Temari sat down on the couch looking at May, watching her curious on what she was doing folding the different colored papers into stars. With each star she would bring it to her chest like she was praying, mumbling something incoherent that a small faint light flashed. Once she was done she set it aside and began to work on making another star, so far having five done. Temari didn't know what May was doing but it was clear May knew, with the pleasant smile she had on. Content and happy go lucky, it was their last week in Konoha before heading back to Suna. May was done with her training, though Temari enjoyed the village she couldn't wait to get back home.
"May, what are you doing?"Temari finally asks after becoming tired to trying to figure out what her genin was doing.
May kept folding the paper into the star as she answered."I'm making paper stars, I do believe it is called origami."
"Yes, I know that. But what are you doing? You keep holding the stars to your chest, why? What for?"
"Oh, these are gifts."
"Paper stars? You're giving those as gifts?"she scoffs a bit.
May didn't seem bother by it and just smiles."Yes, gifts. I know it's not much...but it's the least I can do to repay everyone's kindness. Their special kind of stars."
"Special? What do you mean by that?"
May stops folding to think about it for a second."Their just special."
"That's not an answer, you know that right?"
"Forgive me."May picks up one of the stars and stares at it longingly. Before taking Temari's hand and placing one of the star in her hand. Surprising the young woman."There, now this will protect you."
Temari looks down at the piece of paper confused a bit, then to her genin."Seriously May, can you just explain it. This makes no sense, at all."
May just simply smiles."It does make sense, I said it's for protection. Stars guide people, and when one is guided they are being protected and so therefore, this star will guide and protect you. It can be the light in your dark, because light protects. Do not worry, I have also done the same for Mr. Gaara's village. And I will do the same for those here, for Naruto and his friends. To everyone I have met, since arriving in this world. Stars are precious, and so is everyone. There is this explanation alright?"
Temari was speechless she didn't know what to say or how to respond to it. Clearly the girl's answer was just simple, yet Temari couldn't help but feel there was more to her words. They felt true yet cryptic and foreshadowing something ominous. It almost sounded like May was telling her bye. It scared her a bit, thinking back to May praying over the stars it was the same way she did back in Suna a few times. Asking to be taken to each corner of the village and she said or much mumbled this incoherent chant, a faint glow always burst from her. And for some reason after each, May seem to look a bit fatigue but seem to bounce right back in mere seconds. Just like now when the girl was praying over the stars. What was May not telling her?
Feeling weight on her, Temari snaps out of her thinking to find May hugging her. She didn't say anything all she did was just hug her for a few seconds and then lets her go, she looks at Temari. With a quick a smile May turns her back and goes back to finishing her stars.
The explosion was unexpected, unpredictable. Remembering rushing into the hideout calling out for May. Temari was determine to save the girl, the girl whom always seem to keep her head up in the clouds. The girl that flew or floated instead of walking, always with a smile on and ready and eager to start the day. Her golden-yellow eyes as warm as the sun, that spoke of innocence and lonesome. Yet sparked with life and fear. It amazed her how her eyes worked, they where windows into May's world, into her soul. Always smiling when they saw Temari or something new or fascinating, yet become soft with compassion and selflessness in a second.
Those words that day echoed in Temari's mind over and over. One word that stood out was: Protection. What did May mean by that? Temari didn't understand, May's words didn't seem to no matter how hard she tired too. Talking about light and protection, for not just her but others, for Suna. Recalling again May praying in the village, just what was she doing? Why did she do it? Did May know all this was going to happen and made sure she took care of it? She foresaw this, she just had too. Like Shikamaru said, May was smart and calculating thinking of steps before they happen. Planning and making sure everything was in order, those smiles she gave to everyone. They where good-bye smiles, weren't they? May was telling everyone good-bye, and before doing so made sure they were protected when she did leave. Her essence she could feel all around her, like her arms wrapping around shielding her from any harm. It was warm, gentle and strong. Temari was sure she met her end from that explosion because, she sure saw May's spirit looking down at her with a gentle smile, calling out to her, asking if she was alright and for her to wake up.
May's hand gently rest upon the side of her cheek, smiling with a broken smile but glad none the less Temari was well. Temari extends her hand to May who slowly started to fade away accepting her fate. That Temari could not, her eyes shoot open gasping sharply for air. Her body jerks up calling for the girl. Realizing May was nowhere to be found, looking around wildly and surprised that she was actually alive. May's words echo in her mind again, that hug. May said something that day, in a language she couldn't understand.
What was it? Recalling the explosion, the blast was big and deadly enough to wipe out anyone or anything within its perimeter. Looking around her widen in shock at the devastation the explosion left. She couldn't believe it, there was nothing more than crater filled with rubble and broken trees that was slowly becoming filled with water. There was just no way no one could survive that unscathed, but some how she did. Her heart was beating rapidly, she managed to get her breathing under control, which was good. Still it didn't ease her shock, looking down at herself she was in one piece and outlined in golden energy, the same as May. There was something else she noticed on the back of her hand, some sort of symbol that glowed faintly but bright enough to see it. She looks at it a puzzled, this feeling was warm just like May.
May!
She remembered, standing back up quickly almost knocking the wind out of her she stumbles, luckily someone catches her.
"...I have you."Splinter tells her.
He slowly helps Temari to her feet, she nods her head in thanks standing up fully. She looks at him, he saw the lost look she had, perplexed by the fact she survived this. The question in her eyes, demanding an answer she already knew. He drops his eyes telling her silently she was right.
"..."Temari gasp silently, turning her head away in anguish and pain over the fact. The pain gripped her tightly in her chest, just thinking about it.
May's words haunting her, she started to cruse the girl holding back her own tears. Splinter held her so she would not fall, if May did this for her than she had to have done it for everyone else. They others must have survived the explosion.
"Come."Splinter starts to walk off with her, still limping a bit.
It remained quiet between the two, though that silence ended when the voices of others calling and searching for the others. Coming into view finding her brothers safe, along with Shikamaru, Sai, Hinata and Neji both using their eyes to locate the others, Kakashi and Tsunade just fine. They hear her and Splinter approach and look their way. Kankuro and Gaara thrilled their sister was just fine, Tsunade waste no time to tend to her. Temari assures her she's fine asking about the others. Splinter helps her sit down, telling her to rest.
"We're still looking."Kankuro tells her."If we survived than so did the others. I think."
"I wonder, how it was we managed to survive such a blast. Something with that much power could either fatally wound or kill a person. Yet we managed not to get as much as a scratch to say the least."Sai speculates, puzzled by this."Whatever it was..."
"Kiba!Shino!"Hinata exclaims getting everyone's attention.
They look in her direction."The rest are coming, Captain Yamato and Guy Sensei managed to find the others."Neji informs everyone.
"Easy, easy now."Sakura tells Naruto, helping him. As he carried Fukakuku and Shima in his arm.
Kiba and Shino come into view, using Akumaru for support. Chijo and Ino where next to follow, Guy was carrying the blonde, Lee with Tenten. Neji goes to meet with his teammates, Hinata meets up with her's along with Sai and Tsunade. Bringing everyone back settling them on the ground. Tsunade gets started on Ino first with Sakura helping Naruto who just brushes her off. Everyone was here and accounted for, with minor injuries which was good. Just still recovering from the incident. Splinter looks around everyone, his eyes soften at them. Turning away to look at the desolated area, it was nothing but a trap this whole time. A trap that could have killed everyone, when Temari, Ino, Naruto and Kiba went in, they triggered. No doubt a move on Shredder's part, just like that man to eliminate anyone and everything. He knew they would be coming, Splinter blames himself for not sensing nor seeing this trap. Putting everyone in danger, but he was just so focused on finding May. He didn't consider this at all, and they nearly almost lost their lives if not for...for, May herself.
That girl always full of surprises, he couldn't help but feel proud of what she did. Amazed really she managed to pull it off, her skills have really grown since she first started learning all there was to Onmyodo. Back at home she was good, being a natural at it. Something that wasn't programmed into her, he remember when came to asks to learn something different, something she could do on her own, all her own. To start from the bottom and make her way to the top, to separate herself from the others. To be her own person, to make it her life. And he did just that, introducing her to it. She become very diligent in it struggling a bit but soon understood it. She was determine to become the Miko, to be there for her sister and protect her and the others. Just like she did here with everyone. Bringing tears to his eyes of grief, placing a hand over his heart.
"Hime..."he whispers to himself.
Looking back to the rubble, he was sure he saw a spirit that looked like her or it was the fog. The actually fog, not the make shift fog, the floating explosives that went off after the major trap was triggered. Still keeping his eyes upon the rubble, his eyes scanning for any sort of sign that May might have been there. He was sure she was, overhearing it. Remembering the clues that his captures leaked out, was it all false to lure him here when he escaped? Was his escape also part of the plan as well?
"I still can't believe we came out fine."Sakura's words bring Splinter back. He turns to the girl looking at herself still baffled."I mean...really we all should have been dead."
"When the explosion went off...It felt like someone or something warm and gentle surrounded me. Protected me, this strange energy."Lee looks over himself.
Tenten looks at her hands too."Yeah. Weird."
"...Guys, I think I don't know if it was my imagination but...I was sure I saw May."Kiba speaks up, Hinata looks at him shocked by his words. Everyone looks at him. Kiba wasn't sure if what he was saying made any sort of sense."I know it sounds crazy, but...It just felt like her."Akumaru whines at the mention of May's name.
"Yeah, I felt it too."
"..."
"But how? Why?"
"She did, for your protection."Splinter tells them. All eyes look at him."May's skills in Onmyodo have grown much, she must have made a protective spell for each one of you. Using her own very energy to do so. It triggers when those given it, are in moral danger. Her energy will encase the person or thing depending on the amount of energy she puts in it. And since you all came out unharmed, she put in a huge extensive amount. Which no doubt put a strain on her."
"So are you saying, it weaken her?!"Sakura asks shocked.
"In a manner of speaking, yes."Splinter tells everyone."May's energy is unique, in your world you use chakra to preform your astonishing feats and jutsu. Everyone in this world has chakra I assume, though May does not. Though it seems like the same thing, her energy source is different even I have yet to understand it. One thing I do know, is whatever she does create a charm of such a part of her in always sealed away in there. Despite her semi-limitless energy, and because it is apart of her she slowly starts to fade away."
"!"Everyone couldn't believe what he just said. Splinter's words sounded like a scientific guess, but his tone didn't.
"So she's...been killing herself this whole time..."Temari spits out angrily.
"What are you talking about? Temari?"Gaara questions his sister.
"...May..May she went around the village and...DAMN IT!"she yells in frustration."She went around the village and preformed these charms, I didn't understand why at first...But now I do...She knew..knew something might happen."
"..That's what she did...that night, when she came to Konoha."Hinata recalls."She was putting up a protective charm for the village!"
"No wonder, she didn't resist her arrest."Sai speaks."She was slowly fading. But why would she expel her energy like that? To be taken by the ones she fears the most? The ones who wanted her? Did she want to die?"
"...She's such an idiot."Naruto spoke with detest and pain in his voice.
"Naruto."Sakura looks at her teammate.
The fury in his eyes behind his tears he tired to fight back. He stands up digging into his pocket pulling out the star, looking down at it seeing May's face smiling at him. Her farewell smile, it pained him thinking about it. His hand tightens around it. Thinking back to the things May said and the way she looked, it was finally making sense to him. Fukasuku could see the boy realized it, feeling Shima shutter. It was just as the Grand Toad saw. The looming darkness for May, it wasn't just because of Shredder or the Kraang. It was the reason why Naruto wasn't able to sense her like he normally could.
"So, she's actually dead?"Choji's words ring, the wrong choice of words he soon realized.
Words that angered Naruto, who shoots him a deadly glare. Scaring the young man.
"S-she's not dead."Naruto said his tone tight and angry."She's not dead! Don't say something like that ever! I-I know I can't sense her...But I know she's not dead...she can't be..."his hand tightens into a fist."I promised her...I did. We all did! Whatever death state she might be in, I'll bring her back here! She's not gone. Her charms are a part of her, they couldn't have protected us if she was dead! Right!?"
He turns to Splinter, the intense look he gave the mutant startled him for a bit. Looking passed the boy's eyes into his soul, the huge amount of hope he had upon his claim he made. The fire that burned inside, awaiting more wood from Splinter to make it blaze more. Splinter himself didn't want to believe the idea of May being dead, someone like her wouldn't go down that easily and Shredder would keep what he needs until he doesn't any more. Looking at everyone they all had hope in their eyes like Naruto. He could not go back home empty handed without May, he came here to save her. Closing his eyes meditation quickly on everything, recalling everything he knew or could remember. From his time being held captive till now. Opening his eyes he looks at Naruto and holds out his claw to the boy. Naruto looks at it unsure what he was asking him. But from the serious look Splinter gave him locking eyes, explained everything to the boy. Understanding, he reaches and takes hold of his claw. Both of them close their eyes to concentrate hard, Splinter emptying his mind to connect it and Naruto entering Sage Mode. They both focus everything on the darkness, emptiness void. Frighten at first Naruto was hesitant but Splinter grips his hand tighter to assure him.
They push through harder and harder, going deeper and deeper. Splinter kept his mind cleared praying this would work having years of training to master his sensitivity to the Universe, which allowed him to connect to things far beyond the norm back home. Something April and May had due to their mental energy. Searching and Searching caused Splinter some strain but he pushed forward, until he felt it. The feeling was small and faint, but it was enough to jolt himself and Naruto awake. They look at each other surprised but relived. Naruto smiles at the mutant, tightening is forehead protector ready to go.
The jolt they felt was felt by another in the dark. It was enough to give a response, their finger twitched with life.
"...Master Splinter. Naruto"