-Wished I owned it, but not mine.

"speech"

'thought'

"Hmm, now I end this old man." smiled Kyuubi as she leapt towards the Hokage only to be intercepted halfway with a fist to her face sending her flying towards a nearby building.

"Hn, guess this fight turned out to be my fight after all."

"Huh, you think so?" smirked Kyuubi as she slowly got out of the rubble. She then slowly elongated her nails again and peered at Hiko with malice and bloodlust but Hiko saw something else. "Well, shall we begin?"

Chapter 11: Seeing through the Mirror – A meeting of Minds

By Suiiren

"Well, shall we begin, Hiko-chan." taunted Kyuubi as she looked upon Hiko with malice and anger. 'That should get her riled up some.' thought Kyuubi as she knew Hiko was too proud to let that slip but instead she saw standing there Hiko looking cool and in control of her emotions. She showed no openings for attacks but yet seemed unapproachable at the same time to Kyuubi.

'She's just a human,' thought Kyuubi as she looked at Hiko, 'but why does my body not seem to want to attack her?' A bit surprised at her body's apprehension of attacking Hiko Kyuubi just stared back at Hiko, not knowing what to do.

"You. You there. Who are you?" asked Hiko out of the blue as the two just faced each other. 'This person why do I sense something sad and angry coming from her. It's faint but I could feel it . . .this strange feeling I am having, why is it stirring something inside of me? Is this someone who is like me?' wondered Hiko as she expected an answer from Kyuubi.

"Hmm, stupid human showing such stupidity but I like your courage Hiko-chan asking me who I am. I am Kyuubi, the greatest of all the youkai! You should remember that as that will be the last name that you will hear before I –"

"Don't try to lie to me! I asked you who you really are! Not what you think you are! You may be able to fool others and the entire world that you are a demon that is full of bloodlust and murderous wrath but THAT is all just a lie! I know for sure that nothing, humans or demons, can only consist of bloodlust and wrath alone. No being, alive or dead, is capable of such two emotions alone, we, the living, are more complex than that! So to try to deceive me with those words are as fruitless as trying to think that you can win against me! So brat, I ask you once more, who are you?"

"You insignificant, stupid, piece of trash! You dare take that tone with me! DIE!" screamed Kyuubi as she rushed towards Hiko claws elongated aiming for the neck.

Hiko simply dodged as she saw Kyuubi charging. She had expected the attack and read her moves ahead of her. 'So easily blinded by rage,' thought Hiko as she looked at Kyuubi's sloppy fighting style. All it consisted of were just swipes of her claws and massive force. 'So that's her fighting style, winning by pure force alone. Stupid.' smiled Hiko as she simply leapt from one building to the other biding her time and trying to let Kyuubi drain some of her stamina before facing her again.

'This person,' thought the Third Hokage as he worriedly watched what was going on, 'what does she presume to achieve in anger the Nine Tailed Demon?'

Somewhere Unknown:

'Where am I?' thought Naruto as he found himself drifting in a stream.

"Am I dead?" he asked himself aloud. "Is this how it is when you're dead? It's so peaceful here." said Naruto as he raised his hand and looked at in amazement

As Naruto floated there in nothingness he felt a calm he had never felt before and started, wanted to drift away. In here, this place, it was peaceful. 'It's so peaceful here . . . here,' thought Naruto as he slowly drifted into darkness.

"Naruto." came a voice out of nowhere as it interrupted Naruto's train of thought.

"Ora? Who's there?" asked Naruto a bit surprised that anyone was there at all.

"Naruto, you must not give up." came the feminine voice.

"Yeah, boy! Don't give up!" came another voice, this time it was a man's.

"What? Who are you two? Why are you telling me not to give up? What do you mean!" demanded Naruto as he slowly got up.

"Now that's the spirit! I should have expected as much from you."

"Now, now, honey. He is still young, isn't he?" came the female voice.

"When I was his age I had already graduated into a Chuunin! I expected him to be at least a Genin by now." came the male voice a little arrogantly.

"Now, now, stop being so full of yourself honey. We did come here to support our son didn't we?"

"Umm, what are you two talking about?" asked Naruto as he stared upon the two apparitions in front of him. They were talking to themselves now and completely ignored Naruto now.

"We," came the two voices at once, "are your parents!" as the two apparitions started to take human form. The male came in the form of a blonde man with a fiery cloak on and the female came in the form of a shorter female who had a gown on.

Naruto just stared in amazement as he peered at the two people in front of him now. He was amazed and surprised because they had announced that they were his parents. He looked on as he saw the female, his mother, came closer and outstretched her arms towards him. Beckoning him for a hug. Naruto, being confused, just stood there as he looked at the woman, not knowing what to do.

She was sad now, looking at Naruto with a look of confusion on his face pained Naruto's mother. "Oh, Naruto, I'm so sorry that both me and Arashi wasn't there to be with you when you needed us most. We're both so sorry, but we had to do it to protect you." She said as she slowly came up towards Naruto and embraced him. "I have been wanting to do this for the longest time."

Naruto, surprised, just stood there in silence as he was being hugged but slowly his eyes began to well up in tears as he soon realized that this person really was his mother.

"Mommy!" cried Naruto as he soon returned her embrace then causing his mother to cry out as well. Both stood there and cried while the other, his father, looked on awkwardly, not knowing if he should join or thinking that he was too manly to join. Though he suddenly joined in the very emotional procession when his wife gave him a death glare. Turning the two-way hug into a family hug. It was all very emotional as the three were united for the first times in their lives.

Moments later . . .

"Naruto," said his mother as she slowly began to wipe away the tears, "we're sorry, but you can't give up yet."

"Yeah, you can't give up yet. My son is not yet ready to die yet. You're too young and besides you still have someone left who is fighting for you. She has gone through a lot and you're not going to abandon her are you? No son of mine is going to die!"

"As much as I want you to stay with me Naruto. You can't join us yet. You still have a lot of things to do out there and so many people to meet, so many people to save, so many to show you love." began his mother as she started to cry. "Naruto, remember that I always love you."

"Now, Naruto," began Naruto's father as he looked upon him. "You can't leave yet I still have something very important for you to do."

"Yes?" asked Naruto incredulously as he looked upon his father, not knowing that he was actually the Fourth.

"There is someone out there, someone who has been feeling the same feelings as you for a long time now. She has been alone for such a long time that she has no one left to turn to. Naruto, you should understand that feeling of loneliness too, so please, you have to help her. I wasn't able to help her before I died but I know that you, my son, can help her. Show her what true kindness and compassion is. You are the one I entrust this task to. Show her that not all humans are as she thinks they are. That was why I put her in you in the first place. Make me proud and remember, we'll always be watching." said his father slowly, giving him a thumbs-up, as both his parents drifted away leaving Naruto with a new will.

"I will surely make you proud, old man." proclaimed Naruto as he stood up, he felt a new surge of energy fill him, he had awakened.

Konoha:

The fight beyond the two had been going on for some time now but it was not a real fight as Hiko refused to draw her sword against Kyuubi for some unknown reason. Most of what had occurred was hit and run, as Kyuubi tried to hit Hiko and Hiko evaded each time. It was a cat and mouse game in which Hiko used the time to measure up Kyuubi and settle her thoughts.

"Why? Why don't you fight back?" asked Kyuubi as she stood there looking at Hiko, anger apparent on her face.

"Because there is someone I have to save." replied Hiko as she gazed back at Kyuubi.

"Why? Why are you humans so foolish? Why are you trying to save a brat that has nothing to do with you? From his memories you two have only known each other only a few days but yet you are risking your life for him. He's nothing but a worthless child!" asked Kyuubi.

"Because . . ."

"Because of what! Because you think you know everything and that you are also an absolute avatar of justice! Don't think you can lie to me! You have killed just as many men as I have! Your hands are as stained of blood as most demons. You think you can measure humans and demons on a double standard? Is that how all you humans think? Just because men and demons are different you can judge us as lower class beings who know nothing more than blood and murder!"

"Because of you, you humans, I was forced to do this. All humans are evil, disgusting creatures who know nothing about the world in which they live. They would rather kill each other and poison the planet before they think of anyone or anything else. Humans war, humans pillage, humans burn, humans create torture, rape, and slavery, all surpassing the horrors of dying and all to satisfy themselves, and their ideal of peace. That's why this village sickens me the most. Achieving peace at the cost of others, achieving peace through force, achieving peace even if it means that others will have to suffer horrible lives like that child, Naruto, that I was imprisoned in, causing children, the most innocent of their society to suffer so that others can live in ignorance and they call all this ignorance PEACE! Causing the cycle to never end, causing a living Hell for those left behind."

"I know that you understand what I am trying to say Hiko-chan. I know that you have seen what I have seen and know hat there is no cure for this disease known as men. You see it too right Hiko-chan? Why let the suffering go on anymore than it already has . . . death is the only cure left that I am able to think of and to achieve." finished Kyuubi as she looked back expectantly at Hiko for a response.

"Only one who does not know the worth of others and the comfort of others can say that." began Hiko slowly as she her voice grew softer and sadder. "Only someone who has been hurt by others can that . . . say that humans are nothing, that life is nothing. Those, like you, who have given up on life and humanity have no right to judge others for what they do! Humanity is not perfect, but so is every other living thing in this world! You think you can fix that by killing the whole human race! You are just as worse as those who cause war and other atrocities. It is because of your ignorant slaughtering that have forced others to desperate means to feel safe and others to pounce upon those weaker than them! You think you can save the world with murder! Don't be so naive! Nothing can ever be achieved through murder except more murder! You will slaughter legions so that only a few can live! What justice is in that!"

"The world weaves a cruel fate for men, children are always the first to suffer."

' . . . Kenshin . . . Naruto'

"Konoha, peace, justice . . . what good are those if you can't save even one child."

'Even though I can't save the world, at least I can protect those close to me shishou.' (flashback to a memory of Kenshin)

"Children who have lost hope and have nothing left to turn to, those were the reasons that why I first picked up the sword, not knowing that in my path I would slaughter countless men and create even more suffering. More orphans, more dead, more hatred, causing the cycle to only turn more . . . it is too late for those like me and you tu turn back now Kyuubi. Even though I can't protect the entire world or human race I can at least protect those who are close to me . . . even if the whole world goes against me, at least I can say that I tried. In the end Kyuubi, I guess it's not a matter of doing what's right it's a matter of doing what my heart tells me to. That boy, Naruto, changed me, in a few days, he showed me how what little pleasures in life can really mean. Kids . . . funny how they can change your perception of things and make you see things you didn't before. But I guess now is the end." finished Hiko as she stood there seeing that Kyuubi had begun to charge and attack her.

'I guess this is my answer in the end.' thought Hiko as she just stood, knowing the next move would end it all.

"Amakakeru Ryu No Hirameki (Heaven's Soaring Dragon Flash)!"

A crash could be heard as Kyuubi was hit by Hiko, causing her to fly through the air and hit the ground. Hiko had had then slowly walked up to her.

"Why? Why did I have to meet you? Why do I have the same feelings as that boy had for you when he nearly died! WHY!" cried kyuubi as she looked Hiko in the eyes, tears flowing. "If only you never existed . . . if only you never met Naruto. I could've killed you easily but now I can't. Stupid human emotions!"

"Say what you want, it's alright now." said Hiko slowly as she began to slowly embrace Kyuubi and pick her up.

"It's not fair." cried Kyuubi before she fell unconscious in Hiko's arms.

"Nothing in life ever is." replied Hiko as she looked at the Third and all remaining ninjas that were there observing her.

'Amazing, she defeated Kyuubi. She did it without killing Naruto in the process. What a simply amazing person.' thought the Third as he soon jumped down and stood next to Hiko.

"Well, that was rather impressive young lady. You- what the! Medic! Get a medic down here quick!" yelled the Third as he saw Hiko all of a suddenly spat out a lot of blood and fell to the ground unconscious along with Kyuubi.

"Damn, guess I overdid it." said Hiko as she slowly lost consciousness.

Naruto's Mind:

"I've been waiting a long time for you Kyu-chan!" screamed Naruto happily as he looked upon the chibified version of Kyuubi.

"We have to talk," was her reply as both began to talk.

Well, end of this chapter. . . I couldn't update earlier cause my comp crashed. Had to repair it and stuff. Hopefully its working right now. Thanks to those who have read this fic so far and to those who have reviewed. Plz review and I hoped you enjoyed the fic so far!