The scent of death filled the air, and Razhor couldn't be more happier. He shoots his eyes in the direction the Grim Reaper no doubt was, a joyful smile comes to his lips.
He wasn't the only who noticed it too. Kakashi could tell by the look on the mutant's face what had just happened. Shocked and grief struck by outcome, he silently honors the fallen master, and mourns the lost of him at the same time. But more so for the girl, for May. Another set of eyes notice the solemn look upon jonin's face, it was enough to tell them.
A hush of silence swept over them, which was quickly replaced with anger. Remember the times she would bring him up, the way she spoke about him, told them she held them in high regards and loved them very much. Her desire to see him again, to now be shattered.
Razhor snickers manically."Air never felt so good."Words that mocked the fallen Master. That Kakashi would not stand for, his eyes shoot like sharp daggers at the mutant. Colder than steel, a look Razhor just snickers at more. Their eyes lock and clash at once, extending his claws Razhor goats the man with a sneer scuff. A invite Kakashi gladly took, his Mangekyo Sharigan ready. Both sprint to each other, Kakashi had his Lighting Cutter ready bringing up his left hand drives right at the mutant. Who just narrowly dodged the attack, he felt it skid across his shoulder. Pain surged through him, from that small sound. Holding his shoulder to suppress the pain, snarling at Kakashi. Who cast aside the glare the mutant gave him, his Lighting Cutter still activated. And rushes Razhor for another blow. His movements seem to increase because next thing Razhor felt something piercing his side, causing him to howl in pain. Holding his side, something warm and liquid slowly oozed from his side. Looking down at the open wound on his side. He was hit. Kakashi managed to strike him, and strike him good. Keeping his eyes upon the blood that drizzled out from the wound. It stung, but that just enraged him more. Now out for blood, Razhor eyes shoot daggers at the man. Who stood there unfazed. His eyes cold as steel, marking Razhor with death. The cold fury in eyes, meant only one thing. And one thing only.
The snarl turned into a light chuckle, Razhor stood up, releasing his hold on his side."...When I hear your screams, it's going to be heaven. Though I hope-it's better than her's."
Kakashi's eyes furrow deeper."I'm going to bury you, like the sack of bones you are."A smile of glee comes to Razhor, hearing the calm anger in the man's voice. Like ice. The disgusted look in his eyes, only made the mutant happier. He was pushing Kakashi to the edge, there was no sense of fear or planning. Nothing but pure killer instinct in those eyes of his. Reflecting Razhor's own. Finally he thought, a actually fight. They both lock eyes and glare hard at the other, for Razhor not realize some sand slitter around his ankle, until he felt its tight grip.
"Wha-!"
Razhor snarls, the sand shoots up at him coiling itself around his body. Annoyed, the mutant realized Kakashi was just a distraciton. A dirty trick, he tired to lunge towards the man, but the sand held him back. Restricting some of his movements. Gaara calmly walks over to him, his hand out command the sand."You're not going...anywhere."the last word was smooth and cold.
Razhor looks at the young Kage deadly. He tired to speak but the sand kept tightening around the mutant. It would be easy for Gaara to just simple crush him, but he could see it in Kakashi's eyes. He wanted it, for honor of Master Splinter. So he gave him just that, with his Lighting Cutter still active Kakashi goes in for the kill. Aiming straight and sharp. His eyes spoke his words to Razhor, who kept trying to get out. But was bound. Death would be greeting him real soon, very soon. Still keeping his eyes locked upon the mutant, when something gleamed in Razhor's eyes. Causing Kakashi to come to a quick halt, and maneuvers out the way. Giving himself distance, the same for Gaara, his sand reacted protecting him from the incoming attack. Making the Kage in a sense retreat upon his sand. Loosing his hold upon Razhor who burst out like a wild animal.
"Ah! Much better!"he said refreshed. Turning to look at Kakashi and Gaara."I thought for a minute you had me. But fate doesn't say so. Though for you two. I'm not sure."He does a strange high pitched whistle calling. And in a flash something comes and goes after Gaara, they leap up towards the Kage. The sand came and covered Gaara, blocking their attack upon him. No matter which way they tired to strike him. They where quick, he had to give them that. Pushing him back, keeping him on the defensive mostly.
But only for so long, having enough Gaara order his sand to attack back while defending himself. The figure solely focused on attacking did't care about his sand attacking them back. With each blow from his sand, they just got back up quickly and rushed him again and again. Their speed almost reminded Gaara of Lee's, no Master Splinter. Well their strikes did. Soon his attacker caught on to his movements with his sand. And managed to dodge his attacks, closing in on him. Though he remained calmed Gaara could sense fear slowly creeping upon him. But he kept his cool, he just needed to stop their movements before they could do anything to him or anyone else.
His eyes do their best to follow their movements that seem like blurs or after images, he wasn't sure really. Using the sand he was riding, he knew the best move right now was the skies. There was no way they could get him up there. Taking that move, he pushes up to give himself more distance. He noticed Kakashi engaged in a fight with Razhor. The others where were wrapping up their fight it seem with the last few of Razhor's clones. Gaara had a feeling Razhor was running low on chakra. The mutant was starting to look exhausted no doubt and sluggish. His view soon became blocked by a body, startled and surprised to find his attacker there suspending in the air, his sand didn't sense them? Their hand was drawn back in the form of a blade, Gaara looks straight at their eyes. Their black eyes, he saw nothing in them, they where soulless. Such a sorrowful and pitiful sight, he couldn't help but feel remorse for them. Their black eyes stared back, reflecting Gaara upon their eyes, something in them clicked. A sense of consciousnesses surfaced for a sec, Gaara saw it. He was sure he saw it. His mind put it together, it was why his sand didn't react to them. How they managed to bypass it unnoticed. They weren't a threat. Only one person he knew his sand didn't react too when they managed to get close to him. Surprising him all the time with their embrace always bestowing upon him. An embrace he never returned, the many times he was given it. It wasn't until this whole situation was happening did guilt settle in.
They always gave it to him, whenever and never bother to complain or push them away. Just never bothered to return their affections. Neither of them, especially the one they always gave him on his mark upon the corner of his forehead. He could still feel the warmth from them upon his mark. It made him feel funny and different. He suddenly became warm and shocked. But more so warm. He felt like something was fluttering in his stomach every time. It brighten his day more than the sun. Their touch was gentle as it was warm. A touch that relaxed him. Made him feel like he only mattered to them, he felt special. He ended up admitting to himself that he was always looking forward to it. It was like a token just for him. Whenever they left on a mission. Or just in each other's company. He felt they did the gesture to relax him. To make him feel okay and to worry less. To ease his mind and show he was indeed loved.
Loved!? He thought. Was that what their gesture meant whenever they did it to him. It would make the most sense, then again considering their mindset he often wondered if they understood it, on that level. A level he wasn't sure himself about. They were the type to show great affection to those they held close, he wondered if they understood the gesture. He hadn't seen them give it to another that he was aware of. He had seen them give embraces, but never the other gesture. The kiss upon his mark.
"...May?!"
He was just speechless upon saying her name, a name that seem to trigger something else in them. Looking harder he saw it their eyes. He saw something passed those black eyes, he saw her. He saw the shame, pain and regret. All of it. She was struggling, she was fighting against something. But yet couldn't. He saw the hesitation in her eyes, for the split second. Her eyes lock with his, she was telling him everything. Everything with no words or his mind made him see it. She wasn't asking for his help, but instead...was she pleading? Pleading for him to end it? To leave? To protect everyone? He wasn't sure, he didn't have the time to register what she was actually trying to tell him.
He didn't get the chance, they push him back off his sand, not a second after something shoots them in the back and they drop out of the sky. Landing hard leaving a crater from their impact.
"May!"
Gaara yells. Just stun, he was just stun. He was sure she was going to deliver a fatal blow to him. She had the opening, but she didn't. She choose the latter, pushing him to safety, enduring the blow. Right at her back. Yes, she had that metal skin that no doubt acted like a armor, but even it had it limits. The sudden out cry from Gaara reached the other's ears. Having just finished with the last of the clones, they turn around surprised.
"What? What did he just say?"Kiba wasn't sure he heard, what he just heard. The others where in the same boat, all but Sakura.
Knowing she rushes off towards the body."Sakura!?"Lee calls for her stop, but she didn't. Ino was able to pick up on it too and rushes off after her friend. Neji soon followed the two."Neji?!"Lee gives his friend a confused look.
Did they not realize how dangerous that person or thing was? He didn't understand why they just rushed towards them, considering the danger. Thinking back to what Gaara said, it clicked in him and in the others. Who it was that dropped from the sky, taking the hit for Gaara. Horrified and shocked, they just couldn't believe it. They didn't want too.
*May. May please be alright.*Ino pleads to the universe.*Please!*
Just a few more feet until they reached the crater, almost to the girl. A wall of fire seem to burst from the ground stopping herself, Sakura and Neji from proceeding any further. Using his eyes, Neji tells them move just in time, shoots where fired at them. That of heat and ice. Tigerclaw steps out unharmed by the flames. His blasters both pointed at them calmly.
"You shall not go any further."pressing on the trigger he fires straight at Ino, who was the last to move. She just narrowly dodges but gets hit on the side. By the heat ray.
"Ino!"Sakura looks to her best friend. She shoots her eyes at the mutant tiger with cold anger.
Tigerclaw glances back at her, giving her a look that made her shutter for a second. But not enough to cause her to back down, resilience written in her eyes. She wasn't going anywhere. Reading her well and seeing the plan Neji had. He read the Hyuga like a book. Using one hand sign, the fire dispersed and points his heat gun right at the body in the crater. Directly at their temple. While the other one held straight in Ino's direction.
There not a single bluff in the tiger's eyes. He was going to do it, and he would. The only question was which one was going first."..."Ino eyes look at him with anger and grimace. They move over to the body that laid just a few feet away. Tears of guilt and remorse came. Mix with anger, anger at herself for allow this to happen. For all of this, because of something she felt wasn't right. She jumped to conclusion without a second thought. It pained her more than anything.
All those times she came into her flower shop, eager to learn about them and looked to her with admiration and high esteem. Like a younger sister would to an older one. At times she would drive Ino off the handle with her dense nature, but that was how she was. Ino had to guide her to understand things, simple things. Having to spell them out. Making sure she kept track of her, always making sure to heal her. Even if she didn't need it. Even if she didn't need Ino's protection, she always felt the need to protect her. To protect May, become extremely concerned and worried over her. And after finding out what she did about her life, only propelled it more. This protective instinct, this desire she couldn't explain to get her back. To bring May back and never let her go. She was her friend. Her friends always dear to her heart, she would do anything for them. But May, May was different. May did all this to spare everyone. And Ino just let her go, let her do it. She practically handed her over to Death's door.
The fear she had, was no longer there. Her own selfish emotions didn't matter anymore now, he could shoot her all he wanted. Heck, he could kill her if he wanted too she would push forward to protect her friend. To protect May. Pushing herself up, forgetting about her own pain. Tigerclaw warns her again, but Ino paid him no mind. She staggers a bit, but stands up. The fearless look in her eyes told him, she didn't care. And neither did he, his finger presses against the trigger and shoots his target.
"No!"
A voice soft yet strong voice yells. Their presence surprised Tigerclaw, feeling their presence he moves out the way just in time. Hinata's strike missed him, which was good for him. Having learned some sort of intel from her clan, he knew what she and her cousin where capable of doing. Regaining her stance, Hinata managed to stop the shoot from being fired. She stands in-between the mutant and the crater. Her stance strong.
"I won't let you, lay a finger on her. On May."her words come out like a calm threat, that one should not take likely. She was dead serious about it too. He saw it. She was ready to give her life for them. He looks around at all of them, they each were.
Sensing another presence. Tigerclaw jumps up flipping over his surprised attacker.
Naruto. Tried to get him with his more enlarged Rasangen. A mistake on the boy's part. With his back turned to the mutant, gave him the opening he needed. Quickly putting away his pistols, his counter attack was faster than Naruto and the others could react. Finishing the last of his hand signs, a quick reddish outline surrounds him. And then forms itself on either claw, and transforms into compressed heated blades. He thrust right at Naruto, one aiming right for his throat the other his mid section. It was like a demon from Hell, Tigerclaw' felt like. The heat emitting from the mutant was like a beast, coming for its pray. And Naruto was it.
Frozen by the sensation of this overwhelming power of fear if he could call it that. His reaction was a little too late, but just in time for someone else. It either happened in slow motion or to fast for the eye to see. He should have been impelled by those concentrated fire blades, but he wasn't. Then if not, where did this blood come from that was splattered upon him, and why was he on the ground? Who? What? The answer to his many questions came in the form of a high pitch hysterical scream.
"NOOOO!"
Naruto's eyes shift up quickly and nearly pop out of his head in shock and terror. He saw the two flamed blades, meant for him protruding from the backside and throat of the one who took the blow. Who stood over him, in front of him. Using their arms to block the attack, but the blades pierced straight through them too. Taking the painful and mortal wound attack, there was no pain shown upon their face. How could there be? Everything was covered up, there was no way they could express their pain, it's not like they ever did before. Always smiling. Tigerclaw was surprised, which quickly turned to anger, than to disgust and finally pleasure. He pushes his blades further into them, their sound of their blood and either it was their flesh or the metal that sizzled and filled the air with such a ratchet stench. It could make anyone gag, and for Kiba who had high senses almost made him vomit.
Tigerclaw sneers at them."A pity, really. A real pity."In one ruthless motion he rips his blades out from them. And goes to stab them again, both of them pierce straight through their chest. His strength lifted them up a bit off the ground. Dangling them for show and fun."Such a disappointment. I will put you out of your misery. Then the res-"
A blade gets thrust into him, ending his rant. It wasn't as deep as his own blades, but it was enough for him to show pain. He looks up at them, they stare back down at him, their black eyes slowly started to fade away and peaking through golden-yellow ones. They stare hard and weakly at the mutant. The metal upon their skin slowly started to come off, only patches though. It kept trying to decide to either come off all the way or not. Like some sort of symbiote, the emblem upon their back showed, branded in their skin. A sight everyone saw. To their horror. The metal skin was trying to cover them back up again, the look of struggle upon their face was just agonizing no doubt. And with their injuries added, only made it worse. They looked ready to cry, but no tears came. They couldn't, they could not produce them. Half their face started to become recovered with the metal, blacking one eye back. While the other side stayed. With the little energy they had left, they slowly lift up their free hand slowly. Forming it into what seem to be half of some unusual hand seal. While chanting some sort of incantation it seemed. In a language no one could understand.
Each word was painful, just horribly painful and horse. But they kept going with it, to finish it. Through force of will, the circuit markings that was once red, glowed a golden color. And twisted painfully into some other markings, either vines or something else. Whatever they were it was needed for what they were doing. Their only visible golden eye glew brightly. Along with themselves, outlined in the same energy. Gritting their teeth, the energy around them began to expand. Along with it in the air, symbols that seem to read: Wood, Fire, Water, Air, and Earth along with another. These six symbols emitted brightly around themselves and Tigerclaw who realized what they were doing. And so did the others.
Naruto pushes off the ground to them, the others rush but they where prevented from interfering. The last bit of energy from May's charm encased them each from the what came next. Right before everyone's eyes, the very last thing they saw, wishing they wouldn't. With the last bit of her strength before the bright light swallowed her up too, the last thing they each saw, her smile. An actual genuine smile, that each one of them interpreted differently. But spoke the same. How sorry she was and how much she cared for each of them. They watch as she closes her eye, accepting the burden to her sins. Sins she now felt was cleansed up and they did not have to worry about nor need in their world. No anymore. The huge light came either down from the sky or blasted up from the ground, whatever direction it came. It left a devastating huge and deep gaping hole, a hole that now everyone had in their hearts.
"MAYYYYY!"