Yasuhi stood in a dark alley, the designated emergency back up location that they'd decided on after scouting the town. He had dropped a scrawled message at their dead drop spot, so it should only have been a matter of time before one of the others met him there. The street before him had people mindlessly milling about their days, unaware as Yasuhi hissed, clutching his side. He leaned on the brick wall and slid down to sit, ignoring the new scrapes from the sharp surface.
"Yasuhi?"
He turned to see Haru, with a welt on his face but seemingly no other injury. Behind him, two slight figures in robes huddled together. He could tell from their forms that they were female.
"Who are they?"
"Victims, we're going to get them out. First, let me take care of this."
Haru's hands glowed a brilliant green as he started with Yasuhi's face, bringing the swelling down, looking into his partner's eyes as they brightened to their normal state. With a gentle smile, he trailed his hands down, Yasuhi giving a sigh of relief as the pain began to ebb away,
A shadow draped over them from above. Yasuhi looked up ready to jump into action but stopped when he saw a familiar face.
"Kakashi?"
"Yep, Captain Masazo sent me. You guys look like you've seen better days."
"Tell me about it." Yasuhi grinned.
"Who are these two?"
He gestured to Soyanami and Inamoni.
"This is Soyanami, widow to Nakuhei, and Inamoni."
"Widow, you say?" Kakashi felt his lip twitch, he wouldn't pretend to have any remorse for the passing of that man. "Alright, ladies, go to the temple, find a man named Masazo. Boys, let's go get Nishira."
"Right."
"Let's roll!"
Nishira snuck into the basement arena. It was the only place left in the mansion that she hadn't checked. In front of the door to her destination stood a couple of chunin she'd seen around the leaf village. As she ducked around the corner to keep from view, Nishira took their presence as confirmation of what Koragi had said with his last breath. Was it really the leader of team twenty-two who was betraying the Leaf village? And for what reason? Her heart sank a little in disappointment. Shaking her head, right now Nishira needed the will of the Gokayama Shrike and not Nishira of the Leaf Village. Right now, the goal was total annihilation of anyone who threatened her. She held her hand together and disappeared into the wind, only to reappear behind both shinobi, using a whip of air to slice straight across their throats. She knocked them to the ground as pools of blood formed on the pristine white tile that gleamed when it welcomed the noble guests. She wanted to paint the whole place in that deep glorious red.
Cautiously opening the door, as quiet as possible Nishira tiptoed around the catwalk. Risking a peek, Nishira spotted Rakumo chatting with a female form. But from the distance of her perch, she couldn't confirm if it was her old captain. Nishira kept lurking, walking around to see a better vantage point while as quietly as possible taking out goons and rogue shinobi around every corner. She made it halfway around the perimeter until a familiar voice, marred with a tint of annoyance called out to her.
"Come on out, darling. A friend wants to see you."
Not seeing a point in staying up there where a few guards remained, Nishira easily leapt down in plain view. Her gaze drilled straight into the female's face and eyes and was disappointed to not even see a sign of guilt or remorse. Just a wicked smile and eyes furrowed in menace.
"Hibi, how could you?"
"How could I? Really? You just found out that I'm the undetected spy in the Hidden Leaf village and your first question is how could you? Happily, actually. Thank you so much for asking. Just finishing off the deal here with your pal, Rakumo. He's proved quite useful. But I must ask, did you get into a fight? Your nose looks terrible, you should get that bandaged up, preserve that pretty face."
"What's the point of all this? What are you planning with all those weapons and dossiers."
"Ah yes, Sorry Hibi I forgot to update you; I found our sweet Nishira and a man in the smuggling hold. I thought I had set up Nishira in a comfortable spot to wait until this little meeting was over and I could go and set her up in her new home, but it seems she's a little trickier than I remember."
"Yes, she is always the willful one. I believe Lord Orochimaru will like that in her. That or kill her."
"Lord Orochimaru? No, no, no you must be mistaken. She's not part of our deal. Nishira will stay here with me."
Hibi smiled dryly.
"I'm sorry Rakumo, but that was never the deal. You have given us a great deal providing us with smuggling routes and information trading, but I'm afraid this is non-negotiable. She will be a great asset for us."
Nishira seethed, the anger threatening to rise again, but this time she had no need to push it back down. It was here and now that was appropriate to bring forth the demon in her body.
"I am nobody's property! I am Nishira of Konohagakure and an ANBU operative. My mission right now is to kill all of you, and for the first time, I will enjoy the torment as I rip you limb from fucking limb."
Hibi gave an arrogant snort.
"You can fight me if you wish, but you will lose. And then I will bring your bleeding body to Lord Orochimaru as he ordered. It's your choice, Nishi. Either way, you're coming with me."
"No, she's not!" Rakumo pulled out a pistol and pointed it towards Hibi's exposed back, but Hibi was too fast for that. With her blade, she sliced the pistol in half with ease. But it provided the time needed for Nishira to draw the salvaged sword tucked in her waistband and leap with great speed, forcing Hibi to turn back, trying to dodge. Nishira's blade only grazed her exposed upper arm. Hibi made signs as she jumped away, blowing a flame inferno from her mouth. Nishira leapt out of its way quickly, but the intensity of the heat still nipped at her face. Jumping through the flames, Hibi leapt straight for Nishira's retreating form. Forcing her to block it made it easy for Hibi to follow through with a powerful blow to her abdomen sending her careening for the ground. As Nishira landed, the floor buckled from the force, sending cracks in the concrete a way out from the impact.
As Nishira stood up now halfway across the room, blood began seeping from superficial cuts littered on her skin. Scanning the room, she saw some other shinobi without headbands coming for her. Holding her hands together, Nishira began conjuring whipped air blades in a whirlwind behind her, cutting at any vital points they could reach. Nishira huffed from the exertion, before turning to see Hibi coming in with a powerful kick towards her exposed face. The pain from the broken nose increased exponentially upon contact, as though the shards were piercing her brain directly. Her body careened through the overpriced furniture, and only stopped when she hit the solid concrete wall. Nishira fell to the ground, coughing out blood.
"Nishi, Nishi, Nishi, I know your moves, I know your weaknesses. I know taijutsu is the best way to take you out. You've certainly improved but you're no match for me. Come on out so I can finish it or give up and agree to come with me. Your choice."
Rakumo came screaming behind her, howling with rage, spittle spewing from his snarling face.
"YOU CAN'T HAVE HER, SHE'S MINE!"
Hibi turned around and with a flick of her finger, sent Rakumo tumbling backwards. He lay in rubble panting, blood dripping from his ear.
Nishira only needed that moment, she stood and called on an ancient power she hadn't used willingly in a very long time. She hoped it would help, but demons could temperamental at the worst of times.
Please, this is the time. I need your help. In sacrifice, I offer the blood of these shinobi in your honour.
When she opened her eyes, they blazed with a deep black flame. Feeling the hunger of the demon in her belly, it searched for hot fresh pulsing blood. Turning around, the last of the accompanying shinobi approached. Nishira teleported to the nearest, her hands becoming syphons as they pulled the blood from his skin. He screamed as she drained him of every last drop of it. It coated her skin and absorbed through. No sense of nausea came from it as before. Instead, it increased her chakra levels, the rush of it running through her body gave her a great boost of speed. The next one came in with chakra in his palm. She wasn't sure what its intention was, but she easily side stepped it and grabbed him by the throat. Easily lifting him, he gurgled from the lack of oxygen but it subsided as she drained is life force in mere heartbeats. Filling that bottomless tank, it propelled her farther and farther. Only Hibi remained and the demon still wasn't satisfied.
She turned to see a slight uneasiness in Hibi's manner, who stared hard at her former student. But with gritted teeth, the woman lowered into an attack stance and came at her. Hibi hesitated, torn between objectives, and Nishira took the opportunity to latch onto her form and finish her, stretching her hands out to grab whatever bare skin they could find. Hibi took a kunai and stabbed it into her chest. It penetrated the flesh there but did little to stop her. The energy that surged from the wound made Nishira look curiously down at the invading blade, seeing a thick pulsing blackness pulsing from the wound instead of blood. Nishira reached out and devoured Hibi. Her hands found purchase and ripped apart the body of her former sensei, lapping up the life force as she screamed until unconsciousness took pity on her as her life was snuffed out.
Once she was done with Hibi, the demon inside Nishira had been satiated and the resulting loss of energy left her feeling fatigued, her arms feeling like dead weights, her chakra now dangerously low from exertion. Nishira badly needed rest. Looking around to assess the carnage she wrought over the traitors, the dim sense of justice was peaceful. It was cut short when a chunk of concrete was used to bash the back of her head, Nishira's barely conscious body fell to the ground, feeling the hot searing pain on the back of her head. Clumsy hands turned her over before she glanced up to see Rakumo whip his belt off to use as a makeshift rope, her wrists were looped in. He struggled as he attempted to scoop her into his arms, until a commotion at the lower door where the fighters entered the arena burst open with gusto.
"Shira!"
At first, she thought she was dreaming, that voice tinged with concern. Kakashi was at home, he was in the village, or on a mission with Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. He couldn't be here. Nishira thought idly maybe she was dead, as a sense of delirium seeped into her mind. Behind the intruder, her teammates Haru and Yasuhi came shouting.
"Nishira! Get up!"
Instead, a sudden desperate strength in Rakumo's hands grabbed her and lifted only her torso. The cold steel of one of her own dropped kunai knives pressed against her bare throat. Nishira could hear the manic growl coming from behind her and didn't have to look up to see his face contorted into blind rage.
"NO! Stay back or I'll do it!"
"Put down the knife, let's talk about what we both want. Just let her go."
"No! I can't do that. You'll kill me the second I let her go. No! Stay away. Let me take her. I need her, she's mine."
Whatever possessed Nishira to say what she did next eluded her; Maybe it was fatigue, or fear, maybe it was easier, but her mouth opened and said the words
"I will never be yours, Rakumo."
He howled in frustration, and she saw Haru jump in to take advantage. But Rakumo was faster and in a single breath, she felt the blade break the skin, stutter as it sliced the tendons there, and felt blood spray out with great relieving pressure with every heartbeat which quickened at the realization that he'd just been driven to slice her throat. As the blade finished its path across her vulnerable flesh, she wished desperately to take it back. Death had always been a welcomed guest, but this time the doorway was fortified with a reason to turn away the visitor, and he stood just out of reach before her now. The countless times she'd wished for it, prayed for release, contemplated the freedom of its finality, now tossed away, a moment too late. A mistake she'd pay with her life. Haru's foot landed on Rakumo's face and drove him to release her. Her last conscious sight before too much blood loss was the oncoming form of Kakashi with one hand outstretched, his visible eye widened in fear as he desperately reached her, shouting her name as she fell to the floor free of her captor's grasp, was the regret of her moment of stupidity.
[A/N: And that, folks, is the end of Part I of The Heir of Bird Song series. If you've made it this far, please leave a comment, I would greatly appreciate any and all feedback or thoughts. PART II IS ALREADY ALMOST COMPLETE. I am just doing one last run through edit and then I will begin posting it. See you in the next part! - Lady Aneena]
