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FOX TAILS AND WHIRLPOOLS

Chapter 8 - The Approaching Night


"So, I heard you guys finally started tree-climbing training, eh, Sasuke?" Innocently broached Mikoto Uchiha, giving her son a sly smile.

The rice he was currently consuming seemed to freeze mid-way down his throat, causing the youngest of the four to break off into a coughing fit. Eying a glass of water, he reached for it and downed it in seconds. Sasuke always wondered how news, especially bad news, seemed able to travel so fast. "W-W-Well, y-y-yeah, w-w-we did. I-It was pretty fun to do, though a lot of people fell flat on their butts."

"As to be expected, I imagine you were one of them." Spoke Fugaku in a monotone that caused Sasuke's embarrassed face to melt into a downcast frown. Without missing a beat, he added, "So, were you able to make it to the top or not?" From the corner of his eye, the clan head watched his youngest look to him in shock. "Don't look so surprised, even Itachi and myself fell a few times when we were practicing our chakra control."

"What your father means is he fell on his butt about ten times or so before he finally got it down, and that's just the number he's told me." Mikoto giggled while her husband merely grunted, a little blush tugging on his cheeks. "Aside from that…did…anything happen during training?"

"W-W-What kind of anything?" Sasuke stammered, feeling like he was a lone boat out at sea. Nervously, he looked to his brother and father for help, but the looks on their faces showed even they'd gained an interest in where the matriarch of their family was heading.

"Oh, you know, I heard some stories that while training you played the role of a prince saving the-"

"It was Naruto's fault! Him and Kiba's!" Shouted the boy, looking crimson and flushed. "I-I mean first Naruto got overconfident so I-I had to do something! S-Sure he's annoying, but I owed him for helping me! T-Then Kiba just had to go and run his mouth then…"

"At the least you got something rewarding out of the experience." Fugaku mused with a light smirk. "Would you rather have it been Naruto saving you?"

"I-I'd never mess up like that!" Sasuke cried.

"Oh, I don't know about that. Naruto's the type to get overconfident, maybe you are too, not that there's anything wrong with that at your age." Itachi pipped in looking amused, even as his younger brother shot him a glare silently telling him to stop talking.

Mikoto giggled again and took her youngest son's plate and glass so they could be refilled. Fugaku, meanwhile, fixed his second child with a stern glare he caught onto and returned. "Sasuke, you're young, so you're entitled to making mistakes, what's important is that you learn from them. That's why you got in academy, back in my grandfather's time the way they taught young shinobi chakra control was often by throwing them into life or death battles and seeing who lived and who died."

Immediately, Sasuke felt his stomach drop. "T-That sounds a little harsh."

"That's how times were, but luckily, you don't have it as bad as they did. Don't squander it, if you fall a few times then just pick yourself up." Briefly, his eyes swerved to Itachi, who had gone completely blank-faced at the story. "Or, make sure there's someone there to catch you when you fall."

"Exactly," Echoed his wife, leaning down and placing a light kiss on his cheek before moving to Sasuke. "There's nothing wrong with relying on someone else for backup, that's why ninjas are put on teams. Speaking of which, have you given any thoughts to what sort of team you want to end up on, Sasuke?"

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"When you graduate you'll be placed in a three-man team, headed by a jonin instructor." Itachi explained. "Of any of your classmates, is there any you're already preferring?"

"Well…no, not really. I don't want to be on a team with Kiba or Shikamaru Nara though." Spoke the youngest. "Um, if I was on Naruto's team, do you think he'd share his food with me?"

"If not, you could always ask him, he's a nice enough person." Mikoto offered, having an idea where his train of thought was heading. "You know, I wouldn't mind us having a family meal at Fox Tail Sweets."

"That's what I thought!" Sasuke jumped before settling down as his gaze went to his father. "I-I mean if w-we can find the time to go, all four of us I mean."

Fugaku crossed his arms as he always did in puzzlement while giving a quick glance around his family. Itachi's face was the last one he settled on. "I'm not exactly opposed to it. I have heard their-"

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Sasuke's face fell as did Mikoto's. The former knew it was a clan matter that would likely take up the rest of the night, the latter knew whatever it was it was going to keep her husband up all night. Again. Itachi's face faulted for a split second: anxiety, anticipation, and acceptance. Three emotions in such rapid succession.

Resigning himself, Fugaku stood from the dinner table and made his way towards the door, but not before turning to face his family. In doing so, he gave them a rare sight- a smile. "A family dinner, it wouldn't be a bad idea. Something to look forward to."

No matter how brief it was, it warmed his heart to see his sons and his wife all smile in unison. That mental image would be his strength that allowed him to get through the next couple of hours. And he was going to need it.


Clan leadership. Since ancient times, the position had been both one of respect and widely considered one of the worst possible jobs one could have. As he grew older, Fugaku began to realize the full weight of the latter. The only thing worse than leading during war was being the leader going into war. Everyone always said wars were easy to start but hard to finish, in his time Fugaku had found the opposite regarding the first half of that assumption. As clan head, he couldn't throw up his arms and proudly lead his clanmates into battle against their fellow villagers, many of whom had no idea what had been happening behind the scenes.

Not to mention, if he did this, he'd be spitting in the face of one of the closest friends he'd ever had.

Before his dark eyes, his advisors and elders exchanged verbal fire at each other with truly animated expressions. Minato, why, why in the hell did you have to leave us all? Why did you have to leave behind your son? Why did you have to leave me? Thought the war veteran bitterly, remembering the times he and the blond had spent together, either at home or on the battlefield. Together they'd been acknowledged as natural born geniuses, but now there was only Fugaku, and his so-called genius was nowhere near enough to deal with this impending calamity.

Of the seven elders that assembled beside him and his four lieutenants, Fugaku was amazed he could even hear himself think. Half and half were screaming at each other, but not one was even suggesting calling off the coup, only about how to proceed with it. One portion was calling for a "bloodless affair" in which they place the Hokage and village elders under genjutsu control and be done with the whole mess. The other side decried the entire plan citing the Hyūga Clan. Fugaku had to admit, as appealing as the option sounded, as long as their clan's white-eyed opposites remained in play any attempts at mind-control would fail, and that would arguably make things worse. Not to mention with Shisui gone, the idea was truly shot to hell.

Defeating the Anbu would be one thing, defeating the Hokage himself would be another, and fighting off the entire Hyūga Clan while doing both was near suicidal. And that wasn't even accounting for Danzō and Root. Fugaku knew this sort of in-fighting he was witnessing amongst his clanmates was just what the old war hawk wanted.

His eyes drifted to one elder, one that had remained almost entirely silent since the meeting had been called. Rai Uchiha, his aunt, his teacher, and most days, the only fellow Uchiha he could talk to and not expect a headache from. She caught his wandering gaze and gave him a sympathetic frown; seeing it transform into a stern straight line, he sat up realizing the pendulum was about to swing back his way.

"Fugaku, you believe they're a threat too, don't you!" Shouted one of the elders, looking at him with furious eyes.

The eleven occupants had all turned their attention to him, sitting in the red-cushion seat at the head of the room with the clan emblem painted into the wall behind him flanked by a pair of candles. Though disheartened, he'd kept an ear open to the back and forth thus he knew how to answer. "Let me straighten out what it is we're facing should we choose to continue down this present course of action: the Hokage, the Anbu, our fellow clans including the Hyūga and the Sarutobi, the villagers themselves, and lastly Root. On top of all those enemies, you wish to add the Kishinami Clan to the list?"

"Hah! It's hardly a clan!" Spat another elder, looking at him with mild disgust. "A civilian boy and his witch-wife, one whose power-"

"We have yet to gauge, who we risk underestimating at our own risk." Fugaku sternly cut off, giving the rest of the assembly a sharp glare. "As it stands, we know next to nothing about Tamamo Kishinami beyond she wields power that stands outside the realm of ninjutsu. We know very little about these 'Servants' and what the full extent of their abilities are. From what I've gleaned in their world, they were heroes of legend and myth, taking such people likely will only backfire in the long run."

"True, but I also hear that these Servants are bound to their so-called Masters. That give us an opening." Stated Yashiro. Fugaku stiffened hearing his clanmate's claim as he was hoping that detail had slipped below everyone's radar. It figures his hopes had to be dashed. Spotlight swung onto the ever-closed man, his posture rigid yet the aura he projected one of magnetic intrigue. "What Fugaku fails to mention, is that Tamamo Kishinami is bound to her Master and husband, Hakuno Kishinami, a civilian. That is her weakness."

"You're making the assumption that Hakuno Kishinami himself isn't dangerous." Countered Fugaku with narrowed eyes.

"Fugaku, we're talking a single teenage boy, one whose appearance looks like that of a farmer more than a warrior." Stated a female elder with graying hair tied in a bun.

"Need I remind you all that looks can be deceiving?" Fugaku fired back.

"Be that as it may, Hakuno Kishinami may just be the easier target for us." Proclaimed Setsuna Uchiha, crossing his arms. "I've had some people trailing the boy, he's honest and trusting, but…"

"But what?" Spoke the first elder. "Out with it, Setsuna."

"He appears…" began the police member, looking rather uncomfortable with all the intention, or rather Fugaku and Yashiro glaring at him. "My spies have had to break off as it seems…Hakuno Kishinami, he seems able to detect the presence of others. I believe he's a sensory type."

"Impossible! He's a civilian!" Snapped another elder, banging his fist against the floor.

"The day he appeared with Tamamo, he was dressed in combat clothing." Rai finally spoke up. Much like Fugaku and Yashiro, it could be argued Rai Uchiha wielded a sort of quiet power amongst the council. Times like this showed that quiet power could translate into something more. "Now I know that may not mean much to you all, but let us consider this - Tamamo has shown to be fiercely loyal to her husband, so any move made against him will likely bring down the wrath of this fox woman upon us. All that isn't even mentioning the danger we're flirting with should we move against their son."

The elephant, or rather fox, in the room then lay open and exposed. Visibly, all members of the assembly tensed up. Naruto Uzumaki, the Fourth Hokage's son, and holder of the Nine-Tailed Fox. He had been the invisible game piece many knew was there but didn't dare make a move towards. Before the issue on what to do with the boy was already hard, but since his adoption by the mysterious couple things had only grown worse.

"Is it possible we could dissuade Hakuno and Tamamo from-"

"They already know." Fugaku cut-off. "They already know of the Nine-Tails within Naruto, and still act as parents to him. In fact, Tamamo herself is a fox-woman so perhaps she feels a type of kinship with Naruto. Foxes, like many animals, can be ferocious fighters when their young are threatened, do you all wish to test a fox armed with supernatural powers?"

His threat hung in the air for several minutes as muted murmurs broke out amongst the Uchiha's upper ranks. Many were now looking visibly worried or stunned since the meeting began. For a split second, Fugaku believed he'd just put another roadblock between the clan and disaster.

"Then perhaps we should use such protective instincts to our advantage."

Dear Kami, why the hell couldn't I have been born second? Or third? Groaned Fugaku, mentally slapping his forehead.

Yashiro seemed to take silent satisfaction in having all the attention directed towards himself. It was actually quite ironic for a man who preferred lurking around in the shadows letting others do his dirty work than getting his hands dirty himself. Fugaku always hated that about his distant cousin. "Using Naruto Uzumaki to unleash the Nine-Tails may be out off the table, but he's still a dangerous variable we can remove from the board. In doing so, we'll also dispose of the threat posed by the Kishinamis, besides what loyalty do they have for the village? They've been here little more than a month."

"And in that month, it's been recorded that they're quite close to the Hokage, in particular Hakuno Kishinami seems to have struck up quite a friendship with him." Rai snapped with cold eyes that caused Yashiro to squirm slightly. "I know Hakuno Kishinami's type, he's the same type of man as Minato Namikaze."

"Except, Rai," Declared Nagahisa. "This boy lacks Minato's power or his intelligence."

"We don't know that for sure, and that's a gamble we can't afford to take." Fugaku said in defense of his Aunt.

"Then we should just focus on getting them out of the way." Offered Setsuna, filling a bit bolder. "Lady Rai, is it possible for your Mangekyō Sharingan to have an effect on either of them?"

For the first time since the meeting began, Rai Uchiha laughed. Uncomfortable shuffles occurred all around as everyone took in the mocking sound of the veteran kunoichi. "Dear Setsuna, while I appreciate your support for me, how powerful do you think my Mangekyō Sharingan is after all these years? I can barely see ten feet in front of me, I require a walking stick, not to mention just today I woke up and the sun looked little more than a pale white dot in a giant gray blanket. My chakra reserves are no longer what they used to be, I have perhaps only one or two more battles in me, both of those being limited, before I go blind completely. Now, picture me going up against an enraged mother fox and her mate."

Once more, heavy silence fell over the chamber, though there was an extra layer to it. The clan elders, all of whom were around Rai's age of near sixty-five or so, felt her words cut deep into all of them. What she'd described covered them as well, no matter how deep they tried to bury it with their pride. If it came down to a war, they wouldn't be out on the frontlines with their clansmen, they'd be a liability. Even worse, were they taken captive it was a potential checkmate. As the realization sunk in, some bit their lips in frustration while others became deeply withdrawn; the hypocrisy of their planning had left them speechless and demoralized.

For a split second, Fugaku felt a smile threaten to manifest on his face. Yes, if he could buy enough time then maybe he really could avoid an all-out war.

"While that is true, we can replace what we lose."

The nephew and aunt duo felt their hearts skip a unified beat at Yashiro's voice. All eyes turned to the light-skinned clan member. His eyes had opened slightly revealing his coal-black eyes, reflections of the dark thoughts he was about to air to the rest of the assembly.

"Should we go through with the coup, regardless there will be bloodshed. That much is inevitable no matter how much we wish it weren't so." It could only be called cosmic that in the darkness of the chamber, lit only by a few candles, Yashiro looked more sinister than possible. The atmosphere seemed to have shifted to accommodate his words, as well as the future he was painting. "We are a clan of warriors, and warriors thrive in war, look at our Sharingan, it is proof of that. The current generation, though this is a time of peace a time will come when they have to send them to the battlefield. Fugaku, your boy as entered the academy and made friends, hasn't he?"

The father, the man, in him told to remain silent. But the clan leader, the politician screamed for him to respond. "Yes, including…new ones."

"In all likelihood, these friends will die or they may turn against him. This will be repeated throughout the village so even those that have yet to awaken their Sharingan may end up doing so."

"Yashiro," barked Nobuaki, looking extremely enraged at what his grandson was saying. "You're talking of sending children into the battlefield! Have some honor!"

"Honor?! Honor?! Is honor not the reason we're sitting here?! Risking our lives?" Fired back the man, now full incited. "We do this, we're going to turn the entire village into a battlefield, regardless of our 'best intentions'! All I'm suggesting is we use the situation to our advantage! We're Uchiha! We thrive in the fires of conflict! It's what we were born for!"

"That may be true, and what you're saying may have some merit. But even if Mangekyō Sharingan were to awaken, would they be dependable?" Questioned Junko. Rather or not she felt similar disgust at the idea was up for debate as her expression was neutral. "The usual waiting period for a Mangekyō Sharingan to awaken is two to six days, sometimes they never do."

"We'll get a handful, and with a war brewing they'll learn fast just as our ancestors did. The fighting will be brutal, but it'll be over quickly enough." Yashiro affirmed. "The village's mistake will be underestimating us, and like all enemies in ages past that will be their undoing."


"Dammit! Are they really going to bet on a plan like that?!" His fists slammed against the wooden railing again and again until his knuckles grew red and the wood looked on the verge of splintering.

Beside him, Rai looked upwards at the waxing crescent moon. Something told her by the time of the next full moon, when the night sky was full illuminated, their fates would be revealed. "Fugaku, we're Uchihas, if anything vanity and self-justification runs in our blood."

"But that? Yes, we're the strongest clan in the village, but have any of them stopped to consider the aftermath?!"

"We've been through this before, what comes latter will be dealt with, focus on the present." Responded the old kunoichi with a shrug.

Even though he wasn't directly angry at her, Fugaku couldn't keep the venom out of his voice. "Then why the hell aren't they the ones leading the clan? What do they need me for?"

"A fall guy, my dear nephew." Answered the grey-eyed woman with sympathy. Silently, she walked over to him and placed a pale and wrinkled hand to his cheek. "It's well known that you and Minato were good friends, and if anyone should have taken over as Hokage, it should have been you. Even Sarutobi believed you had it in you to wear the hat, but alas, destiny had different plans."

How many nights had he gone to sleep cursing the Nine Tails? For destroying his village? Slaying his wife's best friend and one of his most respected rivals? For putting his clan in a place, it hadn't been in since the founding of the hidden villages? Fugaku had lost count of them all. None of that mattered now anyway, too much had passed and been done for it to make any difference. "I'm trapped captaining a ship that's heading into a hurricane, any advice?"

"Hey, I'm a passenger on this ship too, the best I can give you is making sure there's some lifeboats handy." Rai chuckled, getting her nephew to laugh with her. "Fugaku, I think we both need to make peace that, the Kishinamis' arrival or not, the coup's going to happen. We've passed the point of no return."

"Then I should just give up on trying to ensure my youngest doesn't grow up in a warzone? I already made that mistake with Itachi, and look how he's turned out."

"Yes, well, we both bear some blame for that. I really should have bonked you on the head for taking my oldest great-nephew to the battlefield, but I didn't." Stated the older Uchiha with a despondent look on her face. When her time came, how would she answer for all the mistakes she'd made? How would Sasuke react to growing up with the same horrors she and Fugaku did in wartime? "I hear Sasuke's making friends with Naruto Uzumaki, it seems history repeats itself, huh?"

"It does, doesn't it? I'm sure Kushina would be proud." Laughed Fugaku, thinking of his wife's redheaded best friend. Without a doubt the boy had inherited his mother's spirit.

"The clan wants Sasuke to befriend Naruto, they believe the bond between them could prove useful."

And just like that, the mood shifted. The clan leader's face grew dark and sullen as his eyes gazed upward at the moon. His fist slowly began to tighten.

"Fugaku…do you believe your Mangekyō Sharingan is strong enough to control the Nine-Tailed Fox?" Rai asked solemnly.

When Fugaku exhaled, it was through his nose. His newly gained pupils resembled a three-pointed star with corresponding black dots flanking each star leg. "It'll have to be, Aunt Rai, for all of our sakes. It'll have to be enough."


Guan Yu, he'd have to remember the name.

His spear piercing Rōshi's exposed skin with ease, and when it did, he felt as if ice had been ejected into his blood. It quite literally had given the nature of his foe's weapon. Even glancing blows that came within inches of his body made the hairs on his skin flash-freeze so quickly he felt as if he'd been kissed by fire. Rōshi immediately knew his bare body wouldn't stand up to this giant warrior in a head-to-head fight such as the one they were engaged in, and the one he was losing.

Guan Yu's spear struck with the weight of a glacier, yet it moved with the swiftness of lightning. Several times Rōshi had made the mistake in thinking the spear could be parried, and that assumption had been rewarded with his body howling in pain and the Four Tails berated him to be more careful. For once, the monkey was right.

"Don't you know anything, defense alone does not win battles!" Shouted the long-bearded man, scraping his spear along the ground bringing with it, a rising wave of bluish-white ice that shot towards Rōshi like a shark lunging for blood.

In seconds the approaching wall had become a tidal wave. "Agreed, but neither does reckless offensives!" His right leg slid backward along with his fist. Tendrils of magma and flames coated the limp, turning it into a red-hot hammer, he slammed forth mere seconds before the ice wave made impact with his body. "Lava Style-Magnum Eruption!"

Cracks quickly spread through the ice wave, then steam exploded outwards in a gale-like blast. Bluish-white broke and melted under the furious black and red assault. Patches of frost-tinted grass and dirt immediately burned steading massive columns of smoke into the air to join the steam. In seconds the literal glacier wave was gone, but its creator was not.

Catching sight of his opponent moving out the corner of his eye, Rōshi spun to his left coating arm in a similar sheet of magma. In the span of a heartbeat, he saw the large and frost-tinted blade coming for him and raised his arm to counter. Behind a resolute frown, Rōshi gnashed his teeth in pain, his magma cooled almost instantly allowing the cold wave to stab its frozen claws directly into his skin. Naturally he poured more chakra into his left arm hoping to turn back the thermal tide, but it was already too late. The blur was too fast for his eyes to follow but his warrior, or perhaps monkey, instincts caused him to push his body backwards. It made the spear's pummel slamming into his gut somewhat easier to bear with. Quick as a flash, the weapon was withdraw and Rōshi caught an open palm heading for his face.

You old fool! Dodge it! Dodge it, now! Roared his inner beast.

A visible coating of lava raced upward from his stomach and reached his chest. Now the very air itself steamed and cackled at the superheated armor that covered his body.

Guan Yu's palm slammed into Rōshi's forehead with all the force of a boulder plummeting from a mountaintop. The old ninja sensed the energy build-up a split second before his skull erupted in white-hot pain and his vision was obscured by a layer of steam and ice particles. His legs nearly crumpled bringing him to the ground, but Guan Yu's guandao did the job for him. Two strikes broke through his lava armor and his chest turned crimson tinged with white and blue.

"Now that you've been cut by the fang of the dragon, do you still wish to continue?" Asked the giant of a warrior, looking down upon his opponent. The Iwa ninja's left hand was cradling the chest wound where his spear had left is mark. Flames furiously ate away at the ice that usually lingered and eventually consumed his opponents.

Rōshi was amused to find blood pooling at his feet. It'd been a while since anyone had hurt him, and managed to do so without even trying. Clearly this man who stood almost as tall as trees wasn't all talk.

You may not be happy for that, you old fool. Rumbled the four-tailed primate within him. You play around with this guy and you're going to get us killed.

This coming from a monkey, how comical. Shot back the human, gripping his chest tightly. "Dragon you say? Heh, be careful, even a dragon can fall prey to a monkey when it's underestimated!" A feral snarl masking his face, the wandering shinobi threw out his hand. The blood splatters and magma fragments quickly grew and sharpened, turning into fist-sized spinning lumps that raced toward Guan Yu with great speed.

The Chinese warrior's smile never faltered. His left hand moved with the speed of the wind, which itself was propelled outward toward the magma shurikens. Black, red, and orange became bluish-white and fell to the ground with audible thuds. Both warriors had a splint second to lock eyes, to acknowledge each other.

Rōshi caught three motions made with his enemy's weapon, and yet ten massive crescents composed of sub-zero energy sped his way. "Lava Style-Scorching Rocks Jutsu!" Each slash required the power of two to three magma boulders to be stopped; explosions of steam, rock, and pure air were the end result of the two projectile attacks clashing in the grassy field.

Before the Jinchūriki, a cloud of steam and fog sprung up, and through it a shadow appeared. Bluish-green light coiled the warrior's weapon, then it erupted outward just as he emerged from the smokescreen. Rōshi used his volcanic powers to propel his body skyward. His mouth turned into a frown but serious line, he watched the oncoming wave flash-freeze the ground he'd been standing on as it continued on its path. The temple he and the monks had been staying at bore the brunt of the attack. In a flash of blue and white, the hundreds-foot tall structure became ice-spotless and pure like a perfectly crafted sculpture.

Biting his lips, he glanced downward finding his opponent was gathering energy as evident by the swirling winds. His hands formed four hand signs before his right arm glowed crimson red while a membrane of searing hot magma formed around it. The edge formed into a sharpen razor he held up to an increasingly darkening sky. Guan Yu rose into the air after Rōshi, his guandao cackling with arctic energy in contrast to Rōshi's blazing arm-blade. Once more, the two veteran warriors locked eyes then spoke to each other through their respective weapons.

The thunderous explosion shook the skies for miles causing the hearts of the nearby villagers and wildlife to collective skip a few beats. Nearby eyes turned in the direction of the clash, many pointing and going open-mouthed at the ring of frost and embers that had suddenly manifested in the middle of the once clear-blue sky. A sudden and teeth-chattering cold wave swept over the land, and with it came the scent of blood.

The Stone ninja did his best to keep from screaming in pain least his inner beast and his opponent hold it over his head for the remainder of his life. That said, it still hurt like nothing that he'd ever felt before. Outright gnashing his teeth to keep the pain at bay, Rōshi stared at his half-frozen half-mutilated right arm; the blood had immediately frozen which somehow made the pain worse. He could already feel the Four Tails' attempts to heal the injury coming up short and the ice stabbing into his still uninjured flesh like a wave of microscopic needles. Eyes brimming with fury, he snapped to Guan Yu, who hovered barely a few feet above him. His ambivalent face told him to blame no one but himself. The frost-covered single-edged spear of his raised itself skyward once more, gathering wind and energy causing the engraved lines along the weapon to glow with ethereal light.

Ice met magma in yet another clash, and once again the latter lost. Rōshi's left arm throbbed with pain but he gladly preferred that to the stabbing agony that was eating away at his right arm. Guan Yu seemed slightly impressed he'd managed to beat back his second attack, but immediately began to prepare with a follow up. Roaring in primal fury, Rōshi struck out with his right arm, balling his hand into a fist mirroring the rapidly growing coat of fire and magma that grew over the ice.

BANG!

He couldn't tell if it had been the spear end or the pummel of the weapon, but either way, his attack had been blocked and he was wide open. Guan Yu did not let the moment go to waste. The spear end of the guandao faced in the opposite direction, and from it came a jet of frozen air that launched the golden pummel of the weapon directly into the Jinchūriki's stomach. "Well-met, but you forget old one, the heavens are the domain of the dragon. A monkey should stay where it belongs!" They were ascending higher and higher, and Guan Yu was in control. Rōshi spit out a mouth's full of blood and glared at his opponent. Murder flashed in his eyes. "It should remain either in the trees…or crawling along the ground!" Leaving his stomach, the spear made two complete revelations before once more coming down atop of Rōshi's injured arms. Something cracked, and it wasn't the magma coating. With his guard broken, the legendary warrior struck again, this time using his leg.

Rōshi's world turned into a darkly colored blur, then it became complete darkness. He crashed through the frozen rooftop of the temple, then he barreled through the floors into the basement. His entire body ached and his arms now bleed and groaned from a combination of the previous assault. For a second, the old ninja considered simply remaining in the crater he made and allowing the pain to briefly toss him about.

RŌSHI!

Or not.

Like a divine declaration, the arctic lightning bolt descended through the hole, hitting the crater with the force of a meteor. A brief hush followed, then the cold snap of winter came and completely consumed not just the temple, but everything within a ten-foot radius. Spires of ice with the size of hills erupted from the ground aiming to the grey sky while a blast of cold air blew across the surrounding field. Where fire had once scorched the earth black, ice had turned it spotless white save for one spot.

Down in the hole, which had become a frozen chamber, Guan Yu stroked his jet-black beard. "I must say, you are perhaps the most tenacious monkey I've ever met, Rōshi."

At first, silence answered him, but eventually he heard it - the growling, the feral sound that could only have belonged to a beast. Guan Yu's dark eyes watched in muted interest as the frozen ground beneath his spear slowly began to take on dim shine, then the glow turned reddish-orange.

From the sky had come ice, and from the ground came fire. Backed by an unseen force, fire and lava exploded out of the earth and reached toward the sky in a massive column of swirling flames. The frozen inwards of the temple cracked at first under the pressure, then they were incinerated by the all-consuming heat. Outside, the frozen ground cracked as well, then it too splintered allowing torrents of red-hot flames to reach for the sky and sear the earth black. There was no slow evaporation, only an instant wave of visible heat that annihilated every drop of moisture in the vicinity.

Breaking free of the flaming torrent was a green ball of muscle and armor. Planting both feet on the ground almost twenty feet from where the temple had once stood, Guan Yu stood up to his full six-foot-nine figure. His emerald-colored clothing and bronze-colored armor had been singed, showing red marks in several areas - second and a few third-degree burns. "I see, so are you some sort of demon spawned from the underworld? If so, this will most certainly be interesting." Proclaimed the ancient spearman with a weary smile.

Where once a serene temple surrounded by greenery had stood, now there was a bubbling hole in the earth from which lava spewed outward in all directions. The ground looked like a cracked piece of glass that was leaking red-tinged liquid fire. At the center of it stood what one could only call a demon - all red skin with four whipping tails and a pair of empty white eyes. Its jaw, itself a gaping white void, snarled at him releasing a huff of steam.

"Very few have pushed me this far in such a short timeframe, you may not be happy that you did." Boomed Rōshi's voice sounding only barely human.

"Oh, I welcome this new form. Become a man and I shall slay you, become a beast and I shall put you down as easily as a rabid dog." Stated the red-faced warrior.

At last, thunder boomed in the skies above the two fighters.

"Lava Style-Jaws of Hell!"

Animated by the unholy chakra Rōshi now wielded, the ground beneath the Servant depressed, then two slaps of volcanic earth rose up. Fitting the name, the slabs closed in on Guan Yu wiping him from sight for a split second.

SLISH!

At the sight of his stone prison being broken, the transformed Rōshi threw out his mouth, expelling dozens of magma spheres that zoomed towards Guan Yu like missiles. Keeping his face hard as stone, the legendary warrior sliced apart each one, flash-freezing them in the process. Roaring a challenge, Rōshi took off after him as grinning Guan Yu dashed at his approaching foe.

The magma-covered ground which had been cooled broke apart, leaving fissures snaking across the ground. Both fighters broke away from each other after the first clash then went at each other, then again, then again, and then again. Each clash further strained the ground beneath their feet. Simultaneously, they reared one foot back while preparing their next attack. Black and crimson magma gathered around the Jinchūriki's fist as icy energy coiled around Guan Yu's spear. Rōshi lunged forward throwing his right fist forward, then blinked in surprise when his foe literally disappeared from his sight.

"Now give me your head!" Shouted the Chinese warrior, reappearing behind his foe and swinging his guandao directly at his exposed neck.

THUNK!

To Rōshi's slight surprise, Guan Yu didn't yelp in shock or terror when he saw a literal second upper body stopping his attack. His eyes merely enlarged for a brief second before regaining their focus. The second head leered at the Shu warrior then began to gather fire in its mouth. Arctic energy raced upward from the weapon through the arm and into the rest of the second body. With it frozen, Guan Yu broke free as Rōshi turned about, slamming his enlarged claws into the ground sending up dirt and rock everywhere.

Through the rock shower, the Stone ninja eyed his target. "Lava Style-Volcanic Tornado!" Wielding speed that betrayed the supposed size and weight, the red-skinned beast began to spin until it was little more than a crimson-tinged twister. Flames and lava looped around him, completely obscuring his entire body. Not missing a beat, the volcanic twister launched itself towards Guan Yu, who took a firm stance in response to the up incoming attack.

The spear was held to the right side while Guan Yu's left leg was bent forward. Icy-blue winds whirled around him and condensed on his blade which hovered a few inches off the ground, the magma immediately cooled into pure sheets of ice that withstood even the approach firestorm.

Once he was within range Guan Yu slid forward, raising his guandao with him then bringing it in an overhead swing.

Behind Rōshi, the fissures in the ground flared up and exploded with fire. Behind Guan Yu, a jet of wintery air was expunged. The two pushed against each other in a battle of dominance that left both gnashing their teeth in genuine effort to overpower the other.

His raw power, he's almost as strong as Han! Thought Rōshi, beginning to feel his body growing slightly colder with every passing second.

This man who carries the strength of a beast, heh, so my first true opponent is like you, Lu Bu! Laughed Guan Yu, putting more of his strength into his beloved spear.

A split second before the end came, the Chinese warrior's spear flashed a deep green color like a star. Warned by his "partner", Rōshi pulled his body back at the last second, just in time to avoid the explosive blast of wintery energy that was emitted from his enemy's polearm. His rapid spinning came to a stop, spattering droplets of magma across the ground in contrast to the ice particles that fell to the ground where Guan Yu's spear stood.

A third time, the warriors met each other's gaze then charged at each other.

Guan Yu thrust his spear forward with the intent of running his target through. Rather than meet the attack head on Rōshi moved his body to the side, just enough that his left arm was able to catch the shaft of the weapon. Grinning wickedly, he lashed out with his free right arm intending to rip his long-haired adversary's head from his neck. Guan Yu scowled, using his free hand he clapped down on the Jinchūriki's approaching palm thus leaving both men in a deadlock.

What the Servant thought was a roar his instincts told him was something different. Energy began to build in the jaws of his enemy, whose face was mere inches from his own. Narrowing his eyes, he dropped his spear, tightened his fist, and rammed it directly into the bottom jaw of his foe. Rōshi's transformed body rose a few feet off the ground as his spear hit the ground. Guan Yu took one step forward then rammed his left fist directly into the gut of the man-turned-beast. Soldiering through the slight pain he did so again, and again until Rōshi's stomach became a sea of ripples caused by the Lancer's rapid-fire fisticuffs. There was a momentary pause during which the Hidden Stone ninja gasped for breath, the dark-haired man placed his fists parallel to each other, then rammed them into the Jinchūriki's stomach.

Pain escaped the four-tailed beast's jagged jaws as he soared ground, tearing a path through the dirt and eventual tree line where he disappeared.

"I told you, did I not!" Shouted the Lancer as the first droplets of rain began to fall. "A monkey belongs in the forest, swinging amongst tree leaves!"

"HOW ABOUT DANCING OVER YOUR CORPSE!"

Completely incinerating the trees surrounding it and liquifying the earth was the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, the tendrils of crimson energy twisting about around him in a wild maelstrom. Smirking, Guan Yu slid his feet apart and readied his spear in the direction of his foe.

Translucent blue and dark red orbs began to swirl and condense before into a singular deep violet-colored sphere before Rōshi's mouth. The air itself seemed to deaden with the weight of the ominous orb.

Whitish-blue and emerald green winds began to dance and swirl around Guan Yu. Another crack of thunder sounded overhead signaling the rain to fall in earnest. His face now wet and moist, the Servant smiled. Sub-zero energy clung to his spear and made the blade glow with almost divine light.

Having grown almost twice as big as his body, Rōshi finally fired the energy sphere. It pushed aside the flames and dirt itself in its charge towards the Servant.

Behind Guan Yu, the icy winds condensed into a shape - a dragon. Its golden eyes zeroed in on not just the sphere but its owner as well. "Qīnglóng Yanyuèdāo!"

The spear came forth, and with it came the dragon, declaring its supremacy with a roar that shook the earth for miles. As opposed to the energy ball, the ground it ran above froze completely, even the smallest of creatures miles beneath the earth becoming trapped in the cold front the ethereal beast brought with it.

Catching the orb in its jaws, a brief struggle ensued between the two powers, one that torn the very landscape around the two combatants asunder. Sections of the earth gave away and trees were outright blown free of their roots and thrown asunder, that is, after they were frozen solid then broken apart by the pressure of the storm.

For a minute the two attacks seemed about even.

A third power entered the clash. Rising above the chaos was a canine howl that washed over the two fighters diverting their attention from their power struggle. They saw it out of the corner of their eyes - a flame-like canine whose golden eyes briefly met theirs. With another shrill call, it soared towards the two attacks leaving a trail of golden flames in its wake.

Its first loop around the two attacks forming a thin circle, then its second and third solidified it. The energy sphere and icy dragon twisted and squirmed against each other as their powers were further pushed against each other while at the same time being defused. In seconds, the golden circle was complete and had turned the nova-like collision into a mass of brightly-colored light that eventually gave out with a thunderous pop that could have shattered eardrums. White and gold-colored particles were thrown across the decimated landscape.

Guan Yu's face hardened as it was peppered by the colored flacks. "You dare interfere in my battle, shaman?"

The brown-skinned figure that appeared before the Lancer's eyes did not flinch under his hard gaze, rather, he returned it with his own icy-blue eyes. His arms lay crossed in a defiant show as he opened his mouth to speak. "It is not the first time, nor will it be the last should I see reason to."

"Then this time I will take your head!" Spat the Lancer, taking up his namesake weapon.

"Guan Yu!"

"Geronimo!"

At the call of their respective Masters, both Servant stood down, albeit the Lancer did so begrudgingly. They stood ideally as their respective Masters appeared by their side. Following a red flash of light Kenelm took his place beside his Servant, his hands in his pockets. Across from him the dirt and remaining roots. Intertwining they formed the outline of a woman whose features besides wait-length hair was impossible to make out.

"Still playing the dutifully little nurse, aren't you, Maire? I see in this world your Druid blood is finally good for something." Stated the British national.

"And I see you're still an asshole. What, ya' can't ask for directions like a normal person?" Fired back the woman, whose voice contained faint hints of an Irish accent. "Is this how you're going to spend your time in this new world? Causing fights and landscape damage?"

"How typical of a woman, so concerned with the minuscule of matters." Snorted the tallest of the four. Geronimo's face visible tensed, looking as if he were ready to say something in return. The plant-woman placed a hand on his shoulder telling him not to. "As if you could even scratch me, if that monkey could do so little damage then what do you believe you'd accomplish, shaman? Where is he anyway? We have a battle to finish."

"Where do you think? Getting his wounds looked at by discount Nightingale here." Answered Kenelm with a look of disgust on his face. "That's why Maire's got a plant clone talking to us. Your little finisher must have done quite a number on him."

"But of course," The Chinese warrior answered proudly. "I sensed his qi was centered in the stomach, especially that demonic odor, thus that is what I aimed for."

"Hm, despite your arrogance it appears there's actually room in your skull for tactical thinking. Perhaps becoming a Heroic Spirit has done you some good, Guan Yu." Mused the Native American.

"Watch your tongue, shaman!"

Maire's plant avatar stepped ahead of her Servant. Though empty, her grey eyes conveyed all the seriousness of the original, even as she worked to save the barely-standing Jinchūriki. "We interrupted because the townspeople were getting worried, if you two kept fighting you could have killed innocent people. Does that bother you at all?"

"I'm a Carlyle, do you have to ask?" Kenelm replied with a drool stare.

"Hah! I simply would have moved the battle away, monkeys are after all easily distracted." Echoed his Servant.

In the background, a feral growl could be heard.

"You two have not changed." Geronimo proclaimed, shaking his head in disappointed. "You both remain possessed by the demon called obsession."

Kenelm snorted at the dark-skinned Servant's assessment and turned his back to him. "Guan Yu, we're leaving." Shooting once last venomous glare the pair's way, the Lancer dismissed his spear and joined his Master. The rain had now begun to fall in earnest, killing what few flames remained from the aftermath of the battle. Seconds after a boom of thunder sounded, Kenelm stopped in his muddy tracks and turned his head to glare at the plant clone. "Maire, if you meet Hakuno first, tell him nothing's changed. Tell him that one way or another, he and Tamamo are going to pay for what they did."

This time it was the female's turn to be disgusted. "Great use of your time. Hm, here's a thought, how about tracking down the ones actually responsible for turning the Moon Cell upside down? Like say, Scorn, Hime, or maybe Gucci?"

"THAT BASTARD IS RESPONSIBLE! HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING!" Roared the Carlyle heir. Crimson veins raced up his neck and connected with his eye, turning the blue orb into blood-red. "That brat stole everything from me! He stole my honor and he's going to pay for that!" Sweeping his arm out across the field, he added, "I don't care if I have to turn this entire planet into a wasteland like this! I will find him and his fox-bitch! Anyone who gets in my way will end up like that overgrown monkey you're stitching together! I vowed I would bring his head and his Servant's back with me, and God help me, I will succeed or die trying!"

Rain and thunder filled the void left by the magus' declaration, at least until Geronimo stepped forward. The Caster's eyes were filled with pity that made Kenelm's blood boil to no end.

"You hold such hatred for Hakuno and Tamamo, both of whom you see as unworthy, but they survived the crucible of the Holy Grail War and the ensuing Fox Tail War. Perhaps you're the one in the wrong, have you considered that?"

Kenelm's regarded the shaman and his Master with cold eyes. "It's no wonder you joined his pathetic resistance, Maire. You know that idiot was a bleeding heart in his first life, right? It's actually what got him killed. What amazes me is how he roped someone like Tamamo-no-Mae into falling him, then again, that fox bitch is known for being quite the charmer. Perhaps I'll kill her first, that way, Hakuno will know the pain of what he took from me. If you meet him, tell him that."

No more was said, or rather no more could be said. Silently, the vengeful young man and his Servant departed, leaving in their wake a battlefield scorched black by fire and frozen stark white by ice. Above them seemed to hang a dark cloud, one that went by many names, but disaster was perhaps the most fitting. Where it was heading Maire and Geronimo could only pray the journey would be long and winding. Long enough that their friends had time to prepare themselves.

Hakuno, Tamamo, Maire thought as she struggled to get the struggling man beneath her to remain still so she could treat his injuries. Wherever you two are, please for the love of God be doing something constructive.


Some conspiracy to commit treason and the first shinobi vs. Servant fight. Hopefully this chapter was an entertaining read that. As some of you can guess I'm going with the anime's interpretation of the coup where Fugaku was practically the only sane man while everyone else was (mostly) all for it. To fill in the gaps I used some fanon theory. The Sharingan is powered by hatred and despair and war is a fine breeder of both so I think it's not unreasonable some Uchiha would try to claim the conflict could work to their advantage.

Should a civil war had happened I believe there was a pretty good chance a few Uchiha would awaken their Mangekyo Sharingan, and if not that then those that hadn't awakened their normal Sharingan would probably do so witnessing the trauma and bloodshed. Just look at Obito and how fast his matured. An army of emotionally traumatized and enraged Uchiha Tsukuyomi-ing people into comas (or worse), Amaterasu wildfires, and potential rampaging Susanoo, it's quite understandable why everyone was panicking. Rather or not that justifies how far certain parties went I won't say nor will I imply anything.

If Itachi Shinden is anything to go back the above was the sort of thing Yashiro would set off then blame on Fugaku so that's what I went for. Being a Uchiha in the Naruto-verse is not very fun, regardless of whose side you're on.

Here's the first of what will be many Servant Stat sheets:

Servant: Lancer

True Name: Guan Yu

Epithets: "God of War", "God of Battle", and "Shu's Emerald Dragon"

Origin: Chinese History (Three Kingdoms Period)

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Alternate Classes: Rider and Berserker

Natural Enemy: Cao Cao and Zhang Liao

Parameters:

Strength: B++ (?)

Endurance: A+ (?)

Agility: B+ (?)

Mana: B++ (?)

Luck: D

NP: A

Class Skills

Magic Resistance (B) (?)

Personal Skills

Mana Burst (Ice) (A+)

Bravery (A)

Chinese Martial Arts (A) (?)

Military Tactics (A) (?)

Divinity (B) (?)

***** (B)

Noble Phantasm(s):

Qīnglóng Yanyuèdāo: Reign Over the Frosted Heavens and Crimson Earth

Rank: A+

Type: Anti-Unit, Anti-Army, Anti-Fortress

Range: 1~99

The legendary "Green Dragon Crescent Blade" said to be used by Guan Yu in life and his trademark weapon. It is a Divine Construct made from the spawn of the legendary Azure Dragon of the east. Wounds created by this blade instantly freeze over thus limiting and in some cases negating regenerative or healing abilities. By invoking the weapon's True Name (Chinese Name) Guan Yu can invoke the power of the legendary Azure Dragon to perform a variety of attacks from stabbing, blasting, to simply powering himself up. Due to the nature of the world he is fighting in, this Noble Phantasm's rank is boosted one rank. As it was made from the remains of a dragon this NP grants Guan Yu an increased ranking in Magic Resistance as well as an instant source of self-generating mana.

Pay close attention to the question marks regarding Guan Yu and his "blacked out" Skill, they're pretty plot important, I promise you all.