Hello and welcome to chapter 9. Last time, Sakura Kinomoto's struggles continued as she was torn by the fact that Syaoran was willing to give up his feelings for her in order to become stronger and fight along side her, and the fact that the Kage, the White Lotus, and the Elemental Darts wanted her to leave the team didn't help. As for Syaoran, he too was struggling on whether to keep his bond with Sakura and remain powerless or let it go in exchange for power. Obviously a lot of other things happend as well, but I won't spoil it for those who haven't read the previous chapter as I've done in the past.
Now this chapter will pick up where the last one left off, and I promise you my readers that this will be the last chapter in this fanfiction that will be nothing but buildup.
WARNING: Do to what happens at the end of this chapter, the fanfiction will be rated M from here on in. I will not say what happens at the end for spoiler reasons, but once you read it, you'll see why. If you don't have the stumach to handle what happens at the end of this chapter or whatever happens in the rest of the fanfiction after this, then please leave now while you have the chance.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Chapter 9:
In the World of Science, Kenichi was looking out the window, undoubtedly thinking of Miu and what she was doing right now. While it had been a few days since he had been put under house arrest, he couldn't help but want to be with Miu badly. As hard as he's tried to put Miu's presence from his mind, it was all in vain, something that his sister often teased him for.
"Oh this sucks," Kenichi complained. "Why did S.H.I.E.L.D. have to put me and Miu under house arrest…?! I can't take it anymore…! I need to see Miu soon or I'm going to lose my mind…!"
Suddenly, Kenichi heard something. "I'm right here, Kenichi."
Kenichi got up and noticed something, or someone, at his door. It was… Miu…?
"Miu, what are you doing here," Kenichi questioned.
"I came here to see you," "Miu" answered.
Kenichi was happy to see Miu, but there was something about her that he noticed that was off. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew that this wasn't Miu.
"Miu, where did we first meet," Kenichi questioned.
"Oh, uh," "Miu" stuttered. "At school, silly…"
But this answer confirmed Kenichi's suspicions and he got into a fighting stance. "You can drop the act! I know you're not Miu…!"
The Miu imposter then changed, revealing herself to be Chloe. "And just what are you going to do about it? Are you going fight me?"
"No," Kenichi told her. "It's my principle not to fight girls."
"Admirable, but that is where you fail," Chloe smirked.
Before Kenichi could answer, Kin and Tayuya made their move, using their flute and bell to great effect just as they did to Orihime the previous night. Chloe was quick to cover her ears with earmuffs to protect her from the attack. Kenichi tried to keep his composure, but the combine genjutsu overwhelmed him and he fell to the floor, unconscious.
"Fucking sexist," Tayuya commented.
"Serves him right," Kin agreed.
"Alright girls, we can complain about this boy's principles later," Chloe reminded them while removing her earmuffs. "For now, it's best that we take him and regroup with the others."
"Whatever, pigtails," Tayuya picked Kenichi up. "Now let's get the fuck out of here before this sexist's fucking family come and fucking arrest us."
The three girls then exited the room and abducted Kenichi before anyone could come to the rescue.
Meanwhile at the Ryōzanpaku Dojo, Miu was feeling the same way for Kenichi that Kenichi was feeling for her. Despite having her grandfather and the rest of the Ryōzanpaku masters, Apachai, Shio, Shigure, Akisame, and Kensei, not having Kenichi around made the dojo feel empty for her. Sure it wasn't the first time Kenichi had been absent from the dojo for an extended period of time, but at least with the previous times, he left of his own free will. But in this case, they were separated because of S.H.I.E.L.D. putting them and others under house arrest until the Horyus made their decision.
"Oh, Kenichi," Miu sighed. "I hope he's doing okay."
"It's alright Miu," said Miu's grandfather, Hayato. "If there's one thing I know, this situation won't last forever."
"I know," Miu sighed. "But being without Kenichi… I don't know…"
Outside, Makoto, Adi, Bruno, Dosu, Zaku, Jirōbō, Kidōmaru, Sakon and Ukon, and Kimimaro were all waiting atop the rooftops of the buildings outside of the dojo. Thanks to their experience and proving themselves the previous night, Kimimaro was made the leader of the group by Viper. They were now waiting for the girls to arrive with their quarry.
"How long do we have to wait," Zaku complained.
"Quiet, Zaku," Kimimaro ordered, making his presence known. "They'll be here when they arrive."
"But he's got a point," Makoto agreed with Zaku. "We've been waiting up here forever. I'm starting to think of going after them and make the speed up."
Suddenly, Chloe, Kin and Tayuya arrived.
"Was this fast enough for you, dick-head," Tayuya retorted before putting Kenichi down
"Tayuya, watch your language," said Jirōbō.
"You shut the fuck up," Tayuya almost yelled.
"Knock it off, both of you," Kimimaro ordered.
Tayuya and Jirōbō both froze while Kidōmaru encased Kenichi in a spider-silk cocoon to keep him from resisting in case he woke up. Once that was done, the cocoon was placed into a large pot that Jirōbō carried on his back.
"Alright, let's go after the other one," Kimimaro ordered. "Do as you please with the others, but Miu Firinji must be captured alive."
"Got it," the others all said.
The group them entered the dojo and began their attack. Right off the bat, Makoto, Bruno, and Zaku started off the attack in a big way. Makoto produced powerful gusts of wind while Zaku used his Slicing Sound Wave. The blasts created mass destruction to part of the dojo, catching the attention of everyone living there.
"What was that," Miu gasped.
"We're under attack," Hayato got back on his feet and prepared for battle.
"Intruders," Shigure drew her sword.
"I don't tolerate intruders," Shio punched his hand.
"Apachai will get rid of intruders," Apachai clenched his fist.
"Time to make them get lost," said Kensei.
"They'll all learn the hard way what happens when they mess with Ryōzanpaku," said Akisame.
Everyone went outside to face the intruders. When they came face to face with them, they saw at least 12-13 individuals. While they could tell that at least 2 thirds of them had killer intent in their eyes and were prepared to kill them if they needed, they could also tell that Makoto, Chloe, Adi, and Bruno didn't know what they were doing or what they had gotten themselves into. Somehow, they knew that they had to convince the innocent individuals what they were doing, but they also knew that they might have to kill them if necessary.
"Who are you, intruders," Akisame ordered
"We are the members of Hydra," Kimimaro answered. "We've come for the one known as Miu Fūrinji."
"Huh," Miu gasped.
"And what if we refused," Shigure questioned.
"You have no choice in the matter," said Sakon.
"We're not giving you one anyway," Ukon added.
Hayato looked toward Makoto and his friends and asked them, "Do you youngsters even realize what you're doing or who you're working for?"
"What do you mean," Adi questioned.
"I take that as a no," Hayato sighed. "At any rate, you won't be taking Miu without a fight."
Adi and Chloe were confused, but were quick to brush it off as they knew that now wasn't the time to be doubts.
"Our point exactly," Kidōmaru smirked.
In the blink of an eye, a fight ensued with both sides battling it out for supremacy. Team Dosu and the Sound Five brought in most of the muscle while Makoto, Chloe, Adi, and Bruno did their best to keep up. The Ryōzanpaku masters did their best against these intruders, but they found out just how formidable their adversaries were.
At Kaede's Village, Miroku and Sango were sleeping together in their home. Their children had fallen asleep and they had just done a round of lovemaking, their cloths were removed as a result of this. But while sleeping, Miroku started to have a dream.
Dream:
Miroku and Sango found themselves face to face with powerful individuals who looked like samurai. Naturally, Sango had her demon slayer suit on and had her Hiraikotsu in hand, but Miroku only had his staff.
"Sango, who are those," Miroku asked.
But Sango gave no answer and attacked the samurai. One samurai's sword turned into ash, another turned into an exceptionally long pole arm outfitted with a blade on one end and a heavy ball on the other end, and still another manifested two creatures. Sango then charged at the samurai and threw her Hiraikotsu. The attack managed to kill the two creatures, but the ash quickly shredded the massive boomerang. The one with the spear then charged at Sango while the ash cripples her.
"Sango," Miroku desperately tries to use his trademark attack and curse.
"WIND TUNNEL…!"
But nothing happened, and Miroku could only watch as the life of his wife ended right before his eyes as the samurai with the spear decapitates her. "SANGO…!"
Suddenly, the scenery changed as Miroku saw nothing but a black void and soon heard a familiar voice.
"Sad isn't," said the familiar voice. "But also ironic."
"That voice," Miroku gasped.
"That cursed Wind Tunnel I gave your grandfather and that was passed down from him to your father, and from your father to you, was also a gift as well as a curse," the individual laughed. "But now that it's gone, you're rather worthless on the battlefield, especially with the opponents you and you friends will undoubtedly face."
Miroku turned around and saw the obvious identity of the individual. "Naraku…!?"
"How are you, Miroku," Naraku questioned. "How's your life as a mung without your wind tunnel going?"
"I don't need to answer to you," Miroku shouted. "You're dead and you should stay dead…!"
"Oh I am indeed dead, Miroku," Naraku chuckled. "But apparently, my legacy lives on in you."
"What the hell are you talking about," Miroku questioned.
"You can't stop missing your Wind Tunnel," Naraku points out. "Even after all these years, you don't feel right without, do you? Do you wish to have it back? I can give you that option."
Naraku then threw something at Miroku, who caught it upon reflex. Upon closer inspection, the monk saw that it was a dagger.
"That dagger is forged from the same tentacle I used to place the curse on your grandfather," Naraku told him. "Stab your hand with it and your Wind Tunnel will be restored."
"No," Miroku said in defiance, throwing the dagger to the ground. "I worked my entire life to get rid of that curse! I'm not going to go backwards! You can't make me!"
"I'm not making you do anything," Naraku giggled. "I'm simply telling what you will do."
Miroku was confused as Naraku started to fade away like an illusion.
"What are you waiting for, Miroku," Naraku grinned. "Go on, restore your Wind Tunnel…"
Next thing Miroku knew, he started to fall into an abyss along with the dagger. As he did, he heard Naraku calling him out by name, but it slowly changed to Sango.
End of Dream:
Miroku woke up with a gasp, noticing that Sango had been trying to wake him up.
"Miroku, are you alright," Sango asked with concern.
"Sango," Miroku panted. "You're okay! What happened to the samurai?"
"What are you talking about," Sango asked.
Realizing that his wife was confused, Miroku took a deep breath before looking around at his surroundings. Upon seeing that he was in their house, the monk realized that it was just a dream and calmed down.
"Sorry, Sango," Miroku sighed in relief. "I just had a nightmare."
"A nightmare," Sango asked. "What was it about?"
But Miroku wasn't ready to explain it to his wife and answered. "I'm not ready to explain. Let's just get some sleep."
"Okay," Sango and Miroku then went back to sleep.
In the World of Science, Ichigo and his friends were discussing some possible strategies they could use to escape. While they were discussing strategies their captures entered the cells with Kenichi and Miu, having succeeded in their mission at Ryōzanpaku. Naturally upon seeing Kimimaro, Dozu, and Makoto, Ichigo tried to tackle at them, disregarding the cage he and his friends were in.
"You bastards," Ichigo growled.
"Try to break out all you want, Dick-Head," Tayuya smirked. "But as hard as you try, you'll never get out of that fucking cage."
"Watch your language, Tayuya," Jirōbō told her.
"Fuck off," Tayuya retorted.
"Quite the lady," said Uryu sarcastically while twitching his glasses.
Jirōbō then put both Kenichi and Miu, who were both unconscious and wrapped up in silk cocoons, say for their heads. The group then walked out of the cell. Orihime looked at Chloe and Adi and saw that they didn't know what they were doing.
"Hey, you two," Orihime called out.
"You talking to us," Chloe asked.
"You don't know what you're doing, do you," Orihime questioned.
"Of course we know what we're doing," Adi answered.
"Yeah, we're saving the world from threats like you," Chloe told her.
"Is that what you believe, or is that what Hydra wants you to believe," Orihime questioned. "I may not know much about Hydra, but I know this. You guys are being used to do evil things and as soon as they're done with you, they'll throw you away like trash. Trust me, I've seen it before."
Uryu, Chad, and Ichigo knew that Orihime was talking from experience, remembering how Aizen treated his Espada, how Kariya treated the other Bounts, and how Kagerōza treated the other Mod-Souls.
"Ah shut up, you bimbo," said Makoto. "We know your game."
"Now let's get going," said Kimimaro.
The three groups then left the room, though Adi and Chloe were both left confused.
"Who do those kids think they are," Ichigo complained.
"Let it go, Ichigo," said Uryu. "They don't even seem to know what they got themselves into."
"More importantly, we need to focus on getting out of here," said Chad.
Moments later, Kenichi and Miu woke up as their cocoons dissolved.
"Where am I," said Kenichi.
"Kenichi," Miu gasped.
"Miu" Kenichi gasped.
The two hugged, but then remembered that they were in some sort of cell. Looking around, they saw Ichigo and his friends.
"Ichigo," Kenichi gasped.
"What are you guys doing here," Miu asked.
"Those guys captured us to," Uryu pointed out. "Now we've got to figure a way out of here. There's no telling what Hydra is planning to do with us."
"I have a good idea," Miu explained. "When my grandfather and I were traveling the world, we stumbled upon some of Hydra's secret bases and we saw some of what the things they do to certain individuals. They attempted turn a man named Logan into a living weapon, they tried to recreate the legendary Captain America, they even attempted to form an alliance with the National Research Institute on Human Evolution. And believe me, that place is not what it sounds like."
Meanwhile on an island stronghold off the coast of Kamakura, an man was going over some paperwork when he received a call.
"Hello," said the man.
"Good evening, Kakuzawa," said a feminine voice.
"Ah, it's you Viper," said Kakuzawa.
"I hope things are going well at the Diclonius Research Institute," said Viper.
"So far, so good," said Kakuzawa. "None of the Dicloni have even attempted to escape as of yet, though it does seem a little too quiet, especially for the queen."
"Keep an eye on her," said Viper. "We will ensure that the Diclonius race wipes out humanity when the time comes."
"And then Hydra will rebuild it the way it was always meant to be," Kakuzawa commented. "You do realize that a single diclonius could easily decapitate any one of you."
"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place," said Viper. "And do not even think about betraying us. We have powerful allies as of now and should you betray us, they will not hesitate to destroy you."
"Oh believe me Viper, I've learned not to piss off a snake," Kakuzawa joked. "Just remember, cutting off the head isn't the only way to kill someone."
In one of the cells, a teenaged girl wearing a strait jacket and a helmet was being held in a special cage and kept her pinned to a retraining table in the middle of the cage. The prisoner wasn't putting up any effort to escape, but was singing a poetic but ominous song.
(Sings the Elfen Lied main theme)
In Ba Sing Se, the Horyus were boarding the Gummi Ship, preparing to return to their home worlds. Aang stayed behind as the Bending World was his home.
"Thanks for your hospitality, everyone," said Sora.
"Hey Spiro," said Aang.
"What is it," said Spiro.
"If you ever stop by, do you think you could teach me and Zuko some of your fire techniques," Aang asked.
Spiro thought about it for a moment before answering, "I'll think about it, Lad. In the meantime, we all must train hard. If those Soul Reapers show up again, we must be prepared."
"No argument there," Aang agreed.
The rest of the Horyus then left on the Gummi Ship while Team Avatar went on with their day. That was until Aang pulled at Ty Lee's sleeve.
"Hey Ty Lee, can I ask you something," Aang asked.
"Sure," Ty Lee agreed.
The two then walked into an ally way, something Katara took notice of. Curious and concerned for some reason, the young waterbender followed them, though using her bending water to keep Aang from sensing her from detecting her with his seismic sense.
"Okay Aang, what is it," said Ty Lee.
"Well, I was wondering," said Aang with uncharacteristic shyness. "Do you think you could teach me chi blocking?"
This completely catches both girls off guard.
"You want to learn chi blocking," Ty Lee asked in confusion, with Aang nodding in conformation. "But why would you want to learn that? You're the Avatar, can't you just bend all the elements?"
"That's true," Aang admitted. "But I want to learn how to protect myself without the use of the use of my bending. Besides, you saw what happened to all of the benders when they lost their bending, they become pretty much helpless. I don't want to rely exclusively on my bending abilities."
Ty Lee thought about it for a moment before answering, "Well since you asked so nicely, I guess I could. But you'll have to listen and watch carefully."
Katara was surprised to hear that Aang was going to try and learn chi blocking from Ty Lee, despite being a powerful bender. But taking her boyfriend's reasoning into account and remembering her encounters with Ty Lee when she was on Azula's side, she realized that Aang was right. As powerful as any bender might be, they all become virtually helpless without their bending. But, either not wanting to get in her boyfriend's way or more likely letting her pride get the better of her, Katara chose not to get involved with Aang's training and decided to do some training herself.
In between worlds, the Gummi Ship was heading for its first destination of Draco Sanctuary. After leaving Ba Sing Se, Sakura was still confused as to what she was going to do after learning about Syaoran's dilemma.
Flashback:
"But why do you have to give up your feelings for her in order to become strong enough to fight alongside her," Tomoyo questioned. "Doesn't that defeat the purpose?"
"I suppose," Syaoran answered. "It is possible that I misunderstood what Yūko told me, but I can't be certain. Whatever the case, one question remains. What next?"
Outside the shop, Sakura, who had calmed down after her waterworks, was standing outside the shop and somehow had heard Syaoran's words. "Oh Syaoran…"
Sakura then entered the shop. "Syaoran…"
"Sakura," Syaoran and Tomoyo gasped.
Sakura walked up to Syaoran and Tomoyo and confronted Syaoran. "Syaoran, I'm sorry for earlier. I… I let my emotions overwhelm me."
"I'm sorry too," Syaoran replied. "I suppose you overheard our conversation."
"I think I heard most of it," Sakura admitted. "I agree with Tomoyo, doesn't giving up your feelings for me defeat the purpose of fighting alongside me? There must be another way for you to get stronger."
"I suppose, but like I said before, my encounter with Yūko was no coincidence," Syaoran explained. "Whatever happens from here, I have to confront her again."
"But Syaoran, I don't want to lose you," Sakura told him.
"Then believe in me, Sakura," Syaoran told her.
End of Flashback:
Sakura knew that Syaoran had his reasons, but this ordeal was still difficult for her to handle.
Across the room, Naruto noticed the look in Sakura's face and decided to do something about it. "Hey Sakura, are you okay?"
"Oh, hey Naruto," Sakura sighed.
"Do you want to talk about it," Naruto asked.
"I don't know," Sakura sighed.
"It's okay Sakura," Naruto told her with understanding. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
"I don't know about that, Naruto," Sakura argued. "There are so many things going on and so many choices to make, a lot of them are difficult ones."
Naruto stood there and listened.
"First I get all of this attention from so many people," Sakura began. "Then S.H.I.E.L.D. shows up and tells us to join them or else. Now these Soul Reapers are targeting us and are attempting to kill us. Not to mention the battles we had with the Kage, the Elemental Darts, and the White Lotus."
"In other words, you have so many things happening to you and you don't know what to do with them," Naruto guessed correctly.
Sakura nodded a yes. "And don't even get me started on Syaoran. There are so many difficult choices, but I don't want to deal with them, and I don't want to lose Syaoran."
"But sometimes these things can't be avoided," Naruto told her.
"That's easy for you to say," Sakura retorted. "You guys live in your own worlds where fighting for survival is the routine…!"
There was a moment of silence.
"I'm sorry," Sakura apologized. "I just…"
"It's okay Sakura," Naruto told her. "I know it's scary when we are forced to fight for things we hold dear. But sometimes, those that we do hold dear, they take up arms to support you. They'll fight for you even if you refuse to fight, even if you stop them and when they do, sometimes they get hurt, sometimes you lose them. Before Syaoran can make that choice, Sakura, you need to stand up. Because if Syaoran does make that choice, I don't know how much you'll lose."
Sakura, realizing from Naruto's speech that she had to be strong, looked towards Inuyasha and said, "Inuyasha…"
"What," Inuyasha asked.
"I think it's time we make do on our agreement," Sakura told him.
"The one we made after the Xehanort incident," Inuyasha asked only for Sakura to nod a yes. "Well, if we're going to do that, we need to go through the Bone Eater's Well. There's a particular spot I know of where we can train without any interruptions."
In Draco Sanctuary, the Gummi Ship had arrived over Darmorce. Spiro and Tasha flew out of the Gummi Ship and right towards the castle while the ship left. Upon reaching the castle, Spiro and Tasha landed in the court yard where the other Elemental Darts were waiting.
"So, you have returned," said Frostina.
"You seem as cold as ever," Spiro teased.
The others laughed.
"Very funny," Frostina rolled her eyes. "Anyway, we found out something about the crystals on our armor. It might help out in the upcoming battles."
Spiro and Tasha were confused, but followed the others into the library where they revealed a secret scroll going into detail about the crystals on their armor.
"As we all know, the crystals on the chest plates of our armor are known as the Elemental Crystals," said Bronze with everyone agreeing. "They help each of us to better control our specific element. But according to this scroll, the Elemental Crystals also harbor a secret power that only a select few generations of Elemental Darts have been able to obtain."
"What would that be," Spiro asked.
Bronze then told Spiro and Tasha, "It's a transformation known as…"
In Konoha, the Gummi Ship hovered over the Hokage Tower where Naruto and Hinata jumped out. As soon as the two landed on the tower, the Gummi Ship left for the World of Science while Naruto and Hinata were confronted by Shikamaru.
"So you're back," said Shikamaru.
"Hey Shikamaru," said Naruto before seeing the serious look on his face. "Why the serious look?"
"Kakashi Sensei wants to see you," Shikamaru told him. "And with him is someone you're quite familiar with."
Naruto was confused at first, but then quickly realized who Shikamaru was talking about, despite his stupidity. Following him into the Hokage office, Naruto's guess was confirmed as he saw a certain someone standing in front of Kakashi.
"Sasuke," Naruto gasped.
"Naruto," said Sasuke.
"What are you… when did you get back," Naruto asked.
"Just a few minutes ago," Sasuke answered before noticing Hinata. "I see you finally noticed your faithful fangirl."
"At least I never tried to kill her," Naruto teased.
"Alright enough you two," Kakashi told his two students. "Remember, Sakura isn't here and I'd rather not have you two entering another argument."
"Sorry, Sensei," Naruto rubbed the back of his head.
"Whatever," Sasuke sighed.
"Anyway, Kakashi Sensei, I'd like to go and train," Naruto told Kakashi. "I don't know who that Soul Reaper was, but I want to be prepared for the next encounter. There are two techniques my parents knew that I'd like to learn, the Flying Raijin and the Adamantine Chains."
"I see," said Kakashi. "Well, I don't know how to use the Flying Raijin, but some of your father's honor guards do. Be warned though that unlike your father who can do it alone, they have work together to use the technique."
"As for the Adamantine Chains, I've brought someone from my old Taka team who can help you with that," Sasuke revealed Karin.
"Huh, it's you," Naruto gasped.
"Been a while," Karin twitched her glasses.
"I'll reveal this right now," said Sasuke. "You're both from the Uzumaki Clan,"
"Say what," Naruto and Karin both shrieked.
"Long story," Sasuke told them. "But from now on, I'm leaving Karin in your care Naruto, and you will take her as your second wife along with Hinata when you get married."
Naruto and Karin with both shocked at Sasuke's logic and they both rejected the idea, but Hinata rejected it most of all.
"What the hell, Sasuke," Naruto called out.
But Sasuke ignored Naruto as he disappeared into a portal and said, "Good luck."
"Hey wait a minute, you can't just," Naruto began as Sasuke disappeared into the portal
"Sasuke, you can't leave me here," Karin called out at the same time.
But when Sasuke disappeared completely, both Uzumaki sighed.
In the World of Science, the Gummi Ship dropped off Sakura, Inuyasha, Syaoran, Kagome, and Tomoyo at Higurashi Shrine before returning to Destiny Islands.
"Thanks Sora, thanks for the lift, goodbye," Kagome waved them goodbye.
"Welcome back," said Black Widow who appeared behind them, catching them by surprise. With her was Meilin.
"Natasha," Tomoyo gasped.
"How was your trip to the other worlds," Natasha asked.
"It was fine, except that we had to fight the leaders of Naruto, Spiro, and Aang's world in order to prove our worth," Sakura explained before realizing something. "Hey wait a minute, how did you know we were…"
"I'm a spy," Natasha answered. "But that's not important. What are you doing here, Sakura Kinomoto? Shouldn't you be back at home?"
"Yeah, I should," Sakura admitted. "But I can't go home just yet."
"We need to head into the feudal era," Kagome told her. "Sakura is going to train with my husband for a while and we don't want any interruptions."
"Let me guess, you were attacked by someone called a Soul Reaper," Natasha questioned.
"How did you know that," Kagome questioned.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has friends in high places," Natasha explained. "But more importantly, there's something you should know."
At Destiny Islands, Sora and Kairi had returned and were greeted by their friends while the Gummi Ship went back to Disney Kingdom.
"Sora, Kairi," called out Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka.
"Hey guys," said Kairi.
"Good to be back," said Sora.
"Ditto," Tidus agreed.
"Where have you guys been," Wakka asked.
"We've been with the other Horyus," said Sora.
"What were you guys doing," Selphie
Sora told all about their battles with the Five Kage, the Elemental Darts, and the White Lotus. He also brought up the encounters with Suì-Fēng and how she attempted to kill Sakura and almost killed Syaoran.
"Wow, that must have been hard," said Tidus. "The only thing I don't get is why this soul reaper wanted to kill you guys in the first place."
"Well whatever happens, we have to be prepared," said Kairi.
Suddenly Riku showed up and said, "Then it's a good thing I'm here."
"Riku," everyone gasped.
"I overheard your conversation and I think I caught most of it," Riku walked up to his friends. "Sora, Kairi, you are powerful. However, Kairi has only recently become a Keyblade Master, and Sora you still have yet to become one. If we're going to fight these Soul Reapers, we're all going to have to improve."
"Where have you been, Riku," Kairi asked.
"I've been at Master Yen Sid's tower," Riku answered. "Recent activity has been happening and I encountered Naruto's friend and rival, Sasuke Uchiha."
At Higurashi Shrine, Natasha had explained what had been happening while the Horyus were away.
"What," Sakura gasped. "There's been a rash of kidnappings while we were away fighting the leaders of Naruto, Aang, and Spiro's worlds?"
"I'm afraid so," Natasha confirmed. "So far, the individuals known as Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, Uryu Ishida, Yasutora Sato, Kenichi Shirahama, and Miu Furingi have all been abducted by Hydra. S.H.I.E.L.D. has made note of this and we're taking up percussions as we speak. We're doing everything we can to protect everyone close to you and to track down Hydra's base."
"I hope you guys find them soon," Syaoran told them.
The group made its way to the Bone Eater's Well, where Kero and Yue were waiting for them.
"Kero, Yue," Sakura called out.
"Good to see you, Sakura," Kero hugged her with his paw.
"So how did the battles against the Five Kage, the Elemental Darts, and the White Lotus go," Yue asked.
But Sakura wasn't interested in talking about that topic, "Don't ask."
In Kaede's Village, Miroku had told Sango about his nightmare the previous night.
"What," Sango gasped. "Naraku appeared offered you a way to restore your Wind Tunnel?!"
"Yeah," Miroku shamefully admitted. "As much as I dislike it, he did have a point. As much as I don't want to, I may have to…"
"No, Miroku," Sango interrupted. "You've spent your entire life trying to get rid of your Wind Tunnel! You can't just throw that all away for power!"
"Tell me something I don't know," Miroku pointed out. "But what can I do? I'm not as strong as other monks out there without my Wind Tunnel. And what if we have to face those samurai, if I can even call them samurai, and you get killed in battle?"
"Miroku, this is uncharacteristic of you," Sango pointed out.
"Tell me something I don't know," Miroku sighed.
At the Bone Eater's Well, Sakura, Inuyasha, Kagome, Kero, Yue, Syaoran, Tomoyo, and Meilin emerged from the well and entered the feudal era.
"Oh wow," Tomoyo gasped in amazement.
"Indeed," Syaoran agreed.
"Hoe," Sakura gasped in amazement. "I get the feeling we're not in Tokyo anymore."
"Yeah, that's what I thought too when I first came here," Kagome nodded.
The group then walked into the village where Kagome introduced Sakura and her friends to everyone, starting with Kaede.
"Welcome, all of you," Kaede greeted them.
"Thank you, Lady Kaede," said Sakura politely.
"So Inuyasha, any reason why you and Kagome brought Miss Kinomoto and her friends here," Miroku asked.
"She was attacked by a woman who called herself a soul reaper after the battle with the Five Kage from Naruto's World," Inuyasha answered. "Then when we faced the Elemental Darts from Spiro's World, that soul reaper showed up again and almost killed Syaoran. We think she'll try it again, but this time with an army, so we decided to come here to train in order to prepare for the event. Besides, Sakura asked me to help her get stronger after the battle with Xehanort."
"I see," said Sango. "And I suppose Syaoran and Meilin are here to train as well?"
"Yep," Kagome confirmed before noticing Miroku's face.
"Anyway, we'll be heading off to our training grounds," Inuyasha told them.
"And what would that be," Kaede asked.
Back in the present time, Yūko was in her shop, smoking her pipe as usual. Having heard from Yoruichi about the recent kidnappings, she knew that she had to work fast if she was going to get help to prepare for Syaoran. Picking up the phone, she dialed a number.
"Hello, this is Hikaru speaking," said the receiver.
"Hello Hikaru," said Yūko. "How have things been going for you, Umi and Fuu?"
"As good as they'll ever get, I guess," said Hikaru. "Any reason why you called."
"Yes there is," Yūko then explained what she called for.
At Karakura Town, Kisuke, Yoruichi, Isshin, Ryūken, and the masters of Ryōzanpaku were all having a discussion regarding the kidnappings of Kenichi, Miu, Ichigo, Orihime, Uryu, and Chad. Kisuke relayed what Maria revealed to him about Hydra's activities.
"So it wasn't just Kenichi and my granddaughter Hydra kidnapped," said Hayato.
"Yeah, I'm afraid so," said Kisuke. "It would seem that they have friends in high places that somehow knew of them and by extension us."
"But why would they want to kidnap our student," said Akisame.
"Good question," said Isshin. "I can understand mine and Ryūken's sons as well as Chad and Orihime…"
"But our student and Hayato's granddaughter don't have any special abilities of their own," Kensei finished that sentence.
"Well from what S.H.I.E.L.D. knows, they weren't the only targets," Yoruichi told them. "There are more kids out there who are being targeted by Hydra as we speak and so far, they've been unable to track their base."
"Do you think it's possible that they have latent abilities of some kind," Shigure asked.
"It is possible," Ryūken acknowledged. "Though I can't help but wonder how they found out and why they didn't find out about them sooner."
"I'll bet it was due to the Xehanort incident," Hayato theorized. "It's possible that the Xehanort incident caused many of these young individuals to awaken their abilities as a response to being attacked by those dark creatures."
"You referring to the Heartless and Nobodies," Kisuke guessed correctly. "Those things were troublesome. Even Yoruichi and I had to fight them while the Horyus battled Xehanort."
"And now the question is, who's next," Ryūken deduced.
In the Shinobi World, Naruto visited one of his father's honor guards, Genma Shiranui, who turned out to be one of the proctors from the Chunin Exams years ago.
"Hello, Genma," Naruto called.
"Yes, oh Naruto, it's you," said Genma. "What are you doing here?"
"Genma, I need to ask you a favor," Naruto told him.
"Okay, what would that be," Genma asked out of curiosity.
"The Flying Raijin," Naruto told him. "I want to learn my dad's Flying Raijin. Kakashi Sensei said that you were one of my dad's honor guards and that you guys knew how to use the Flying Raijin Jutsu."
"And you wanted to ask us to teach it to you," Genma guessed correctly again to which Naruto nodded a yes. "I'll contact Raido and Iwashi. But I'm warning you Naruto, learning the Flying Raijin will not be easy. We haven't fully mastered it so we opt for the Flying Rai Formation."
"Oh, okay," Naruto acknowledged. "Oh and by the way, thinks for being the exam proctor during my first Chunin Exams."
"Tch, no problem," Genma smirked.
In Feudal Japan, Sakura, Inuyasha, and their friends had arrived at a specific valley that Inuyasha and his friends had been to in the past.
"Well, here we are," Inuyasha told them. "This is the Valley of Ryūkotsusei, where I mastered the Wind Scar and unlocked the Backlash Wave."
"I remember this place," Kagome acknowledged.
"So this is where that Ryūkotsusei guy killed your father two centuries ago," Tomoyo asked out of curiosity.
"Well technically young lady, Master Inuyasha's father was only injured by Ryūkotsusei, though it was an injury that would take part in his downfall," Myōga corrected her. "It was a combination of those wounds and his later fight with Takemaru of Setsuna that ultimately killed Master Inuyasha's father."
"Yeah, thanks for the history lesson, Myōga," Inuyasha told him. "Now if you'll excuse us, Sakura and I have some serious training to do. The rest of you can watch or train here too if you want, but try and stay out of our way."
"Wait, so this is where we're going to be training," Sakura asked.
"Yep," Inuyasha then took Sakura down into the valley.
The others were quick to follow.
Once they reached the base of the valley, Sakura got off of Inuyasha's back and the two took up positions.
"Okay listen, Sakura," said Inuyasha. "I'm going to come at you as if I intend to kill you and I want you to do the same."
"Kill," Sakura gasped.
"I know you don't like killing, but those Soul Reapers are still out there in your home time and when you return, they won't hesitate to kill you," Inuyasha told her.
Sakura was hesitant to agree with Inuyasha, but after remembering what Naruto told her on the Gummi Ship, she decided to try her luck and took out her key.
"Oh, Key that conceals the power of my star, reveal your true nature to me, by my power I command you! Release…!"
Sakura's key changed into her staff, but before she could prepare herself, Inuyasha attacked.
"WIND SCAR…!"
Inuyasha fired his Wind Scar at Sakura, catching her by surprise. Thankfully she managed to dodge it, but only barely. Sakura then looked at the damage left by the Wind Scar and saw just how powerful it is.
"Hey I wasn't ready yet," Sakura shouted.
"You think your enemies are going to just sit by and wait until you're ready," Inuyasha pointed out. "You have to be prepared for anything."
Realizing that Inuyasha was right, Sakura got back on her feet and the two prepared to fight. Naturally Inuyasha was the aggressive one as he tried to strike her with his sword and claws while Sakura was mostly playing defensively. Across the valley, Syaoran, Kero and Yue were also training with Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kilala. Syaoran battled Miroku and Sango, Yue battled Kagome, and Kero battled Kilala and Shippo.
In the Bending World, Aang, Appa, and Ty Lee had arrived at the Northern Water Tribe where they dropped Katara off.
"Thanks for the lift you guys," Katara waved goodbye.
"Good luck with your training Katara," Aang waved goodbye.
Appa then flew off back to Ba Sing Se as Ty Lee began giving Aang his first lesson in the art of chi blocking. "Okay Aang, the key to chi blocking is to strike at your opponents' pressure points. What do you know about pressure points?"
"Not much honestly," Aang admitted. "From what I know, pressure points are points located in the human body that may produce significant pain or other effects when manipulated in a specific manner."
Ty Lee smiled. "Well at least you know the basics."
Aang chuckled.
Ty Lee then took out a scroll that showed the pressure points for Aang to see.
"Anyway, chi blocking relies on rapidly hitting pressure points with quick jabs and punches, often giving little time for the recipient to react," Ty Lee explained. "You hit those pressure points usually with either your fingers or your knuckles or both, and any finger can be used. Doing this stops a bender's chi flow, reduces their muscular strength, and disables their bending abilities temporarily. It also prevents the user from being healed by healing techniques like your girlfriend's water healing."
"Oh so that's why Katara couldn't heal the Terra Team after you took them out," Aang acknowledged.
"And a master chi blocker is able to control the damage done by the technique," Ty Lee continued. "For example when I used it on Katara when we first met, she was still able to move though not bend. However, when I assaulted the Terra Team, they could barely move, were powerless, and felt pain afterward."
"That's scary," Aang felt intimidated.
"Well as scary as chi blocking is, it has its weaknesses," Ty Lee explained. "The first is anticipation. Although a useful method of fighting, chi blocking is most effective against an opponent not expecting such a light blow to be so devastating. When confronted with someone knowledgeable about chi blocking, they can anticipate the attack and adapt their fighting style to avoid being struck. When a bender knows they are fighting a chi blocker, they can use their bending to keep the chi blocker at bay with long-range attacks, preventing them from executing their technique. Another weakness is metal armor. Since chi blocking relies on the ability of hitting pressure points, a strong armor is capable of deflecting and crippling blows."
"That makes sense," Aang acknowledged. "But just how effective is it against any bender, or even the Avatar?"
"Well when we get back to Ba Sing Se, I'll show you how effective it is to any bender, even the Avatar," Ty Lee smirked.
"Okay," Aang smiled.
In Feudal Japan, Inuyasha, having left the Valley of Ryūkotsusei, was walking through a volcanic field to what appeared to be the skull of a giant unknown demon. He was looking for Tōtōsai, the one who forged the Tetsusaiga and its sister blade the Tenseiga. While he didn't want to halt Sakura's training, he needed answers as to how Tetsusaiga had begun mixing two of its prior forms into one and who better to turn to for those answers than the one who forged the sword in the first place. Upon entering the skull, Inuyasha started to call out to Tōtōsai.
"Hey, you there Tōtōsai," Inuyasha called out.
"Oh, Inuyasha," Tōtōsai noticed. "I haven't seen you in quite some time."
"Yeah we need to talk," Inuyasha told him.
Inuyasha then began explaining what happened during his battle with Gaara, Temari and Kankuro when he and the other Horyus fought the Five Kage. He explained about Tetsusaiga's new form and how it mixed two of its previous forms into one.
"So, the Tetsusaiga's begun mixing two of its prior forms into one," Tōtōsai noted. "That is unexpected."
"Yeah, I know," Inuyasha acknowledged. "Tetsusaiga's never done that before. I'm not complaining, but I don't want to take any chances so I thought I'd come to you for answers."
Tōtōsai then pondered on it for a moment before saying, "Well, it's hard to say, but I do have one theory. Do you recall when Tetsusaiga was broken by one of Naraku's incarnations?"
"How could I forget," Inuyasha acknowledged his battle with Goshinki. "That was the same day my demon blood took over my body for the first time. Afterwards, you pulled one of my fangs to repair Tetsusaiga and Sesshomaru had Goshinki's fangs forged into Tokijin."
"Well when I used one of your fangs to repair the Tetsusaiga, its properties were changed considerably," Tōtōsai continued. "It's possible that your fang enabled the Tetsusaiga to gain a new ability, one that was only unlocked after that fateful battle with Xehanort."
"I guess that would explain why Tetsusaiga's Red and Adamant forms fused into one," Inuyasha deduced.
"However be warned," Tōtōsai told him. "Neither of us knows just how much stronger and dangerous these new mixed forms are, so you must not take this lightly. It is possible that they may make the sword harder to control. Do not forget just how hard it was to wield the Tetsusaiga soon after it was repaired."
"There's no way I'd ever forget that," Inuyasha admitted. "The sword was so heavy that I could barely move it. Anyway, I'd better get back to the Valley of Ryūkotsusei. The others are waiting and I need to help my teammate Sakura get stronger."
Inuyasha then left and returned to the Valley of Ryūkotsusei, via Kilala.
Back at the valley, Myōga was informing the others everything he knew about soul reapers.
"So you've seen Soul Reapers before," Shippo asked.
"In a way," Myōga admitted. "Shinigami or Soul Reapers are spiritual guardians of the dead who help the souls of the dearly departed move on to the afterlife. Perhaps you remember the Soul Piper, Shippo?"
"How could I forget," Shippo acknowledged.
"What's the Soul Piper," Tomoyo asked.
"It's a demon born from the souls of dead children," Shippo answered. "According to Myōga, the Soul Piper or Tatarimokke plays a flute and plays with the spirits of deceased children until they are ready to move on to the afterlife."
"Yes indeed," Myōga acknowledged. "And when they're ready, a guardian of the dead such as a soul reaper or an angel comes along and escorts them. Unfortunately, this only happens to the souls of children. The souls of adults are a different matter. Should the soul of an adult be left unescorted for too long, they become evil spirits known as Hollows, either on their own or by being eaten by another Hollow."
"But if a child would become one of these Hollows," Miroku asked. "Wouldn't the Soul Piper just be able to drag them to hell?"
"I'm afraid not," Myōga told them. "Once a soul has become a Hollow, there's nothing the Soul Piper can do. Only a Soul Reaper's sword, known as a Zanpakutō, can take care of a Hollow. Master Inuyasha's father, along with myself, Tōtōsai and Saiya, first found out about Soul Reapers soon after the Tenseiga was forged."
Before Myōga could continue, Inuyasha returned to the Valley.
"Hey guys," Inuyasha called out.
"Inuyasha," Kagome called out.
In Draco Santuary, the Elemental Darts returned to the destroyed temple of the Elemental Darts. They did not attempt to enter the temple itself, but they did land in the open grass field on the south side, with one half housing a lake. Upon landing on the grassy field, the group got to work on what this transformation was all about.
"This should do nicely," Mole told them.
"Indeed," Frostina agreed. "This has been the training ground for the Elemental Darts for generations. It only makes sense that it would be used by us in order to unlock our new forms."
"But how do we do that," Zack questioned.
"Well according to the scroll, the Elemental Crystals we have on our chest plates are needed," Bronze pointed out. "That much should be obvious, but that's just the easy part. The hard part is becoming one with them."
"How do we do that," Serpentina asked.
"We each must synchronize our energies with those of our respective crystals," Bronze explained. "I don't know what that means, but likely it means thinking and feeling the crystals as if they were part of our bodies."
"That sounds farfetched," Jason pointed out.
"Perhaps, but then again so is the idea of other worlds besides our own," Saika reminded him.
"We may have to ask Lady Sapphira about this," Mei Ling mentioned.
"What about Tasha," Spiro questioned. "She was the leader for a while, so could she unlock this new form?"
"It is possible," Bronze told Spiro. "She also had the legendary Fire Crystal, but it is now in your possession, Spiro. She relinquished it after she stepped down as leader."
"I'll find a way," Tasha pointed out. "My main concerns right now are those Soul Reapers, especially the one who almost beat Syaoran to death and tried to kill Sakura."
"Yes, Alopheya spoke to the Lamassu about this," Maya pointed out. "According to her, Soul Reapers of one of several groups of guardians of the dead who keep balance in the universe by helping those who have died move on to the afterlife."
"Most of them have a human form and all of them have a special katana known as a Zanpakuto," Bronze added. "According to the Lamassu, the Zanpakuto has three forms, it's sealed form and two released forms. The first released form is Shikai and the second released form is called Bankai. But let's get back on track."
"Okay, what was this form called again," Mole asked.
In the World of Science, the Brotherhood had arrived in Japan.
"Ah, Japan, the land of the Rising Sun," Quicksilver commented.
"Save the sightseeing for later, Pietro," Scarlet Witch told him. "We're here on a mission."
"Indeed, Sugar," said Rogue. "And we must prepare for our encounter with the Horyus."
Simultaneously, the Frightful Four also arrived in Japan.
"Quite the spectacle," said Wizard.
"Yeah whatever," said Trapster.
"We can save all of that for later," said Madusa. "For now, we must find a place to stay, and then we'll go on a hunt for the Horyus."
Over the course of the next few days, the Horyus and their allies trained together in order to prepare themselves for the inevitable battle with the Gotei 13. Naruto trained with Genma, Raido, and Iwashi in order to learn the Flying Raijin Jutsu and with Karin in order to learn the Adamantine Sealing Chains. While he knew they hadn't fully mastered it, he was more than eager to learn their weaker counterparts, the Flying Rai Formation and the Adamantine Attacking Chains. Spiro and the other Elemental Darts all trained together in the Elemental Darts' training ground in order to unlock their new forms that required their respective Elemental Crystals. Aang trained with Ty Lee in the art of chi blocking on a small island in Lake Laogai, the same one he and his friends relocated to when they hid from the Dai Lee. Ty Lee informed Aang that he wasn't allowed to use his bending during their training, even going as far as chi blocking him so he couldn't use his bending. Sora trained with Riku and Kairi in order to help fully understand his new form changes and get stronger. And finally, Sakura Kinomoto and Inuyasha trained together in the Valley of Ryūkotsusei, with Sakura learning new combinations with her cards and Inuyasha learning to master Tetsusaiga's Red Diamond Form. At the same time, Sakura still hung on all the things that had been happening recently and Naruto's speech echoed in her mind, though she failed to understand it.
As for their loved ones, they also became stronger. Hinata trained with other Hyūga in order to help expand her Gentle Fist arsenal, Sakura Haruno learned several Sage Jutsu at Shikkotsu Forest, Syaoran broaden his skills as a swordsman as best he could, Kagome improved her priestess powers, Tasha strengthened herself in any way she could, Katara continued her waterbending training at the North Pole, and Kairi trained with her friends Sora and Riku on Destiny Islands.
At the same time, the Gotei 13 were also training for their upcoming battle against the Horyus. Momo trained with her captain, Shinji, in order to become stronger, Rangiku trained with Byakuya in order to achieve Bankai, and Sui-Feng trained with Yoruichi in order to master Shunko. Around that time, Mayuri was studying what little footage he had on the Horyus and he studied the powers and abilities of the Horyus very carefully, especially Naruto and Sora's abilities as he deemed them to be the most dangerous.
Throughout that, Hydra had sent their 12/13 man group to kidnap several other individuals. They first went to Fuyuki City, located in the Ōita Prefecture located on the island of Kyūshū. Once there, they ambushed and captured three individuals by the names of Shirou Emiya, Rin Tohsaka, and Sakura Matou. According to Arnim Zola, the three would take part in an event the following year known as the Holy Grail War where they and several others would compete for possession of a mystic object known as the Holy Grail. They were next temporarily transferred to Hydra's Europe and African Division where they infiltrated Heatherfield and captured the Guardians of the Veil, Will Vandom, Irma Lair, Taranee Cook, Cornelia Hale, and Hay Lin. The guardians tried to fight back, but because only Will possessed the Heart of Kandrakar, that was difficult and they were taken to Hydra.
At the same time, Makoto and Bruno still agreed to go through with their missions, believing that they were doing it to save everyone. But Adi and Chloe were beginning to have their doubts, Orihime's words still echoing in their heads.
S.H.I.E.L.D. monitored these incidents, but they were unable to pinpoint their locations for some reason. They even went as far as to ask Tony Stark for his assistance, but with no success. To prevent more individuals from being captured, Phil Coulson, Maria Hill, and Nick Fury increased their security around all remaining possible targets. Naturally the individuals weren't too happy about it, but they had no choice in the matter, and when they heard what happened in Japan and in Italy, most agreed to go through with it.
Yūko had taken up her own measurements to make sure she wasn't targeted, placing a protective barrier around her shop. Eriol did the same and the both of them did this for Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu as well.
At the same time, both the Frightful Four and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants made themselves right at home in Japan. They were waiting for an opportunity to attack and take out the Horyus, but so far they hadn't seen them and they needed to attack all of them at once as only killing one would arouse the others.
While all of this was going on, Yen Sid noticed something strange occurring throughout all of the worlds as several individuals from one world ended up disappearing only to reappear in another.
One night in the World of Science, two guards who worked at the Diclonius Research Institute were looking after the teenaged girl wearing the strait jacket and helmet being heled in in the cage. Their job for the night was to keep an eye on her in case anything new developed with her.
"So this is the Diclonius known as Lucy," said one of the guards.
"Yes," said the other guard. "According to the manual, she has a meter range with her vectors and that we should keep objects away from her. It says she can turn a pen or pencil into a spear or a dart just by throwing it with enough force with her vectors. And she can use just about anything long and/or broad enough as a shield, even the bodies of her victims."
"That sounds scary," said the first guard.
Suddenly, some force knocked the first guard's keys away and straight towards Lucy's cage.
"My keys," the first guard ran to retrieve his keys.
"NO DON'T," called out the second guard.
But it was no use. Lucy saw her chance and used her vectors to sever the first guard's left arm off.
And that was chapter 9. So yeah, Lucy the Diclonius from Elfen Lied is about to enter the fray. I warned you and now you see why I changed this fanfiction's rating to M. For those who read this chapter all the way through and still want to keep going, you have my thanks. For those who want to leave now, I won't stop you, but you're always welcome to come back if you ever change your minds. Now besides that, the Horyus have begun to train in order to prepare themselves for their inevitable battle with the Gotei 13. Unbeknownst to them, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and the Frightful Four have also entered the fray. Other than that, Sasuke introduced Naruto to Karin and vise versa and forcefully paired them up together, Inuyasha got a possible answer how his Tetsusaiga's forms have started to mix, Spiro and the other Elemental Darts have discovered a new form that they will try to unlock, Aang has started to learn chi blocking from Ty Lee, and Sora and Kairi have begun training with Riku. I won't over talk about the rest as I did in previous chapters since you can clearly read them for yourselves.
Now the next chapter is when things will get serious. As I mentioned before, this was the last chapter in this fanfiction that will be nothing but buildup and every chapter from here on in will have the Horyus, mostly Sakura, being involved in quite a lot of battles, and not just their battle with the Gotei 13.
A.N.: The speech Naruto gives Sakura on the Gummi Ship "I know it's scary when we are forced to fight for things we hold dear. But sometimes, those that we do hold dear, they take up arms to support you. They'll fight for you even if you refuse to fight, even if you stop them and when they do, sometimes they get hurt, sometimes you lose them. Before Syaoran can make that choice, Sakura, you need to stand up. Because if Syaoran does make that choice, I don't know how much you'll lose." was provided to me by my good friend Airheaded dude so he takes all the credit for writing that speech in the first place.
Chapter 10: The Diclonius