ItsukoAkatsuki: Hello everyone :D I'll just get right to it, here's Chapter 7, and reviews are helpful! I'm so sorry for the wait! :'( I feel so bad for making you all wait.

Character List (Naruto characters that are replacing FF characters)

Kakashi = Zack (After taking a lot of time to think about this I decided that Kakashi would be best, Kakashi is also the old gray wolf as well)

Jugo = Rude and Tsung (I forget to mention he is replacing Tsung (for now, Tsung will be in the sequel) as well, my mistake)

For the pairing, for the sequel, I added a poll to my profile so vote and the one to get the most votes will be it. Also, I added a poll on Quizilla so you can vote there too. My name there is ValtielXT831; it's on my profile as well.

/

Chapter 7: Broken Contact…

"Then, come on then…" Sephiroth challenged them, he wasn't in the mood to deal with Kakashi but he wasn't going to sit out now, Sephiroth drew his blade and calmly breathed.

Sasuke bent down then charged at Sephiroth, he wielded three hand signs and his Chidori formed. He jumped up and aimed at Sephiroth, leaving his body completely defenseless. "Is he serious?" Sephiroth reached out and grabbed him by the neck and began to crush his neck in his hand, Sasuke jolted and swung his Chidori at Sephiroth's shoulder, Sasuke smirked but Sephiroth wasn't moving or reacting to it at all. Sephiroth just increased his crush on his neck, "why aren't you?" Sasuke gagged when Sephiroth shoved his thumb into his windpipe. While Sephiroth's attention was on Sasuke Kakashi summoned his ninja dogs and they rushed at Sephiroth.

"What can mere mutts do to me?" Sephiroth wasn't impressed but then Kakashi's large bulldog emerged from beneath the ground behind Sephiroth and bit down on Sephiroth's shoulder. The bulldog's teeth were strong enough to pierce through Sephiroth's shoulder armor and blood began to soak through his jacket.

The bulldog bit as deep as he could manage into Sephiroth's shoulder but Sephiroth could barely feel it. The Jenova cells in his bloodstream were strong enough to lighten his pain, almost like a numbing agent. The other dogs swooped in biting his arms and legs. Pakkun bit down on Sephiroth's hilt so he couldn't remove his sword unless he removed Pakkun first. "Go, Kakashi!" Pakkun yelled between closed teeth.

"Huh, is this how you choose to fight?" Sephiroth didn't seem impressed. Kakashi jumped out from within the smoke, his lightening blade at the ready, and aimed straight for Sephiroth's heart. The dogs bit down harder so that Kakashi could connect with his jutsu.

"Child's play, how pitiful" Sephiroth's eyes pulsed and he had a sudden eruption coming from beneath his skin. The dogs were blown away, Pakkun held on the longest but he too was blown off the blade, and Kakashi landed on the ground and ignored the bluish glow around him and headed for his target.

"This—is over!" Kakashi roared and his hand reached for his chest.

"Pointless" Sephiroth was faster and his blade sunk into Kakashi's chest. Kakashi fell slowly to his knees and looked up at Sephiroth, Sephiroth couldn't see it but Kakashi was smirking under his mask.

"I should be the one saying that" the Kakashi at Sephiroth's feet disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Shadow Clone, that's weak Kakashi" Sasuke had forced himself up on his feet but he was wobbly, he rubbed his neck with his hand, his neck was beginning to bruise.

"Sasuke-kun, here let me—" Karin came from her hiding spot and pulled her sleeve up, revealing several bite marks on her skin.

"Get away from me!" Sasuke growled then turned back to Sephiroth, "I have no time for stupid games"

He looked at Karin for a second and told her "go to the control room and fire the gun. Even though we're under attack we can still continue with our plans."

"But you're…"

"I said go Karin!" Sasuke ordered and Karin began to cry but she sucked it up and ran off.

"You two, go with her" Sasuke pointed at Jugo and Suigetsu, they were hiding just like Karin had. "Yes, sir" neither of them argued with him and followed Karin to the control tower.

"I knew it was stupid to keep your seal, Sephiroth, but this time I'll defeat you and destroy that blasted seal. I'll just have to make another puppet, one that will obey me better" Sasuke reached into his shirt and pulled out a familiar blade. The blade was short and the hilt was purple, square.

"I will not fall victim to such a person as you" Sasuke's blade began to sparkle in a Chidori-like attack. When it was fully a lit he ran towards him with a loud roar. "I'm tired of this" Sephiroth lightly sighed and using the Materia in his arm he pushed Sasuke back into a nearby wall. The impact was light enough not to knock Sasuke out, he growled at Sephiroth.

Kakashi's clone was destroyed but he waited to attack. His headband was up, Sharingan activated, he was studying Sephiroth. He couldn't help but wonder why his attacks weren't working against him, why he was faster and stronger but wasn't using chakra to make it so, Sephiroth was unquestionably younger than him and the possibility of him being this strong was highly unlikely. He needed to watch him fight if he had any chance of finding any weak spots or anything that he could use.

I can't sense any chakra on him at all. It seems he's relying only on Jenova cells. This may be bad…

"What the hell are you doing, Kakashi? You tired already?" Sasuke yelled as he spotted the real Kakashi hiding behind the flames. Sephiroth took his attention off Sasuke and turned to Kakashi.

"Damn it, Sasuke" Kakashi said before he dodged Sephiroth and jumped back, Sephiroth followed.

"Stop running away you coward. I thought you wanted to fight me" Sasuke yelled and stopped, he quickly caught his breath but with the rising smoke it was getting more and more difficult to breathe.

"I would face you, if it was worth it" Sephiroth reappeared and kicked Sasuke squarely in the ribs, Sasuke went flying but he managed to turn in air and land on his feet.

"It's going to take more of that to kill me"

"Who said I wanted to kill you" Sephiroth disappeared in the smoke, Sasuke activated his Sharingan quickly. The stigma in his neck jolted and he looked down, clutching his neck. It didn't help that Sephiroth had bruised him and the stigma was growing which made it that much harder to breathe. Sasuke began to fill lightheaded but he dealt with it and looked around for Sephiroth.

"Maybe I want you to suffer the same way I did, maybe then you won't be so naïve" Sephiroth's voice sounded distorted but he didn't reappear.

"Where are you?" Sasuke yelled.

"Does it matter?" Sephiroth reached for his blade.

Kakashi's eyes were searching the fire and rubble for Sephiroth but with him having little to no chakra left it was surprising difficult. He had wasted his chakra on big jutsus that ended up doing nothing to Sephiroth.

"Did you think I was done with you?" Sephiroth said, he was behind Kakashi and he didn't wait for Kakashi to turn, he used a spinning kick as a distraction for his blade to enter Kakashi's leg.

"Whoa" Kakashi dodged the kick but couldn't dodge his sword but he jumped away fast enough so that the wound wasn't very deep.

"You shouldn't take my skills so lightly, I may overturn you before you can say 'oops'"

"So be it, I'm not interested in your attempts of defeating me, I have other things I need to accomplish" with that Sephiroth turned to Sakura who was still obediently standing in the spot Sephiroth had told her to stay.

"One cannot be in that stage for long, Jenova isn't a calamity that humans can control, that's why most, well, all die from her savage hold. If I do nothing Jenova will eat away her chakra until there is nothing remaining and I know you people die if you don't have chakra. I need someone to protect the seal, after all."

"As if I would let that happen" Kakashi put his hands together.

"I'm tired of your stupid jutsus"

"Well, get used to it, here comes more" Sephiroth suddenly looked up and saw the fluttering of a black cloak with red clouds slowly falling in between him and Kakashi. Kakashi recognized it immediately but he couldn't believe what he was seeing, that chakra network!

"What is it now?" Sephiroth was losing his patience, his Jenova cells were beginning to recoil. He couldn't hold this form much longer and if he grew too weak his spirit would return to the seal. Mother, Jenova, was calling for blood. Uchiha's blood…

The cloak collected together, no longer rags, and a figure appeared from beneath. The figure stood and straightened the cloak. Surprisingly his headband was still tied around his forehead but the slash through the symbol was still there but his loyalty was different now.

Itachi Uchiha, believed to be dead, by the hand of his younger brother, was indeed standing tall, as healthy as a young man of his age; his eyes were no longer blind but swift and keen as they had once been.

Kakashi relaxed a little, giving Itachi a quick look. "You look better…" Kakashi noted, Itachi didn't seem bent with pain like he had been before.

"It's rather odd; I never thought I could feel this good, at least, not again."

"You mind explaining how you're alive?" Itachi actually shrugged.

"Kabuto won't be walking for a long time, maybe never again" Kakashi smirked. "I forced him to bring me back…" Itachi turned his arm around and closed his hand, feeling nothing but youth, he was still getting used to it. "Unfortunately it wasn't enough to kill him, I lost track of him over the rock country. I wasn't going to waste all this…to search for some snake scum like him, besides, I wouldn't be surprised if he whittles his way back up again."

"Ah, another Uchiha…" Sephiroth had been quiet until now but he could easily feel Itachi's massive power and it made him almost…hungry.

"Your energy is very similar…but yet, it's completely different as well" Sephiroth studied Itachi eagerly. "You're strength is far better than his" Sephiroth gave a cold stare at Kakashi who seemed not at all bothered by him.

"I can only assume you're here to lend a hand?"

"You shouldn't assume things, it might not end well for you" Itachi turned to face Sephiroth. "The same goes to you"

Sasuke pulled himself over the rubble that revealed Sephiroth, Kakashi, and Itachi standing below. Sasuke glared at Sephiroth but taking a glance to the person standing in front of him he froze. The cloak was more than enough familiar and the long black hair that was tied up in a low ponytail wasn't something he would ever forget. Sasuke wiped his eyes, thinking there was something in his eyes making it seem like his brother was there but really not, but much to his dislike Itachi was still standing there.

This can't be…!

"…It's good to see you too…foolish little brother" Itachi grinned before turning his head to look at Sasuke.

Sasuke was speechless, he couldn't find a word to say, whether it was out of anger or disbelief. Itachi just shook his head and turned back to Sephiroth.

"So…should we get started?" Itachi asked.

"If you dare, then be my guest" Sephiroth held his sword up and gestured towards Itachi for him to come.

"Let's see if you're worth my time". Itachi's Sharingan activated and he strode forward.

/

"…" Shikamaru sighed tiredly. This place was big and the rising smoke made it hard to breathe but he had to go to the control room and stop Sasuke's weapon. Shikamaru braced himself against the doorframe and tried to catch his breathing.

"Damn, I've never been so tired. I'm only twenty-four, I shouldn't be this tired, shinobi or not. Such…a drag"

"Shikamaru!" Ino called from down the hall. She was short enough so that the smoke wasn't as bothersome. She laid her hand on his shoulder and noticed the difficultly he was having.

"Shikamaru, are you okay?" She asked, looking him over for any injuries, she checked his heart and forehead. Shikamaru, lightly, pushed her hand away. He gave her a reassuring smile, "don't worry about me. Just tired, is all…" Shikamaru answered this by sighing again.

"We need to go, we don't have much time"

Ino stopped him.

"You look a little pale…are you sure you're okay? Maybe I should…" Shikamaru shook his head.

"No, let's…" Shikamaru started running again and Ino watched him go before she had no choice but to follow.

/

"Hinata!"

Hinata slowly opened her eyes.

"Hinata!" Kiba yelled again. He was fanning her with his jacket so she could breathe easier.

Hinata opened her eyes again and blinked away the tears that were forming. "Kiba…?" she tried and her vision got clearer.

"Finally, I've been trying for almost an hour" Kiba sighed happily.

Hinata looked around and the warehouse was almost completely charred. She braced herself as she began to stand up, Kiba grabbed her arm and stopped her from moving.

"You shouldn't move Hinata; I don't know how injured you are so—"

"I'm okay Kiba, we need to…" she didn't finish her statement because she felt a strong jolt in her ribs and she began to cough. A few coughs had blood come up and on her hand. She was hurting all over but she needed…wait, what did she need to do? She couldn't remember what she had been doing last, her head hurt that much.

"Let's go back to the medical tents, come on Hinata" Kiba pulled Hinata up, Akamaru whined with concern.

Hinata was quiet and let Kiba help her walk and as they left the warehouse Hinata remembered what she was doing.

"Wait, Kiba!" Kiba shook his head, "Hinata, don't fight with me, I'm no medic and you can barely walk."

Hinata put some weight in her legs and Kiba groaned.

"What were we doing before this?"

"Why should I—"

"Kiba!"

"We were looking for Sakura and then…some guy came and knocked us both out. He wasn't around when I woke up so…"

"What about Sakura? There was something wrong with her"

Kiba shrugged, "she wasn't here either but we need to get out of here, neither of us is in good condition."

"Kiba…" Hinata paused. Her mind was going back to Tsunade earlier when she had asked her to find Sakura.

"No, Kiba, stop"

"What now!" Kiba was already agitated.

"I have to find her, Tsunade…"

"We have to go Hinata, we don't have a choice"

"Then go by yourself. I can't let her…or Naruto down, not now"

"What?"

"Let me go Kiba" Hinata jerked out of Kiba's grasp and she almost fell but Kiba caught her quickly. She let him hold her for a second before she broke away again.

"Byakugan!" her eyes began to search again, this time she was able to locate Sakura almost instantly but her chakra network was very disturbed and it became hard to sense her exact location but she knew where she was before it disappeared completely and much to her surprise she sensed both Sasuke and Kakashi close to where Sakura was standing. Studying the area around her Hinata sensed a different power, it was massive in strength, so much that she trembled; it was the person that had knocked her out before.

"Hinata?" Kiba shook Hinata's shoulder, he was worried and Hinata had gotten still and her face was getting paler by the minute.

Hinata suddenly sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"I found her, let's go…" Hinata quickened her pace but she was clearly hesitating.

I sense something horrid is about to happen…

/

"Damn it…why isn't anything working?" Kakashi landed on his feet, his patience growing thin. His chakra was limited due to the stigma and even then he was running out of chakra but no matter what jutsu or weapon that he used it didn't even do anything to Sephiroth. Even with Itachi and sometimes Sasuke, he mainly stood off to the side and watched them struggle, and they connect with a strong enough attack.

"It seems…" Itachi took a breath before continuing, he was getting tired as well, "that the Jenova cells in his bloodstream are making his body unable to be hurt by chakra. It doesn't make much sense but it doesn't seem to be in our favor." Itachi ran a hand through his hair. The fire was getting higher but dying away at the same time; it was running out of things to burn. The smoke was helping with diversions but their attacks were useless.

"So, this is all the great Kakashi and unstoppable Itachi Uchiha can manage?" Sasuke began to laugh at them; Itachi glared at his younger brother but said nothing.

"I could say the same about you, Uchiha" Sephiroth put away his sword and tightened his leather gloves on his hands. Sephiroth's eyes flickered for a second and he used his quick speed to cross the distance between him and Sasuke.

Sasuke pulled out his blade and went running, the tip of the sword aimed for Sephiroth's chest.

Surprisingly, Sephiroth allowed Sasuke's blade to plunge deep into his chest. Sephiroth didn't even tremble with the pain that came from the impact nor did he wipe away the blood that was staining his clothes, he just continued to reach for Sasuke.

"Why won't you…!"

"Time to say goodbye, Uchiha" Sephiroth's hand glowed green and blue, the Materia in his arm activating, "it was a blast" Sephiroth closed his eyes and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, the area around Sasuke exploded and caught Sasuke right in the chest. "Sasuke!" Itachi sped forward but Sephiroth had reappeared and kicked him away, Kakashi, finding this the perfect time to attack, drove forward and wielded three hand signs before shouting "Ninja Art! Lightening Blade!" Kakashi's speed picked up dramatically, Sephiroth could still seem him but it was a blur as he ran left and right out of view. "Just give up already" Sephiroth was tired of dealing with these two so he reached into his jacket and pulled out a smaller, curved, blade and clashed with Kakashi.

Kakashi's lightening blade closed over his wound, in hopes of dealing internal damage, and Sephiroth sunk the blade into Kakashi's chest, aiming for his splenic artery.

"Ahh…" Kakashi jolted, Sephiroth's blade had razors so even if it didn't connect with its target it did rip up everything it touched. Kakashi was still as his green vest began to soak with fresh blood, Sephiroth had hit his mark and Kakashi's hand dropped and he fell to his knees.

"You shouldn't have tried to fight me, I had no reason to hurt you but anyone who intends to get in my way will die. Now…die" Kakashi pulled out Sephiroth's blade and stood up to use it against him but Sephiroth just smacked it away and pulled out his sword to deal the final blow.

"Sephiroth!" a voice suddenly yelled.

Sephiroth stopped and slowly turned towards Sakura.

Sakura, who had been silent and obeying the entire time, had suddenly spoken. The Jenova cells in her body were starting to weaken, for whatever reason, but Sakura was starting to break Jenova's hold on her but her eyes were still showing Jenova control.

Sephiroth turned back to look at his arm, moving the sleeve, he could see his veins were growing darker.

"Mother is growing weaker, she needs the calamity now" Sephiroth ignored Kakashi and walked in the fire, disappearing, but before he was completely gone he said to Sakura, again, "protect the seal".

Sakura was able to move again but every movement was difficult. "Kakashi-sensei"

Kakashi had cupped his hand over his wound in hopes of stopping the blood flow, if even a little. He couldn't sense Sephiroth and he wasn't in the mode to find him, if he did nothing he would bleed out.

"Hold on Kakashi…" Itachi came to Kakashi's side and draped his arm over his shoulder. "I'm sure he'll come back, if not already."

"Itachi?" Sakura's voice was barely above a whisper. She felt nauseous and any moment she thought she would fall on her face.

"You there, you're a medical ninja aren't you? Help Kakashi while I check up on Sasuke"

Sakura couldn't move, her legs felt like jelly.

Kakashi got a knee up and trembled as he fought to stand up. "She can't…she's been taken over by Jenova. I think I can…bring her mind back out but…" Kakashi jolted with the pain from his wound, he was losing more and more blood.

"It's bad enough that I couldn't stop Sephiroth but I'm not going to abandoned my students either." Kakashi turned to Itachi "so go help Sasuke"

Itachi dropped Kakashi's arm and disappeared in his cloak, the cloak floated up and out of sight. Kakashi, then, walked slowly to Sakura.

"Sakura" Kakashi called, Sakura faced him but she didn't move.

"Kakashi, I can't move…"

"I know, this should help" Kakashi dropped his hands on Sakura's shoulders and he reactivated his Sharingan. He shuddered for a brief moment before he could focus his chakra on Sakura's mind. Kakashi's chakra was low, most of it was wasted on Sephiroth, and Kakashi was finding it rather difficult to get his mind to connect with Sakura's. He closed his eyes and rubbed his head, a headache forming.

Kakashi went silent.

Sakura twitched when a familiar sharp pain went through her chakra network.

"Kakashi-sensei, it's…" Sakura bit down on her lip to suppress a yell. The sharp pain was like a thousand needles stabbing her over and over again but she fought for control which was getting harder and harder as the seconds went by.

Come on, Sakura, this is your body…not Jenova's

"…Damn it" Sakura clinched her fists and tasted blood on her bottom lip. She was losing control…

A soft hand cupped Sakura's shoulder.

"Huh?" Sakura managed to turn her head to look into two familiar eyes.

"Sakura" the voice said with relief, worry was still tacked to his voice.

"…Naruto" Sakura breathed and then everything seemed to spin around her and the world began to get dark. The Jenova cells in her body went cold, relieving control, she couldn't keep herself from falling forward, and Naruto caught her before she hit the ground. Kakashi also sighed with relief and chuckling slightly he said "about time, huh?"

/

Sephiroth finished off the last of the Taka members that were guarding the medical section. The hallways were filled with lying, lingering; bodies and their blood stained the white walls. The last guard approached Sephiroth with a trembling fear but he had no choice but to charge forward blindly and he, too, became another victim. Sephiroth finished him off without using any strength at all; he shook his head, disappointed and somewhat disgusted. "Is this the best you can do?" Sephiroth asked out loud but he wasn't interested in an answer. He strode down the halls until he came to the door that revealed the lab where most of the Jenova cells were kept.

Sephiroth found an empty vile and stuck it into the machine that began to fill it with fresh Jenova cells.

"I am so sorry Mother. That your remains have been defiled for such a thing as this" Sephiroth's jaw was clinched. Once the vile was full he removed it and took the top off revealing a sharp needle point. He pulled his arm out of his jacket and got ready to inject himself in one of his veins.

He suddenly felt a sting of pain in his blood.

"Mother?" The Jenova cells were reacting strangely, for a moment, just a brief moment, he felt weak. It was harder to breathe and his muscles were sore. Jenova needed the calamity and with the calamity she would have all her cells back, not just sterile cells that seemed lacking in power.

"Uchiha's medical staff has dampened your power so it can be controlled. Such mockery, but no need to worry Mother, all will be restored and the fate of this world will be no longer existent and after that…a new world will rise and with that there will be nothing but peace, if needed by force, it shall be done. If you asked for it, Mother, it shall be done.

With that Sephiroth forced the needle into his vein and Jenova's cells became reactive again. With his power back he headed for the control tower…

/

Shikamaru found no one in the control tower and this wasn't something he overlooked. Turning to Ino he asked, "Hey Ino, can you sense anything? There can't be anyone not minding the controls"

"I'm already on it Shikamaru" Ino closed her eyes and used her ability to sense chakra levels to search the room.

"There isn't anyone in here" a voice said from the down the hall. Shikamaru stiffened and pulled out his knife and faced the hallway but as soon as he saw who it was he relaxed instantly.

"Neji" Ino acknowledged, she lightly smiled at the Hyuuga.

"There was a chakra level in here earlier but it suddenly went away…" Neji explained.

"Wait, how can it suddenly go away?" Shikamaru's eyebrows creased and one rose in question.

"I was too far away to get a good reading. This place is a mess, the fire is distracting me.

Shikamaru turned on Neji "The Byakugan can see through fire so how is it distracting you?"

Neji studied Shikamaru's face and answered calmly "my eyes aren't as good as they used to be. Although it's not as degrading as the Sharingan it can still ware off."

"Really, is that so?" Shikamaru patted Ino's arm so that she would step behind him.

"Cut me some slack Shikamaru, I'm not as young as I used to be. You should know that better than anyone" Neji stepped away from Shikamaru and entered the room, taking a look at the controls.

"Maybe but let me ask you one thing?"

Neji turned slowly.

"Shikamaru, what are you doing? Now is not the time for this"

Shikamaru ignored Ino and stepped right up to Neji. "Do you remember back during the war? Before the battles begun we tried to get you to go to the medical tent and you gave us such a hard time about it…"

"Yeah. What's your point?"

"My point is…the real Neji never degrades himself. He makes others feel bad, despite everything, and he never gets distracted…at least not by some fire, an academy student wouldn't get distracted by that. Not a good one anyway"

Shikamaru laid his hand on his knife hilt. Ino opened her shuriken holder and collected two but left her hand there.

Neji smiled and shook his head, "at least I've gotten better…"

Neji suddenly exploded into a puddle of water and the water rose into a figure with bright white and blue tipped hair and a shark-like grin.

"Suigetsu…I'm not surprised to see you lurking around." Shikamaru said menacingly.

"Lurking? Oh, yeah, because I'm a shark kinda guy. That's funny…" Suigetsu wiped his nose and giggled.

Shikamaru pulled out his knife and held it in front of him, Suigetsu raised his hands.

"Whoa, there's no need for violence"

"Says the man who pretended to be our friend. You could've slit our necks when our backs were turned"

"What makes you think that, lovely?" Suigetsu stepped back, close to the consoles.

Shikamaru noticed this and got ready to jump. "Don't you dare-!"

"Too late" Suigetsu dropped his hand on the control fire button and the gun began to raise and turn on. The other consoles became lit and began to activate. Jugo came out from behind the door.

Shikamaru pressed Suigetsu's face into the window.

"Didn't I tell ya? There's no need for violence"

"You cowardly shit—"

"Now that's out-of-line" Shikamaru kicked Suigetsu in the guts.

"Enough of this" Jugo announced.

Jugo had Ino with her hands held behind her back.

Shikamaru groaned, his blood pressure rising, "really, Ino?"

"Sorry Shikamaru. But I'm no good in a straight up fight"

"Yeah, I can see that"

"You gonna say it?" Suigetsu grinned.

Shikamaru sighed, "This is…such a drag"

The gun made a loud snapping noise and the barrel began to spin, unwinding all the clinks.

"Nice job, Jugo." Suigetsu gave him a thumbs-up

"Hey, I'm not done with you yet" suddenly, there was a loud laugh from down the hall.

"Well, what do we have here…?"

"Freezy-beezy, looks like we've got ourselves a dance-off, fools!" Killer Bee laughed loudly. Tsunade just shook her head.

"Lady Tsunade!" Ino said excitedly.

"Uh, Suigetsu?"

"Don't ask me, I'm stuck here"

"And so are you" Tsunade yelled and she punched Jugo right in the face.

"Ah…" Suigetsu flinched and closed his eyes.

"That's a killer"

"Ain't no killer but the Killer Bee, fool" Killer Bee cracked his knuckles and strode to Shikamaru and Suigetsu.

"Lay low boy, the real man gots this now"

"The 'real man'?" Shikamaru backed away and Suigetsu trembled.

"Whoa man, no need for violence" Suigetsu said again, he was sweating…or leaking.

"Ain't no violence here, fool, I just wanna dance." Killer Bee grabbed Suigetsu's collar.

Killer Bee grinned big, "tell me how the stars are!"

"What?" Killer Bee slugged Suigetsu and Suigetsu sunk to the floor.

"Oh, now I see what you mean…" Suigetsu said, delusional. He laughed manically and became quiet.

Shikamaru focused on the controls but it was hard to figure it out alone.

"Look around for any kind of guide or manual or something that can tell us how to work this" Shikamaru explained and everyone looked around.

"It's just a gun, gotta be some kind of off switch, right motherfucka'?"

"What?" Shikamaru froze.

"What, what?" Killer Bee asked and Shikamaru could only shrug. "Never mind"

The barrel stopped turning and it aimed up again.

"Alright, screw this then, change the coordinates. Make it to where it goes into the desert or something." Shikamaru looked around the consoles but he wasn't trained for this kind of thing.

"Wait…I'm sensing…" Ino suddenly spoke up.

"Ino?"

"You're sensing the end" a dark voice suddenly said and everything in the room became quiet.

A long sword suddenly appeared, thrown into the room, and nailed Shikamaru right in the shoulder.

"Gah!" Shikamaru cupped his shoulder, the blade was in deep.

"Who that?" Killer Bee activated his gun and stepped in front of the door, looking down the dark hallway, but he saw nothing.

"Shikamaru!" Ino came up to Shikamaru and formed her hands together in a sign and then her hands glowed green.

"Careful" Tsunade said, keeping an eye on Killer Bee.

"You need to remove the blade, be glad it wasn't closer to your heart" Ino nodded and grasped the sword and lightly tugged but it barely budged.

"Do it, Ino, just pull it out" Shikamaru gripped his shoulder and closed his eyes, bracing for the pain.

"Okay, ready…" Ino, using all her strength, wretched the blade out.

"Ahh…" Blood began seeping through Shikamaru's vest.

"I can only give you emergency first-aid Shikamaru"

"I know"

"I said 'Who That?'" Killer Bee yelled out again.

"…Just us dead people…or whatever one would say" Sephiroth reappeared in front of Killer Bee and kicked up hard enough to smash through the window.

"Killer Bee" Ino had her back to Sephiroth. Shikamaru opened his eyes and saw Sephiroth unveil his sword hilt.

"Ino!" Shikamaru grabbed Ino and threw her to the side, he then grabbed the blade in between his hands, and Sephiroth pushed himself and Shikamaru outside onto the barrel of the gun.

"Oh, hell no fool! Ain't goin' school the Killer Bee with that kind of move" Killer Bee took Shikamaru's vest collar and wretched him back and sent his fist flying for Sephiroth.

"Don't waste my time" Sephiroth grabbed his fist and using Jenova's strength Sephiroth crushed his wrist until his fist opened but Killer Bee fought back.

"…Strange, you have a lot of strength for some shinobi"

"Don't be messin' with my role fool, besides, you the real fool cuz you forgettin'…I still got a left hand fool!"

Killer Bee stepped close to Sephiroth and punched him as hard as he could in the guts then he tried to push Sephiroth off the edge of the barrel.

"Don't know who you are, fool, but when you hurt Killer Bee's buddies I got no choice but to spin you a loaf"

A what? Sephiroth merely rolled his eyes and answered back with his own strength which, with the combined power of Jenova, was much stronger than Killer Bee's but Killer Bee wasn't a pushover and he was starting to push Sephiroth to his limit. The Jenova cells in his bloodstream were starting to become dead and useless.

Killer Bee managed to get Sephiroth to move back but soon Sephiroth was pushing back.

"Let's see what a bee looks like when it's smashed on the ground" Sephiroth smirked and pushed Killer Bee back, one foot was hanging off the edge.

"I don't think so!" Shikamaru yelled. "Ninja Art: Shadow Stitching" Shikamaru closed his hands together and his shadow bolted, it came off the ground and floated in the air, the edges were as sharp as steel and they ripped through Sephiroth's skin, holding him in place.

"Who's the fool now?"

Sephiroth growled at Killer Bee as he stepped away and caught his balance. Sephiroth turned his attention to Shikamaru.

"You have a strong grip and your reaction time is top notch, surprising…"

"I've heard you talk and frankly I don't like it. But more importantly-"

Shikamaru looked back at Ino who was watching from the control room.

"—Anyone who messes with my friends, especially ones that are very precious to me, aren't going to get away with it" Shikamaru growled and changed his hand sign.

"Ninja Art: Shadow Strangle" The shadows began to wrap around Sephiroth's body and one shadow formed into a hand and began to reach for Sephiroth's neck.

"…a power to chock someone with your own shadow, as strange as it is exotic but nonetheless. I have something that needs to be done and I can't have you wasting my time"

"Whoever you are, you're not getting away"

"Why must you all be so annoying?" Sephiroth, using his power, managed to get the shadow to recede somewhat but Shikamaru was fighting back and the shadow began to creep back up.

"Shikamaru!" Ino walked out onto the barrel of the gun and wobbly started to make her way to him.

"Ino, stay back!" Shikamaru yelled and that tiny second of Ino's distraction allowed Sephiroth to fight off the shadow to the point that Shikamaru could barely hold his jutsu.

"No, you're not going anywhere!" Shikamaru pushed his shadow closer to Sephiroth's neck but he could barely hold onto his jutsu.

"I'll finish this…! Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Jutsu!" Ino cupped her hands together with an opening in the middle of them and she shot her mind at Sephiroth.

"Ino, no!"

Sephiroth turned but he stood still and his pupils enlarged, he sighed calmly and dropped his sword. Ino, back in the control room, fell to her knees and became still. Sephiroth's head fell and became very still.

"Ino?" Shikamaru released his jutsu and moved away from the edge. Sephiroth's shoulder moved a little and then raised his head.

"Shikamaru?" Sephiroth whispered weakly.

"Ino! What's wrong?"

Sephiroth's body jolted and began to tremble, he grinded his teeth together as his anger rose.

"Shikamaru I—"

"—You honestly thought you could control me with such a weak spell?" Sephiroth shouted and he forced Ino's spirit out of his body, with ease. He regained control and jumped; sword picked up and pointed at Ino's unconscious body.

No! Shikamaru could barely move but he still dived forward.

Time seemed to freeze…

Ino's head picked up a little before falling again. Her spirit had come back to her body; she hesitated for a moment before something warm dripped to the floor in front of her. She noticed it and slowly looked up before she became still.

Shikamaru was on his knees in front of Ino…with Sephiroth's blade through his chest.

"…Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru raised his head and he coughed up blood before smiling at her and saying "I told you not to do it…ha" he gave a very weak chuckle.

"Tch, you are getting on my nerves…"

"W—why you!" Ino got up and pulled out a kunai, she spun it on her finger before jumping at Sephiroth.

"Out of the way" Sephiroth merely punched her to the wall; she hit the wall hard and fell to the floor, knocked out.

Shikamaru pulled himself off of Sephiroth's blade.

"I came here to bring down the calamity, not play games with children…"

"You need to get your eyes checked because none of us here are children, at least, not anymore…"

Sephiroth stepped back and noticed Killer Bee had his hands together in a sign.

"It seems I'm going to have to get serious."

Shikamaru stood up and nodded at Killer Bee.

"I think it's time to make the fool dance, don't you?"

"A little tag-team isn't a bad idea" Shikamaru grinned and from one of his vest pockets he pulled out a black scroll.

"Your jutsus are useless"

"No one said this was a jutsu" Shikamaru undid the tape that was holding it closed and let it fly open. He retracted blood from his wound and used his thumb to write unfamiliar symbols on the text. He closed the scroll and began to wield signs.

"You think I'm going to let you…" Killer Bee flew forward. Sephiroth turned around and caught Killer Bee's right hand, not letting Killer Bee punch him again he drew his sword and cut Killer Bee's arm off, at the elbow.

"Gah, now you've done it!" Killer Bee jumped back to get some distance.

"Ninja Art!"

"But it's over for you now fool" Sephiroth turned back to Shikamaru.

"Nara Style! Shadow Nightly Takeover!"

There was a sudden flash over the sky and it turned pitch black.

"Whoa fool!" Killer Bee wobbled.

"The ultimate form of the Nara's clan shadow styles…The Nightly Takeover, prepare yourself cuz' there's no way you can avoid this" Shikamaru dipped down and smirked.

"It's time for this to end…"

"I believe so" Sephiroth's Materia reactivated as he jumped back onto the barrel of the gun, Shikamaru followed.

"Listen, Killer Bee, if I don't make it out of this, make sure Ino gets somewhere safe"

"What are you doing fool?"

Shikamaru looked back at Killer Bee with a face of confidence.

"…I'm going to protect my comrades"

Shikamaru turned away, his eyes no longer soft and kind but angry and serious.

"I'll show him what happens when you mess with a Nara"

"Just come at me already" Sephiroth complained.

"You really shouldn't be concerned with me; actually, I would be more worried about the sky"

Sephiroth instantly looked up and blobs of the sky began to drop and they took form of giant shadow hands.

"Ninja Art: Nara Style: Shadow Nightly Takeover!"

Sephiroth dodged one of the hands as it crashed into the barrel, his sword fell down to the ground far below.

"You shouldn't bite off more than you can chew." Shikamaru stepped closer.

"Nor should you" Sephiroth flew forward and Shikamaru answered with taking out a small blade and meeting him head-on.

"You will not survive this…" Sephiroth growled.

"I don't intend too"

With that Shikamaru and Sephiroth jumped back and they both got ready for the storm that was coming, steadfast.

TBC…