Demons Dawn

Chapter Twenty-One: Requiem

Sasuke's blood pounded in his ears as he looked toward the giant fox. A burst of sunlight put its fur on fire.

"What is Naruto doing on top of it?" Tsubasa said, awe in her voice.

Sasuke immediately recognized it for what it was, "it's the demon fox that nearly destroyed Konaha twelve years ago. The Fourth Hokage saved us from it and died in the process."

Tsubasa looked at Sasuke quizzically, "are you sure about that?"

"No time for a lesson," Sasuke said testily, "let's go." Tsubasa nodded, not once taking her eyes of Naruto as she sped toward him. Funny thing was there were others going there too, adults by the look of them. Sasuke doesn't need to know that right now. But more importantly, if the Hokage died because of that thing, what chance do we have? And just is what Naruto doing on top of it? Tsubasa thought to herself as she fell behind Sasuke.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Itachi looked toward Kyuubi, this would be the first time since that day that he had seen it. Its body looked almost grotesquely human, as it stood on its haunches, its tail lay folded quietly. For now anyway.

And he didn't mean to be in its way if it decided to attack. Then something caught his eye, it was Sasuke, with a girl following behind him. And the A.N.B.U. was not far behind and steadily catching up to them. More steadily coming as the fox was spotted.

He struck out with the bloody katana in his hand and there was a sickening sound as it struck flesh. The A.N.B.U. fell at his side. He shifted his eyes and there were more, ten of them. He almost felt flattered.

Yet he could see that he was no longer a priority to them, as they caught sight of Kyuubi.

He disappeared before their eyes before they decided that he would be the easier of the two targets. Not that it would matter to him, but he had better things to do.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Kyuubi looked about himself, they had rebuilt. He looked down at the white haired man, so very puny and so very easily breakable. Kyuubi snapped his teeth at him but did not bite, the man dodged with a speed that he knew most humans did not posses. Kyuubi however was more interested in the rest of the village, and not this one human.

The boy's conscious rose on top his.

What are you going to do? It was a question filled with curiosity, not reproach.

What do you think? Kyuubi thought sarcastically back.

Just remember what you promised.

As if I could forget, with all the bartering you made me go through.

The boy was unconcerned. You keep your promise or I'll seal you right back in! Got that?

As if you'd let me forget. Kyuubi growled.

Got that right. Kyuubi was irritated to hear the smile in the words. And without prompt he gathered himself and leapt. So many years behind a prison, he never thought that it would feel so good to feel the wind and look with his own eyes at the world.

Suddenly the boy's thoughts intruded in his own again. Kyuubi, stop. Kyuubi landed in a large clear water pond, the water spilling forth in waves.

What now? Kyuubi thought, curious. The boy didn't deem it necessary to answer him as he hopped down from his head and onto a bit of dried earth.

I don't care what you have to do, kill if you have to, but don't let anyone interrupt. If you do this for me I'll let you out another time. The deal was too tempting. Kyuubi fanned out his tail in response.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Naruto raised an arm in greeting.

He smiled, "hey Sasuke, Tsubasa. You sure recovered quickly Sasuke."

"Shut up!" Sasuke screamed at him. Tsubasa gave them a confused look. "You lied to me!" Tsubasa was not concerning herself with Naruto, but with the giant Kyuubi that reeked of malevolence. Surprisingly it seemed to be waiting for Naruto, like some sort of a demented persons idea of a pet.

"Sasuke, I really don't think we should be here," Tsubasa began, her guts told her that Naruto was part of something. Not quite her friend anymore.

"You shut up too, Tsubasa!" Sasuke said, shooting a venomous look her way. Tsubasa tightened her lips in anger.

"Oh, come on Sasuke, don't be rude," Naruto protested weakly.

"Fight me!" Sasuke shouted. It was only when the Kyuubi growled low in its throat that Sasuke seemed to see it for the first time. His face palled as the Kyuubi stretched his neck out and sniffed Sasuke. The Kyuubi flared his nostrils.

"Back away Kyuubi!" Naruto said and swept his arm in a sign of indifferent dismissal. The Kyuubi gave a final growl before returning to his guardian state.

"Naruto, what in the world is going on?" Tsubasa asked.

Sasuke gave Naruto no time to answer as he lunged at him and grabbed him by the collar. Naruto let, him.

"Why did you do that?" he said a whisper so raspy and harsh that it was hard to understand.

"I had no choice. You would have seen Tenchi-san, I couldn't let you do that," Naruto said truthfully, "I don't know what you would have done. We were once attacked by Konoha. But now it doesn't matter, the village will not let me live now since I have released the Kyuubi. But don't think for a second I'm going to let them kill me."

"That doesn't mean I won't," Sasuke said, his grip tightening even more.

Naruto laughed without humor, "you can try Sasuke." Then he burst in smoke.

"Damn!" Sasuke cursed, his hands tightened into fists, "a clone."

A hard blow to his back sent him hurtling forward, Sasuke clawed at the dirt and managed to stop himself. He turned around with the momentum and caught sight of Naruto holding a kunai and grinning at him before he disappeared again.

"You won't get away from me Naruto!" Sasuke took out two kunai and held them in such a way that he could easily lash out and do serious damage. "Come on Naruto. Fight me face to face!"

"What kind of shinobi would I be if I responded to that taunt," Naruto sneered, "but for you Sasuke, I'll do it."

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Itachi stopped on a roof, at the same moment that Kyuubi let himself drop into a pond. What's this? Itachi thought as he continued on his way once again. Occasionally striking out with his katana. Kyuubi is just sitting there. What could have possibly happened now? This time irritated as he cast an eye at a rising sun.

He was tired of waiting for Naruto, he meant to leave now.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

They're kunai's clashed, sparks flew. Sasuke couldn't help but grin at Naruto's strength, they were both trembling with the effort of trying to push the other away. Then at the same moment they pushed off the other.

Naruto threw his kunai at Sasuke, it only managed to graze his cheek as he dodged. Where is he? Naruto had simply disappeared.

Sasuke felt the cold tip of metal pierce his shoulder blade painfully.

"Sasuke, just go," he heard Naruto's voice.

Sasuke turned to face him, "no."

Naruto grimaced. Why did Sasuke have to be so stubborn?

"All right. Both of you better stop it now," Tsubasa said quietly and dangerously. They both turned to look at her. Her hands were caught in a hand sign. "I let the jutsu go, and you both die." She wasn't kidding either.

Above them was thousands of ice needles, spread out far and wide, below them the water was half gone

"The only thing holding them up is my chakra. I can also move them by will," she said out of breath, "hitting your vital points will be not problem, no matter what kind of speed you have."

Sasuke lowered his hands and Naruto relaxed his stance. Tsubasa dropped on her knees but did not lower the jutsu.

She didn't speak as she struggled to keep the jutsu up. This was the last jutsu she had ever been taught by her mother, she had also warned Tsubasa not to use it for long. The strain of turning water into ice was bad enough, but having to actually shape and hold it could kill her if she used it for too long. Tsubasa knew she didn't have enough chakra for it, her mother had been jounin and even then only used it rarely.

"Will you stop?" Tsubasa managed to say before grinding her teeth together under the strain. Before either of Sasuke or Naruto could answer her hands fell away as one of Kyuubi's teeth pierced her. The ice needles fell harmlessly on Kyuubi as he covered Naruto, and quite by accident Sasuke.

"Stop! Get away from her!" Naruto shouted at Kyuubi, he pushed away the demons head before it bit down. "Tsubasa!" She landed with a thud as her body was released from Kyuubi's mouth. He held her close and ignored the blood that spilled from her mouth as it stained his clothes.

"Na¾" she stopped as she coughed up more blood. Instead she took out a piece of paper from her jacket, it was soaked with blood, and shoved it to Naruto and smiled. "It's o.k." Naruto took her hand and without warning her body went limp.

Naruto hugged her tighter but already the warmth that made her so human was already draining away. As if laying a newborn to sleep Naruto laid Tsubasa gently on the ground, still clinging to the bloody piece of paper. His eyes had gone dead.

"Why?" was Naruto's one word as he kneeled by her body.

She threatened you. I will not die today. Naruto didn't speak, his mind was one giant blank. He turned to Sasuke and lifted up his kunai once more. Sasuke couldn't help but shiver, he recognized the look. It was one that would gladly kill and die. A true shinobi stood before him.

"Naruto, let's go," a familiar voice said. His whole body froze as he recognized the stranger that stood by Naruto.

"We're ready Tenchi-san," Naruto said in an emotionless voice and stood.

I'll make it up to you Kyuubi, but for now I need for you come back. Naruto was weary, tired now suddenly.

You say it as if I have a choice. Kyuubi became the old familiar chakra and for a moment Naruto seemed to be ablaze.

"You," Sasuke again. To Naruto's surprise he wasn't talking to him, but to his Tenchi-san. Itachi looked toward his brother. "Itachi."

Naruto understood everything then. He wasn't sure how the similarities between the brothers could have escaped him. Then again we don't see what we don't want to. Even through the numbness he felt the bite of jealousy that Sasuke was Tenchi-san's brother.

Itachi turned his back on Sasuke as he lost interest.

"Don't turn your back on me!"

Itachi stopped but did not face Sasuke.

"Why? Itachi!?"

Itachi paused, "what do you want me to tell you? That there was a reason that I killed them? That I didn't do it for myself? Is that it?"

"I'll kill you Itachi. I swear I will!" Sasuke said.

"That is not my concern," Itachi said.

"Look at me! Damn you! Look at me and tell me why!" Sasuke shouted, angry tears blurring his vision. Still Itachi did not turn around. "You left me alone! You left me alone in that house, full of ghosts and old useless memories! How dare you! You had no right to take them away from me! You had no right to leave me alone! You owe me Itachi, tell me why!"

At this Itachi turned his head, his eyes met Sasuke's, "I owe you nothing."

Sasuke clenched his teeth together, "why didn't you kill me with the rest of them? That was the least you could have done for me!"

Suddenly Itachi was angry, "go then! Go and follow those fools to their graves! Do away with your own life if you want, but don't expect for me to end your misery."

Itachi was once again his calm self, "I've had enough of this." With that he knocked Sasuke out, yet as Sasuke fell to the ground he clung to consciousness even as darkness ate away at his vision. "When you are stronger Sasuke, only then." Those were the last words he heard from his brother.

"You didn't kill him," Naruto spoke, it was statement, no reproach, nothing.

"No I didn't," was all Itachi would say. "We've stayed long enough."

Naruto cast one final look at Sasuke and even if it broke his heart he went to Tsubasa. He closed her eyes and cleaned her face. It was odd, the smile had stuck to her lips. Itachi said nothing as he watched Naruto. Naruto brushed her cold cheek gently and looked toward whom he now knew to be Itachi, brother of Sasuke.

"Lets leave Konoha Tenchi-san." Itachi's lips twitched as he heard that, even now he still remained an angel to the boy.

End Chapter Twenty-One

End Demons Dawn

A/N : That's it. I feel so bad it took me so long to finish this chapter up. So sorry. But having no internet can do that to a person. I needed to finish it, plus I kinda want to rewrite it since I wrote the first chapters in a random way. But mostly when looking at it half the story seems part of one story and the other half part of another, not to mention that my writing style changed as well.

Thank you so much to those of you who read and also those who both read and reviewed! I really appreciated it!

A small epilogue will follow but essentially the story is over.

By the way, a requiem is sort of like a funeral song… both for Tsubasa and the ending of the story.