The blonde demon blushed at the affectionate display and quickly whirled around, looking at the vast greenery behind him and the roaring waterfall, the bright midday sun peeking behind rocky terrains.
'Humans are so... weird.' The fox thought to himself. One minute they were fighting and the next they were kissing. The demon wanted to clap sarcastically but he knew that now wasn't the time. Gray stared in shock at the couple, too stunned for words. Sure, he knew the two were close but not this close! Gray could feel his stomach tightening, face switching to that of sullen disappointment. He felt like crying; a gripping pain gnawed on his heart, urging him to break down into tears there and then.
"Naruto!" A shrill voice rang out, breaking the awkward silence as well as Natsu's and Sasuke's lips. The blonde fox winced at the sight of a purple portal before him, floating just above the waterfall. The demon turned around frantically in an attempt to run away but somehow his wooden sandal-ed food snagged on his own yukata and he released a surprised squawk, falling face first onto the ground. The demon slayers sweat dropped. Kiba howled with laughter, followed by Natsu at the poor demon's failure. Short, bright, bubblegum pink hair peeked out of the growing portal, the colour shockingly similar to Natsu's.
"NARUUTOOOOHHH!" The same shrill voice rang out an octave higher, followed by a pale hand that shot out to the blonde fox's hair and said blonde wiggled around, attempting to get away by Harlem shaking.
"Etoo Sakura Chan... Don't tell Obito?" The fox whimpered, rendered useless by the hands of... wait for it... a face is coming out... A GIRL?!
The mysterious demon had on a red short sleeved blouse and black shorts. But the weird thing was there was like a pink strip of cloth wrapped around the pink demon's hip, making it look like a skirt. She had on black sandals and her elbows had pink elbowguards. Her face was that of sheer fury and Natsu swore he could see his destructive flames emitting from the mysterious pinkette. Sakura stepped out if the closing portal and grasped both her hands on Naruto's Yukata and pulled towards her, glaring at him with fire in her eyes.
"You think its funny to go off on your own now HAH? Oh don't worry I was the only one who noticed you but you didn't bring your safety necklace?! Do you know how much trouble you will cause if yo-" Sakura stopped her rapid reprimanding and stared at the other spectators, suddenly aware of their presence.
"Omaigawsh Naruto! Those are demon slayers! Shit you are so reckless!" Sakura shouted and slapped Naruto hard down to the ground limblessly. The said spectators stared at Naruto pitifully, praying for his happiness in heaven. Or hell.
"Sakura chan... It wasn't my fault! I transported here and the pink head was here-"
"Hey I have a name! It's Natsu!"
"- and I thought that since he saw me I would finish him of-"
"And?" Sakura asked, raising a perfectly lined pink eyebrow in disbelief.
"And I was hungry... I haven't eaten for two months Sakura Chan!" Naruto admitted deafetedly. Sakura huffed and turned to look At the shocked demon slayers, bowing deeply.
"I am so sorry humans. I will discipline this idiot when I get back and um..." Sakura glanced at the damaged terrain, the proof that there was a fight here.
".. I shall pay for the damages." She finished sincerely. Human law has it that demons were not supposed to hunt humans at all and if they do, the demon slayers shall kill mercilessly. Or, the demon can spend their entire life slaving for humans. Demons were deemed as useless vermins by humans as demons need human flesh to survive. It was their food after all. Demons have enhanced senses and organs, making them survive longer than other humans. Even though their body looks similar to a human's, they are completely different. It is basic courtesy to apologize as these two groups do not want to start yet another war. Their resources were running slim and their lives hung on the peace treaty made by both groups. If one group breaks their promise; it will definitely lead to a world crisis. Gray stood up from his position on the floor and walked to Sasuke, poking the raven's arm. Sasuke being the most responsible one out of all the others was silently approved as their representative.
"I understand. We shall forgi-"
"NO!" Naruto shouted, getting up and wiped away the slight trickle of blood from his cut lip with the back of his hand, staring straight at the stoic raven.
"Sakura we are demons! These humans killed my father! Did you forget?!"
Naruto shouted. Sakura looked at the ground in defeat. She knew that it was pointless to drag Naruto out of this. Naruto's father: Minato left a deep scar in The fox demon's heart when he died. As well as a large hole in the whole demon's way of life. It was unavoidable now. Even though Obito has told everyone to keep their killing to a minimum, it still didn't get through Naruto's dense skull. Aware of the consequences awaiting here, Sakura still chose to stick by her friend. No matter what.
"*sigh* Fine then. Let's do this." Sakura said, unleashing her fangs and her pink manicured nails grew to claws. A pair of bright red ears spotted with pink rested on Sakura's crown, a long and thin red tail like a cat's swaying behind her. She looked like...pink panther. However, no matter how strong these two demons were, they were still outnumbered. The numbers were two against ten. The odds were obviously not in their favor. Natsu reignited his flame sword; it was extinguished by the shock of Sasuke's um lip lock and Gray carved out his dual ice rapiers. Sasuke drew his sword and glared at the dual threats.
"I see. Battle it is!" Sasuke declared, concentrating his chakra into his sword, adorning it with jolting surges of bright lightning. He charged towards the blonde demon with lightning speed, only to be dodged and kicked away on the stomach like worthless trash.
"Open the gate of the bull; Taurus!" Lucy cried summoning the perverted cow.
"Oh Lucy you look as beautiful as eve-"
"Taurus! Get that pink woman!" Lucy instructed, pointing her slender finger at Sakura. Taurus ran towards Sakura, swinging his gigantic axe at the demon before him.
"Move cow!" Sakura punched the bull to the skies, a shining star in left as a reminder of his bravery." Sakura growled and ran on all fours towards Lucy, just like a wild panther.
"Bring it!" Lucy challenged, crackling her whip.
"Double howl wolf fang!" Kiba and Akamaru rammed into the raging demon, knocking her back. Naruto took his eyes off the fallen Sasuke and stared at Sakura, struggling to get up.
"Sakura Chan!" Naruto cried, running towards his friend.
"Oh no you don't!" Natsu said, catching the demon off guard and rammed his sword in from the demons back, the tip emerging out from the demon's stomach and incinerated his insides. The blonde demon howled with pain the searing pain in his gut too much for him to heal. Naruto coughed out blood and the metallic taste in his mouth disgusted him. Fire caught onto Naruto's yukata, burning the beautiful material that Naruto had tailored himself. Naruto seethed with anger and pain. Even though his muscles burned, Naruto rose his hands to his chest, rapidly forming signs.
"Sha-shadow clone jutsu!" Natsu choked out, the appearance of five other, healthy blonde fox demons shocking Natsu.
"Rasengan!" The five shadow clones shouted and rammed similar air spheres into Natsu, forcing him to fly back with a chortled cry. The flame sword burning Naruto's skin sizzled to nothing at the disappearance of its flame source and Naruto dropped to his knees. Naruto whimpered helplessly at the hole through his stomach and the slight breeze that went through it enhanced the searing pain. The blonde demon concentrated all his chakra onto the hole and desperately tried to close up the gashing wound, his consciousness slowly slipping away with the rapid blood loss.
"HUAAARGHHHH!" Sakura screamed, landing an angry punch on the ground, causing the whole mountain to shake and cause a mini earthquake, knocking everyone off their feet. Literally. Sakura hurriedly ran towards the injured blonde, placing a firm palm against Naruto's stomach, speeding up the healing process with her chakra. The tremor of the mini earthquake still rang out but some of the demon skaters were already recovering, Naruto's reliable clones keeping them at bay.
"Naruto... we can run away now you know..." Sakura said worriedly, her green jasmine orbs staring hard into azure blue. Naruto shook his head stubbornly and clenched his lips, slowly standing up.
"No! We can do this Sakura chan! I will never back out of a fight!" Naruto said reassuringly, trembling at the heavy pressure of his body on his legs and his tattered yukata clung desperately on his golden skin, the flesh that was burnt down completely healed.
"Ice make: Hammer!" Naruto gasped as he felt some of his chakra returning to him, his shadow clones squashed by Gray's ice hammer. Their memories of their fight against the other demon slayers ran into Naruto's brain, forcing him to absorb all of the information. So these humans are strong demon slayers. Intresting.
"Fire dragon's raging fist!" Natsu ran towards Naruto, raging orange flames erupting from his clenched right fist. Naruto hurriedly shielded his face with his arms, just in time to meet with Natsu's pummeling fist. The impact was so big that it forced Naruto back towards the raging waterfall. Naruto's wooden sandals scraped against the rocky terrains, the friction deafening. The fox demon struggled to maintain his balance and stop himself from moving backwards but it was all in vain; he screamed as he felt the solid ground beneath him disappear and he fell into the gushing currents of water, his heart wedged in his parched throat. Naruto struggled to swim up, his searing stomach wound dragging him down and he gagged on tasteless water, his screaming lungs filled with burning water. When Naruto resurfaced, he desperately gulped in air, sputtering out restraining water. He clutched his re-opening wound in his stomach, getting out of the water with ease as if it was solid floor. Naruto heard behind the deafening lull of gushing water, the screams and noises of an ongoing fight. Naruto was worried of his friend Sakura but his current state has left him useless. Naruto looked up and squinted when the bright sunlight blinded his eyes, followed by a figure jumping down from the mountain cliff at the top of the waterfall. The place where Naruto fell from.
"Ice make: Floor!" Gray said and shot out a great deal of ice, landing gracefully on the frosted water top
"Naruto... this will be your end!" Gray declared and frosted up his arm, making it shielded with hard, rough ice. Gray cried out a gargled war cry, charging to the demon and Naruto used the mainstream, tactical, almost seen everywhere tactical head conk to knock Gray down with a grunt. Gray rolled away dejectedly, ashamed at losing to something so... obvious.
"Chidori!" Naruto heard, looking at the bishie raven charging towards him, electrifying lightning jolting on his tiger tips.
"Rasengan!" Naruto made his own sphere of pivoting air on his palm and ran towards the raven with all his might, their high levels attacks clashing with each other ceremoniously. The two enemies struggled to push the other down. Naruto winced at his troublesome injury; without it he would have overpowered Sasuke easily. Both sides raised up the power of their attack, draining their energy away. Suddenly, Naruto felt a sharp clenching pain erupting from his abdomen and jerked his hand away to clench his stomach by instinct, realizing that it was a grave mistake. The blonde fox demon was flung back, his body colliding into the frosted falls and his blood courses with painful, jolting electricity.
"Ice make: cage!" Gray said, making a strong cage of ice trapping the blonde demon. Naruto wanted to get up and break the puny icicles of the cage, but his legs were too worn out. He was too weak to even move; the worst feeling ever. Naruto felt the edge of his eyes whitening, vision blurring. His whole head was spinning with pain, his tattered body lying helplessly in the cage of freezing ice.
"Naruto! Hang in there!" Naruto heard Sakura shouting, her voice choked with tears, probably. The demon couldn't feel anything; the numbness of his body too much for him to take. Naruto felt his consciousness chipping away, letting the approaching darkness consume him whole, his heavy eyelids closing slowly. Sasuke stepped right before the beautifully sculpted ice cage, staring at Gray who was perched atop the demon cage.
"Why did you shoot icicles at his injury?" Sasuke quipped. Gray stared at Sasuke in stricken disbelief.
"Sasuke! He's the enemy!" The uchiha clenched his eyes shut, memories of his younger self flooding in. Blurred pictures of his past accompanied by voices speaking drowsily seeped in.
-flashback-
_'Sasuke...I shall change the ways of demons and make sure that they are able to live with humans in unity!' A young Sasuke wearing a crisp suit stared blankly at his blonde friend, glancing at their hands intertwined. The bright orange yukata that his friend wore was seriously too bright for the raven's taste. He looked down from the cliff, staring at the ruins of a destroyed, once prosperous town, flames licking up everything and burning down the mess._
-end of flashback- (0w0)/
Sasuke opened his eyes slowly, relinquishing himself from his memory. The sight of the lifeless blonde demon in the cage triggered something in the demon slayer. But he didn't know what it was.
"For now... I want him alive."