Kijin Ryu burbled a soft hiss before lashing out at Temari like a fork of lightning. She didn't have time to calculate what to do when a thick leather-like tail slammed into her back sending her crashing into the arena wall. The dragon squalled, and wrapping his tail around her ankles threw her over his head and smashed her into the ground. He flung her aside as he licked the blood off his tail.
Temari slowly gathered her wits and picked up her fan. She looked up and right into the dragon's yellow eyes.
"Heeeelllllooooooooooo." He grinned darkly, pulling his lips back farther than his eyes.
He snagged on Temari's left foot and flung her in the other direction, electricity flooding under his taloned feet. His scales changed from a black to an electrical yellow. He narrowed his eyes and made a few hand seals.
"Raiton Ryuuka no Jutsu!" His chest puffed up, and blue electricity exploded from his mouth, spiraling towards Temari with a squalling dragon head.
Hushed whispers ran through the crowd at the sound of the new jutsu. Temari pulled herself together just in time to see the dragon comes towards her. She swung her fan as hard as she could, and the dragon swerved upwards into the sky. Moans from the crowd supported the ryu.
"Kuso, I forgot. You're close- range…" He grinned.
The Raiton Ryuuka flew up into the skies, and vanished within the clouds. A small flash of light was seen before an explosive BOOM rumbled through the crowd's bones. Kijin Ryu grinned.
"Looks like we'll have to take it in a bit of a different direction, eh?" He took a step towards her, his scales softly fading to an aquamarine while purple tattoos swirled over his body.
Temari was about to perform Kuchiyose no Jutsu when the dragon suddenly vanished. She looked around, confused but alert. Rain and thunder began to fall. Hushed mumbles of confusion rippled through the crowd. Naruto was wondering where Aki went; he knew she never gave up, even if death was next.
The ground shook slightly. Temari gripped her fan tighter. Again.
Boom.
She looked around, wondering what was causing it.
BOom.
Her eyes shifted left and right, but she couldn't see what was going on. The lightning flashed and the thunder bellowed.
BOOm.
Her heart sped up, pumping blood faster through her system. Her legs froze; she never felt so afraid before.
BOOM.
Where was it?!
BOOM!
She was practically lifted an inch or two off of the ground as the quakes grew louder and harder.
BOOM!
A high pitched siren- like whine came from outside the stadium, making the crowd cover their ears in pain. Even Kakashi was having a hard time staying focused.
It stopped. Nothing moved, save for the rain and lightning that fell relentlessly.
In the blink of an eye, Temari found herself standing in water. It slowly flooded up to her waist, lapping peacefully against her fan. She gulped and looked around. The stadium had vanished, and as far as the eye could see, it was just water and sky. Something dashed passed her underwater. She threw a kunai at it, but the shadow was too quick, and darted ahead. It suddenly emerged, explosions of water and snow blue chakra swirling passed the giant sea serpent.
It had no visible eyes, its long, tattooed body coiling underneath it. Small wings of emerald and magenta held up its horned head as it turned to stare at Temari. She could feel the leviathan glare at her before he slowly reared back his head. He shot forward, weaving its knotted body undone and chakra swirled behind him. He charged faster and faster, homing in on Temari.
She could defend herself easily; he was charging too obviously. She drew out three senbon and prepared for him to strike. She would move out of the way, and as he passed, if she could time it just right, she could stab them into his gills. But if that didn't work, she could always weaken the beast.
All of her thinking caused her to forget exactly what was going on, and in seconds, her being was covered in shadow. The leviathan summoned up a tsunami with its chakra, dragging it straight at Temari.
"BLOCK THIS!" He dove downwards slightly, and the wave came crashing down upon Temari, swallowing her faster than she could dodge it (if she could).
The dragon arched slowly, soaring back to where Temari was. He grinned, and morphed back into his yellow form.
"Sweet dreams, Temari." He rose to the thundering sky open, and fusing his chakra with it, he summoned a great lightning bolt.
"Ready…"
"Aim…" He targeted on Temari's floating body.
"And…FIRE!!"
An enormous blot of blinding yellow lightning shot from the sky, a dragon's head opening up fanged jaws.
Temari slowly came to, coughing up water as she looked around. The stadium had returned, and worried eyes were staring at the calamity that was to befall Temari. She looked around, confused. She looked up and gaped as the dragon was inches from her. She dodged, flinging her body weight aside so that the bolt hit the ground. She grinned before she realized the flaw in her plan.
She was still in water.
The dragon's snout just barely touched the water's surface, but the powerful shock it held traveled through the liquid, claiming Temari. An explosion that forced the crowd to cover their eyes erupted, water and electricity flying in all directions. The furious black clouds swirled before dispersing as though a storm had never occurred.
Kijin Ryu slowly lowered to the ground below, a rainbow from the sun rain arching behind him. His clawed feet touched the soaked dirt, and his slowly approached Temari's convulsing body. He cocked his head to one side, watching Temari writhe.
He backed away, and howled out in pain as black blood spurted from his chest. The wound he created earlier opened itself up, and Aki slid out, covered in black ooze and blood. The dragon roared, and was swept away in a whirl of elements.
Aki lay still for a moment before coughing and spluttering, choking up crimson and black. She stood shakily, gripping her staff tightly to help herself up. She hoarsely inhaled, taking in deep breaths as though she had been underwater for too long. She spat out more crimson as she turned to face the ref. Temari still lay on the ground, motionless save for a twitch every now and then.
"Akiosu is the winner!" He brought down his hand to signal it was over.
She grinned as the crowds cheered for their own, demon or not. She walked towards the entrance, but decided to take a different route.
…………
"Huh? Where did Aki go?" Naruto looked around before he jumped.
"Hiya!" Aki's eyes were arched up in a grin, a bruise here and there.
She clung to the railing, the balls of her feet resting on them.
"Aki! You did it!" she smiled before she suddenly froze.
"Aki?" She slowly keeled backwards, falling.
"AKI!" He gripped the railing, trying to see her.
Something black and red darted by, catching Aki as it walked through the entrance. Fen lay Aki down on the floor, hoping no one would rush down and see him. He sighed, and nudged Aki on her side, seeing the three senbon.
'Lost too much chakra and you're wounded; great.' He gripped the first one in hi teeth, and gently wiggled it out.
A small line of blood shot from the opened wound, but Fen slowly licked at the blood, the wound healing over. He took out the other two and healed her wounds.
"Aki?!" Fen looked up, his green eyes wide with fear.
"Aki, what-" Naruto stopped at the sight of Aki.
She was lying on the floor, unconscious.
"Aki?" Naruto knelt down beside her, tapping her shoulder.
She coughed and slowly opened her eyes.
"Na…ruto?" She slowly sat up, gripping her side.
"You okay?" She shook her head.
"Too little chakra…feeling dizzy…" She pressed a palm against her temple.
Naruto carefully helped Aki up, letting her rest her torso weight against his shoulder as he helped her up the stairs.
"Domo…"
He appeared with Aki back in the small box that the fighters were seated in, lying Aki down on one of the benches. She gingerly slipped her headphones on, thankful that they hadn't been smashed in the fight and turned her player onto Earshot's "Wait". Her vision swirled, remembering what was to happen.
"Naruto…" She whispered, flicking a hand to catch is attention.
"Hmm?" He leaned in to hear her whisper.
"Naruto…forgive me for not saying this directly, but…" She coughed.
"What is it?"
"Save the sand badger; the desert has clouded his sight." She grinned slightly before she passed out.
" "Sand badger"?" He looked up at Gaara, his eyes wide.
…………
Everything happened so fast. The Kazekage snagged the Hokage, taking him hostage as the jounin fought with the now revealed Sound nins. Sasuke ran after Gaara, wanting to finish the fight.
A Sound nin leered over Aki, resting a kunai against her neck.
"She's the one, isn't she, Kabuto-san?"
The one wearing the tiger mask nodded. The Sound nin went to pick her up when he suddenly collapsed.
"Kazigen?!" Kabuto shook his partner before he glared up, "You."
Aki stood up, her chakra flaring.
"Get away from me." Claws slowly grew from her hands.
"The ryu…" He breathed, backing away.
She grinned darkly.
"Yesssssssssss." Leaping over his head and climbing the walls with her chakra, she made her way to the main crowd, who were all under the genjutsu.
"Flippin' mesu!" Kabuto poofed, and appeared before Aki.
She hissed and bypassed him as she rushed towards Kakashi, who was busy summoning Pakkun.
"Kakashi- sensei!" she cried out, a sliver of fear in her voice.
Kabuto swept in front of her.
"You cannot escape me, Akiosu." She snarled.
"Like hell, I will!" She tried to attack him when her claws were parried aside.
"KAKASHI!" Kabuto slammed his fist into her stomach, stunning her.
He looked up and gasped.
"AKI!" Kakashi darted over the rows of unconscious people, and side- kicked Kabuto in the back of the head.
He dropped Aki as he fell, her body tumbling down the steps. Her back slammed into the railing, and she lay there.
"Aki! Hang on!" He punched Kabuto in the face, breaking the mask slightly.
She slowly came to, coughing from the pain that traveled to the back of her spine. She warily got up, gripping the railing as she bent down to pick up her staff. She looked up and saw Kabuto coming from her. Panicking, the only outlet she had of escape was to jump off. Gripping the railing, she flung herself over and landed in a roll. She scuttled up and rushed for the wall, gathering chakra to climb it. Jumping upwards, she hopped over it in three moves, vanishing.
"KUSO!" He knocked Kakashi with the hilt of his kunai and raced after her.
She didn't know where to go, didn't know where to hide. The punk song, driving through her veins, was pumping her adrenaline. She missed the feeling. The rush. It was like meeting an old friend again.
She heard the snapping of twigs above her and saw Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru and Pakkun racing to find Sasuke.
"Hey, guys!" She hissed.
They jumped in shock, and looked down.
"Aki?!"
"SHH!! Sound nin are coming for you guys. Run for it! I'll be the decoy, Shikamaru." He jumped again.
How did she know of the plan he was about to tell the others?!
"Quick! They're almost here, go!" She stopped in a clearing as the other four ran off.
She prepared herself for the nin, but didn't have a clue as it what she didn't expect.
"Hello, Akisou." She swallowed hard.
"Leave me alone, pokemon." Kabuto stopped short.
"What did you call me?" She stood her ground.
"Leave me alone!" He chuckled darkly.
"Orochimaru- sama wants you, Akiosu. It's an invitation you cannot refuse." He approached her slowly.
"Stay back!" Her fear was rising.
He was too quick for her and had Aki in his grip. A sudden chill ran up his arm and with shocked eyes, he stared into scarlet hued ones.
"Let go." She commanded in a cold voice.
Overwhelmed by his fear, he did. She whipped out a kunai and spat some of her blood down upon it. A kanji tattooed to the iron, hissing and bubbling. Kabuto was paralyzed, and he didn't know why. Was it a genjutsu? Or had his fear been opened?
His thoughts led him to forget what was going on. Aki dashed under his arm, and stabbed him in the side with the cursed kunai.
"Every moment you are awake, Kabuto, know that I am coming for you." She purred ominously, twisting the dagger in his flesh painfully.
He tried to scream, but could move. His awoken fear pinned him down.
"And every second you are asleep, know what I am to do to you." The occult voice grinned in its words, and left the kunai impaled.
Aki ran passed him and vanished into the trees. Kabuto stood there, still before his knees buckled and he gripped the kunai. He spat out blood, the crimson slipping through the cracked mask. His fingers fumbled with the iron dagger before he wrenched in out, blood spewing from the wound.
"What did the ryu mean by that?" He stared at the kunai before he dropped it, frozen.
A red image appeared before him, eyes glaring at him. An unspeakable pain slashed through his head, making him scream out in pain as he gripped his head. Blood shot out of his mouth as he howled in agony, trying to tear the image from his mind. The red eyes leered into his, spiraling his fear into his system as pain racked through his body.
…………
Hayate lay dead by the Hokage's empty seat. In all her attempts to save him, he had died trying to tell the Hokage about ambush. But he had exchanged his silence for the iron dagger, and his lips were sealed forever.
Aki stood over his dead body, tears leaving her eyes.
"You bastard…you flippin bastard…" She fell to her knees.
"THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR SAVING YOU?!" She gripped the stone floor with her claws.
She had remembered a crucial point though: the creator of the series was God here, and he could pluck off anyone he'd like just by drawing it out. He wanted Hayate to die, something she ruled against…Would he try to kill her next? She might not know it unconsciously. She slammed her fist into the stone, cracking it slightly.
"And now he's going to die…"
She looked to the stands, and saw Kage lying unconscious. She lowered her eyes.
(It's best that she doesn't know…)
…………
Rain fell as the Hokage's funeral pyre was laid before the shinobi of Konoha. Naruto looked over to Konohamaru, who cried his eyes out. Iruka knelt down beside the boy to comfort him. Naruto looked back, a feeling of regret and loss weighing on his heart.
Ink slid down Aki and Kage, both sitting on the Sandaime's stone head on Mt. Hokage.
"I failed…" Kage looked up at her.
"I thought…I could change something…anything…but…" She looked up into the sky, a wry smirk on her face.
"Kami didn't want me to." Tears left her eyes.
Some of the shinobi below looked up to see a ryu and an okami standing on the third's head, red and yellow eyes glowing. Aki cried out a mournful roar while Kage howled to the raining skies.
The rain seemed to lessen as they continue their cries of sorrow to the darkened day. Aki bowed her head.
How long?
Until she was to run on luck alone?
When would she be controlled?
Just like the rest of them…
END (?)
I found out that Kabuto was the name of a shell pokemon in the ancient cards that I still possess. So that's what Aki calls him from now on. Hehehehe!