of light — sharp vine-like light. They slice through the clones but they dodge some of them easily too.

She nods and rushes up to him. With both arms lifted, she's able to let it stay afloat. "You're not going anywhere."

Riku just scoffs, finding her effort hilarious. He lifts his other hand, significantly bringing it down.

The pain is almost unbearable, she's never used this much chakra in such a short amount of time. Her entire body burns from the exertion. But she pushes even further. "I'm…not letting you win."

Kakashi's been gone a little too long for comfort. As much as he's more than capable to fight, she can't help but let her thoughts wander to him. It didn't take a genius to see that he's still struggling with Obito's revelation. Everything he's worked for, for what he believed was honorable and right, had innocent blood all over it.

She can only hope her words went through him. Even just a little bit.

As much as she dreaded for everyone to find out, relief floods her. Especially with her family by her side, although not for long, her resolve is strengthened. What she's doing is right. This is the right thing to do.

And she's standing by it.

Sweat drenches her body, her knees wobble.

"It's honorable, what you're trying to do, Kairi-chan. And as much as I admire your passion for the Prism Nation, it is a shame we don't see eye-to-eye on this." Riku says. "But how can you guarantee that they won't pull something like that to our nation once again?"

"I can't." She states. "But I believe in the future where we will be able to work towards it. Times have changed, Riku-san. From my time traveling with nomadic medics, the world is vast but it is our home. The thought of us versus them has never entered my mind. It's not our nation versus theirs, it's us versus war. Us versus chaos. My family and our people didn't die because of these shinobi, countless lives are lost because of war — of hate."

"I see…" He says, pensive. How is he doing it so effortlessly? "But don't you believe peace can be achieved much faster through the Infinite Tsukuyomi?"

"It's not true peace when it's manufactured by our imaginations. That's just taking everyone's wills away from them."

"You can see it that way, perhaps. But I don't. I believe that the world is sick with wars and pillaging. It needs an instant and effective medicine. Don't you want to join us to administer it?"

"I can't, Gramps." She smirks. "I'm sorry."

The man chuckles at her words as he shakes his head. Her eyes widen, she couldn't believe the sight unfolding before her. Lord Riku is…disintegrating? "Looks like I don't have much time left. I'll leave the future to you then, Kairi-sama." He lets his hand down, a smile on his face, the weight of the Prism significantly lighter. "I'm still unsure of this path you've chosen, but I am dead. My time has already passed. I can only wish for the best."

Kairi-sama…

"You can count on me, Riku-san."

He nods, then completely disappears. His eyes widen but he's already completely disintegrated before he could say anything.

Tenshi continues to push up the Prism at Naruto. He grins at her but in just a matter of seconds, his face falls into one of pure horror. "NEECHAN!"

What?

Coming out of a kamui, Obito's victorious smile emerges, a terrifying glint in his eyes as he stand in front of her.

"This is for Rin," he says, a black rod emerges from his hand.

Open and vulnerable, he targets her heart.

Everything turns to black as Tenshi shuts her lids.

I'm sorry, everyone.