Her arm trembled as her hands flashed through the seals and pulled back another arrow. She took a deep breath in and released on exhale, just like she had been taught.
Only for the arrow to bounce off the giant beast's chest.
"Tori-chan! What are you doing here? Get back!" One of her clansmen roared at her.
She didn't listen, shakily pulling back another arrow as her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out the screams and cries all around her as that monster ripped apart her village, her home. She tried not to think about the moment the beast had destroyed the row of houses, how no one had emerged from the rumble. She tried not to look around her, at the crumbling teal torii, at the burning ginkgo tree, all of the bodies on the ground - Tears threatened her vision as she released Shooting Arrow.
"Kotori!" She heard her uncle shout, pure panic in his voice as he raced towards her on his own giant ninja hawk.
But it was too late.
The nine tailed fox had turned its eyes on her and Kotori thought her heart had stopped from fear. All of the air escaped from her lungs as she looked into the hateful eyes of the beast. Its giant paw swatted at her, sending her and Raiden hurdling into a building at full spend. It was all Kotori could do to hang onto Raiden for dear life. He hit the wall, sheltering her from the full impact before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Kotori fell to the ground and the wall tumbled over her, trapping her.
She could hear voices outside.
"Tori-chan, it'll be alright! Hold still, we'll get you out."
She faded, in and out of consciousness, until morning when a silver haired boy with mismatched eyes pulled the wall off of her.
xXx
"Rika-chan! What are you doing here?!" Kotori screamed, her heart freezing as the giant bird dove for Rika and Tenjin.
At the last minute, Rika jerked her Flaming Arrow upwards to aim at the monstrous bird and missed. Raiden responded by swooping down, grabbing the bird with his talons and hauling it away. In the resulting distraction, Kotori channelled chakra to her legs and aimed a kick to the summoner, breaking free.
"Wind Style: Typhoon Wind!" She snarled, using a blast of wind to knock back the summoner.
Tenjin's shadow eclipsed the summoner and Rika's lips curled into a smirk as she held the rat seal. "Shadow Possession complete."
Having Tenjin use his entire body to cast a giant shadow on the ground gave Rika more room to work with, however she could only hold Shadow Possession for so long against someone like Pein. Rika struggled to keep the summoner contained with her jutsu, her arms straining as she slowly forced the summoner to copy her movements. More than once, the shadow connecting Rika and the summoner slipped, but it didn't break. Kotori could scarcely breathe as Rika was able to get the summoner to dispel the giant bird, the rhino and the four-headed dog. It gave Kotori time to recover and come up with a plan, one that would remove Rika from the thick of the fighting while she took on the summoner.
Rika's shadow slipped, holding on by a mere inch as the summoner fought against her.
"I've got it from here," Ensui said, appearing from the shadowy corridor. Kotori could hear a tinge of pride in his voice.
His shadow reached out, taking control just in time. Rika's shadow snapped back and she collapsed onto her knees on Tenjin's back. Her ninja hawk flew over to them, landing behind Kotori and Ensui.
"You told my dad?" Rika scoffed.
Kotori smiled despite herself. "Yeah, sorry kid."
Ensui was not amused in the slightest. "Nara Rika, you were supposed to get your ass over to the evacuation point with your mother and sister."
"But - " Rika protested, her hands balled into fists. "I can help! Tenjin and I can move civilians - "
"No. Absolutely not. The Akatsuki will kill you. You need to get to the evacuation point. Do you understand?"
Rika had a stubborn set to her jaw, her eyes burning bright. One that Kotori knew only too well.
"No. Absolutely not. That thing will kill you. You are to get to the evacuation point. Do you understand?" Kotori could remember her uncle's words, pleading with her to leave.
But she hadn't. And Rika wouldn't either.
She knelt in front of Rika, gripping her shoulders. "I know you can. You did really well today, you're going to be an amazing kunoichi when you get older. But for now - you're an academy student and it's our job to keep you safe. I'm not going to be able to fight well if I'm worrying about you."
She hugged her, tightly. Not even bothering to cover up how terrified she had been in those brief moments of watching a twelve year old defiantly stare down Pein.
Rika glanced between Kotori, Ensui and Pein before finally relenting. Kotori gave Ensui and Rika a moment of privacy, turning her attention to Rika's partner. "Tenjin, I expect you'll take Rika straight to the evacuation point. No detours."
The young ninja hawk squirmed under her gaze. Kotori wryly realized she had found a ninja hawk just as stubborn and unruly as Rika. It was when Raiden landed in front of them, his wings crossed, that Tenjin bowed his head in agreement. She sent them off with a chakra bird for good measure.
"I think Rika had the right idea - can you dispel the rest of the summons?" Kotori asked. With their forces less focused on the destructive summons, they could rally and go after Pein.
"I can't hold her forever, my Shadow Possession can last - " Ensui gave a little shrug, not wanting to disclose the exact number. Kotori had a good idea, he could usually hold them for five to ten minutes. "Less with a stronger opponent."
It was then that they were joined by Ibiki, Ken, Mamoru and two ANBU platoons headed by Captain Sable and Captain Serow.
"We seal her inside a barrier. Ibiki's didn't hold, but there are stronger ones that should give us enough time to figure out how to defeat them." Kotori looked towards the other captains for suggestions.
"The Four Flames Formation," Mamoru said. "It's the strongest one we have."
The barrier was the same one that Orochimaru had used to trap the Third Hokage during the chunin exams. Their barrier division had been able to deconstruct it should it ever be used against Konoha again.
Ken, Mamoru, Sable and Serow cast the barrier the moment Ensui released his shadow possession jutsu. The summoner immediately collapsed within the barrier.
"She's completely sealed off from the outside, and whatever is transmitting chakra to those receivers," Ken realized.
Ibiki nodded. "Inoichi sent word. These Pein are corpses receiving chakra transmitted through those receivers on their body. If we're able to block the transmitters - "
"They're powerless," Kotori realized, feeling hopeful for the first time. They had the beginning of a plan. "If we can trap the other Pein inside the barriers, we can work on finding the source and defeating it."
With each Pein, they would need four shinobi capable of performing the Four Flames Barrier. The numbers would be close, unless they were able to trap multiple within the same barrier.
"Ram, Otter and Hound - I need you to go to the Hokage, the Commander and Shikaku. Let them know of this discovery. Spread the word to the other ANBU captains and Genma. Ibiki, I want squads of four capable of performing the Four Flames Barrier ready."
"Yes Captain."
Ryoku, Kouta and Mimi nodded before taking off in different directions to alert the members of the senior leadership team. Ibiki left to track down the head of the barrier division.
"You're doing good," Ensui quietly told her. He squeezed her shoulder. "I might be able to retire in peace after this, knowing you and Rika can give someone like Pein hell."
"Retirement? Didn't realize you were that old," she teased.
"I'm not," he grumbled. "But at the rate you two are giving me grey hairs I might as well be."
Chika dee dee dee
A woman in Akatsuki robes with bluish hair and giant paper wings was flying down the street at breathtaking speeds. Unlike the summoner captured within the barrier, she didn't have any of the black rods that acted as transmitters. Only a single black piercing under her lip. Konan. As shinobi attempted to stop her, she easily cut them down with paper bombs. They're explosions echoing off the walls of the nearby buildings. She was like an angel of death descending on the battlefield.
And she was coming straight for them. Hundreds of paper cranes formed, launching themselves at the ANBU captains holding the barrier.
"Four Guardian Winds Barrier Jutsu!" Kotori's own barrier spun from the four winds, forming a protective barrier around the ANBU captains.
Kotori's hackles rose as she rushed forward to defend her team against the kunoichi. Konan lifted her hand and Kotori's hands immediately formed the bird seal. Her chakra birds collided with Konan's paper cranes, hundreds of them exploding all around them. She held her hand behind her back, wordlessly communicating with Ensui through hand signals. Flamethrower Jutsu, 3… 2… 1…
Kotori immediately leapt out of the way, gracefully landing on Raiden's back as he took to the sky. Konan was incinerated. Blackened pieces of paper floated in the air from where she once stood. Only for her to reform behind Ensui.
"Watch out!" She shouted.
Konan's paper formed a sharp spear, launching straight at Ensui's heart. His shadow clone dissolved as soon as it pierced through him. Kotori knew he was likely hidden in the shadows, waiting for an opening. Kotori urged Raiden onwards, channelling chakra to her shins to stay on while he spiralled out of reach of Konan's paper shurikens.
Fighting against Konan in the sky was pure chaos. Paper cranes met chakra birds. Paper arrows met lightning arrows. Explosions sounded around them. Every time they got close to Konan, she scattered herself into thousands of pieces of paper and reformed. Kotori couldn't figure out her jutsu - was it paper clones? Genjutsu? Some sort of bloodline? She could feel the eyes of the platoons on the ground, wanting to help but unsure how to intervene. Twice more she gave the command for fire style jutsu and twice more Konan managed to escape unharmed.
Meanwhile, Kotori could feel herself starting to slow down. The result of using too much chakra intense jutsu in such a short time. Her reserves were barely able to keep up. She kept reabsorbing more and more of her chakra birds for the temporary boost.
They banked left, flying perpendicular to the ground as three paper bombs exploded, bringing down a row of apartment buildings.
Chika dee dee dee
Kotori felt a bolt of fear at what could be so important her chakra birds would cry out in the middle of a battle. There was an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach. Kotori took the risk, she formed the bird seal, tunnelling through her chakra bird network until she found -
Kakashi.
No! No, no, no, no, no -
He was pinned by rocks, his head bowed forward. Her chakra bird flew over to him, warbling as it landed on his shoulder, nudging him. She nuzzled his cheek as she tried to direct other birds to Tsunade - to Shizune - to Sakura - to anyone who could save him.
"Tori-chan, it's okay," he gently said. He was fighting to keep his eye open. "You're going to be okay. You're going to live a long and happy life. I know it doesn't seem that way now and I'm sorry I can't be there."
She helplessly warbled, trying to comfort him while scanning for a medic. There had to be someone - she couldn't let him - she refused -
"Tori-chan, look at me," he said. "You're the light of my life. Thank you."
His eye closed, crinkling into an eye-smile one final time before his head dropped forward.
The connection broke as an explosion went off. She managed to dispel Raiden just before she slammed into the ground from the impact. Kotori gasped from pain. Her ears were ringing from the explosion. It felt like every bone in her body had snapped. And her heart, her heart felt like it had been shattered into a million broken shards.
It couldn't be possible - he couldn't be -
She gritted her teeth as she weakly forced herself to push up off the ground, dust and debris falling off of her. She needed to get back to Kakashi. She needed to help him. She was beyond caring what Konan did with her physical body. Tears stung her eyes. She - she needed to save him.
Kotori gathered her chakra and held the bird seal.
Her chakra bird was still on his shoulder, tilting its head, trying to find a pulse, a sign of life, anything -
No, no, no, no, no, no, no - he couldn't be gone. He couldn't be! Something inside of her snapped. Her chakra bird let out a pitiful warble while inside Kotori was screaming.
"Kotori, move!" Ensui shouted.
The connection was broken and she was once again pulled back to her body, her breath coming in short gasps as tears blinded her.
Ensui was standing in between her and Konan, his shadow possession the only thing keeping Konan from advancing on her.
"I don't know what happened, but you need to get up," he said. "I can buy you time to recover, but you need to move. Kotori! Are you listening to me?"
Slightly dazed, Kotori nodded her head.
With that, he ran down the street, leading Konan away. She watched Ensui and the rest of the ANBU fight against Konan. There was still a ringing in her ears. Her breathing felt shallow. Her limbs heavy from chakra fatigue. All around her she could see the streets littered with the bodies of her fallen comrades. The village they loved - the village they spent their lives protecting - destroyed. Her chakra birds throughout the village showed her similar scenes.
Kakashi. They had killed Kakashi.
And she was going to make them pay for it.
With more strength than she thought she possessed, Kotori slowly pushed herself up off of her knees.
Tears were streaming down her face as she lifted her chin to fight her enemy. Her hand pulled back in the familiar movement, her lightning chakra lashed out as it built up in the palm of her hand. It was so chaotic and unhinged that Kotori couldn't form the precise Lightning Arrow and was left with a ball of raw chakra.
Fuck it. She ran with it, as fast on foot as she had ever been in the sky, all the while her chakra was crackling in the palm of her hand. And in that moment as she plunged her fist through Konan's chest, she could hear the chirping of a thousand birds.
Chidori.
Slowly, Konan pulled Kotori's hand out of her chest. Her origami jutsu folded, repairing the hole that Kotori had left there.
"Where is Uzumaki Naruto?" Konan calmly asked.
"Burn in fucking hell -" Kotori snarled.
"Is he in the village?"
"- you miserable bitch - "
"Or have you hidden him elsewhere?"
"- no one here will ever give up a comrade! They would rather die first!"
"Very well," Konan simply said. "You fought well. You defended your village with everything you had. I wish you will know peace, in a world where people like you and I don't have to meet on a battle field."
Kotori realized it had been a trap the moment the thousands of paperbombs that made up Konan's form exploded. She was sent flying back, her body crashed through one building before slamming into the second behind it with such force that it crumbled on top of her.
She could hear the muffled shouts as shinobi scrambled to clear the debris and get to her.
" - hold still, we'll get you out."
As her vision swam before her eyes, she could see Kakashi in her mind's eye. Someone had retrieved him from the rocks and laid him down on a stretcher. She wanted to crawl to him, to be with him. But even if she could move her body, he was on the other side of the village and she was trapped beneath rubble.
Someone was speaking. It sounded a lot like Satoshi.
"On the count of three, I need you two to lift the wall, I'm going to stabilize her. Then we'll move her to the stretcher."
The wall lifted and she could see the clear blue sky above her.
"No, no. Fuck no." She could see the tears in Ensui's eyes as he realized what she already knew. "Come on kid, don't do this to me! Hold in there, we're going to patch you up enough to get you over to the hospital - Kotori, don't you dare- "
However there was no fight left in her. She had been pushed past her limits one too many times. She had given too much, had too much taken from her. Her body, her heart, her mind - all broken and battered. She tried to speak, to say something reassuring in her final moments, however the most she could do was cough up blood.
Her vision faded in front of her and the sounds around her dulled, but she could still see with her mind's eye. Her chakra bird flew over and landed next to Kakashi. She nuzzled her face against him, staying with him until her chakra bird faded from existence.
AN: This arc was pretty much a free pass to kill off any and everyone and have them be revived so I get a cookie for practicing restraint and only killing Kotori, right? :P (Technically Kakashi's death was canon and not me)