Twenty

It's raining

I can feel the winter droplets of misery

Slide down my face

Each drop coming down at random times

Drenching me further into depression

It's cold

But somehow not as cold

As it used to be


Chaos reigns as the on-surge of Black Dragons came as expected. Jutsus were summoned and many different brave people of Konoha have stepped forward to fend off the predatory figures of cloaked assassins. Each prepared to protect the one thing they loved. Their families. Friends. Village and everything else they hold dear. By strategic planning, they fell into random traps but not all. The rest swamped the small village that's elderly; women and children were well-hidden within the mountainous regions, away from the darkening mood of war.

Cold steels clashes alongside with the thunder that reigned in the charcoal skies.

Blood mixed with cold rain that came pouring down on the heroes of today.

Screams of courage and fear echoed within the wooden fort that contained the fight.

Fires of risen temperature spread through the wooden structures.

The fallen people lay scattered on the water-soaked ground of past, present and future.

Our four strangers had been separated, each searching for the commanding post of the scoundrel called Fuyu - Takekawa Hyata's only son. He was the head's only heir to the Black Dragons organization, who was also in the most ruthless group that existed, Team 1. His team included two others; one had died in a mission and had not since been replaced. One was called Kai - a poison expert and the girl was called Rai, the strategist. The two were also twins and were faithful followers of Fuyu.

Irony ruled the fate of Black Dragons. Who would have known that the Head's own son would be the cause of his downfall? Literally, he was beheaded in a neat fashion one night in his sleep. The same baka couldn't wait a few more years for the rule to be passed over to him. The baka who hated Kei's very existence, Fuyu had a personal grudge against her ever since she had taken his place and became the vessel for the Seiryuu. He had ambition for that power and was utterly cut when he found out that a girl of average capability took the role and survived. By her living, there spawned disgust for her existence that was only further fuelled by a rejection to ally herself with him. The utter shitty realization that the power was really out of gasp fuelled the undying prejudice. It hit him harder when she was promoted to elite commander - one of the two posts available to which, the other was held by Ken. He was vying for it too and he was very pissed that now the post was taken by Kei.

Old history was surfacing in present chaos.

The past has finally caught up.

After the destruction of a few of their units, the two finally came to the one who has been hunting us, haunting the peace and chance at a better future.

He stood and got out from the shadows of a forested area of emptied plots of dead earth. In crimson wraps, he struck a poise that demonstrated the extent of tall figure. He was a strapping young man of only 21 who possessed a hair of dark locks that he allowed to flow freely about him and piercing amber eyes that have only hints of malice and hate within.

A sad case really.

He would have made decent leader that would let the Black Dragons continue their existence. But….

"What do you want, Fuyu?"

"Seiryuu. I want the power that would make me God. The power to grant me immortality!"

"Nani? It doesn't have that kind of capacity!"

"Humph. You are so pathetic, Kei-chan. Upon absorption of such raw chakra, would render anyone immortal."

Fool. Such an utter fool.

"You are the fool Kei! I should have been the one! I would put such power to good use!"

"To destroy everything."

He raised an eyebrow before laughing.

"To make good my existence in this world! Unlike my stupid father, the Black Dragons will be made known and people will bow down to its existence!"

She shook my head.

He laughed harder.

"Such a disappointment, Kei-chan. Why do you live? You're supposed to die years ago!"

"I live because someone granted me that gift to go on. I live because I still believe in life."

"Whee…… Oh hail the wise one! Oh hail the wise words spoken to my humble ears!" Fuyu mocked before he stuck his Katana out at my face.

"We fight. I'll grant you the deliverance of death. I'll see that you will finally get to the other side!"

"Now that I think about it. We never fought, have we?"

"No. And oh! What an honour for me to be finally taking down The Kei-chan – elite commander of Black Dragons and proud vessel of the Seiryuu."

He mocked before he lunged.

Her moment of concentration broke when he changed direction.

Her heart beat fast.

Her momentum fell when she saw that he was actually aiming for the boys – Naruto and Sasuke, who were apparently lurking the trees nearby. He latched onto Naruto before he flung Sasuke away, cutting him bad in the process. The boy in blue rolled in dust and grazes decorated that cool face of his. Sakura was not in sight, she might have left to get help. Naruto on the hand was now struggling with annoyance and confusion.

His confusion matched a growing worry.

What was he getting at?

"Let the boy go. Coward, this is a fight between the two of us!"

"Aside from fetching you, I do have a pact to keep to."

'What does the Akatsuki want with the boy?"

"I don't know. I don't care really. My goal today to get you and this boy here."

Nani?

"They can have the boy after I am done getting what I want."

"What do you want from me?"

He sighed.

"My dear Kei-chan. I want the power. I want the Seiryuu."

"How do plan to undo the seal?"

Naruto's ear pricked up at the word 'seal' and 'Seiryuu'. And he yelled a demand to know what is going on.

"Shut up boy. Didn't you know? She has a monster sealed inside her. A power so great, it was said that it took thousands of years of cultivations for it to attain the levels it is now. It is a monster that resided in the east and absorbed all the essence from its natural surrounding. It is power supposedly so pure that it can grant the one man who can use it, immortality."

"Nani? Kei-chan has something in her? How come you never say anything about it?"

Kei was too preoccupied for his safety to answer him. Naruto was safe for now but only if Fuyu remains in this vicinity. And the baka was not planning to leave, without killing me first.

"Tell me. How do you plan to undo the seal?"

He smirked.

"Like this."

Almost instantaneous, her ears picked up the sickening sound of metal sinking into soft flesh. Panic caused her to turn around. Her heart sank. Ken had taken a stab from a duplicate of Fuyu, who disappeared promptly after.

"No!"

And she caught him. Laying him down to rest, she put her hand over to stabilise his state. Her palms allowed the blue chakra to flow out smoothly in order to keep him safe. Fuyu watched from the sides. He was busy laughing.

Until he felt a hand landed a blow at the back of his neck.

"And you are still the fool I remembered."

"Nani?" He was forced to release Naruto who jumped metres back. A perfectly calm Kei was standing right behind him with her hand at the back of his neck.

He couldn't move.

Smoke dispersed to reveal that Ken had changed into the 'Kei' that they have been conversing and that 'Ken' was really one of Fuyu's own men who was now lying there.

"Checkmate."

And she saw the smile that followed the call.

Shit.

The sound of cold steel plunging into warm flesh echoed sickeningly in the air. There were cries and inaudible sounds around her but all she could focus her attention on was the momentary paralysis and the inevitable fall down to the sandy floor. She landed with a thud that kicked up loose sand to cloud the eyes of all that watched the fall.

Blood was coughed out.

Pain ruled her mind for that time.

"Aye, did you really think I'll leave myself open like the last time? I do learn from my past mistakes. On the contrary, you have not learned to watch your back."

"…………"

The girl lay there crippled as Ken rushed over to tend to her wounds.

"Shit Kei, you have to heal yourself."

She shook her head. For some unusual reason, she was feeling very weak. It was as though chakra was seeping out her. It felt as if life was flowing out of her.

Suddenly Fuyu dealt a kick squarely into Ken's stomach and that sent him flying over the cliff's edge that lingers beyond the forested area. Left alone, the arrogant one strut his stuff over and bent down to her level. She muttered curses into his face. Much to his amusement and he laughed whilst his clone continued to hold on to Naruto.

Suddenly he placed his hand on her back.

She felt more life being sucked out her.

"Ahh… the power. So this is what it feels like."

Nani?

He tapped the knife residing in her back.

"Oh Kei-chan, let me reintroduce an old friend, the emperor's knife."

Her heart stopped.

"Ooh, you remembered! Yes, it's the same knife that carved the jutsu into your back."

So he had figured out how to break the seal.

Fuyu tapped the hilt that stuck out her back. Taunting her as he slowly absorbed bits of her chakra, the blue essence of her being flowed from the cut out into him and all she could do was lie there helpless.

Life can be so ironic sometimes.

Except that life can be unpredictable too. This is especially so when within a story has the existence of young brats that do not know how to keep out of other people's business. In particular, the one that went by the name Uchiha Sasuke, who flew out unexpectedly and attacked Fuyu from behind.

Fuyu was taken out and due to some clever manoeuvre, managed to free Kei from his gasp. It was amazing to see a young boy of twelve dragged the body of a full grown over his shoulder. Leaving to rest at the side, he proceeded in hero style to save his friend.

Kei smiled. There was swelling of pride within her. The boy has come a long way.

Much fighting ensued and words betray how the action sequence went. Much jutsus released followed by cruel onslaught of experience which attacked on the young's ones weaknesses. But not before the young one managed to get his friend free from the clone via a precise shot of a cannonball of flames at the fake. It fizzled into thin air but it had in the process, burnt the blonde one who agonised for a split second.

"Ita! What were you trying to do-"

He was cut off.

But only because déjà vu stunned him.

His split second agony had also turned attention away from the situation, thus leaving him still open to Fuyu. That one spilt second made his watch as his friend once again took the blow for him.

Blood spurt and the boy coughed.

Stunned silence followed as Naruto caught his friend's fall. Fuyu laughed but likewise follow the same darn mistake to take his mind off too for a short second.

Because that bit of time was all Kei needed.

She had been gathering all her strength for this one precise shot.

The fluid movement of pulling out the ancient steel from her back and sending it slicing through the air before embedding itself deep between Fuyu's shoulder blades. It sank smooth, rendering him with shock before falling.

Shock because two air chakra-generated shuriken appeared from the side and sank themselves in his vital spots.

It was over. Let off too easy but it was essentially over.

Ken walked in from the sides grazed with dirt and skid marks all over. Kei, with one hand on her waist slowly inched her way to the fallen Sasuke. Naruto kneeled over and was brimming with tears. He had allowed the same mistake to happen. Again.

Ken pulled the blonde one back a bit to allow Kei to have a look. She herself, in not a good shape saw that it was almost beyond hopes. His heart was slowing down thanks to the multiple damages to his heart muscles and lungs. She sat there sighing as her own breathing proved arduous. Her life was hanging by the fact that he did not absorb all her chakra. The thread was thin and she needed to make a decision:

How does one decide who gets to live?

She wondered.

Ken watched as Kei's smile appeared. Quiet but sure, by then he already knew the impending consequences.

"Kei, listen –"

"Life is a gift. I have been bestowed this gift many times but its time someone else gets a turn too. I have finally known what it is to live."

"………………"

He lost. There was nothing more he could say.

She sighed and patted the blonde's head.

"Take care of yourself. Be strong."

The blonde was confused. And he watched as she gathered chakra into her palm – fiery blue glowed bright and it was a brilliant light for the rebirth of one boy who has yet to live. It touched upon the chest and flowed through.

Kei could feel the life spill out bit by bit. Her memories flood of one wish that was yet unfulfilled. As the tears flowed alongside with the bit of chakra, the people around knew that for life to be, death must precede it.


She lay there quiet and cold. She smiled as Ken kept her company on the green green grass that cushioned her fall after forcing chakra out of her system. He swallowed hard and was trying to be strong. She wiped his tears.

"I wish you happiness for you and Kaede, gomen that I can't play aunty to your kids."

He stroked her hair.

"It's all right. I'll make sure they will know of you."

She smiled and turned her head over. The boy had been carried off by Naruto to the hospital. His vital signs were good and should be conscious in no time.

She saw a random bird soar and spread its wing to caress the wind above.

"One last favour, Ken?"

"Anything Kei."

"Tell Kakashi gomenasai for taking so long to say 'I love you.'"