Chapter 22: The battle is here
There they were face to face. Naruto was looking right at Ai, searching for the cherry blossom inside of her. Sadly, he knew that her mind is far back. Ai had completely token control; he couldn't do anything to get her to listen to him. Dr. Netto snapped his fingers and Ai stood still. Kiara and Ryu stiffened from the snap. They knew that if they go in the fight they would just be a handy cap to Naruto and the Kyubbi. The Kyubbi began to come out, chakra bubbling up, as Naruto allowed him. The Kyubbi began to snarl at Dr. Netto as he began to laugh once more, "Come on Kyubbi don't be like that to your best friend." The Kyubbi growled once more, but everyone else gasped. Did he just say best friend? Naruto asked The Kyubbi in his head. Dr. Netto then turned to his daughter and asked, "Did you not know that I was best friends with The Kyubbi?" Kiara shook her head and he smiled.
"How can you be best friends with The Lord Kyubbi, if you are not even a demon?" barked Ryu as he slightly lunged towards him, but Kiara grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. The Kyubbi sighed and replied, "He was a demon, a wolf demon to be exact. Zuko and I were the best of friends. He was so intelligent, always with the biggest ideas, creating something new." His eyes then locked in with Dr. Netto's. "But you then decided to break the rules so the ruler had to take away your demon chakra." Kiara's eyes widen and asked, "What are you talking about Kyubbi-sama?"
"You were a coward! You follow the ruler instead of saving your best friend!" Dr. Netto spat
"No, Zuko, you decided to break the rules. You broke into this library and told everyone the biggest secret in there! You told the entire village about humans!" The Kyubbi informed. Everyone was shocked this had occurred more than a million years ago.
"They needed to know Kyubbi! I actually gave them an opportunity to go out and be the dominant species and what do they do? They drain every ounce of my demon chakra, turn me into a human, but I still had the same life span. I was miserable and for the entire time, but I plotted, to now rule not just the humans, but also the demons as well." Kiara was taken aback from her father, the way he was acting. He was acting like a lunatic, a lunatic who can never be cured. When she grew up with him, he had always been obsessing over demons. Now she understood everything, why he acted this way with so much rage. Her mother had left them, because he was unstable, but maybe it was all because of this. She began to shake in disbelief. How could she never notice this before?
"Now Kyubbi its pay back," he stated as he snapped his fingers once again and Ai pounced at The Kyubbi. With one swipe Ai dug her nails deeply into his face. The Kyubbi stood his ground and took the strike. He couldn't bring to attack her still. This angered Ai and she bit into his neck and swung him down to the ground. He yelled out painfully and tried to get back up. Ai pressed her paw forcefully on his side and he howled once more. The Kyubbi frowned at his ex lover and bit into her paw. She gasped in pain and took her paw off of him. The Kyubbi took the chance to turn around and with his tails knock her down.
"Ai, please listen to me! We shouldn't be fighting. You and I both know that Zuko is the bad guy here not me!" The Kyubbi yelled as Ai began to get back up. They both looked at each other, but he knew that Ai was so stubborn to believe. Let me try to reach Sakura-Chan… The Kyubbi nodded and Naruto lent him his voice.
"Sakura-Chan, hear me out! We need you to try to take control of Ai!" he shouted and for a second they were able to see her eyes, but it faded once more. Ai began to snarl at them, "Don't try to get her in control!" She then pounced at the Kyubbi and scratched him once again. The Kyubbi stumbled, but kept his ground. He gave out a sigh; he knew the only way he could get through to her if he would defeat her. The Kyubbi then took his own offensive stance. Both Ryu and Kiara tensed up. This was going to be a big battle. Both demons snarled at each other and charged at each other. It was hard to decipher what was happening in the fight. Each of them was quick and they were thinking on their feet. With each attack Ai had thrown at the Kyubbi, she had been battling with Sakura as well. Sakura's mind had been awoken by Naruto and now she had been trying to gain control or at least try to convince her.
What no one had ever noticed was that Zuko had been powering up a device that was made to kill anyone quickly and painfully. He knew that Ai was going to be the best distraction for Kyubbi. He wouldn't know it was coming until it hits him. Both demons were now tired and began to huff in exhaustion. The Kyubbi stepped up towards Ai and tried to get through to her one more time, "Ai, please listen to me. I know you are only doing this because I ended our relationship, but you need to know the reason why!" Ai then froze at the statement. Her heart was pounding, this sounded serious. Her mind went blank and Sakura took the opportunity. Ai, you need to listen to him. Everyone deserves a second chance. Ai then shook her head in irritation and responded, why are you acting like this? Once we fused our souls together we each saw each other's memories, all of them. Naruto didn't give you the chance to explain, why should we give them? Sakura fell silent as she began to think about it. This caused Ai to be back in control.
Ai glared at Kyubbi in rage.
"I don't want to hear it!" she yelled as she shoved him to the other side of the room where he landed on a section of black tile. The tiles began to glow red and sucked the Kyubbi in, he was now stuck. The Kyubbi tried to get out, but it was useless. Zuko then jumped up and down laughing and exclaimed, "Stuck in your own prank! That is just hilarious!" The Kyubbi cursed at himself because he was such a prankster when he was young. Ai just stood there and stared at him. Her eyes were flickering back and forth, she was talking to Sakura. The Kyubbi then took this to his advantage, if she was talking to Sakura that means Sakura was trying. She would now listen to him.
"Ai, the reason why I broke it off with you was because Zuko had sent me a death threat to you. He knew how much you mean to me, so I thought if I left you it would get you out of harms ways. As it turns out it did, but got you on his side." The Kyubbi finally admitted. Ai's mind went completely blank. Was this true? Or was he just saying this so he could get her on his side? Memories of them together soon flashed in her mind. That is when she decided that he was telling the truth. She smiled at Kyubbi and began to step towards him when-
"Too late Kyubbi you are now dead!" Zuko shouted as he shot his machine towards him. Ai and Sakura froze at the sight. What were they going to do? They knew exactly what they were to do.
"Kyubbi, Naruto!" both Ryu and Kiara yelled in fright. The Kyubbi closed his eyes and flinched at the attack that was coming right at them. Blood splat all over his face and a piercing shriek filled the room. He opened his eyes and found Ai taking the hit.
"No!" he yelled as he saw her hit the ground, her chest wasn't even moving. His eyes now glared at Zuko with rage. His chakra went over the edge and burned the tiles. Zuko's eyes widen in fear, both he and Kyubbi knew it was the end for him. Kyubbi then pounced on him. Ryu then held Kiara close as she turned her head towards his chest closing her eyes. Sadly, closing her eyes did not help since she was able to hear every tear and blood falling on the ground. The bones were getting broken and flesh was being torn as blood was being poured. She was able to hear everything and began to cry. This was her father in the end and now he died being torn apart limb from limb. As it was all over Ryu whispered in her ear, "Keep your eyes closed." Kiara did what she was told as she felt Ryu's body heat to fade. He went towards the body part and made hand signs.
"Fire style jutsu" With that all the body parts were being burned to become dust. As Kiara felt the heat she opened her eyes and found the fire. There was her father, burning as he probably now burning in hell.
"Sakura-Chan" Naruto's voiced overflowed the room as both Ryu and Kiara turned to see Ai's body on the ground. She was glowing and before their eyes they saw a soul coming out of her body. Ai was now fully out of Sakura's body in the flesh. Now it was just Sakura's body motionless and Ai looked at her mournfully. This was the only way for Ai to be free from Sakura's body, but she knew that Sakura did not deserve it. Naruto scooped up Sakura and placed his ear on her chest, the Kyubbi was now also by his side. Tears began to roll down his face; everyone knew what it had come to. Sakura Haruno was dead.