Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the ending for that matter.

Kiba pointed ahead. "They can't be too far now."

Kakashi nodded. "Right then. Let's move!"

Back with our protagonists.

Jose just couldn't believe his eyes. Miyu's chest had been ripped off, but there was no blood or organs or bones. Instead, a crystalline stone, the size of a marble, floated peacefully in Miyu's hollow body. Aku's repulsive voice filled the silence. "Amazing isn't it." Aku waved at the stone with a scaly arm. "All of Miyu's thoughts, emotions, memories and even her soul have been compressed into this. Her body is completely empty except the transmitter I implanted on her head." When Jose didn't make a remark, Aku continued, "Do you understand what this means? Miyu isn't human, but a puppet!"

That couldn't be true. "No..."

"Yes. She's a tool specifically made for spying. Everything she is experiencing, even now, is being sent to me." With his free hand, Aku slipped his hood back. Everything from his nose down was green and scaly. His mouth was wide and lined with jagged fangs. Two slits marked Aku's nose and large staples held Aku's human skin and green hide together. Aku's left eye was that of a reptile and his right eye was had a triangle imprinted on it. The top of Aku's head had a metal lid on it. "After numerous experiments, I have developed the perfect body. Knowing this, I give you a choice. Join me."

Miyu seemed to snap out of her trance and spoke up, "Don't listen to him Jose. Don't listen to anything he says!"

Aku chuckled and held Miyu higher at until their eyes met. "How noble... for a spy."

Jose's anger returned, "You've been using her all this time! She didn't have any choice!"

More laughter. "Is that so? Why don't you tell Jose hoe I forced you into spying in the hidden leaf." Silence. Aku's cold voice echoed, "She chose this herself."

"Miyu?"

With her head hung low, Miyu began sobbing. "I-I don't know any more."

Aku's eyes flashed with joy. "So what will it be?"

Jose's skin began giving off a faint smoke. "Let her go."

With a maniacal laugh, Aku threw Miyu, who landed feet from the door. "I would advise you to reconsider. If you...Ahh!" A wall of fire spontaneously burned Aku and his surroundings.

"Miyu, go find backup! I'll hold him off." Miyu stood up, but didn't budge any more. "Go...I'll be fine." Miyu ran out the open door with a tear sliding down her cheek. "Here goes." Preoccupied with the fire on his cloak, Jose roundhouse kicked Aku on the stomach.

The villain grinned and swatted Jose away. "You'll have to do better than that." In one motion, Aku leaped and slashed at Jose with his claws. Jose fell to his knees, avoiding the attack. Aku landed on all fours and launched a spiky, iron ball at Jose from his mouth. At the same time, Jose sent a fireball at Aku. The attacks collided; the fire managed to hit Aku and the iron ball landed inches away from Jose's feet. Jose clapped his hands together and concentrated. Rising out of the fire, two clones of Jose formed their own hand signs. Before Aku could react, Jose and his clones buried Aku with fire. Jose ended his fireball, but his clones continued until their energy ran out.

As soon as Aku's silhouette started to rise, Jose clapped his hands together and screamed, "Not looking too hot there, Aku. Let me turn up the heat for ya!" Using their energy, Jose intensified the fire until it glowed a navy blue. A few seconds later, the flames died out and Jose gasped for oxygen. Thankfully, Miyu never bother to close the doors. Jose recovered and scanned the area. There were ashes everywhere! There were also some footprints leading deeper into the compound. Jose followed, "You're not getting away!"

Minutes later

Jose burst through a half-closed door. To his amazement, the room was so huge that he couldn't see were the walls and floor met. Spotlights were shining brightly on the center, on something. The object was five times Jose's size and with hundreds of levers, buttons, and other gadgetry. There was something menacing about it, was it the low rumble? A flicker caught Jose's attention, but he was too late. Something knocked Jose to the ground and pinned him in an arm lock. A dark voice flooded the silence. "I do thank you for coming. I was just getting ready to make you immortal." Aku! Jose bit Aku's arm and executed a fireball.

Jose scrambled to his feet and gasped. A metal puppet stood before him. "Aku?"

The puppet grinned. "The one and only." Aku rushed forward and punched Jose in the stomach. "Do you think I would be a pitiful human?" Aku threw Jose against the machine. "Your time is up..." Aku Began to choke Jose with his only hand. Jose pounded the machine behind him. Aku laughed, until. "What are you doing!?" The spot behind Jose glowed a burning white. Aku flung Jose away and screamed, "My precious. You'll be alright."

Jose wasted no time. He quickly put his had together and mustered all the chakra he could and fired! Aku turned and stretched his arm wide. "I won't let you!" The fire blasted him into the machine and erupted a fire. A red light illuminated the dark and the ground shook. The machine was steaming.

"Jose! We have to get out. It's going to blow!" Miyu!

"Quick we don't have much time!" Iruka!

There not going to make it. Unless... Jose ran to the machine. "GO! I'll try to stop it." The otehrs shouted, but Jose couldn't make out what the others said. If I can just absorb enough heat... Jose placed his hands on the machine. Something inside of Jose sizzled, "Just a bit more."

"Jose..." Miyu? "I'm sorry. I"m so sorry."

"Don't be... it's over now."

"So this is it?" The roof cracked and the machine roared. A voice seemed to echo in Jose's mind. "Before you can practice our techniques, you will have to learn to live with fire. Fire, heat, and flames are just the basics. Any who cannot command these will most likely die trying to learn our secrets..."

"I know what I need to do. Just get out of here Miyu."

"Jose no... You don't have to do anything. Let's just go."

"Where Miyu? We won't make it in time. But I think I can stop it. I have to."

"Then I'm with you." With life at stake, Jose unleashed all his power. All the energy, fire, chakra, and heat rushed to the machine, forming a layer around it just as it exploded. Jose was caught in between the two forces. A bright light consumed everything. "I love you..."

0.o