Judgement
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; however I do own Akemi, Yukiko, Zero and Rukia. And the Shīringu is mine and mine alone!
Summary: "When I died and came into the Naruto universe, I didn't think that I would be able to change much. I also thought that if I told anyone that they wouldn't believe me and I definitely didn't think that I could get a Kekkei Genkai either. But I was wrong on all accounts and I could not be happier." SEQUEL!
I'll keep you guys posted on who the viewers think is the spy.
Asura: 1
Yukiko: 2
The Elders: 2
Sakura: 4
Sai: 2
Haku: 2
Haku's fangirl: 1
Konohamaru: 1
Akemi: 1
Michael: 1
Enjoy!
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
Seeing that Pain's attention was solely on Haku made my heart stop. If Pain really was going for Naruto then he would be going diagonally and he would be looking at Naruto, but he wasn't. All Pain's attention was on Haku.
"No…" I whisper. My body felt heavy and I couldn't move my arms or my legs. I could see Pain steadily getting closer to Haku and the heavy feeling in my chest grew. Time felt like it had slowed down and was now running in slow motion. It was like I could see everything before me that was going to happen. If Pain got to Haku then he would die.
"Nakahara-san!" Katsuyu shouts down my ear.
This snaps me out of my shock. With speed that I didn't even know I possessed, I bolted of the roof sending a whole load of chakra into my feet. The roof that I had just jumped off now had a hole in it where I had jumped off. But I didn't pay any attention to that, all I could focus on was that I needed to get to Haku before Pain did.
But Pain had a head start, there was no way that I could get to him.
"HAKU!" I yell out desperately.
Haku turns his head away from Konan for a moment, hearing my voice, only to see Pain coming at him. His eyes widen and he tries to jump away, but Konan pins his feet to the ground with her paper, keeping him in place. I see Haku panic for moment as he contemplated what to do before he relaxed and closed his eyes.
I wanted to scream, Haku couldn't just give up, why wasn't he fighting?
Pain was nearly two feet away from him by this point. As Pain got closer, he thrust his metal receiver back, ready to hit Haku.
Somehow, I found more speed and bolted forward once more with surprising speed.
Pain was already in front of Haku. With a great force, Pain slammed the metal receiver forward, aiming for Haku's heart.
Except he never hit Haku.
He hit me.
I jumped in front of Haku with some speed. Pain didn't blink even when he stabbed into my heart and my blood spat at him. The first thing I could feel was a burning pain inside me. It took me a second to realise that the scream I was hearing was from me. My hand weakly went for the metal receiver in my body, my arm felt heavy and numb at the same time. The burning pain coursed through my body like a wild fire, I could taste the coppery blood in my mouth.
Pain looks at me impassively. He yanks the metal receiver from my body, my blood coating the end of it.
I could faintly hear noises around me, some of them sounded like my name but my head was dizzy and numbness was soon taking hold of me. I didn't even feel myself falling to my knees or Haku holding onto me, begging me to stay with him. I couldn't breathe, every time I tried it was like there was something pushing down in my chest, stopping me from breathing. Every intake of air sent fire through my veins and the taste of coppery metal stained my mouth. Dark spots soon clouded my vision until there was no light left and I was completely submersed in the darkness and the burning stopped completely.
For a moment I felt like I was floating in mid-air. It felt peaceful.
The next thing I know I am waking up. I open my eyes and I'm met with a familiar blinding white colour, looking around I see that I'm in the same room as I was always in when I see white light. Momentarily, I forget why I am here and wondered what happened. Memories came flooding back to me, how I jumped in the way of an attack to save Haku. Wincing slightly, I look down. I was still in my ninja clothes but the flesh under my top felt tender. Unzipping my top, I saw a red mark of where my heart should be between my bosoms. I wince again when I move, I raise my hand and gently touch the mark but once again wince when that burning sensation came back.
"The wound was very serious." Said a familiar voice.
Turning my head I see Nora looking at me blankly. She looked the same as usual, accept she looked slightly older and more wary.
"I died, didn't I?" I ask already knowing the answer. Not many people can say they survived being stabbed in the heart, and I'm not one of them. I died the minute Pain stabbed me. I doubt that even Katsuyu could heal me.
Nora solemnly nods her head.
I sigh and flop back onto the bed I woke up in and wince at the sudden movement. I didn't regret dying, if I did have to die at least it was protecting the ones I love. But there was that ache there, where I knew I would never see them again. The only regret was that I didn't get to say goodbye.
Nora floats over to me and raises her hand over my injury. I look down and see her hand glow for a moment and watch as she healed the rest of my wounds. When she was done I felt so much better. I look down and see the spot was back to a normal pale colour and there was no scar.
"Now what happens?" I ask her. I stand up slowly and zip my top back up so at least I was decent.
Nora smiles slightly but it didn't reach her eyes. "I guess you could have a look at where I live." Her smile seemed hollow, like she was hiding something.
However, I leave it be. If she wanted to tell me than she could.
I had never pondered about where Nora lived, since she was an angel I assumed she lived up in heaven, but does that mean I'm going to heaven? I push the saddened feeling that I would never see my family again. Feeling excited at the chance to explore, I followed Nora as she glided away.
Both I and Nora stepped through a door and I was greeted with a picturesque scene. I didn't know what I expected to be honest, but I was taken a back. It was bright, very bright. There were clouds everywhere, the clouds the pure white colour I've ever seen. The ground was a solid cloud, I was surprised that I didn't fall through but the cloud seemed to hold my weight like it was concrete. The sky was the brightest blue colour and the sun shining. There was a light breeze, the one that I found comforting and made me smile.
"I-It's beautiful." I mutter in awe.
Nora smiles and this time it reached her eyes. "It is, isn't it?" She continues to float while admiring the scene before us.
The other angels that were floating around seemed to stop and stare. It wasn't Nora they were looking at though, it was me. I couldn't say the exact amount of angels looking at me, but I would estimate and say around a hundred or so. I felt awkward under their gazes, my discomfort growing steadily.
"Don't mind them Jane." Nora tells me as she stops.
I stop too and look to the ground so I didn't meet anyone's eyes. "It's kind of hard…" I look to Nora and ask. "Why are they looking at me anyway?"
Nora flashes me a smile. "You're very popular here."
I send Nora a confused look. "Huh?"
Nora chuckles lightly. "What do you think angels do all day?"
I shrug. "I don't know, guard people?" It hadn't even occurred to me what they did.
She smiles, "We do that yes, but when we aren't we tend to watch other angel's champions to see how they are doing." Nora tells me.
My eyes widen. "I've been watched?!"
"I must say Jane, you've caused quite a stir." Nora tells me with a proud glint in her eyes.
I was lost for words, I didn't know what to think or say. I felt a little creeped out and embarrassed that people have been watching me.
Nora continues to talk. "There's been a great debate about who you will end up with." She ended with a slight chuckle.
I snap back into reality. "Huh?!"
"I believe the biggest 'ships' at the moment are SasuEmi, NaruAkem, ItaAkem and ZerEmi." Nora tells me with a teasing look.
I nearly choke on my own spit. Me and Zero? Ha! Never would I get with that arrogant prick, I'd rather stab him in the eyes than ever get with him. Naruto is like a brother to me, and he belongs with Hinata so that's a definite no. I respect Itachi too much to get with him, and Sasuke I didn't understand. Why would people ship me with him?
I look to Nora with a curious look, "And who do you 'ship' me with?"
Nora looks at me with a mischievous look. "Well I thought you and Gaara would make a cute couple, but you rejected him..."
Which I still bad about by the way.
"… and I thought about you and Lee, but again you rejected him." Nora says looking slightly disappointed.
"And what about now?" I ask her.
Nora had a thoughtful look. She was about to answer, but a sharp tone cut her off.
"Nora, what's taking so long?"
I turn my head and see a tall woman standing there. She was also an angel, but she didn't look angelic in the slightest. She looked harsh, like that horrible teacher that seemed to pick on you for no reason. Her hair was dark and held back in a tight bun, her grey eyes were narrowed at us and her lips just as narrowed as she scowled.
Nora's demeanour changed in seconds. She stands straight and any mischievousness was instantly wiped away. Nora bows her head slightly. "I'm sorry Arch Angel, we will not be long now." Even after finishing, she didn't once raise her head.
The Arch Angel sneers at Nora. "See to it that you are on time." With that, she takes one hard look at me and floats away into the building in front of us.
Only when she was gone did I look to Nora. Her head was still bowed and she had a sad look in her eyes. "What's wrong Nora?" I ask her concerned.
Nora looks up at me and bits her lip. "Jane, you weren't just brought here because you died."
My eyebrows furrow. "What do you mean?"
Nora makes a gesture to the building we were standing in front of. I look at the building, it was tall and very imposing. It sent a sinking feeling to my stomach, looking around I spot a gold statue. It was of a woman with a blindfold, a sword in hand and a scale in the other.
My eyes widen when it dawns to me. "Am I…?" I had seen that stature a few times, always in front of a court house or on the beginning of Judge Judy.
"On trial, yes." Nora answers with a sigh.
I look to Nora in bewilderment. "But why?!"
Nora bit her lip. "There are certain people who believe that you have wasted the life we've given you."
I couldn't even speak, I was getting a trial for giving up my own life to protect someone else's, this was complete and utter bullshit!
Nora winces at me swear. "This is also isn't the first time you've died."
I send her a confused look.
"You died when you got the curse mark." Nora tells me.
"Then why wasn't I on trial then?" I ask. I didn't even remember dying in the Forest of Death, I didn't end up in the white room I always end up in. I knew that the curse mark only had a one in ten chance of survival and I thought I was that one in ten, but apparently I wasn't.
Nora sighs and shakes her head, "Everyone gets one chance to be brought back, and you've already had that one chance."
"And I've blown it again." I finish with an unhappy look.
Nora's lip curl inward. "Indeed."
I look to Nora, uneasiness building up in me. "And what will happen to me?" I ask, hoping that she would be able to reassure me.
Nora's face remained impassive, she turns around and floats off into the court room. I look at the court room with an unsure look before jogging lightly to catch up with Nora.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
When Haku had heard his name be called by Akemi, the first thing he felt was relief that she was okay. Tsunade had informed him that she wished to get Akemi away from the battle, not because she didn't believe she was strong enough but because she didn't want Akemi getting hurt. It was common knowledge in our group that Zero was after Akemi, and we wanted to prevent that. But then the desperation in her tone registered in his brain, and that made him feel uneasy.
Was she hurt? The very thought made him panic.
Instinctively, he turned his head and saw Pain coming at him at full speed, he had a weapon in his hand he looked like he was going to attack. His eyes connected with Pain's and he immediately knew the attack was for him, Zero had decided he that was to be dealt with.
Haku tried to jump out of the way, fully intending to dodge the attack but Konan wouldn't let him. Konan had used this distraction as a chance to trap him. Haku hated to admit this, but she was good, really good. Haku saw no way to get out of this attack now, there was no way to avoid this head on attack. He couldn't activate any Jutsus either because he was too worn from the fight with the Human Path and Konan. He closed his eyes and waited for the attack to happen, accepting his fate.
However, he wouldn't need to.
His eyes snapped open when he heard a scream.
Akemi.
Opening his eyes was the worst thing he could have done, because he saw it. Akemi was stood in front of him and there was blood pouring from the wound. The metal weapon that Pain was using had stabbed Akemi through the chest. Akemi was standing right in front of him, and the pole had been stabbed so far through that the pole was actually touching him slightly.
Strangled gasps could be heard from Akemi, she weakly brought her hand up and touched the metal receiver as if to try and remove it from her body.
Pain did that for her, he roughly pulled the receiver from her body, causing her to fall to the ground and to her knees. Slowly, Akemi slumped to the floor, still making the gagging noises as blood falls from her mouth.
Haku began shaking, his throat felt like it was closing up and his heart felt like it had stopped. It was as if time had stopped on its own. All Haku could see was Akemi, now laying on the ground.
"No…" Haku whimpers lowly.
"Akemi." Haku says in a whisper. He was looking at her body as her chest slowly stopped breathing, it was only when her chest stopped moving all together that made him snap out of his shock.
"AKEMI!" Haku dropped to his knees and help Akemi close to him, shaking her as if willing her to wake up.
"Don't leave me." Haku whimpers into her hair, crying freely.
He knows that if Zabuza could see him now he would call him a disgrace for feeling such emotions. Zabuza had made him into the person he was today, but it was Akemi who brought him back into the light. Haku didn't have a purpose after Zabuza died, but Akemi didn't give up. Even when he was having nightmares every night, remembering his mentors death, she stayed by his side never leaving him. It was because of Akemi that he was here.
But now she is gone.
His little sister.
Gone.
That one word echoed through his head as he cried and shouted for Akemi to come back. Haku began rocking as he cradled her body close to him. Sobs racked his body harshly, he couldn't stop shaking.
"C-co-come ba-back t-to m-me." Haku whispers, his voice cracking with all the emotions he was feeling at once.
His eyes spot something in the corner of his eyes, he looked to see Katsuyu. His eyes widen when he realised something. "You can heal her!" Haku demands.
Katsuyu shakes her slimy head. "I'm afraid I cannot Yuki-san."
Haku shakes his head, ignoring what she said. "B-but you have to!"
"She's already gone." Katsuyu whispers gently.
Haku cracks again, the sobs consuming his every being. He ached, but he didn't know where, was it from seeing his imouto die or was it from the fight? He couldn't be sure, all the pain merged into one big pain.
Pain and Konan watched this whole exchange with impassive expressions. Pain acted first, he raised his metal weapon, ready to kill Haku, but Konan stopped him. Konan placed her hands on his shoulder, making him stop.
Pain looks to her.
"Let him grieve." Konan says lowly, watching Haku cry. "He was a worthy opponent, let him have this moment."
Pain looked at Haku once more before lowering his arm and putting away his weapon. "Fine." He says turning around to walk away.
Konan spared Haku one last glance before turning around to follow Pain.
Just a little bit away, Naruto and Sasuke were fighting. Both were in deadlock at the moment, Sasuke sword against Naruto's kunai, neither of them giving in. Each other trying to put a bit more weight into their attack to make the other waver, but when Naruto heard Haku cry out, his strength wavered slightly causing Sasuke to be push him back.
When Naruto had landed safely, he took his chance to look over to Haku.
What he saw made his heart stop.
"Akemi-chan." Naruto whispers, seeing Akemi in Haku's lap, blood pouring from her mouth and a stab wound where her heart should be.
Ignoring Sasuke completely, Naruto jumped away causing Sasuke to make a sound to protest. He ran over to Akemi, stopping when he was just a few feet away. He looked at her deathly pale skin and blank expression, her eyes were closed and tears that she had shed before she died still in place.
Haku didn't notice Naruto kneel down next to him. Only when he felt someone near him did Haku open his eyes and see the young Chunin.
"N-Naruto, she-she's dead." Haku's voice cracked.
Naruto couldn't speak. He couldn't accept that, she wasn't dead, she couldn't be. Akemi was strong, she could fight anything and get away without a scratch. She was Akemi. Nothing fazed her, she could brighten the darkest days and make everything okay. Akemi was the first person to accept him, she knew what he had inside him and that never bothered her. She saw past the 'monster' and saw the boy who just wanted someone to be friends with him.
And she was gone.
The pain in his chest grew worse every growing minute.
From the other side of the field stood Sasuke, he sneered and went to jump after Naruto, but a voice stopped him.
"Kill the Uzumaki while he's distracted." Zero says making his appearance beside the Uchiha. A smirk made its way onto Zero's face seeing Akemi dead. Feeling satisfied and smug with the turn of events. He knew that Akemi wouldn't be able to help herself by jumping in the way of an attack for her brother. Originally when Zero couldn't find her in the Village, and he felt annoyed. How was he meant to get his revenge when you can't even find the intended person? He knew he had to lure her out, using the person that she loved most.
Her brother.
Haku was a strong opponent and needed someone just as strong to keep him occupied so Pain could swoop in and attack. The Human Path was no good, but Konan was able to wear him down considerably.
Sasuke wordlessly follows Zero orders. He silently stalks over to the grieving duo with his sword at the ready to attack. Haku and Naruto never once looked up, even though he was directly behind Naruto. Sasuke lifted his sword and got ready to swing, but something made him freeze. He had made the mistake of looking at the girl in Haku's lap with blood dripping from her mouth. He didn't know why, but he felt… hollow. Like someone had just cut his heart out and crushed it. He found it almost difficult to breathe and it was all because of that girl. Sasuke watched the girl, watched as Naruto and Haku cried over her.
Then it all clicked.
This girl was Akemi Nakahara.
His teammate.
The red ring around his onyx eyes fades away until it was gone completely.
"Akemi." Sasuke says. The sword in his hand dropped the floor, forgotten.
Naruto looks up when he heard the sound, Haku was much to in shock to notice anything around him. When Naruto saw Sasuke standing near him, he nearly jumped up to defend himself, but he noticed that something was different about Sasuke. The red that was around his eyes were no longer there and the stricken look on his face made him stop.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asks cautiously with furrowed brows.
"Is she…?" Sasuke asks, staring at intently at Akemi with a horrified expression.
Naruto slowly nods his head solemnly.
Sasuke breaths deeply before exhaling roughly. His hands clenched tightly and his body began to shake.
Akemi challenged him with everything. If he scored 99 on a test, she would get 100. When he first saw her in the Academy, he thought that she would be another useless fangirl, one that would get in his way. But Akemi quickly proved that she wasn't to be messed with. He resented her, she had been better than him and no matter what he did she would always come out on top. When she punched him, he felt humiliated and wanted to make her pay.
She is defiant.
She is smug.
She is a sarcastic little shit.
But those were all the things he loved about her.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
Walking into the court house, I couldn't help but get this sense of foreboding. It was Nora's reaction that set me off, something was wrong. I had never seen Nora act that way, she was always so calm but now she's so serious. I shake my head, trying to distract myself, so I decide to look around at the architecture. It was beautiful. Marble pillars with gold trimmings, it all looked like a piece of art, like Michelangelo had personally done these masterpieces. The floor was just as marvellous, it looked to be made of crystal and was so clean that I could clearly see my reflection.
"Nora, who was she?" I ask. I couldn't get the angel out of my head, who was she? And why did she have such an effect on Nora?
Nora stops again and I stop with her. "She is the Arch Angel Rachel." Nora answers me, not once turning around to face me.
"She doesn't like you." I say. The glare that she gave Nora said enough.
Nora's shoulders sag. "I'm afraid so."
"And that's bad for me." I say sighing.
Nora turns around and nods her head. "Her and my champion have duelled in the past, and mine won." She pursed her lip, something told me there was more to this story, but I never asked.
"Will this be a fair trial then?" I question. I had the feeling that if Rachel didn't like Nora then she certainly wouldn't like me. That look I got outside would back up this horrible feeling that I was getting.
Nora does say anything. She turns back around and floats away, I follow behind her not liking her silence. Her silence meant 'yes'.
The rest of the walk was silent. Nora's tense form made me too nervous to ask any questions. There were a few times that I opened my mouth to ask something, but I always closed it again. We walked for a few more minutes before we came across another door. This one was even grander than any other door and had a plaque with ROOM #1 written in gold.
"Jane," Nora says.
I look to her, "Yes?"
Nora looks to me. Concern and weariness were the main emotions in her brown eyes. "Just try and be respectful, okay?"
I nod my head.
Nora sighs in relief and she opens the door in front of us.
The room matched the rest of the building, marble and gold walls and crystal floors. In this room there was a large and tall table at the front with six angels sitting behind it. The one in the middle was none other than the Arch Angel Rachel. The panel consisted for four female and two male Angels. The rest of the room was empty, no place for me or Nora to sit down, nor was there a place for the jury like you would see in court shows.
Rachel sees us and doesn't look amused. "I said not to take long."
Nora says nothing, keeping her facial expressions impassive.
A chuckle came from the seat next to Rachel. It was man who was just slightly overweight with a kind look to him. He had a head of thick blonde hair and green eyes, his name was Xavier. "There's no need for that sharp tone of yours Rachel, they're just on time."
I wanted to cheer, this angel seemed nice.
Rachel's face remained emotionless. It was as if Xavier didn't even speak at all. "Court is now in session." Rachel announces in a tone that commanded that everyone look at her.
Rachel's sharp gaze made its way to me. "Before us we have Jane Smith."
"It's Akemi Nakahara." I say without thinking. I could feel Nora's glaze on my back, one with disappointment.
Rachel's emotionless face morphed into a cruel look. "Already discarded your old life? How thoughtless." She sneered at the end, but there was a certain smugness to her.
"May we know why you don't want to be refereed as your old name?" A woman angel asks, this woman sat farthest from Rachel. The woman had beautiful mocha coloured skin, dark hair and brown eyes. This angel was called Grace.
I smile at her gratefully. "Akemi is the name of who I am now. I used to be called Jane and I will never forget my roots, but I would prefer to be called Akemi." I send a meaningful look to Rachel, who looked like she wanted to sneer at me.
Rachel cleared her voice, indicating that it was time to move on. "Akemi, you have been brought here before us today because you have died, have you not?" She all but spat my name out like it was venom. It seemed as though no one else noticed but me.
"Yes." I answer with an impassive face. I was silently thanking myself for hanging around Itachi and Sasuke for so long. Before meeting them, there was no way that I would be able to keep up this calm façade.
"And this isn't the first time either," Rachel says, she looks down at her papers. "It says here that you died in the Forest of Death, correct?"
I nod my head, "Yes."
"Do you enjoy just throwing your life away?" Rachel fires at me.
"No!" I answer back instantly.
"Yet here you are." Rachel says, with a condescending tone.
I grit my teeth and try to calm myself down. I couldn't get angry, but she was making it very hard to not get angry with.
Rachel begins to speak again. "Brothers and sisters, here we have a champion that has constantly thrown her life away as if it meant nothing."
"That's not true!" I shout out.
"Jane." I hear Nora whisper to me, as if warning me not to get riled up.
Another Angel sitting beside Rachel speaks. "When you say that isn't true, what do you mean?" This angel was a man, who looked very young, like in his very early twenties. He has dark auburn hair and hazel eyes, he is called Pierce.
"I do appreciate the second chance that you gave me, I really do." I say with conviction, "But my friends were in danger both times. There is nothing wrong with wanted to protect them."
The angels were silent for a moment, taking in my words.
It was Rachel that spoke first. "Would you do it again?" She asks me completely serious.
"Yes," I answer without thinking, "I would do it a thousand times over again if it meant my friends were safe."
Rachel sent me a mocking look. "And here we have it. You have taken the place of someone who would treasure their life, instead you would throw it away a thousand times."
"Do you know how precious life is or do you not care?" A woman angel asks me. This angel was older, her skin wrinkled and her hair silver. Her blue eyes were looking at me with a piercing gaze. This angel is called Sarah.
I wet my dry lips. "I do."
"Yet you threw it away like it was nothing, twice!" Sarah argues.
"And did you realise that the person you were trying to protect would have been brought back?" Rachel shouts at me.
I know that what they were saying was true. If Haku had been killed then there is a possibility that he couldn't been brought back like the rest of the village. But there was also a chance that it may not happen and I couldn't take that risk.
"Completely thoughtless!" Sarah shouts at me.
I flinch away and look to Nora for help.
Nora takes a few steps forward so she could be seen. "Brothers and sisters, yes she died twice. But it was to protect someone she loved dearly, which is very admirable. I haven't come across anyone like this before." She says in my defence. It seemed to work slightly, some of the six looked like they agreed with Nora. However, Rachel didn't look happy at her intervention.
"She is wasting the life we gave her." Rachel shoots back, sending a nasty look to Nora.
"It is my life!" I argue, feeling my temper slipping.
Grace interjects. "Once can be excused, we do understand that accidents do happen. But this had happened twice."
I felt myself sigh. "I wouldn't have died if it wasn't for Zero's medalling."
Rachel arches a brow at me. "He is entitled to be there just as much as you."
"He is the reason why I'm here." I spat at her.
Rachel's and my eyes connected for a moment. The look she gave me was a silent warning to back down, but I refused and didn't look away once. I didn't blink and just focused solely on her making my eyes hurt but I refused to give in. I was silently challenging her, it was a dangerous game but I will willing to play. I didn't even look away from her gaze when I heard the door open behind me.
It was Rachel that looked away first. A large smile crawled onto her face, which didn't suit her. "Ah, I'm glad that you made it." Rachel said, talking to the angel that just entered the room.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. The stifled gasp from Nora didn't help either. I knew that voice, it haunted my dreams for months, convincing me to go and join Orochimaru. I turn my head and see Michael. I had never seen him before and I don't know what I was expecting, but I knew I wasn't expecting what I was seeing.
Michael was gorgeous. I was begrudging to admit this, but he was. He had thick black hair and green eyes. He was tall with a sturdy build and had a tan that made his eyes seem to glow, he looked to be every girls dream. I have no doubt in my mind I would have been enamoured by him if it wasn't for the fact I hated him.
"What is he doing here?" I ask quietly.
Rachel looks quite smug. "He is a judge for this trial."
"And he's late." Snaps Elizabeth, a middle aged angel. She had brown and blonde hair and brown eyes.
Michael smiles apologetically. "I'm sorry. My champion needed me for advice." He sent me a taunting look, he was talking about Zero, who was running loose in Konoha.
Anger flooded my system. I wanted to hit him, badly. I nearly did, I took a step forward but Nora grabbed my shoulder and whispered into my ear. "Not now." I close my eyes and count to ten, it worked but only slightly. I open my eyes again and see Michael giving me a mocking look. If it wasn't for Nora's strong grip on my shoulder I would have already flew for him. But I knew it wouldn't look good if I did, in fact it could condemn me.
Michael strides over to his seat next to Rachel, who spears him a glance and a smile before turning back to me. "Akemi here was just saying how it was your champion's fault that she is here." Rachel says with a slight smile.
An identical smile was on Michael. "Oh? How so?" Michael asks me.
I clench my fists. He was taunting me, he wanted me to snap and turn them against me. If I snapped then it would look bad on me that I can't keep my cool. They'll believe that I am hot-headed and I'm not a rational thinker. They'll believe I threw myself in the line of battle on impulse which I did do, but it was to save Haku. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Nora nodding her head, agreeing with what I was thinking. I was right then.
"If I recall, it was Pain that sent you here." Michael continues to talk still looking quite happy with himself.
"However, it was Zero that orchestrated her death." Nora comments dryly.
Michael sends her a scathing look.
"It was also you that was trying to get me to join Orochimaru." I say, remembering the nightmares that I suffered with. It was always the same, Orochimaru getting me in the end. They plagued me for months, Haku would hold me in the night and tell me that everything was going to be okay.
Xavier's cheerful expression turns sour. "Are you accusing him of interfering?"
"That is a serious allegation." Grace says.
"It's true, he would send her nightmares for months." Nora says.
Michael didn't bat an eyelash, it was like this conversation was boring him. The rest of the angels seemed to take this into consideration, all besides Rachel. Rachel scowls and says, "Michael wouldn't do such a thing. He had learnt his lesson."
"You mean from the one he got killed?" I say without thinking. There was a chorus of gasps in the courtroom.
"Jane." Nora whispers in a warning tone.
Michael glares at me.
Rachel hisses, "That is not to be brought up!"
"Well I don't see why not." I say sending her a look.
Rachel sends me one more scathing look before she stands. "We will need to delegate, wait outside until we have come to a decision about what will happen."
Nora grabs me by my arm and drags me out of the courtroom.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
Naruto would say that he was angry.
But that would be an understatement.
He was fuckin' pissed.
Naruto felt himself shaking the more he looked at Akemi's lifeless face. Her face the palest he had ever seen it, it just made the blood splattered onto her face the ever more noticeable. Clenching his fists, he felt the familiar hot burning anger fill him.
He wanted revenge.
Naruto wanted Zero's blood splattered across the village. Then he would hang his corpse in front of the village to show what happens when you kill his best friend.
He didn't know where these thoughts were coming from, but he didn't discard any of the horrific things he would do to Zero when he found him.
The shaking got worse, Naruto could feel the Kyuubi's chakra coursing through his veins and he liked it. He wanted this power. Naruto's eyes turned red and the whiskers on his face became feral. A growl ripped through his throat as the familiar red chakra coated him.
But something was stopping him.
"Snap out of this!" The Kyuubi's voice rang out in his mind.
Naruto was in front of the gate that sealed the Nine Tailed Beast away. He wanted power and he would get power. All he had to do was remove the seal and then Kurama could cause the havoc he wanted just so long as he destroyed Zero while he was at it.
Kurama wanted to slap the child in front of him. Usually he would encourage Naruto's bloodlust, not that he had any, but he couldn't. For years, Kurama had tried to convince Naruto to take revenge on how the villagers or anyone else treated him, but Naruto always turned away and refused to hurt anyone. Now, Kurama was given the perfect opportunity to be freed and found that he couldn't encourage the kid.
And all because of a stinkin' promise he made.
Kurama wanted to growl and knock his head against the wall in frustration.
Naruto raised his hand, reaching for the seal in Kurama's gate.
"I said snap out of it!" Kurama yells, sending blustering winds in his direction.
Naruto was pushed back, but he just got right back up and moved his way to the seal once more. "I need it." Naruto whispers.
"No you don't!" Kurama shouts back. He couldn't believe what he was saying, but a promise was a promise.
"I need to avenge her!" Naruto cries out.
Kurama was silent for a moment and watched the kid. This wasn't the Naruto he had come to know. Even when adults would pick on him and made him hurt, he never wanted revenge. He wanted to be acknowledged.
Kurama had watched the girl die, he had seen it through Naruto's eyes and knew he was feeling pain. Kurama may not have known Akemi very well, but he did know one thing.
The last thing she would ever want to see was her friends in such a state.
"Akemi wouldn't like this." Kurama states calmly.
Naruto tensed, he clenched his fists. "Well she's dead!" Naruto yells with tears gathered in the corner of his eyes.
"Naruto snap out of this." Said a new voice.
Naruto and Kurama look in the direction of the new comer.
It was Sasuke Uchiha with his Sharingan activated. "She wouldn't want this." Sasuke says, sparing Kurama a glance.
Kurama growled when he saw the Sharingan.
"But she's…" Naruto couldn't finish the sentence.
Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment. He knew exactly how Naruto felt, he wanted revenge, he wanted to murder Zero in the most painful way possible. Sasuke was used to the feeling of vengeance, he wanted it against Itachi for so many years. He was handling this a lot better than Naruto though.
"We will get revenge, without him though." Sasuke says, holding his hand out to Naruto.
Naruto looks at the hand for a moment.
"We will make Zero pay." Sasuke spat, his eyes shining murderously.
Naruto took his hand.
Naruto felt himself calming down. He no longer felt that powerful bloodlust anymore, his eyes returned back to their blue colour and his whiskers were back to normal. He looked to Sasuke to see he was looking at him with his Sharingan activated. Naruto nods his head, a silent understanding between the two of them.
"Let's go find that bastard." Naruto says.
Sasuke nods his head.
Naruto looks down to Haku, who was still cradling Akemi's body as though it was his lifeline. "We'll make him pay." Naruto says, making a promise that he fully intended to keep.
It looked as if Haku didn't even register his words, his eyes blank and void. Haku didn't even acknowledge that Naruto and Sasuke had jumped away to go and find his sister's killer.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
As soon as the doors closed behind us, Nora looked to me with a glare. "You stupid girl."
I look at her confused. "What did I do?!"
"I asked you to be respectful!" Nora nearly shouts.
I cross my arms like a defiant child. "I would have been, but then he walked in." I look to Nora, "And what was he doing here?"
Nora shakes her head. "I don't know. I didn't even know he was going to be there."
Nora and I fall silent. I tried to listen in on what they were deciding, but I couldn't hear anything. I sigh and lean against one of the pillars.
"I'm sorry." Nora whispers breaking the silence.
I look to her, Nora looked saddened. She wasn't sad because she shouted at me, she was apologising because of the trial.
"It was fixed, wasn't it?" I ask.
Nora's frown deepens. "Yes."
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I knew it wasn't going to be a fair trial, and seeing Michael here confirmed it. They had already decided in their minds that I was guilty and didn't care about my life. Whether it was because of what Michael has been feeding them or because they just didn't like me I don't know.
"What's Rachel's problem with you?" I ask.
Nora purses her lip. "I already mentioned that my champion won against hers right?"
I nod.
Nora sighs. "We used to be friends, but after my champion beat hers she became… bitter. She then aimed to do everything better than me and when she became Arch Angel it became worse. I thought she would be happy, but she wasn't."
"Do any angels actually like you?" I ask jokingly.
Nora cracks a smile. "Most do, you've just met the only two that don't."
"Lucky me." I comment dryly.
Nora looks to the ground again. "We always used to compete with each other, friendly games. I never took them seriously and she seemed to hate that. It was just after the incident with Michael that she turned even worse."
Something didn't sound right to me. It seemed… off?
I was about to comment, but the doors opened and we were invited back in. I and Nora walked back into the courtroom, and it felt more tense it possible. All the angels looked serious and Michael looked slightly smug.
"Akemi Nakahara, we have decided what will happen now." Rachel begins.
I take a deep breath.
"We have decided that you are not fit to continue on with the life you have now. You have no appreciation to the gift of life." Rachel comments, glaring at me but looking happy with herself at the same time.
I wanted to argue, but it seemed as though I didn't have the strength.
"However," Grace says making me look up, "You did it for your loved ones so we can't be too harsh." Grace sends a look to Rachel, which was ignored.
"It has been decided that your soul will be put to rest." Rachel says.
Nora gasps, "No! Have mercy!" She pleads.
I look to Nora, "What does she mean?"
Nora purses her lip looking worried. "It means that your soul will be killed. You won't be reborn, elsewhere and you'll never see your family again. You will be welcomed into neither heaven nor hell."
Rachel looks to me, "Do you accept these charges?"
Every bone in my body was screaming no. I didn't accept these charges, they were utter baloney. I would die, I would never see Haku, Naruto or Sasuke ever again. I wouldn't have Naruto waking me up in the mornings by bursting into my room and jumping on me. I won't have Haku's terrible cooking, which I still haven't told him about. I wouldn't have Sasuke training with me, telling me how I'm too slow. I won't have Itachi poking my forehead when I talked too much. I wouldn't have Tsunade training me. I wouldn't have Sakura glaring at me.
And I would miss it all.
"I accept the punishment." I say. There was no point in fighting the charges, I knew that. It had been decided the minute I walked into here that I was guilty.
The room fell silent. When I received no reply, I raise my head and I was met with shocked faces, the most shocked of all was Rachel. Michael looked to be a mix of intrigued and happy.
"E-excuse me?!" Rachel stutters.
"I said I accept the charges." I say looking her in the eyes.
"May I ask why?" Xavier asks me.
"Why question it?" Michael says rolling his eyes.
I ignore Michael completely and I shrug my shoulders. "I don't see the point when it was ridged from the very beginning that I wasn't going to win this trial." I say answering Xavier.
Rachel's face turns red. "Are you insinuating that this trial is ridged?!"
"Yes." I answer plainly.
"How dare you!" Elizabeth shouts.
Grace, who was the calmest asked me, "What makes you think that this trial is ridged?"
I look at Grace in the eyes, she seemed the earnest out of all of them. "Because of these two." I say pointing to Rachel and Michael, who still looked smug.
Rachel was about to shout at me, but Xavier stops her and asks. "Can you elaborate please?"
"Both Rachel and Michael hate Nora." I say with a calm voice. Rachel gave a little outcry as if what I was saying was false. "Michael and Zero have wanted rid of me so by doing this, it gets me out of the way."
"And what of Rachel, what would be her reasons?" Pierce asks, who had been oddly silent throughout the trial.
I smirk slightly. "Because her and Michael are together of course."
Rachel shot up and slammed her hands on the table. "Don't be ridiculous!"
"Jane, what at are you doing?!" Nora whispers frantically at me.
I ignore her though.
Grace looks at me amused, "Could you please tell us why you think this?"
Rachel scoffs. "She's delusional that's why!"
"Don't insult my intelligence!" I snap at her. Rachel's eyes widen at my tone, but I continue on anyway. "I did not dedicate my life to being a fangirl to not notice when two people like each other!"
"And what are the signs?" Elizabeth asks.
"The slight touching of the legs, and the blush on Rachel's face. The way she looks at him with an adoring look on her face and the way she always ask for his opinion." I say remembering all the little signs that made me wonder.
"It was also what Nora said." I continue looking at my guardian angel.
Nora looks confused for a moment. "Me?"
I nod, "You said that Rachel hated you, and it only got worse after the incident with Michael. It was because she likes him and took his side."
Everyone looks to Rachel and Michael. Michael looked as relaxed as ever while Rachel had the decency to look embarrassed. It was Rachel that gave it away, "A-and what?" She says with a blush.
A chorus of gasps echoed.
"You can't tell me I'm the only one who noticed!" I exclaims at everyone's shocked looks.
"We had our suspicions to be honest." Pierce admits.
"But Nora and Michael are still married legally and haven't separated so we didn't think anything more of it." Elizabeth comments.
I look to Nora to see if it was true.
She nods her head.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
Zero watched the village with glee on his face, he had succeeded in his plan to get rid of Akemi. It felt do satisfying to watch her die. He had worked so hard to make sure everything went according to plan and it did. The only downside was that he lost control of Sasuke, but he would gain control soon enough and he would make the younger Uchiha kill his older brother.
Everything was going according to plan.
All accept one.
Haku.
Now what was he going to do with him?
Haku could be killed like all the other people that got in his way. But Zero liked Haku, he was one of his favourite characters in the anime, and Akemi took him.
Zero scowled at the thought.
Looking at Haku, Zero could see Akemi's corpse in his arms. A devious grin formed onto his face as a plan came to mind.
Calmly, Zero made his way to Haku.
Haku didn't even acknowledge the person standing behind then, not noticing that it was his sister's murderer.
"I'm so sorry Haku." Zero spoke with fake sincerity.
Haku didn't move an inch.
"It could have ended so differently." Zero sighs in fake sympathy.
Haku still made no indication that he was listening.
"You don't have to be alone you know?" Zero tells him.
Haku emotionlessly look up to Zero.
Zero hide a grin, it was working. "I could become your Otouto." Then he really could take everything of Akemi's, oh how sweet revenge really was. Haku could join the Akatsuki easily, he was more than strong.
Gently, Haku removes Akemi from him and places her on the ground. He stands up with his back turned to Zero. "Otouto?"
Zero grins, he had done it.
Haku was his.
Haku clenches his fist. "Like fuck I would!" Haku turns around, rage shining in his usually gentle eyes.
Zero took a step back. "W-what?"
Haku disappears from his sight.
Zero looks around frantically. However, he never saw Haku flash behind him and slash him with a kunai until it was too late. Zero cried out in pain as the kunai slashed his shoulder deeply. Zero fell to the floor in pain and held onto his bleeding shoulder.
"I will make you pay." Haku growls, the bloodied kunai still in hand. He knew that he could have killed Zero with that kunai just then, but Haku wanted him to suffer, make him beg for death. A quick death would be too good for him.
However, Haku wouldn't get another chance to attack. In a gust of wind, the Preta Path made an appearance and picked Zero body up and ran away with it. Haku tried to run after the Path and kill Zero, but then Haku winced.
Haku looked down and saw the extent of his injures. The adrenaline gone left him feeling weak.
"Let me help you, Yuki-san." Katsuyu said crawling up his body, healing him at the same time.
Haku sighs and feels a bit of relief. That was until he looks at his sister's body and all the pain of losing her came back to him in a rush of emotions. The only difference was that he felt a burning rage fill him to the core and made him want to find Zero and kill him.
Haku clenched his fists. "He will pay, I swear it." Haku growls darkly.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
Rachel, who was still standing at this point yells out. "My love life is not on trial here, her soul us!" She thrust her bony finger in my direction.
I wanted to pull my hair out with how frustrated I felt. "Can't you see that you're being manipulated by him?!" I shout out. Michael didn't care about Rachel, he's using her. She's the Arch Angel giving her the most power, if he had her wrapped around his little finger then no one can question him.
"How dare you?!" Rachel screeches.
Nora places a hand on my shoulder and whispers in my ear. "I think its best you tone it down a bit."
I look at Nora and shake my head. "No Nora, I won't. My soul's already damned, so I'm going to speak freely."
Nora sighs while rubbing her temples.
I turn back to the seven angels. "Michael has wanted revenge on Nora for ages. He already killed her champion! This time he just did it indirectly to me. He wants to be beat Nora, and he will do anything necessary." I finish looking Michael in the eyes as I said this.
Michael stared back at me with an emotionless mask.
Grace turns to look at Michael. "Is this true?"
"Grace!" Sarah yells at her with a scandalous tone.
Grace arches an eyebrow, "We need to be thorough otherwise we could be damning someone who doesn't deserve it." She turns back to Michael and asks, "Well?"
Rachel scoffs. "Of course it's not."
"Rachel, you aren't bring asked." Xavier points out, making Rachel send him a nasty glare.
'Can't she just make them listen to her?' I ask Nora in my head.
Nora shakes her head. 'An Arch Angel needs to listen to all sides no matter what.'
Michael stands up. "What she's saying is true."
Everyone fell silent and all eyes were on Michael. Everyone in the room looked shock, all besides Nora who looked like she had been expecting this all along. The most shocked however was Rachel, hurt was shining in her eyes.
"What?" Pierce asks, being the first one to recover.
Michael turns to the youngest angel in the room. "The girl in right, I was only using Rachel." He says with a smug look.
"And what makes you think that you can get away with this?" Grace asks furiously.
Michael's smug look never leaves him. "I've already won dear." He looks to me, "She's already accepted her charges. There is no way to get out of it now."
"B-but how could you?" Rachel asks, hurt laced in her tone.
Michael looks to her. "No hard feelings love, but I never cared for you." With that, he turns around and walks over to me and to the door behind me. He gives me and Nora one last smug look and disappears.
Silence filled the room, no one spoke. Everyone was too much in shock to even conjure up a sentence.
"He hasn't won yet." Rachel says.
Everyone looks at the Arch Angel. "What do you mean?" Elizabeth asks.
Rachel stands up. "Akemi Nakahara, I release you of your charges!"
"B-but there are protocols that we must undergo!" Sarah shouts in protest.
Rachel sends her a scathing look, causing her to flinch. "He has made a mockery of me, and I will not stand for that!" Rachel shouts.
No one objected to that.
Rachel looks to me. "Everyone who agrees with me raise your hand."
Grace, Xavier and Pierce all raise their hands immediately. Sarah and Elizabeth look reluctant, but eventually they too raise their hands.
I felt myself relax, would that mean I could go back to my family. I didn't know but I hoped, I would hate to leave and never have a proper goodbye. I wasn't able to do it in my old life and that had been my biggest regret.
Rachel looks around the room and nods her head, satisfied. "Michael isn't usually a judge, but I allowed him here this once. He wouldn't know that a sentence cannot be revoked only after I have sentenced you, which I have not done yet."
"So I can go back?" I ask hopefully.
Rachel purses her lip before nodding her head. "Yes."
"Yes!" I exclaim throwing my hands up in the air.
Nora sighs and relief.
"Give his champion hell." Rachel tells me with a serious look.
"I plan to." I tell her.
Satisfied, Rachel nods her head. Giving the signal to Nora, Nora turns me around and touches my forehead and my vision turns dark.
Rachel sits back down in her chair and sighs deeply.
Grace chuckles. "I don't believe we've had such a tense case since your champion." Grace says looking to Sarah.
Sarah blushes for a moment before groaning. "Don't remind me."
"What world was she in again?" Xavier asks, a teasing grin on his face.
"I believe is was Katekyo Hitman Reborn was it not?" Elizabeth says, a knowing grin on her face.
Sarah grumbles. "Why she had to join the Varia I don't know."