Chapter 38: Arrival
Demon Country Forest, 2:13 pm
"Life and Pain belong to each other…Pain and Life cannot live without one another."
"Hanabi-chan!" Naruto yelled. Pakkun barked.
"Naruto! That's no longer Hanabi! That's Chaos! Get away from her!" Naruto scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could. Flash backs of Neji's deadly beating repeatedly pounded through his vision. He had seen…felt what damage these demons could do. If he wanted to find and protect Hinata…he had to live. His legs carried him far but not far enough.
"You are a hindrance to the Wedding Day!" Chaos screeched. Naruto was tempted to cover his ears from the horrible noise of her cries. To provide some little protection from the head splitting sounds coming from her mouth.
"Naruto! Pakkun! To the ground!" Naruto leaned down and grabbed Pakkun and dodged to left and hit the grassy floor. Almost immediately a white flash flew above them.
"Naruto-kun! Help me!" Naruto turned towards the voice. Shion stepped from behind the bushes, carrying a large scroll. Naruto ran to her, his eyes still ringing from the continuing screeching of Chaos. He looked back and saw that Neji had bonded her with white rope.
"So…this is Chaos." Shion said. Chaos continued to screech and scream, clawing, trying to bite at the white rope that held her. Shion pulled out some powder and handed a handful to Neji and Naruto.
"Please form a circle around us. When it is finished get out as fast as you can."
"But what if something happens to you?!" Naruto yelled. Shion shrugged.
"I know what this type of demon is capable of. My mother revealed it to me. Please…just do this."
--
One lonesome figure stood beside the tree. He grabbed the knife from inside his cloak and ran his index finger over it. He looked over the forested and mountainous valley.
He could feel it…his family was here. Everyone had gathered and father…was ready.
--
Shion stood still as a statue inside the white circle. The large scroll under her feet and her hands clasped together as if saying a prayer and closed her eyes.
"What are you doing, idiot?!" Naruto yelled out. He ran towards the circle, but Neji stopped him before he reached the powder.
"Naruto! Keep a level head! Shion-sama knows what she is doing! Let her concentrate!" Neji looked towards Shion. Her lips moved, though, they could here no sounds coming from them.
"Neji is right, Naruto. Let Shion-sama handle this." Naruto sank to the ground as another ear piercing scream sliced through the once silent woods.
--
"Why are you here? For what purpose have you come to my country?" Shion asked. Chaos smiled.
"So we can be set free! Tomorrow…tomorrow…it will all end. Everything has been set up. Since before…the Wars. Father promised! Father is here! He and Mother will set us free…for when the Wedding Day comes…we will become free! Free!
"What will happen tomorrow?"
"It will happen…and mankind will once again be at War…this time with demons!"
--
"Shion! What's happening to her?" Naruto yelled. They could only watch as her body was lifted up in the air, and stayed there suspended. It seemed as if she were standing on nothing. However her hands, still tightly together as if in prayer did not separate.
"She is keeping her hands together no matter what. If she releases her hands two things may happen…she will lose control and the demon will leave or posses her." Neji said. He held fast on to Naruto, through his kicking.
"Shion!"
--
"What are you saying? Are you planning to release all demons?! You cannot do this!" Shion yelled.
Chaos smirked.
"This world is as much ours as it is yours. What is this difference if we are freely roaming this world or not? What has man done that we have not? We are the same! We and man are the same!" Chaos smiles sweetly.
"We demons are born from the darkness of you. Of men's' hearts. We are one and the same!"
"Never! We love! We feel emotions!"
"Wrong!" Chaos screeched.
"You humans are weak! You always do things for the good of others! That way of thinking…will be the end of you!"
Shion screamed.
--
"Shion!" Naruto yelled as a piercing cry of pain sped through the forest. Shion's eyes opened wide, red liquid dripping from them. She continued screaming, her hands still tightly together.
"She can make it! She can make it!" Pakkun yelled. Neji closed his eyes as Shion's body began to twitch every which way. He tried to close his ears to Naruto's yelling and pleas.
Finally…it was over. Shion dropped to the forest ground like a log creating a dull thunk sound. Immediately Neji released Naruto and they ran to her. Shion sat up, covering her face.
"Shion! Shion!" Naruto skidded to a stop in front of her and picked her up. She buried her head in his chest.
"My eyes! My eyes! I-I can't see! I…I…I can't see! Naruto-kun! Neji-kun! Help me! I can't see! My eyes are burning! I can't see! Neji-kun! Naruto-kun!"
--
Gently, laying a wet rag on what used to be beautiful, lavender eyes, Sakura sighed heavily. This time, tears came in abundance. Like a waterfall hot tears fell down her cheeks to her hands.
Why…I hate this…Why? Why all this pain? Shion…I am so sorry! Shion please…forgive us. Please forgive us!
Sasuke stood in front of the door way. Watching with inner pain…as Sakura continued to care for Shion.
Sakura gathered her chakra, and channeled it into her hands, softly placing them on Shion's eyes. The skin had been completely burned around her eyes lids, leaving a repulsive red and black burn.
She had two broken ribs and a fracture in her left leg. She had suffered a high price…for helping them. She breathed easily enough, but Sakura could not imagine the pain she had endured. The feeling…of having your eyes burned out of their sockets. The feeling of pure torment and hate flowing into you from some unknown being and that hate being left on you in the form as a hideous scar that will never leave.