Battle of Siblings
Dairuko slammed his fist in to the ground, sending shockwaves through the ground, while Natsuki leaped through the air then, as she landed, she lunged at Dairuko tackling him to the ground.
"Damn it, Dairuko snap out of it!" Natsuki screamed, but Dairuko simply grabbed her by the throat and punched her square in the gut sending her flying like a skipping stone.
"Are you so stupid that you don't understand that he is my puppet? He cannot resist or disobey." Izuka said to Natsuki before Fuu attacked him but he flew off using his own seven-tails powers.
"Natsuki-chan, I will force Izuka to release Dai-kun!" Fuu exclaimed as she herself took to the sky to fight her brother.
'You better hurry, Fuu.' Natsuki thought as she made a mad dash to Dairuko with an army of shadow clones.
"Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence." Dairuko said flatly as thick branches sprouted from the ground catching some of the clones and dispersing others. "Deep Forest Destruction" and the branches each sprouted wooden spikes, dispersing any clones that were trapped. "Deep Forest Explosion" Dairuko said and a huge explosion followed.
Natsuki managed to escape Dairuko's wooden death trap by continuously ascending but as she escaped the explosion, Dairuko was right there waiting for her then he unleashed a powerful kick knocking Natsuki to the ground then Dairuko came down with a variation of Tsunade's Heaven Kick of Pain which he called Windfall but before he hit Natsuki, a fireball hit him away from her.
"Natsuki, are you alright?" Itachi came to Natsuki's aid.
"I'm fine. Itachi, Dairuko is under the genjutsu of Izuka. You need to get him to snap Dairuko out of it and stop him in the process." Natsuki ordered.
"But, Natsuki you need-"
"I need you to trust me, Itachi... now go!"
"Understood." Itachi then left Natsuki.
"Okay Dairuko, if words won't get through..." Natsuki trailed off before doing some hand seals "Wind Style: Cutting Wind Barrage!" she exclaimed as waves of wind were sent through the air, cutting everything in its path.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu." Dairuko said and the two jutsu clashed with the fireball growing larger and heading straight for Natsuki... who was no longer there. Before Dairuko knew it Natsuki was right in front of him landing a right hook, left hook and somersault flip kick right on his jaw knocking him in the air. Dairuko did a midair back-flip, allowing him to land on his feet but Natsuki already had a trust kick aimed right for his face, however, Dairuko grabbed her leg and pulled her in for a clothesline flipping Natsuki onto her stomach, then Dairuko attempted to do an elbow drop on her which she rolled away to avoid.
Dairuko quickly got back to his feet and tried to punch Natsuki while she was still reeling from the clothesline, but she instead planted her foot in Dairuko's gut then karate tossed him onto his back and tried to do her own axe-kick which Dairuko blocked and countered with a power-slam. He then trapped Natsuki by having wood wrap around her chest.
"Chidori Spread!" Natsuki said shooting lightning from her hand and electrocuting Dairuko, stunning him long enough for her to escape her wooden prison.
Natsuki performed more hand seals "Fire Style: Seeker Flame Jutsu!" Natsuki blew a normal size fireball which Dairuko used his Thunderclap to extinguish, but rather than extinguish, it broke into smaller fireballs and gained speed. Dairuko then tried to dodge them but they followed him as he leaped around before stopping and creating a wooden dome that covered him from all angles.
"It seems your friend is finally taking my puppet seriously... shame you're not doing the same," Izuka said as he kicked Fuu across the sky "but I won't waste such an opportunity!" Izuka flew above Fuu then launched himself downward knees first into Fuu's back until they both hit the ground. "You know, Fuu... you could've ended this so quickly if you had used the seven-tails full power... such a shame." Izuka left Fuu laying in the ground then turning his attention to Itachi who had just arrived, blocking his path to the Hero's Water.
"You will not get past me, Izuka." Itachi said and activated his Mangekyou Sharingan.
"You cannot stop me, Uchiha." Izuka said.
"A lot of people have said that to me... none of them have been right."
As the fireballs were blocked by Dairuko's wooden dome Natsuki knew she had to do something to slow him down or stop him, Natsuki charged her Chidori.
'I'm sorry, Dairuko.' Natsuki ran forward, her Chidori ready, and she cut through the wood dome expecting to at least wound Dairuko. Instead, she felt something grip her wrist and before she knew it Dairuko delivered a knee straight into her stomach followed by an uppercut and straight punch knocking her through the dome.
Once Natsuki recovered she summoned her sword, charged at Dairuko -who grabbed a sword from one of the dead shinobi- and two began a battle of blades. Natsuki pressed her attack while Dairuko defended until Natsuki disarmed him and went for the finishing blow, but Dairuko summoned a large amount of chakra to his arm which hardened his skin allowing him to not only block Natsuki's sword strike, but also break it, with only a scratch.
"I forgot you could do that." Natsuki muttered then Dairuko grabbed her by the throat and started strangling her.
Natsuki struggled before she managed get her legs in position and then performed an arm-bar take down but after Dairuko landed he grabbed Natsuki before she could release him and power-slammed her into the ground then kicked her away. Dairuko walked toward Natsuki who was clutching her stomach, as he reached her Natsuki pulled out a kunai and stabbed Dairuko in his hand but he didn't flinch, instead, he tried to punch her with his other hand which she dodged.
"Dai-nii..." Natsuki muttered when an idea hit her then she reached into her ninja pouch "Secret Technique..."
"Eternal Fist of-" Dairuko cocked back a chakra-filled fist.
"BARRIER!" Natsuki yelled and pulled out a picture of her, Dairuko and their parents having a picnic that stopped Dairuko mid-punch, and for the first time since they started fighting, Natsuki saw the old Dairuko flash in his eyes. Not wanting to waste a chance to bring Dairuko back to her, she called out to him, "Know who you are!"
"N-N-Nats-uki..." Dairuko struggled to say as he lowered his fist.
"Puppet, kill her!" Izuka ordered and Dairuko began to raise his fist again.
"Dairuko, she's your sister!" Itachi called out.
"She means nothing to you, Puppet! She is no one!"
"She's... my sister!" Dairuko let out a battle cry before charging at Izuka. Itachi stepped back and Izuka tried to fly away but Dairuko grabbed him and slammed him into the ground and repeatedly punched Izuka in the chest before kicking him away.
"You're not supposed to be able to break free." Izuka uttered as he crawled away from Dairuko.
"There's a lot things I'm not supposed to be able to do... but for those I love and care about, I have no limits."
Itachi who had gone to check on Natsuki noticed that Izuka was backing away from Dairuko into the Hero's Water.
"Dairuko, don't let him get into the water!" Itachi called out.
Before Dairuko could stop Izuka the latter threw dust in Dairuko's eyes blinding him while Izuka dove into the water.
"Oops." Dairuko said as Itachi and Natsuki joined him.
"Baka..." Natsuki muttered 'Don't scare me like that again.' she thought to herself.
"I missed you too." Dairuko responded then Izuka emerged from the water with insect like armor and wings.
"Thank you, Puppet, it seems this water has quite the effect on me... now I can incorporate more traits of the seven-tails, like it's armor."
"I'm going to enjoy getting through that armor." Dairuko said and charged toward Izuka.
"I may not be able to control you anymore," Izuka said then extended his arm causing Dairuko to fall onto the ground clutching his head and screaming in pain. "but my new powers will make you suffer."
Itachi used his S'usanoo to break Izuka's connection with Dairuko while Natsuki tried to sneak up with a Chidori, but Izuka literally flew over her head then kicked her into Dairuko and Itachi.
"Itachi, what do we know?" Natsuki asked quickly while they acted groggy.
"Izuka can take Dairuko out of the equation, but S'usanoo's armor shields him from it and the density of that armor is unknown." Itachi said as he helped Dairuko up.
"Dairuko, charge. Itachi, cover him as best you can. If you can get that armor off, we execute team move 11."
"I'm on it." Dairuko said.
"Right." Itachi said.
Dairuko charged forward filling his body with chakra to increase his speed and strength while Itachi followed closely behind him. As soon as Izuka performed the seals and tried his mind shattering technique, Itachi activated his S'usanoo's arm and shielded Dairuko. Once close enough, Itachi deactivated his S'usanoo and watched Dairuko go to work; Dairuko tackled Izuka into a wall and repeatedly punched him in the face then followed them up with a powerful knee to the face. Izuka's face armor was destroyed as a result of Dairuko's onslaught. Izuka tried to fight back but Dairuko easily defended against his punches and kicks then countered with a series of body blows that ended with Dairuko ripping off the torso piece of Izuka's armor. Dairuko grabbed Izuka and threw him toward Itachi while Natsuki got in position with Dairuko.
Itachi activated his S'usanoo again and smacked Izuka like a fly into the air while Dairuko grabbed Natsuki and threw her at Izuka while a clone of Dairuko came up from the ground with a rising uppercut that hit Izuka right in the chin at which point he was in position for the coup de grace' and both Natsuki and Itachi performed a powerful fireball jutsu.
"Fire Style: Giant Fireball Jutsu!" They said in unison and two gigantic fireballs sandwiched Izuka before he fell to the ground with burn marks across his body.
"H-h-how are you so s-strong?" Izuka asked as the trio walked toward him.
"We landed decisive blows on the nine-tails... you really think some kid with a portion of a tailed beast's power could beat us?" Dairuko said.
"No... no... NO!" Izuka screamed and in an instant the seven-tails stood before Team 0 "You three will not deny me my revenge!" the seven-tails screamed and took off into the sky, the shockwave knocked Team 0 a considerable distance back.
"No..." a voice said weakly that Natsuki barely heard.
"Fuu?" Natsuki asked, then saw Fuu laying nearby, her body covered in seal writing. "Fuu! What happened?"
"Safeguard... if either of us drank the water a seal would activate causing the other to lose the ability to transform... if the seal isn't removed both Izuka and I will die." Natsuki's eyes widened then she opened Fuu's shirt to see the seal.
"This is extremely complicated... it will take some time."
"Where's Izuka?"
"He flew into the sky. We can't follow him."
"You need to... stop him before he gets back to the ground."
"Why, what's he doing?"
"He's going to blow up the village... you can't let him come down mandibles first." Fuu said just as Izuka began his decent.
"Oh fuck." Natsuki said and prepared for the worst- but it never came.
Natsuki looked up at the seven-tails that looked like it was touching the ground but upon closer inspection she saw that Dairuko was holding the beast back but only by a leg's length.
Dairuko knew whatever Izuka was planning was not going to end well for him or his team, so with every once of strength he had, he kept Izuka's mandibles from touching the ground. Eventually Izuka stopped forcing his way down allowing Dairuko to shift his footing letting him power-slam a tailed beast into the ground.
"That's right... Senju power, Bitch!" Dairuko said but his victory was short lived when Izuka grabbed him between his mandibles and took flight again. Had it been anyone else it probably would have torn them in half but Dairuko held the mandibles apart "I'm not dying this way."
"How do you still have such strength?"
"I told you... when it comes to those I love, I. Have. No. Limits!" Dairuko exclaimed before pushing the mandibles apart allowing him to escape... into a free fall "Oh c'mon!" Luckily for Dairuko Itachi managed catch him with the S'usanoo.
"You alright?" Itachi asked.
"I had it under control... but thanks even though I didn't need it." Dairuko complained and Itachi took it as a 'his fine'. Itachi and Dairuko regrouped with Natsuki, who was almost done with Fuu.
"Natsuki, any ideas?" Dairuko asked.
"Just one, release Fuu, have her fight Izuka while we provide as much support as we can." Natsuki said.
"I have a plan, Dairuko, team move 0." Itachi said.
"What's team move 0?" Natsuki asked not knowing what they were talking about.
"Itachi... we've never done it before but I love this fucking plan let's do it!" Dairuko said excitedly.
"What the hell is going on here?!" Natsuki exclaimed.
"Shock & Awe!" Dairuko said as he and Itachi walked forward. "Itachi, we only have shot."
"Make sure it counts." Itachi looked at Dairuko and the two fist-bump exploded with Dairuko mouthing boom.
"This is where the fun begins... Wood Style: Ryujin!" Dairuko said and a giant wooden humanoid appeared with Dairuko on it's head and Itachi on it's right shoulder. The Ryujin then picked Natsuki and Fuu up and placed them on it's left shoulder. "You're up, buddy." Itachi nodded and the Ryujin was covered in S'usanoo armor "Behold, you over-sized bug, the Wood Style S'usanoo Body of Awesomeness!" The Ryujin now looked a knight with a cross guard sword still sheathed and a shield on it's back.
"When did you two create this?" Natsuki asked standing up, Fuu now sorted out behind her.
"Short version- me and Itachi weren't exactly sober at the time honestly." Dairuko said.
"Natsuki, get to the right fist and hold on." Itachi said and Natsuki did just that.
"Itachi let's kill this guy and go home." Dairuko said as the Ryujin cocked back it's fist that soon filled with chakra.
'How much chakra do you have, Dairuko?' Natsuki thought as she braced for impact.
"FIST OF FURY!"
Dairuko and Itachi roared in unison as the attack landed directly on Izuka, who had been too stunned by the sight of this monster to do anything, while Natsuki was propelled off the Ryujin's fist and through the seven-tails' chest where she grabbed Izuka and they both exited the tailed beast before crash landing in an open field. Izuka tumbled to a stop ,grabbed a kunai and hid it from the approaching Natsuki- he refused to die alone on this day.
"Please... just let the water kill me... I want to see the sunrise once more." Izuka begged and Natsuki, not seeing him as a threat anymore, turned to look at the sunrise while Izuka got up and came at her with the kunai.
"It is quite beautiful," Natsuki sidestepped and impaled Izuka with a Chidori "isn't it beautiful? You didn't really think I was that stupid now did ya? Tsche, You insult me." Natsuki removed her hand from his chest and watched him drop to the ground and close his eyes "I hope you find more peace in death than you did in life."
"Damn, Itachi ain't that a sight worth seeing?" Dairuko said to Itachi who nodded before pinching the bridge of his nose "Hey, you okay there?"
"I'm fine." Itachi responded but he knew he had used his Magekyou too much and the side effects were beginning to take hold. "I'll get Fuu to Shibuki you check on Natsuki."
"I'm on it." Dairuko said and the two ninja took off.
Dairuko found Natsuki standing next to Izuka's body looking at the horizon, when he approached her she punched him straight in the face.
"What was that for?" Dairuko cried indignantly, rubbing his chin when Natsuki threw her arms around him and drew him into a hug.
"Don't ever scare me like that again, you baka." Natsuki said as she buried her face in Dairuko's chest. Dairuko smirked as he held Natsuki.
"Thanks for not killing me..." Dairuko trailed off.
"Yeah... next time I won't go so easy on you." Natsuki's words were muffled due to her face still being pressed against Dairuko's chest.
"Natsuki, we should probably head back to Itachi."
"I think he can wait a little while longer, don't you?" Natsuki said as she turned to look back at the sunrise. Dairuko noticed that her eyes were a bit on the watery side but to let her save face, he said nothing just wiped a rogue tear from her cheek and looked at the sunrise.
"Yeah he can wait."
Team 0 stood at the entrance to the village. They had stayed long enough to help with major repairs for the village.
"You sure you don't need our help with the rest of the repairs?" Natsuki asked.
"No, you three have done so much for my village already, thanks to you we were able to get everyone to safety and lost only those few shinobi." Shibuki said.
"Sorry about them." Dairuko said a bit guiltily.
"It wasn't you who killed them Senju-san. It was Izuka and you avenged those shinobi by killing their true murderer and for that, I thank you."
"We appreciate your hospitality, Shibuki-sama. If you have no further need for us we will be on our way." Itachi said and three of them bowed before leaving.
"Dai-kun!" Fuu called out as she chased after Dairuko.
"Hey, Fuu, you guys go on. I'll catch up." Dairuko said to his teammates then turned back to Fuu "What's up?"
"I wanted to give this to you, Dai-kun." Fuu said and gave him a picture of the two of them posing with one arm over each other with Dairuko holding up four fingers and Fuu holding up three.
"Whats's this for?" Dairuko asked.
"So you'll remember me."
"Thanks but it'll be hard to forget someone quite like you, Fuu... after all, you are my friend."
"You're my friend too, Dai-kun." Fuu said and gave Dairuko a hug.
"I have to go before those two get too far ahead of me but I promise you, Fuu I will come visit you again alright?"
"I'm holding you to that, Dai-kun." Fuu waved goodbye to Dairuko who did the same.
"I swear I feel like crying..." Natsuki said when Dairuko caught up, putting on a fake crying face. Dairuko just lightly pushed her.
"She's a good person." Dairuko smiled and turned back, Fuu waved, still watching them leave.
"Do you want to take her to Konoha?" Natsuki asked.
"Even I know the implications of having two jinchuriki in one village, and allied with another... it does not end well for Konoha... maybe one day I'll be able to bring her to Konoha for an outing or something."
"One day..." Natsuki trailed off.
"Hey guys! I just realised we killed a jinchuriki... how bad ass is that? I doubt anything can stop us now."
"Said every person before they were stopped." Itachi dead-panned. Natsuki smiled to herself.
"Yeah, yeah whatever man."
As Team 0 walked away a hooded figure appeared a considerable distance behind them- observing.