Hollowfied
By: Finn Mertenz
A/N: Guest - I took away shinobi and ninjutsu, along with the ninja world. Then, I put Naruto into modern Japan with Soul Reapers and Hollows, how is that not a crossover?
A crossover is, the placement of two or more fictional characters/settings into the content of a single story. So, this fanfiction fits the textbook definition of crossover.
If I put Naruto into Area Eleven and gave him a Geass, how is that not a crossover? If I made him a half-fox demon with the Shikon jewel, how is that not a crossover?
If I put Naruto into GX Academy, and gave him a deck, how is that not a crossover? If I made him the pilot for EVA 01, and pitted him against Angels, how is that not a crossover?
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR BLEACH. I DO NOT CLAIM TO OWN THEM.
Chapter 9: Tayuya's Confrontation! A Scarred Past.
Monday 4:56pm, August 29th 2020 A.D.
"Amazing..." Rin choked on dirt.
Obscured by lingering clouds, this underaged schoolgirl was sprawled over dislodged rock. Exposing a brief glimpse up her skirt, she hastily yanked this cloth down, deeply blushing.
Jutting towards the spiritual skyline, powdered stone and pillars of Sekkiseki decorated the horizon. The damaged remnants from Sasuke's attack, a swirling cloud of dust polluted the air.
Inspired by this might, Rin crawled to her feet, stained with fresh bruises and minor cuts. A normal girl in a foreign world, she felt out of place, like everything happened because of her.
Hollows were always drawn to her, they hunted the essence buried deep down inside. This realization was staggering, because she cursed her own failure, disappointed by inaction.
Meanwhile.
"That was stronger than I expected..." Ryūzetsu gagged.
Twitching beside the sealed outline of her Zanpakutō, Ryūzetsu's skin was scorched and seared. Partially burnt and torn, her shihakushō was ripped, revealing the naked skin underneath.
Violently panting behind a white wall, Sasuke's right hand was singed with blood and smoked flesh. Dampened by the repetitive jingle of clanging metal, a silver cross hung from his wrist.
Exhausted from the previous battle, he clenched a free fist before sneering his teeth. Separated by a fierce explosion, he stood up before searching for Rin, running through the Soul Society.
Meanwhile.
Fifteen years old, Shibuki led a platoon of medical Soul Reapers, trained by Squad Four. Originating from Squad Twelve, Shibuki was different than most, he shared fanatic loyalty to a rogue Captain.
"Groups one, six and nine, precede to your positions!" Shibuki barked.
Speaking into the microphone over his left ear, Shibuki's static voice was met by agreement. Rushing to the frontline, dozens of medics were ready for combat, to heal their comrades.
Meanwhile.
"Unbelievable!" Guy complained.
Moving with Captain-level speed, this veteran Soul Reaper zoomed down white streets. Accompanied by the orange-haired silhouette of Moegi, she sat on Guy's left shoulder, giving directions.
"Trust me! I know where I'm going!" Moegi spoke with a sour face.
Surging down a pristine alley of Sekkiseki, this substance resembled ornate marble. Blindly parted by a steep wall, he ran past Shibuki and his medical division, clapping stone under feet.
"Just hurry up! I can already smell blood." Guy grinned.
A spirit for over a thousand years, his career as a Soul Reaper was barely five hundred years long. In the past, he bore witness to the creation of the Soul Society, formed in opposition to Madara and the Quincy.
Now, centuries later, Guy served as a youthful and vibrant spirit, a guardian of the dead. The Captain for Squad Eleven, he prized combat above all else, the driving factor of his motivation.
Ten minutes later.
"Geez, this is such a drag." Shikamaru sighed.
Seated on a poorly-stacked pile of stone, this Lieutenant lazily brushed the sand from his attire. Doctored and tended by Shibuki, the 3rd seat of Squad Four wiped sweat from his forehead.
"I healed Dosu's wounds... Is there anything you can tell me about the Ryoka?" Shibuki asked.
Detailing the strange properties of Gaara's attack, Shikamaru didn't have a word to describe him. He wasn't a Soul Reaper, but he fought with a Zanpakutō, contrasting his racoon-like Hollow mask.
This report, combined with the information from Dosu, sent Shibuki into panic. Distilled by a familiar Reiryoku in the air, he could feel it, mistaking Naruto's pressure for his former Captain.
Meanwhile.
Carrying Gaara down a desolate alley, Hinata held the sheathe of his foreign Zanpakutō. Laden with a needle-pricked hilt, layers of sandy linen were draped and wrapped around this weapon.
I wish I had value... Hinata was defined by a downcast face.
Gasping at the sound of cracked stone, Hinata narrowly rolled from a ruptured wall. Spewing shards of Sekkiseki throughout the street, strands of violet hair rustled in a gentle breeze.
The 3rd seat for Squad Seven, this eight year old Soul Reaper was known as Ranmaru. Originally recruited by Squad Sevens former Captain, Ranmaru's career was just over twelve years.
Characterized by blood-red eyes and shoulder-length purple hair, his young skin was fair. With a child-sized shihakushō, he held the curved hilt of his Zanpakutō, released in a Shikai state.
"I hope my age doesn't bother you..." Ranmaru apologized.
Enthralled by bulging pupils, an aura of blood blotted adjacent walls and orange roof tiles. Using this strange technique to his advantage, Ranmaru sunk into a pool of crimson gore.
Emerging behind Hinata, this underaged Soul Reaper rose from a pond of blood. Slashing the twin-tipped blade of his Zanpakutō, Ranmaru forcibly separated Hinata from a sleeping Gaara.
Snagged by a jagged piece of tile, a sole sleeve was ripped from Hinata's outfit. Smearing the short skirt she wore, white eyes twitched while her lips trembled with trepidation.
Compared to others... What am I? Doubting herself, the air was heavy.
Fueled by depression, Hinata's mind was polluted by a stiff cord, a lonely chorus of music. She always felt like a burden, like everyone was brought down by her presence, and her weakness.
Using Rin as a shield, Hinata regularly hid behind her, a barrier for buried emotions. Without Rin, did she have a purpose? Without Rin, was there any point to her existence, her life?
With saucer-like eyes as pale as snow, Hinata was startled by an approaching fringe of metal. As this Zanpakutō rushed forward, it was muffled by the sound of shattered glass.
Exposing a Reiatsu-filled layer of white, Ranmaru's weapon was ensnared and trapped. Speechless and shocked, his confused expression matched the appearance of his opponent.
Veiled by throbbing spiritual pressure, Hinata flinched as Ranmaru lunged backwards. Standing in front of an unconscious Gaara, she refused to move, yearning for a reason, a purpose.
Frightened by this abrupt change in persona, Ranmaru's gapping mouth fell open. Emboldened by snowy flames around each palm, Hinata's skirt wavered as she leapt into the air.
Meanwhile.
Imbalanced by quaking earth and a distant cloud of dust, Naruto ran through identical streets. Partially torn and tattered, the landscape was ravage while his shihakushō was scoffed with dirt.
"Hang in there..." Naruto whispered aloud.
Wishing good fortune to his friends, Naruto prayed they found safety, hoping with goodwill. Overcome by impatience, he continued his harrowing rush to Sakura, striving to save her.
Investigating the compound for Squad Six, Naruto snuck to the edge of their perimeter. Dwarfed by the looming silhouette of the Senzaikyū, the Tower of Penance reached the cloudy sky.
Accompanied by blinding rays of the setting sun, Naruto winced, retracting his whiskered face. Trailed by crimson strands of hair, Tayuya's snarling grimace was positioned at the bottom of a staircase.
Encased in Sekkiseki and carved into natural rock, this path led towards the Senzaikyū. Conjoined with the Sōkyoku Hill, these compounds also housed the headquarters for Squad One.
"I thought I felt your pathetic pressure." Tayuya spat.
Gripping the hilt of his swollen Zanpakutō, Naruto unsheathed this singular curved blade. Laughing in response, Tayuya mirrored this action, wielding a Zanpakutō of smaller length and girth.
"This won't end like last time, here, I'm not restricted by the living world." With flapping red linen, they hung from her hilt.
With the lawful sanctions from Central Forty-Six, released Zanpakutō were forbidden in the Human world. But, Tayuya now stood inside the Soul Society, able to fight with no limits.
"Get out of the way!" Naruto shrieked.
Advancing foot after foot, cobbled Sekkiseki paved the earth beneath Naruto. Slicing his gigantic blade in a horizontal slash, it was parried by Tayuya's slim Zanpakutō, half its size.
Emitting a fierce shockwave from their collision, Tayuya's bandana violently rippled in the wind. Illuminated by loose sparks, the repetitive sound of metal striking metal could be heard.
Surprised by a sudden kick to his chest, Naruto was flung across stone-layered ground. Losing the grip on his Zanpakutō, he gasped as Tayuya approached, raising her blade.
Cutting various threads of blond hair, Tayuya narrowly missed her attack, scowling with contempt. Fumbling to grab and overwhelm his opponent, Naruto was struck by clenched fist.
Emboldened by hatred, Tayuya's punch drew bleed, knocking stray teeth from Naruto's mouth. Continuing her assault, she cut shredded ribbons from his shihakushō, falling to white stone.
Clapping both hands against the curved tip of Tayuya's Zanpakutō, blood streamed from Naruto. Dripping down each wrist, a consecutive drip of scarlet bombarded his feet, quickly discolored.
"I won't back down! Sakura needs me!" Pleading, his words enraged Tayuya.
Reaching out, Tayuya bypassed Naruto's defense, squeezing his throat with her left hand. Thrown to the ground, she kicked his side, plunged into a dense wall of residual Sekkiseki.
"You stupid moron! She's going to die because of you! Everything is your fault!" Tayuya shouted.
Twitching with painful jolts, Naruto's bloodied hand stretched out, grabbing his large hilt. Utilizing the massive size of his Zanpakutō, he used this weapon as a walking stick, straining to stand up.
Washed in crimson liquid, blood poured from Naruto's mouth and trembling palms. However, his legs were firm and unshaken, inspired by the vibrant memory of Sakura's smile.
"You're right..." Naruto panted.
In truth, this entire outcome could be lain at Naruto's feet, the burden of his surroundings. Dragging his friends into the Soul Society, he brought living mortals into the world of the dead.
This action alone was taboo, but he refused to stop there, engaging sacred Soul Reapers. Breaking the natural order of life and death, he did all of this, for a foreign girl that he barely knew.
"That's why I have to keep going!" Charging with sneered teeth, his whiskers wavered.
Meanwhile.
I don't understand! Ranmaru internally panicked.
Struggling to block and parry a barrage of flat palms from Hinata, the air was thick with Reiatsu. Swallowing a wad of spit, Ranmaru didn't understand this change in emotion.
Because of her young age, Hinata was just an inch taller than her immortal enemy. Enabled by a strange swell of white Reiatsu, this milk-colored aura flickered like lush flames.
How can a mere Human fight like this?! Pinned against a wall, he gritted his teeth.
"I won't let you touch him! None of them!" Hinata's confidence was found.
Thrusting a circular hole into the resilient wall, Hinata's palm was a hairs length from Ranmaru. Undaunted by the Shikai Zanpakutō she fought, puddles of nearby blood were ignored.
Hinata didn't fight for her own survival, the life she lived held no value to her. Instead, she risked everything for Gaara, and the friends she had earned, willing to sacrifice anything for a purpose.
Meanwhile.
Crashing against the rocky ground, Naruto rolled and groaned as Tayuya stood over him. Blocking the stairway ahead, she refused to yield, enraged by the ordered execution of her best friend.
"You just don't give up... You're as stubborn as an Uzumaki." Tayuya leered.
One of the four noble houses, the Uzumaki were dishonored after Minato's desertion. Identified by their blond hair and blue eyes, many were extinct, the rarest of the noble houses.
"I don't know what that means! I'm a Namikaze!" Naruto protested.
Oblivious to his true name, and the name of his Zanpakutō, Naruto was a child playing solider. He didn't know the circumstances of his birth, or the sacrifices made for his well-being.
With pressed teeth and clenched hands, Tayuya surged out, causing her hair to rustle. Moving with Lieutenant-level speed, she pitched her Zanpakutō through the crevasse in Naruto's attire.
Choking on a mouthful of blood, scarlet ooze poured down quivering lips and a fair jaw. Impaled by sharpened steel, Tayuya's blade pierced the tense muscle next to his left shoulder.
Retracting her Zanpakutō, sparkling gore matched her scarlet threads of radiant hair. Displaying a smug and condescending face, her laugh was dampened by Naruto's painful moans.
Eventually, Tayuya's comedic tone became stoic and passive, lowering her grim eyes. Battling the conviction inside, she prized Sakura's life above all, but her execution was ordered by law.
Questioning this logic, Tayuya fought with conflicting resolve and troubled emotions. Would she mindlessly obey the command of her institution, or save the only real friend she ever had?
Meanwhile.
What was it that made someone a hero? If Hinata didn't know before, she certainly knew now. A hero was caring, selfless and courageous, the traits of the boy she admired, Naruto.
Acting like a hero, Hinata shielded an unconscious Gaara from harm, fighting with bare hands. Deflecting the vertical slash of a Zanpakutō, Ranmaru was forced onto the defensive.
An amateur and novice Soul Reaper, Ranmaru had never seen a Human with such spirit. Traumatized by shattered shards of metallic soot, his blade broke under Hinata's advance.
Slapped upside his youthful face, Ranmaru plummeted through a narrow wall. Collapsing chunks of Sekkiseki, he was buried from sight, allowing Hinata to drag Gaara too safety.
Meanwhile.
Beaten and battered, scarred and bruised, Naruto stood with unwavering legs. Gathered in a white courtyard, piles of dislodged rock and crumbled debris littered the battlefield.
Why did she fight for the same organization that condemned her friend to death? That was a question that Naruto spoke aloud, insulting Tayuya's pride and dignity as a Soul Reaper.
"A Reaper's duty is to protect the Soul Society." Tayuya swallowed her own words.
No matter the cost, that was a phrase often slurred in repetition, without any meaning. It was an empty notion, watered down by decades of austere lordship, and a rigid caste system.
In the world of the dead, Soul Reapers never aged, immortal guardians of the natural balance. The living and the dead, forever separated by watchful sentinels and a stalwart band.
This ever-expanding society seemed like a peaceful rest, but the reality was far darker. Because Soul Reaper's could never rest, sleep didn't satisfy them, and food didn't fill them.
Scarcely did they rise or receive promotions, most Reaper's were nameless and faceless. This is why Tayuya held such pride, because she earned the rank of Lieutenant, with hard-work and effort.
Dead for just over thirty years, dying in the same accident as Sakura, they crossed over together. Entering the Southern Rukongai, at a substantial distance of district 145, the first years were tough.
However, their time as friends carried a profound impact on Tayuya, and the values she cherished. Sakura was the friend she depended on, the ally she leaned upon, and Tayuya let her down.
"You say that like Soul Reaper's have no humanity..." Naruto heaved.
Enamored by drifting smiles and lingering memories of Sakura, her face infected Naruto's mind. In these thoughts, she didn't resemble an immortal guardian, or a fierce Reaper, she seemed Human.
"But Reaper's aren't machines, they're just people." Wheezing stifled breath, he leered.
Left briefly speechless by this declaration, Tayuya bit her tongue in frustration. Clasping the flat edge of her Zanpakutō, this blade emanated a crimson glow, swollen with Reiatsu.
Meanwhile.
That pressure... I've felt it before. Rin noticed Naruto's far-off Reiryoku.
Isolated and alone, she sat between a poorly-stacked mound of wooden crates. Hidden from a group of Soul Reapers, Squad Three vigorously scanned the horizon, searching for Ryoka.
Parted by several walls of Sekkiseki, Rin had lost track of Sasuke, veiled by white rock. Impervious to the wounds he suffered, this Quincy strolled with a limp right arm, soaked in blood.
Running to hide, he was watched by the feline eyes of Anko, seated on an overhanging tree branch. Licking the black fur from her paws, she stretched and meowed, creeping from a distance.
Waiting to see the results of this invasion, Anko kept a startling length from her accomplices. Encouraging them to grow and double their strength, she wouldn't intervene until the last moment.
Meanwhile.
"Unravel: Akai Ito!" Tayuya howled.
Empowered by these words, Tayuya's Zanpakutō permeated the air with red Reiatsu. Causing her blade to bend and snap, it quickly dissolved into dozens of scarlet strings, conjoined to her hilt.
Flexing and winding, swaying and swishing, crimson threads of fate glimmered in the sun. The released Shikai of her Zanpakutō, she whipped and slashed at Naruto, drawing fresh ichor.
Scrambling to parry these dazzling threads, they collided against Naruto's slanted Zanpakutō. Tattered and stained under this barrage, iron sparks bounced out, smelling of scorched steel.
Strangled by Tayuya's strings, Naruto's throat croaked while his wrists were ensnared. Lifted towards the clouds, he was plunged into the earth, cracking various tiles of Sekkiseki.
Confident with victory, Tayuya's hair matched the roving threads of her Zanpakutō. Weighed down by the pressure she exuded, her petite silhouette was enveloped by a black shihakushō.
As her defeated opponent groveled on the ground, Tayuya displayed a faint and fake grin. Concealing true thoughts behind a shallow wall, her outer resolve was a phony façade.
Shocked by Naruto's rousing voice, he blindly crawled to his feet, enabled by heavy gasps. Leaking blood from several wounds and cuts, his left eye was closed under a gushing stream.
So focused on the towering Senzaikyū, Naruto didn't notice the transparent outline of Kushina. Whispering her name aloud, Naruto couldn't hear it, too distracted with fraught emotions.
"I'm here, I've always been here." Kushina reached out.
Gripping Naruto's shoulder, exposed cuts were highlighted by veins of sapphire. Disappearing as quickly as they appeared, his severe blood flow became damp and subtle, slowing to a drip.
"With this, I can give you a moment... But just a moment, do you understand?" The air was thick with Reiatsu.
Unknown to Tayuya and Naruto, the technique he employed wasn't native to Soul Reapers. Infact, it was an inherited ability, passed down from Quincy too Quincy, a remnant of the past.
"Only an idiot would come here alone... This is the center of the Soul Society." Tayuya gloated.
Unable to hear or respond, Naruto's resolve was steely focused on saving his friend. Enthralled by Kushina's faded voice, he regained feeling in his left arm, moving with jagged twists.
Quaking under the weight of two hands, Naruto's Zanpakutō sparkled like rubies. Exuding an illusion of dense rain, surrounding Sekkiseki splintered under this thrashing collapse.
Distressed by this staggering aura, beads of sweat grew under Tayuya's bandana. Rolling across pale cheeks and a tiny nose, she instantly shook the concern from her mind, reaffirmed.
Stumbling at first, Naruto's wild hobble evolved into a mad dash, paved in blood. Sneered with disbelief, Tayuya raised the vibrant and swishing threads of her released Zanpakutō.
Using this whip-like blade as a defense, Tayuya briskly shielded herself from scarlet light. The same tone and color as Tayuya's hair and Zanpakutō, Naruto glimmered and gleamed.
Without any spoken command, Naruto slashed his blade against swaying strings of red. Ignited into a violent geyser of smoke, soot and dust, powdered Sekkiseki polluted the skyline.
Meanwhile.
"Geez, what a long day." Karin sighed.
Stretching each arm, she was half-dressed, taking a seat at the Captain's chair of Squad Ten. Annoyed by the sour expression on Haku's face, her Captain glared out an opened window.
The youngest Captain in the thirteen squads, Haku's age was regularly used as an insult. A Soul Reaper for twenty years, and a Captain for twelve, his experience was lesser than most.
But, no one could deny his strength and nobility as a Yuki, the head of his royal house. Mastering Bankai in just eight years, his renowned fighting style was heard throughout the Soul Society.
"Something's wrong..." Haku murmured.
Entranced by the previous snicker between Obito and Itachi, Haku felt stuck in a daze. Breathing with icy breath, his face was illuminated by bright rays from the setting sun.
"Are you still thinking about that lame meeting? It's over!" Karin complained.
Rolling upside down in her chair, Karin's spiky hair hung to the floor, as red as her eyes. Pushing her glasses up with two fingers, she kicked both legs through the air, clearly bored.
Employing the white sash of her Division Badge as a belt, the kanji for 'ten' was painted on. Watching the sun fade, her glass-covered vision was met by a dazzling full moon.
With crossed arms in front of his chest, strands of black hair draped over each shoulder. Enamored by a rustling breeze of wind, he sensed the familiar Reiatsu of Squad Two's former Captain.
Meanwhile.
Damnit... He got me. Tayuya cursed.
Sprawled over white steps, her shihakushō was snared and soaked in crimson gore. Parted in front, Tayuya's naked and flat chest was hidden by ichor, pouring from a deep wound.
Veiled by loose bundles of red hair, the shredded cloth of her Division Bandana was spread. Coughing puddles of blood, this liquid stain her hair, an identical tone, color and hue.
Blind to the past, and oblivious to the present, Naruto frantically inhaled with exhausted breath. Still closing his left eye, he only had one visible pupil, as blue and deep as the bottomless ocean.
She said that to me, once... About being a machine. Fueled by the words of her opponent.
Tayuya's brown eyes were lidless while her face was heavy, downcast with repressed emotion. Triggered by the imaginal chord of a piano, she drifted through ancient and old memories.
-Flashback-
"Hey! Get back here!" An elder man shrieked.
Running through the crowded streets of the Southern Rukongai, the sun soared overhead. Struggling to enjoy the afterlife, a twelve year old Sakura laughed along side a fourteen year old Tayuya.
With no need to eat, or sleep, most souls turned to gambling, or craftsmanship. Immortal and countless, that didn't fill the void, the empty sense that none of them had a purpose.
Striving for their own place, Tayuya and Sakura stole a hoard of Ryo from armed thugs. Jumping over the occasional barrel and disheveled planks of lumber, they didn't have a care in the world.
Finding a secluded alley, these underaged girls leapt into piles of pungent trash. Charging past this repugnant filth without a second glance, five bandits rushed to find their victims.
"That sure was close." Sakura giggled.
Poking her head from the bile below, Sakura's giggle was trailed by Tayuya's cackle. Springing to her feet, she combed the stray food from her scalp, stuck in vivid strands of red hair.
"Next time, instead of running, let's just beat them down." Tayuya retorted.
Sakura was the brains of their operation, while Tayuya was the meaty brawn. Collecting the haul from their frequent pillage, they jumped a wooden fence before rushing home.
Ten minutes later.
"Lame... I thought they had more Ryo." Tayuya barked.
Basked by beams of sunlight, Tayuya and Sakura sat inside the second story of a house. Rotten, worn and aged, it was held together solely by rusty nails, poorly placed and wedged.
Counting Ryo beneath floating clouds, this landscape was encompassed by fields of green. Set far off from the 145th district in the Southern Rukongai, forests consumed the country side.
Dropping flimsy and metallic coins into a glass jar, Sakura placed this change atop a shelf. In spite of their poor living, these girls had each other, so their smiles were wide and true.
Approaching a rickety balcony, Tayuya leaned against the wooden railing, twirling her hair. Poor and destitute, these friends wore familiar cloths, black shorts with a tattered green shirt.
"Don't be so depressed! This was good catch!" Sakura cheered.
Lazily tapping the wood below, Tayuya blew a gust of wind from her petite nose. Holding her left cheek with a frail hand, she hesitantly blushed as Sakura gripped her free palm.
"Promise me you'll remember this moment!" Laughing, pink hair wavered.
Taken aback by this statement, Tayuya blinked both eyes with a blank expression. Tearing her hands away, she pinned them to her slim waist, sneering with contempt and rage.
"Yea, right! I don't like that sappy stuff." Tayuya muttered.
While Sakura was emotionally mature and developed, Tayuya was stuck in her childhood. Depending on her friend, she used Sakura as a wall, continuously hiding her true thoughts and feelings.
"Expressing myself is so... Lame." Rolling each eye, she scowled.
Tayuya didn't like to talk about herself, her dreams, her goals or her ambitions. Instead, she regularly shifted the conversation, looking for any opportunity too constrain her real desires.
"Don't just shut off your emotions." Sakura sighed.
Forcibly yanking Tayuya's hand, Sakura pressed their fingers together, hugging each pinky. Engaged in a sacred promise, Sakura's emerald eyes gleamed with unprecedent joy and love.
"You can't act like some mindless robot..." Slurred, chirping birds could be heard.
Swearing to stand and grow, these immortal spirits preformed a pinky promise. Positioned over a wide grove, adjacent flowers were the same color as their hair, pink and red.
"Before this is over, you have to know. You aren't a machine." Embracing her friend, wind plucked leaves from their branches.
This was an endearing and special moment for Tayuya, always comforted by Sakura. Committed to her lone friend, they relied upon one another, until the very end, the end of death.
-Flashback Ends-
Muffled by Naruto's exasperated breath, Tayuya's blurry vision glimpsed through dusty air. Obscured by bloodied strands of crimson hair, her face was partially hidden and smeared.
Pain, that's the only sensation Tayuya felt, eventually crushed beneath a wave of regret. Legs trembled while arms twitched, pouring a steady dribble of fresh blood and bodily ichor.
Tayuya tried to move, but her limbs wouldn't react, writhing in agonized torment. Her body was heavy while clouds floated by, flickering shadows across the damaged environment.
I failed... Tayuya's lingering gaze was raised.
Funneled towards the rising moon, this skyline was dark and decrepit, a foreboding sense. Morphed into the smiling face of Sakura, laughter shone down upon her injured friend.
Failure, a normal word to some, but a bitter realization to Tayuya, and the mindset she possessed. She swore too always stand beside Sakura, to grow with her, but she failed miserably.
Her chest fluttered like the constant wheeze of a shambled bird, drawing dry air through her wound. Cradling the splintered hilt of her Zanpakutō, Tayuya's Shikai fractured under Naruto's attack.
But, he can do it... Unable to move, Tayuya's eyes jolted.
Broken and still, scarred and impaired, Tayuya's back was stiff while her cheeks were pale. Piercing her lower lip with a jarred tooth, blood streamed from the cut, tasting of iron and copper.
He can save Sakura. Closing each eye, Tayuya fell unconscious.
