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Reunion

Ryuu leapt into the air, feet crashing into one of the Jinchuriki, a tall man in red armor with a large steam engine on his back and a red metal conical hat. The man had been about to kick Naruto, who was holding a Rasengan against a second Jinchuriki, a man whose body seemed to be coated in lava. The man Ryuu had kicked crashed into the other Jinchuriki and both flew away, crashing through the trees. Ryuu landed in front of Naruto and B, holding his hands out and healing the burns Naruto had sustained.

"Hey Ryuu," Naruto grinned. "Glad you made it."

"Do you know where the rods are?" Ryuu asked.

"On their chests," Naruto stated. "Be careful, they all have a Sharingan that works and a Rinnegan that joins their vision."

"I know," Ryuu said. "Nagato explained the specifics of the jutsu to me. Naruto, can the two of you handle five Jinchuriki and Madara if he fights?"

"Yes," Naruto nodded. "Go ahead and settle things. Just be careful."

"Trust me," Ryuu said. "I'm not dying until I free her soul. No matter what I have to endure." He drew his tanto and trench knife, crouching. "Even if that means I have to kill her myself."

Naruto nodded as Fu appeared overhead. He leapt at her, slashing, and she caught his forearm, spinning and hurling him away. He flipped, landing on the ground just in time for a young boy with a green scarf and green cloth hanging from his waist, his forehead protector attached to his metal chest plate which he wore over a fishnet shirt, and a long black staff with hooked ends, one being bigger than the other and having a large green flower on the larger end appeared, smashing the pole into Ryuu's stomach, launching him away.

"They're targeting him!" Naruto growled, just before bubbles began to surround them and close in again. "Damn it!"

"Let's take this one out first," B said. "His jutsu will be a real problem fool, ya fool!"

Naruto nodded and they began to jump through the trees, heading for Utakata as the bubbles began to explode. At the last second, Yugito crashed into B, smashing him through a tree before Naruto reached Utakata, shoving a Rasengan at his chest but missing, just barely, as Utakata leapt over him.

"Lava Style, Scorching Rocks Jutsu!" the Jinchuriki covered in lava shouted before spitting large balls of molten rock at Ryuu.

Ryuu flipped over the attack just in time for the one in red armor to slam his fist into him, steam shooting out of the steam engine on his back. The force of the impact launched Ryuu through several trees. He flipped over, landing on his feet just as Fu appeared behind him, a pair of insect wings extended from her back, then slammed both feet into his back, launching him. He crashed through a tree and flipped, spinning and blocking the staff wielded by the young Jinchuriki, who he recognized as the third Mizukage, Yagura. He shoved the staff aside, slashing at Yagura but Yagura flipped over the jutsu, kicking Ryuu and launching him downward. Ryuu bounced off the ground just before both the Jinchuriki in red armor and the lava-coated Jinchuriki's feet crashed into his side, launching him. Ryuu rolled to a stop and pushed himself up, swearing.

"I was hoping I could handle Fu without interruptions," Ryuu growled pushing himself up and looking up at the four Jinchuriki standing on the branches over him, eyes settling on Fu. "Fu. You remember me, don't you? Do you remember the letter you wrote to me before you died?"

The lava-coated Jinchuriki dropped down, charging at Ryuu who flipped over him, blasting him with a Fireball Jutsu and launching him into the trees before landing and looking back up at Fu.

"You were once willing to risk the Akatsuki capturing you in order to save me from Orochimaru," Ryuu stated. "Are you now going to be the one to kill me?"

The lava-covered Jinchuriki and the one in red armor both appeared on either side of Ryuu, punching at him. He leapt over them, kicking them away just before Yagura smashed the smaller end of his staff into Ryuu's abdomen, launching him backward. Ryuu flipped, landing on his feet, his tanto landing halfway between them, along with his trench knife. Ryuu looked down at his cracked armor and held a hand over it, using chakra to seal the cracks before removing it and sealing it back in its scroll to keep it. It was a gift, after all. And it was heavy and slowed him down. Ryuu drew Fu's kunai, looking up at her again, tears rolling down his cheeks now.

"Please Fu," Ryuu said. "I don't want to fight you. But I can't allow you to harm anyone, and I can't leave you under Madara's control. Please, come back to me."

Fu dropped to the ground, walking forward to his tanto and trench knife, picking them up and staring at them. Then, she hurled the tanto at him, sprinting forward. He ducked under the tanto, sprinting forward as well and slashed at her. She blocked it with his trench knife and caught his other arm, flipping him over her head and slashing at him as she swung him down. He was able to deflect it away from his neck but it cut the chain holding his pendant, slicing a scratch into the side of his neck. Ryuu flipped, landing on his feet and kicked Fu then leapt over the lava-covered Jinchuriki, his medallion falling out of the bottom of his shirt as he did. Then, the Jinchuriki with red armor's foot crashed into his abdomen, blasting him at Yagura, Fu's kunai falling to the ground beside the medallion. Just as Yagura attacked Ryuu, Fu appeared to slash him as well. Ryuu was able to flip over the staff but it hit Fu, blasting her abdomen apart and splitting her in two. Ryuu kicked Yagura in the side of the head, launching him away.

Ryuu landed on his feet, leaping to the tree branches and then leaping off of one as several balls of molten rock blasted it. Just as Ryuu landed, the lava-covered Jinchuriki and the one in red armor both crashed into him from opposite sides, crushing his ribs before the one in red armor spun, steam shooting out of the engine before his foot connected with Ryuu's side, blasting him away. Ryuu crashed along through the trees before finally cratering in one and stopping, falling to the branch and beginning to heal his ribs. Just as he finished, Yagura appeared over him, swinging his staff downward at him. Ryuu watched as it descended but closed his eyes as it neared him. Then, he eared something hit the branch and his eyes flew open, seeing one of Fu's kunai. He looked up to see Yagura jumping backward just as Fu landed in front of Ryuu, picking up her kunai and standing. Ryuu watched her back for a moment as she stood there. Ryuu stood, finished healing his ribs, but remained silent, unsure of what to say. Fu turned toward him, eyes closed and kunai raised.

"I see," Ryuu said. "Then I'll leave it to Naruto to save you. At least you're the one to finish me. I can accept that."

Fu pulled a kunai back and as she shifted, a familiar gold medallion slipped out from under the red cloth crossing across her chest and she grinned. Ryuu's eyes widened before Fu spun, kunai knocking Yagura's staff aside before the other split his chest open, forcing him to leap back, stopping and watching Fu as she opened her eyes.

"I won't let you hurt Ryuu anymore," Fu stated as the front of her shirt broke apart just enough to reveal the chakra receiver.

It began to be forced out of her body. Fu grit her teeth, groaning in pain and effort before the chakra receiver finally fell from her body, bouncing off of the branch before turning to dust and Fu regenerated, her shirt fixing itself.

"Welcome back," Ryuu smiled and Fu smiled at him, wrapping her arms around him.

"You've grown a bit," Fu noticed.

"It's been a while since you died," Ryuu stated.

Fu nodded and raised her hand, his tanto and trench knife held in it. He took both and she reached up to take the medallion off but he stopped her.

"Keep it," Ryuu said. "It'll keep you safe."

"But for how long?" Fu asked. "You're going to send me away, right?"

"Fu," Ryuu began, voice pained. "You're dead. You don't belong here anymore. I want to be with you. I want you to stay, but...you can't."

Fu opened her mouth to speak just as she doubled over, Kabuto trying to take complete control. She turned, slashing at him but her kunai froze just short of his neck. She began to tremble before the kunai fell to her feet and she clutched her head.

"Stop fighting for control," the false Madara said appeared off to the side. "It's futile."

He hurled another chakra receiver at her but Ryuu stepped in the way, slashing it out of the air with his tanto before putting the tanto away. He looked back at Fu as her skin turned a pail grey and began to break apart. Then, it deconstructed, leaving her soul standing in her place. A moment later, the body reconstructed around her soul, reforming then regaining its color, looking almost alive, except for the black sclerae.

"She broke her contract?" Madara mused. "I'm impressed. It seems you truly are important to her. However, I won't allow you to keep that Jinchuriki. Her Seven-tails will be mine."

Ryuu took Fu's hand and she laced her fingers with his. Then, Ryuu vanished, reappearing beside Naruto and B just as B grew into his full Eight-tails form.

"Hang on tight," B warned. "Or else you'll be goin' for a flight."

Naruto and Ryuu held onto B, Ryuu forming wooden beams to secure the three of them to B's head before wrapping his arms around Fu and smiling.

"Do it," Ryuu said as B curled his tails around himself.

Then, he spun, flattening the area around them, creating a massive vortex from his speed that flattened an even wider area, clearing it of trees. When he finally stopped, he bent forward, releasing ink clones for the now stunned Jinchuriki. Ryuu retracted the wooden beams and they stood, watching as the clones grabbed onto the other Jinchuriki. The clones began to liquify into ink, but just before they could harden, as the Eight-tails explained they were supposed to, the Jinchuriki transformed into their Version two forms.

"Damn," Ryuu grumbled. "Looks like things got a bit more dangerous."

"Don't worry," Fu smiled stepping back and also entering her Version Two form. "This time, we fight together."

Ryuu grinned and nodded, drawing his tanto and trench knife, jumping down from B's head with Fu and Naruto.


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