Alright, here we go for the next chapter. We're closing in on the end here, and I'm really looking forward to it. I cannot wait to finally get to the sequel, I've got so much planned out, I just have to make it through this part of the story and make a great finale so that I can leave Broken Angel complete and leave you guys and gals wanting more. I hope I'm getting these out in a timely enough manner for all of you, I know it takes a bit but ten thousand-ish words a chapter is a bit extreme to put out every week, or even every two weeks, so I hope this is alright. On top of that, some of you may have noticed that more of the chapters are now named. Just so you guys are aware, every named chapter is one I have gone through and proofread, so hopefully it's a lot cleaner to read. I've been doing a lot of that over the last month which is why this chapter is a bit later then normal.
Anyway, time for the next chapter, onward and upward as they say.
Broken Angel
Chapter 92
Screams of rage tore through the air as Riley unleashed a monstrous storm of lightning bolts against another portal. The barrage of lightning lit up the sky, and hundreds of devils were incinerated in the condensed lightning storm.
Riley kept her staff leveled firmly on target as she channeled her power, amplifying the strength of the lightning storm. She watched as each bolt of lightning chipped away at the supports on either side of the portal. Large chunks of red and black stone were torn away, bit by bit, as hundreds of bolts of lightning slammed into it again and again.
Within moments, she was able to overpower the portal and break it's supports. Seconds later, the portal itself began to collapse, earning even more rage from the invading horde.
Riley had been at this for nearly a half hour going from portal to portal closing one at a time. Her focus on her objective was precise, she struck out with incredible lethality and moved from point to point, taking down every entrance-way into her world.
The enemy army grew more and more enraged with each portal destroyed. By now they were swarming her, thousands of devils swarmed in around her firing magic or cursed weapons at her. The Dementor King and her intangibility served as adequate defense as she focused on stopping more of the beasts from crossing over, and she was nearly finished with her assault.
So far she hadn't found Obito or Mito yet. Either they had departed already, or they were hiding behind a wall of devils. Either way, Riley was eager to finally locate them and put an end to this.
"These things sure are dedicated. You'd think facing down an archdemon would make them more hesitant. After all, Devils are supposed to be the smart ones." Kurama noted as Riley dashed through the city towards the next portal.
"Driven by fear of a much greater threat, they rush forward to their doom." The Darkness hissed earning a hum of agreement from Kurama. That much at least, made sense to him. Whatever was leading these things was a damn sight more powerful then Riley was. It had to be, otherwise these things wouldn't be marching to their deaths so readily.
"It doesn't matter what's driving them. All that matters is stopping this before they start setting the groundwork for the real big bad to come through. I don't know exactly what it would take to allow something like that into our world but I'm not going to sit around and wait to find out." Riley thought back as she appeared before another portal, landing amidst a crowd of dark creatures.
Quickly spotting her, the army of darkness let out wails of rage and malice as they threw all manner of dark curses her way, both verbal and magical.
Riley instantly lashed out in retaliation. Her tails shot out, spearing through her enemies while she and her Limbo clones lashed out at them with physical strikes.
It only took a few moments for Riley to push through the crowd and make it right next to one of the support pillars. She drove her fist hard into it, delivering enough force in that single punch to eradicate a small mountain.
The pillar shattered with ease, sending chucks of stone careening through the air for hundreds of meters.
"Such Strength." Black Zetsu hummed in amazement as he watched her fight.
"Almost done." Riley thought to herself as she spun around and delivered a spin kick to the nearest foe.
The Devil she struck lost it's head instantly, and collapsed to the ground, most likely dead from the sheer trauma inflicted by the strike.
Riley kept advancing, even as blood flowed freely before her. She was on the edge right now, trapped between blood-lust and what she knew needed to be done. Her focus was intense, and was one of the few things that kept her from losing herself to battle. Rage flowed freely from her foes, just as it flowed freely from her.
It took everything she had to keep her mind focused as she pushed through the chaotic mess and approached the next portal. Her desire for battle filled her senses and it enticed her with the desire to lose herself to the chaos and enjoy the slaughter.
As much as she wanted to though, she refused to lose herself to the chaos. She needed to focus right now. She could slaughter them all the moment she wiped out the remaining portals and killed Mito and Obito. For now she needed to concentrate.
-Elsewhere at the same time-
Arturia watched Riley's mates like a hawk. They stood together, whispering to one another while Katie and Daphne both paced back and forth. Arturia couldn't tell what they were saying to one another but she could clearly see that they were upset. She had a few guesses as to why that was but considering the dirty looks that Daphne was sending towards one of the copies of Riley she had left behind, it was obvious that Riley was the source of the harems concern.
If she had to make an educated guess, they probably realized that Riley had actually left and was off fighting alone, despite their wishes, and they could clearly see through her attempt to confound the truth by leaving a Wood Clone behind to stand watch and act like it was really her.
Arturia's guess was actually right on the money as Riley's mates had actually seen through her ruse. Despite leaving a Wood Clone and having it transform its eyes so that it also had the Rinne Sharingan, Riley couldn't hide the fact that their still existed a bond between them and they could feel her demonic blood-lust and her excitement. Excitement she would only be feeling if she were having sex or fighting. Since they were all here and not in their bed, that kinda narrowed it down a bit.
"She's off by herself." Katie muttered as she continued to pace.
"She's the most powerful person in the world. Nothing can beat her. I believe in her. I know she'll make it back." Kaede stated, trying her best to calm Katie's frayed nerves. She was slightly successful, earning a sigh and a nod from Katie. Despite knowing that to be completely true, Katie still worried for her beloved girlfriend. She couldn't help herself. The thought of something happening to Riley, despite how unlikely it was, was such a painful thing that it almost made Katie physically cringe when the thought entered her head.
"I believe in her too, I just… I can't help but worry. I hate when she goes out there alone. I know she's got Kurama and the Darkness to back her up, but I always feel better when she has some other backup. Those two are some of the strongest creatures in our world and yet they're both part of Riley. If something happens to her, it happens to them too." Katie replied.
Kaede merely shook her head and let out a sigh. She was also worried about Riley, but her belief in Riley's abilities made her confident that her lover would come home. Kaede wanted her to come back safe, and she was worried when Riley was gone, but she knew Riley could take on anyone, and that she'd handle this problem just like she handled everything else.
She'd be back, and when she did, she'd get an earful from her mates. That much was certain in Kaede's mind.
"I wish she didn't feel the need to lie to us about her leaving." Daphne muttered as she threw a glare towards a nearby ridge where one of Riley's clones stood watching over the horizon. They all saw through her ruse and despite knowing that it probably needed to happen, it didn't make her running off without telling them any easier to accept.
"She wouldn't have been able to leave if we all told her not to go alone. She's said it herself a dozen times, she doesn't have the willpower to resist us when we all put our minds to something. She knew we'd demand that she take someone, anyone with her, so she left alone without telling us." Luna rationalized it, earning another sigh from Daphne.
"Yeah I know. That doesn't mean I like it when she lies to us, and I definitely don't like this 'pretending like she's actually here' shit." Daphne responded.
"I just hope she comes back soon. All the other times she was fighting 'people' and after she killed the Fourth I accepted that there was no one she couldn't beat in battle. But this is different. These things aren't human, they're something so much more dangerous. So dangerous that even Riley is acting with caution when dealing with them." Katie voiced her own thoughts
That left those that knew of her true power, unnerved. Especially her mates who idolized her in many ways and often thought of her as invincible.
"I just want this to all be over. I want to go home. I want to see Hogwarts again. I want to see my father. I've had enough of this war. It's gone on too long." Luna stated when the conversation hit a pause.
Many of her fellow mates offered her sympathetic looks. They mirrored her desires. Each one wanted to go home. They wanted to leave the Elemental Nations and return to their families and loved ones. They wanted Riley to be away from this place. Away from all the fighting and the chaos. Away from the politics and the shinobi. They wanted to go home and live their lives like they were meant too.
Right about then, a horn sounded signifying that the scouts had spotted the enemy, and they were closing in.
"I guess it's time to go to work ladies." Daphne stated, earning nods from her fellows. The groups quickly moved to meet up with their respective units, meanwhile Arturia kept a watch over all of them, even as she too moved to prepare for battle.
Elsewhere, Yugito stood with Gaia and her guard atop a small hill overlooking wide open fields of rice patties. The sky had filled with blackened clouds and a horrible stench of rot and sulfur now permeated the air.
"So… this is where we hold them." Yugito noted aloud.
"Yes. This is where we hold them. Whatever Riley has planned, we just have to buy her the time and allow as many people to escape as possible." Gaia responded, despite Yugito's statement being to no one in particular.
Her response earned her, her fellow Jinchuriki's attention though as Yugito sent a glance over at the Kazekage and offered a nod.
"Well if that's the case, then I'll do what I can to keep them here. I'm not the strongest fighter in the world but I'd like to think I've learned more then my fair share about battle." Yugito responded earning a small smile from Gaia.
"Regardless of your reasons for being here, I am thankful to have you by our side." Gaia offered, earning a nod of appreciation from Yugito.
A quiet pause passed through the air before Yugito broke it by turning to Gaia and asking, "You truly believe she can stop this?"
"With all my heart." Gaia responded without so much as an ounce of hesitation, earning a curious look from Yugito.
"Why? If you don't mind me asking. Everyone here seems to believe in her with such fervor. Her powers not withstanding, she can still be killed, just like everyone else." Yugito inquired.
"Riley isn't like everyone else. She isn't like anyone else actually. She's more then just a woman, or a powerful kunuoichi. Perhaps one day you'll understand what I mean. In her I see the possibility for a stable and safe future. In her I see the impossible. Riley is so much more then a person, she is something I aspire to be. She is, in her own way, a true hero. One who doesn't bother with the simple pains of life, but someone who truly rises up, when it really matters. In life she can and will be the hero and the villain to many people, but when the chips are down and the world needs her, she will stand as a hero, to do what needs to be done. I'm not even sure she realizes this about herself. But I can see it in her, just as so many others do when they come to know her. I believe in her, wholeheartedly because without a seconds hesitation she dove into this battle, never once asking what she could gain from it. The world needed her, and so she answered. She simply answered the call, as a true hero would." Gaia responded, earning even more curiosity from Yugito.
"I'm not sure I follow. For no greater reason then the situation at hand, she chose to fight against this threat, and you aspire to be like that? I'm lost. Why exactly does that make her a hero in your eyes?" Yugito inquired with genuine curiosity.
"Because a true hero is not someone who selflessly gives all of themselves and never asks for anything in return. People like that don't truly exist. A true hero is the person who lives life as a person should. Selfish at times, selfless in others, but when the chips are down and the world needs them, they answer the call, without hesitation. You can have people who save lives for a living, you can have those who devote themselves to acts of charity, but in my eyes there is no greater form of a hero, then when a person, with all of their flaws, and greed, with all of their malice, and dark intentions, chooses to do what's right, not because it's asked of them, but because it's needed. Those who devote themselves to good deeds are great people without a doubt and they have earned the right to be called heroes, but I believe a true hero is one who takes up the mantle when they are needed. Someone who isn't a hero by choice. I aspire to be the kind of person to immediately forgo all thoughts of myself, in order to defend that which is precious to me, at a moments notice. Riley left on her own to deal with this threat knowing full well that her loved ones would no doubt be furious with her for doing so. Yet she did it without hesitation. Perhaps my view is a bit biased. Perhaps I admire her more then I probably should. Regardless, that is my personal view." Gaia responded with a far away look, earning a slow nod from Yugito.
"Someone who acts as a hero not by choice, but by necessity. I suppose I can understand that. The true measure of a person is how they react in times of crisis. To set aside your own greed, malice, or ambitions, to serve the greater good. I guess to each her own. I hope you're right. I hope you're faith is well placed because we need someone like that right now. This feeling is growing worse by the second. The Cat is riled up and wont stop pacing." Yugito responded.
"The Raccoon-Dog is much the same. The One-Tails is nervous. I've only ever seen him like this one other time, and that was when I was antagonistic towards Riley and he was afraid of retaliation." Gaia agreed.
"My Lady Kazekage!" A shout came as a cluster of Suna ninja raced up to where she stood.
"What is it?" Gaia inquired as she turned to face them.
"We've spotted the enemy! They're less then ten miles away. Hundreds of monsters, deformed and grotesque, in the shape of men, with blackened reddish skin and blood red armor. They are setting the fields on fire. The Rice patties, the Water, everything is burning!" The lead scout explained with terror in his eyes.
"Demonic magic at it's most devastating. They'll be here soon." Gaia noted as she called forth her lieutenants to finalize their defense strategy.
Meanwhile Yugito turned to gaze out at the rising clouds of smoke that now filled the horizon.
"I hope they're right about you. All of these people are counting on you, I hope you don't disappoint." Yugito sent as her own form of a prayer to Riley, wherever she was. She was able to gather from Gaia that the Riley with them obviously wasn't the real Riley so that meant she was away right now, probably attacking the enemy where they were spawning from.
Yugito may not have the highest opinion of Riley, but at the very least, they were now comrades in arms, and she was left with little choice other then to believe what the others did and hope that Riley could do what they believed that she could. Perhaps they were right, and the Hero of the Burning Leaf would find a way to stop this? Yugito didn't know if it was possible for one person to handle this, even one as powerful as Riley.
Regardless, there was little left to be done now. The dice had been cast, and now it was time to face the outcome.
Within a half hour, the enemy was in sight. A chanting force of several thousand Devils as well as dozens of reanimated shinobi and magicals.
Tom and Itachi stood side by side as they gazed out at the advancing force.
"This is going to be brutal." Tom noted as his eyes fell on certain reanimated members of his fallen Death Eaters from his first war for Britain. It was as Voldemort was gazing out at these people that he took notice of several members of the 'Light' faction from the last war were also revived, and leading them was none other then Dumbledore himself.
While Tom let out a barely audible curse, Itachi's eyes filled with rage as they passed over the revived forms of many of his deceased clan-mates, including his mother and father.
Amongst them, Itachi's eyes came to rest on Shisui. A pang of pain and guilt echoed through his heart for a brief moment, but as quickly as it came, it passed, instead replaced by cold determination to see his friend returned to the afterlife.
"We will see them returned to the afterlife before they can cause further harm. Whoever has done this to them will be made to pay." Itachi swore as his Sharingan spun to life.
"Yes." Tom said as he sent a glance over at a nearby ridge where Gaia stood, glaring out over the army of demons and undead.
Gaia stared out over the army of darkness, her eyes taking in all of the horrors brought forth from a realm beyond her imagination. The army of devils slowly drew to a halt and began to roar and chant, sending forth unholy cries of rage as they prepared to engage the large army of magicals and shinobi before them.
Elsewhere in the army, Hashirama and Madara both stood side by side at the forefront of the allied force. The oppressive weight of the dark Youki pouring off of the demonic horde would have normally been enough to demoralize any force, even one with a numerical advantage, however Hashirama's presence was doing wonders to negate it's effects. By simply flaring his nature-energy infused chakra, he was able to repel the demonic youki, pushing it back and keeping it from negatively impacting their army.
"So the vanguard of their force finally arrives?" Madara noted as his Sharingan laden eyes drifted over the army of darkness that radiated with incredible power.
"Yes. No holding now my friend. We'll have to utilize our connection to Riley to our utmost advantage in this battle. No restraint, no reservations. These Devils hold incredible power, and the number of casualties will be high. We don't know what they will do to the souls of the people they kill. Dark creatures like them, enjoy tormenting souls, and they may try to steal them away from the fallen. If that happens, then I don't know if Riley will be able to revive them or not." Hashirama noted with concern, earning a sigh from Madara.
"You are probably correct. We will all have to be careful." Madara stated. Right then a small blur jumped down to the field between the two armies. Both men knew immediately that it was Riley's Wood Clone.
"What is she doing?" Hashirama inquired.
"Thinning the herd." Madara replied with a grin as he too dashed forward. With a small sigh, Hashirama moved to join him, and within moments they were standing side by side with Riley's Wood Clone.
"I'm assuming this means you have a plan?" Hashirama noted as the two men landed right next to Riley.
"One is quickly taking shape. The original is finishing up in Ame. The Akatsuki have some sort of seal design in place that will recall the demons we kill and seal them into the statue. This smells of Mito's handiwork. I don't know what the end goal is but it seems like they intend to supplement the Bijuu's power by using the demons we kill, also there is something else in the works. Zetsu brought me this info but he wasn't sure how they intended to fully revive the Ten-Tails. Apparently Mito placed fragments of each of the Tailed-Beasts inside of the Statue, pieces she stole when she aided you in capturing all of them, I assume." Riley informed the two as her Mangekyou spun to life in her eyes. Riley could sense her mate's agitation and could only guess that they saw through her ruse. Knowing that hiding it was now pointless, she dropped the Genjutsu that was covering up her eyes.
Now the blazing pattern of her Mangekyou, filled her eyes, and all of her anger was directed at the host before her.
Hashirama's face darkened at hearing that. Just another betrayal from his so-called wife, to add to the list. Though he never loved her, and she never loved him, he still thought the two of them shared something at one point in time. Sadly, the more that came to light about her actions, the more he realized that it was all just a game to her. All part of her plot to fulfill whatever twisted agenda she had in the works.
Madara let out a sigh as he gazed out at the enemy force which had quieted as the three titans of magic, appeared before them.
"If they plan on sealing these beasts away, we should kill them all quickly and prevent casualties on our side." Madara stated, earning a nod from both Riley and Hashirama.
"Yes. Let's go." Riley's Wood Clone stated as magic poured out around her and began to take shape. Seeing this, the enemy army began to advance on their position.
Within moments, the upper body of Susano'o had manifested around Riley and her grandfathers. Seeing that her intention was to follow through with Madara's advice, both men jumped away from her and began to channel some of their most powerful abilities as well.
The Magical Alliance of Suna, Wind, Sky, and the Legion, watched in Awe as three massive titans took form before them. Two were Perfect Susano'o while the third was a massive Wood Golem.
Riley's and Madara's Susano'o shared almost exactly the same appearance, the only major difference between the two Tengu, was that Riley's was armed with a spear instead of the twin katana's that Madara's held.
Though as Riley called forth the celestial construct, she felt almost as if her power slammed into a wall, like her Susano'o could be much more powerful, but something was limiting her. This being a Wood Clone, that made sense, since the clone did not possess the Rinne Sharingan, nor did it have access to the Rinnegan.
Though Riley had utilized various clone jutsu's with Susano'o during training, this time it felt different, almost as if there was something beyond the perfect form of Susano'o that she could gain access too if she pushed herself, and had access to her full ocular powers.
It was a thought for later, one this clone would relay to the original before being de-summoned.
"Let's see these wretches to their graves!" Riley snarled, as her Susano'o took flight.
Her Grandfathers both charged as well, slamming into the army of darkness.
Many of the undead Shinobi and magicals dashed away, or tried to move past the three giants, some with moderate success.
Back with Riley's allies, they could see some of the undead rushing past the trio and making their way forward.
"Time to fight." Gaia stated as she made a motion with her hand, signaling one of her men to launch a signal bomb tag into the air, and order them all to initiate their attack.
With that, the Magical Alliance rushed into action, teams of witches and wizards were paired with platoons of shinobi. Anyone who knew the Killing Curse, became an immense asset against the undead, so those with such abilities would be split up and placed with teams of shinobi who would work to provide their comrades with openings to take down the undead, one at a time.
With the battle underway, and the stage set, both sides settled in for what was probably going to be the climax to this war that seemed to drag on without end.
-Back in Ame-
"Enough is enough!" Riley snarled as she speared a devil through the chest with a bone spear.
She had just closed one of the last portals, and was growing tired of the constant unending assault of her enemy. She quickly began to avoid the strikes of her foes and started to gather power. In less then five seconds, she was ready.
Outstretching her arms, and bellowing out "Shinra Tensei!" She released a blast of power that tore through the world around her. Buildings were shredded to pieces, entire city blocks were upended and sent flying away from the blast, and every monster within the city limits was annihilated by the force of the attack.
Within moments, the massive city of Amegakure was forever erased from the face of the Earth. In it's place, an enormous crater and a sea of ruined buildings and debris.
"Done." Riley noted as she glanced around.
"Alright. These portals are down, but I feel more of them open, elsewhere on the continent. You've awakened Ralael, so there's no need to hold back, but I wonder, how do you plan on dealing with her this time. You just going to have her disappear after the war is over?" Kurama inquired.
"I'm uncertain. I'll decide what to do with her once the enemy has been dealt with. For now, I need to use her to unleash my full power." Riley responded, earning a sigh of agreement from Kurama.
"Very well then. More portals are opening elsewhere, so we should keep moving. We need to catch up with Mito and stop her." Kurama stated.
"Yeah. I'm gonna go lay waste to the forces engaging my allies and then I'm going to go and finish this. These things have been pissing me off for too long and I'm sick of them." Riley stated with a snarl as she disappeared with a burst of speed.
Within moments, Riley was again in the air, this time headed for the main battlefield, where a steady stream of demons was currently marching on her friends and mates. She'd go there to destroy them first, then head deep into the Land of Fire, where she suspected the Fire Capital was the next target.
-Back with the Magical Alliance-
Blades clashing tore through the air as both forces engaged with each other. The three titanic figures of Madara, Hashirama and Riley, still stood over a vast part of the demonic horde, raining blow after blow down on them, but some were slipping through and had made their way towards the magical alliance.
Spells, blades, and gunfire filled the air as the undead and devils assaulted the Magical Alliance. Despite the impressive strength of each individual devil, they were heavily outnumbered at the moment allowing the Allied forces to take them down one at a time, divide and conquer style.
In the midst of it all were the reanimates who were engaging any member of the living they came across. They had enough control over their bodies to utilize their own powers to the fullest, but they were still constrained by the orders fueled into them through a bond they shared with their summoner.
Voldemort battled alongside Bellatrix, as the two dropped old members of the Dark and Light factions that had once fought with and against them in the last war in Britain.
Another reanimated Order of the Phoenix member was dropped by Bellatrix's killing curse. She couldn't help the chuckle that tore out of her lips as the man fell, his spirit rising out of the corpse he had once inhabited.
"That was almost as fun the second time." Bellatrix noted as she spotted the Dark Lord cutting down a former Death Eater.
"I'm glad you're having fun." Tom noted dryly as he sidestepped a charging shinobi and unleashed a serpent of Fiendfyre, which quickly encased the shinobi's body, evaporating his entire being.
As the body began to reform, Tom hit it with the Killing Curse and marched onward.
His target was Dumbledore, whom was marching alongside four individuals, each bearing their own very familiar crest.
"So not only does she bring you back, but she managed to summon the founders as well." Tom noted as he approached the five of them. Seeing the dual that was about to commence, several Legionaries, including Sirius, Remus, Bellatrix, and Kushina, all stepped up around him.
"Hello Tom." Dumbledore greeted him, looking the grandfatherly man he had always tried to appear. Though the twinkle in his eye was now missing, and had been replaced by grayish sclera, which was present in all of his counterparts.
Tom kept his face impassive, wondering if Dumbledore had finally seen through the ruse and knew who he really was. His false name had been Thomas, but Dumbledore had addressed him as Tom, in much the same way as he always had when he had worn the face of Voldemort.
"Quite cunning of you to fake your own death. Though I'd recognize that fire serpent anywhere. How is Britain doing?" Dumbledore inquired.
"It's doing fine. It'd be doing better without this war going on. But aside from that, the country is fine." Tom responded as he leveled his wand at the old headmaster.
"I see. I hope you're telling me the truth. I do not wish for this, but I am compelled to end your life. See me and the founders back to our rightful place. Please." Dumbledore asked of him, earning a nod from Tom.
"Don't worry headmaster… it'll all be over soon." Remus assured him, earning a small smile from Dumbledore, as well as from the man and woman bearing the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff insignia, respectively.
"These are some of your students, Headmaster? I hope they are well trained. We cannot hold back." The woman bearing the Ravenclaw sigil, stated as she fired a bolt of magic at Kushina who dodged the attack and quickly made a dash towards them, intent on taking their heads off with her swords.
The founders and Dumbledore, Apparated away from Kushina's attack, appearing around the group, each one squaring off against one of Tom's party.
"I've never seen this level of power before, whoever those people are, they're truly magnificent." Godric Gryffindor stated as he sent a glance over his shoulder at the trio of titans still smashing the army devils.
He was currently squared off with Remus who offered the ancient lord of Gryffindor house a smile.
"One of those three is your Champion Lord Gryffindor." Remus informed him, earning a surprised look from the ancient founder of Hogwarts.
"Truly? Now that is interesting." The man stated.
"Yes. She is your champion. Lord of House Slytherin through right of Conquest, and Lord of house Ravenclaw by blood." Remus affirmed, earning a smile from the founder, whom through a glance over his shoulder at two of his compatriots.
"Did you hear that Salazar? It seems that Rowena actually won our bet." Godric stated with a laugh.
"At least it wasn't your descendant. I just hope she isn't a fool like you." Salazar Slytherin responded earning another laugh from Godric.
"Well if it helps Lord Slytherin, I am your actual descendant, and she killed me when she was less then a day old." Tom stated, earning a surprised look from the ancient Slytherin lord. The king serpent then glanced over at Riley's Susano'o and stared at it for several long moments before nodding.
"I can believe that." He stated earning a light chuckle from Tom.
"Well, at the very least it's good to see your rivalry is as strong as ever. Now… let's try our hardest not to kill these young men and women. I'd hate to be cause of such pain and suffering in my life. Please deary, see me back to the afterlife." Lady Hufflepuff stated as she focused her attention on Bellatrix.
"Very well my lady." Bellatrix responded as she fired a dark curse at her, and all around them the duels commenced.
"So it was young Riley who was responsible for slaying you Tom?" Dumbledore inquired as he unleashed a powerful blasting curse that Tom sidestepped.
"Yes, Dumbledore. She awakened her Rinnegan and used it's power to repel my curse. She is the Girl-Who-Lived." Tom replied, earning a nod of understanding from Dumbledore.
"I see." Dumbledore replied as he unleashed a barrage of spells towards Tom whom quickly erected a powerful shield to stop the assault.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Itachi and Kakashi were squaring off against Shisui, Mikoto, and Fugaku.
"It's good to see you again Kakashi. I hope you've been looking after my son." Fugaku stated as he lunged at Kakashi, intent on spearing his heart with a kunai.
"He's more then capable of keeping himself in order. That boy was a man, long before he reached adulthood." Kakashi responded as he delivered a strong kick to the side of Fugaku's head, sending him skidding back.
Kakashi was prevented from going on the offensive by Mikoto whom quickly closed the gap and engaged him in Taijutsu.
"You're right about that. Itachi has always had a way of keeping himself out of trouble." Fugaku admitted after a moment of thought.
"Both of your boys are doing well. Itachi is one of the commanders of the Cysgodol Legion now, and Sasuke has grown so strong. You'd both be very proud of them." Kakashi assured them, earning small smiles from both parents. Despite the falling out that led to Itachi walking a different path then the rest of the clan, his parents still loved him, and were happy to hear that he was doing well. Their only hope now was that they could be returned to the afterlife without bringing any harm to either of their children.
Itachi and Shisui were similarly in a duel to the death, both with their Mangekyou blazing, and both fighting at their peak power.
"I hate that this is how we reunite old friend. I know this is hard but you need to end it quick." Shisui warned as he Shunshined above Itachi, attempting to deliver a downward slash to his best friend. Itachi took the hit and split apart into a swarm of crows.
Shisui watched the swarm with a curious gaze as Itachi reformed a few meters away.
"I understand, Shisui. I will see you back to your eternal rest. I'm sorry that someone had to come and disturb it like this." Itachi offered his old friend earning a smile from the man.
"It's alright Itachi. At the very least, I'm happy I get the chance to see you again. And I'm happy to see that you've been taking care of my little sis." Shisui offered with a grin as he dashed forward, vanishing in a Shunshine as he did.
"She goes by the name Riley now. She got it changed not long after your death. Your passing from this world hit her hard." Itachi noted as he spun and deflected a strike from his old friend. Shisui's eyes remained locked onto Itachi but they filled with sadness and regret.
"I know. I hated having to leave her like that. I didn't even get to offer her a goodbye." Shisui lamented as he lashed out, attempting to take Itachi's head off. The man in question ducked the attack and drove his fist hard into Shisui's gut sending him sliding back.
A quiet moment passed between the two as Shisui's gaze fell to the ground. After several seconds his eyes returned to meet with Itachi's.
"How is she?" He asked with genuine concern.
"When you died… there was a very real chance of her falling into a pit of despair. She wallowed in her grief for a few days and lashed out violently towards those around her. Your death drove her to awaken her Mangekyou I believe. And when she learned of the part that I played in your passing she hunted me down and attempted to kill me for it." Itachi informed him, earning an almost physical cringe from his old friend. A surprising thing, considering he had very little control over his body.
"Damn. I didn't want that. I'm sorry." Shisui muttered.
"She survived though. She survived her despair, and rose above it. She turned her hatred into strength and used that strength to break away from the village. She walked her own path, found friends and family, and people for her to love. She smiles now, genuine smiles, filled with love and happiness. She fills her life with people to fill the hole in her heart left by the loss of her first friend. We even managed to repair our friendship with time." Itachi offered earning a smile from Shisui.
"I'm glad. I'm happy to hear that, that little troublemaker has managed to make it through everything that happened. I hope you're looking out for her." Shisui stated earning a chuckle from Itachi.
"She doesn't need me or anyone else to look out for her, and she's not so little anymore." Itachi stated as he sent a glance towards Riley's Susano'o as it drove it's foot into the ground, crushing a large number of devils beneath it, and shaking the earth as it did.
"That's her?" Shisui asked with disbelief. He knew that his old friend had it in her to be incredibly powerful one day but still, the last he had seen of her was when she was eight years old. To look upon the Perfect Susano'o, and know that it was hers, that was quite the jarring experience.
"It's been nearly nine years since your death. In that time she has surpassed us all. She's stronger then her father. Stronger then Madara Uchiha. She's even more powerful then Hashirama Senju. You helped her set the foundation for what she is today Shisui. And I know… despite it all, your death still bothers her to this day. I haven't heard her speak of you in a long time. Not since she killed Danzo and avenged your death." Itachi noted earning an amazed look from his old friend.
"So she took that old bastard down? Nice. I'm proud of her. I wish I got the chance to speak with her before I leave, but I strongly suspect that such a thing is simply outside of the realm of possibility. I don't want to cause her more pain. Send me on my way Itachi and… when this is over… tell her that I kept in my heart, and that she was in my thoughts. She's my little sister, and she always will be. I never got the chance to tell her that before the end. So please… pass it on, if you can?" Shisui asked, earning a sad smile and a nod from his best friend.
"I will do as you ask. Now… let's finish this my friend." Itachi replied as he disappeared in a burst of speed, along with Shisui, both returning to their intensive battle.
Elsewhere the battle continued as squads of Legionaries and Suna nin took down one reanimate at a time.
Riley's mates fought close by one another with Arturia and Alucard leading the charge and making things almost too easy. Alucard simply laughed as he gunned down or tore through devil after devil, while Arturia kept on the defensive, allowing the Vampire Lord his fun and keeping Riley's mates safe.
While most of Riley's mates focused on their spellfire to assist Arturia, Kaede fought close by using her vectors to pin her opponents in place while Arturia cut through them with Excalibur. Any devil that so much as came near the holy sword, started to writhe in pain, and even Kaede was moderately annoyed by it's presence, but her human side allowed her to avoid the full effects of it's presence without coming into contact with it.
"We're making good progress." Katie noted as she sent a blasting curse at a reanimated shinobi.
"True. I think Riley is on her way back." Luna stated after a moment earning smiles from her fellow mates.
Not far off was another fighting force. Amongst them was Gaia, Temari, Kankuro, and Yugito. Gaia was working with Yugito, while Temari and Kankuro were also working together. While Temari and Yugito used their respective abilities to maneuver their foes into the proper places, Gaia and Kankuro, used their abilities to ensnare the enemy one at a time. Once trapped they would have a Witch or Wizard use the Killing Curse to end it. So far the two groups had done very well.
"We're making progress." Yugito noted.
"Yes… but they're still coming." Gaia responded.
"Lady Kazekage!" One of her men shouted and pointed just as a squad of devils rushed over a nearby hill and engaged Gaia's men.
Yugito was quick to rush forward and engaged the closest foe. Her fingernails quickly elongated into ten inch blades. The devil she faced was armed with a cruel looking warhammer. He shouted some form of unholy curse at her, and brought his hammer up high into the air.
Yugito avoided the downward strike that followed and drove her nails into the unprotected flesh of his lower belly. Beneath where the grieves and cuirass met.
The devil let out another curse and tried to elbow Yugito in the face. She was able to dodge the strike and pull her hand free, her nails now covered in blackened oily blood.
Deep in her mind the Cat let out a vicious hiss as the Devil shot forward, it's hand igniting in a orangish ball of fire.
It went to throw a punch at her with the burning hand, but right before in struck, it made a movement with it's hand, almost as if it were crushing the flame in it's palm. What resulted was an explosion of fire.
The blast was localized to a small area but it was close enough to singe Yugito's skin and force her back with a curse of her own.
"These things really are tough." Yugito noted.
"They are Devils, Kitten. Each one is most likely as powerful as a Jonin, and many are at least that skilled. Do not underestimate them. These ones could be thousands of years old. They know combat, they know war. Kill them quickly and move onto the next. You cannot allow yourself to get bogged down facing them one at a time." The Cat informed her, earning a nod of understanding from Yugito.
"Right." Yugito stated aloud as her opponent rushed her. She quickly backpedaled and began to flash through handsigns in preparation for a retaliatory strike.
Elsewhere, Gaia encased another devil in her sand and crushed the life out of it. It's screams of rage and pain tore through the air and black blood spilled out of the sand cocoon it was trapped in.
"Gaia… something is coming. I feel an incredibly powerful dark aura rushing towards us. I think your mate is on her way back." Shukaku informed his host earning a nod from Gaia as she recalled her sand and allowed the lifeless form of the devil to slump to the ground.
Gaia glanced out in the direction of Amegakure. The sky was ignited in an orangish glow, and smoke could be seen rising from the distance. It took a moment, but Gaia suddenly realized that it almost looked like those trails of smoke were growing thicker and getting closer.
For a moment she was confused, until it finally clicked. Riley was on her way, and she was slaughtering every devil in her path, that included most of the forces that had yet to reach them.
Further out, Hashirama and Madara were making quick work of the army of devils, despite their power the sheer might of both men operating on all cylinders was simply too much for the demonic force to overcome without greater numbers.
Riley herself had just wiped out another column when a sonic-boom reached her ears. Nearby, something burst out of the skies and slammed headlong into a horde of devils.
Magic shot out in every direction, so powerful and corrosive that it turned all living things nearby into sludge.
Hashirama and Madara also took note of this new arrival and were both surprised to see a familiar sight. An angel, bathed in black.
"Is that…?" Hashirama called out, earning a nod from Madara whom also recognized the Demonic angel.
Ralael hovered over ravaged earth. Devils rushed at her, only for her tails to whip out from beneath her cloak and slice them in half. The amount of power she was putting into each strike ensured that she could have easily busted a mountain wide open. Applied against smaller targets, it was no contest, they fell immediately and with incredible ease.
Each whip from her tails was so fast and powerful that the sonic-boom that accompanied each, one was nearly deafening.
Hashirama and Madara shared a look as the remainder of the devil horde rushed at Ralael. When they got close she unleashed a blast of green energy that shot out of her almost in the same manner as Shinra Tensei.
Madara recognized the move as one Riley had only ever used accidentally. It was the Killing Curse and Shinra Tensei, combined into one move creating an all-killing blast-wave.
"It seems that Ralael has escaped." Madara noted, earning a nod from Hashirama as both men released their techniques and fell to the Earth.
Riley did much the same, her eyes focused on the darkened form of Ralael whom quickly finished off the remainder of the demonic horde.
Riley slowly approached the demonic angel that turned to face her. Hashirama and Madara both fell in at Riley's flanks walking with her up to her doppelganger, both wondering what it was she had planned.
"You're not supposed to be here!" Riley snarled as she flared her power.
Ralael stared back impassively, tilting head, almost as if curious about Riley's presence.
After a moment the Angel also flared it's power, releasing a shockwave as it did.
Madara was able to see in that moment that Riley utilized her space-time ninjutsu to switch places with her clone, putting the wood clone in the robes of Ralael and Riley by their side.
It was a near instant event that Madara only saw due to his Sharingan picking up the change in Riley's chakra signature.
Riley was quick to bring her hands together, intent on forming handsigns, but the Angel simply ceased with the release of it's power and held up a hand.
"You are not my foe this day. I have come for the demons. If you wish to fight, we shall do so after they are vanquished. For now, I have work that must be done." The Angel intoned, it's voice haunting and resonating, passing through the air like a great weight.
As soon as those words finished leaving her mouth the Angel took to the skies and disappeared from sight, vanishing in the direction of the Land of Fire.
Riley glared after it, her face a storm of emotions and hidden intent. After several seconds she stopped radiating her power and activated her Byakugan. She quickly scanned the area to make sure that all of the remaining devils were dead. Once she was confident that they were, she deactivated her eyes and turned her attention to her grandfathers.
"Well… that thing's out again." Riley muttered, earning curious looks from both them. They both knew she had a hand in this, but both quickly picked up on this being another of Riley's reuses.
"Yes. How in the world did it manage to escape?" Hashirama inquired as he turned his gaze out towards the direction it flew off in.
"I don't know. But something tells me that this war isn't going to be over until I deal with that thing, permanently." Riley stated as she turned and marched past the two, heading back towards their forces.
Madara and Hashirama shared another look with Madara offering a shrug to show that he didn't know what she was planning. With a sigh, both men followed after her, knowing that the majority of their foes were dead, with only those currently engaged with the Magical Alliance still remaining.
Arturia was quick to cut down another devil, it's body bursting into white flames as Excalibur passed through it's armor and flesh. Another charged at her but before it could even raise it's blade to strike, it was slammed into the ground with monstrous force.
Standing over it was Riley whom through a glance over at Arturia, offering her a smirk.
"Well done." Arturia noted as Riley stepped off the body of the devil and towards her mates.
"Good to see you're doing well. Kaede my love, you look like you've been having fun." Riley responded towards Arturia before turning to Kaede, whom approached Riley with a smile.
Riley was quick to pull her half-demon mate into an embrace and kiss her passionately.
The two held the kiss for several seconds before parting.
"The others are mad at you." Kaede noted, earning a nod from Riley.
"I suspected as much. Are you mad at me?" Riley inquired with a tilt of her head.
"No. I don't like that you pretended to still be here, and that you didn't tell me you were leaving, but I understand that you needed too. Just don't do it again, alright." Kaede responded, earning a smile from Riley.
"Yes ma'am." Riley stated before turning to her fellow mates whom were quickly approaching her, some looking happy, though others like Daphne and Katie held stern glares.
"Listen here Riley! I know you have a tendency to do your own thing but if you think for a second you can pull that kind of crap with me, you've got another thing coming. You ever run off without telling me, and then try to pretend like you didn't, again, and I'll put you on the couch for a month!" Daphne snarled, earning a smile from Riley.
"Yeah, exactly what she said. Don't ever do that again!" Katie added, causing Riley's smile to grow just a bit more.
Seeing Riley grin at them, caused Daphne's glare to deepen.
A few moments passed before Riley crossed the distance and pulled Daphne into a hug. She didn't immediately return the hug until she heard Riley whisper into her ear. "I got him."
Daphne was quiet for a moment as she pulled back and stared at Riley for a few moments.
"Orochimaru is dead." Riley stated loud enough for her mates and Grandfathers to hear.
Daphne was silent for a few moments as she looked to be deep in thought. After several seconds she smiled and pulled Riley into a kiss.
Not far off, Riley's grandfathers shared a look and nodded. Orochimaru was dead, and that meant another tally for their list.
The moment would have continued had an explosion in the distance not shaken them all from their thoughtfulness.
Riley glanced around and activated her Byakugan. Seeing the undead still alive and fighting, Riley let out a sigh and created some clones. It was as she was scanning through the surviving undead that her eyes fell onto a sight that caused her blood to run cold.
Her mates instantly sensed the shift in their beloved. She pulled away from Daphne and stared off into the distance, her gaze focused intently on something.
"Riley whats..." Fleur began, only for Riley vanish in a deafening burst of speed.
Within moments Riley appeared at her destination. She stood on a tall rock staring down at Itachi and Shisui, her eyes glued onto her old friend.
Instantly she was between the two, flashing through handsigns.
"Shisui!" Riley called out to him, earning surprise from both men.
"Riley!/Narumi!" Itachi and Shisui shouted out.
"...Hello… Narumi." Shisui stated after a moment. He eyed her for several long seconds, studying how much she had grown and changed. She was older now, and a lot taller. It amazed him to see her like this. She was no longer the little girl he used to know, that he felt like he had just seen not too long ago. Instead a beautiful young woman stood before him. Tall, proud, powerful, and most importantly, focused.
"Shisui. I never thought that bitch would bring you back." Riley muttered as her eyes filled with pain. She kept her hands together, ready to unleash whatever jutsu she had prepared, but she had paused, her eyes locked on her very first friend.
"I'm this had to happen Narumi. I had hoped Itachi could send me on my way before you and I ran into each other. I had hoped to spare you more pain. I guess I just put up too much of a fight. I'm sorry." Shisui stated with a scratch of his head.
"You always were troublesome Shisui." Itachi noted.
"Itachi… it's okay. I'll handle him. I just need to sever the connection between him and Mito, and I can fix this." Riley stated as she threw a glance over her shoulder at the Uchiha Clan leader. Itachi gave her a sympathetic look, knowing what she was implying and what she wanted.
"I understand what you want Riley. I don't blame you for wanting it, but perhaps you should ask Shisui what he wants. Some people manage full lives, even if they die young. Bringing him back, just because you can, isn't always the right answer. I know you're hurting right now, and I know you want him back. I want him back too." Itachi offered, earning a surprised look from Riley. Her eyes reflected her current state of being so well.
They were red, but they were filled with pain and sadness as she returned her focus to her old friend.
In the moment of silence, Shisui had moved without wanting too, and had closed the distance between himself and Riley, his blade swinging towards her.
"Narumi!" Shisui cried out as she returned her focus to him just as his blade came to bare on her.
Faster then even Shisui could follow Riley blocked the strike with her arm, the blade embedding into her forearm, while she made another hand-sign with her remaining free hand, caused the ground to begin to shake, and large tree branches to rise up around Shisui.
In an incredible burst of speed that Riley barely recalled that he possessed, Shisui Shunshined away, leaving his blade embedded in her arm.
"Wood Style? How?" Shisui muttered as Riley and Itachi rose up on tree branches.
"I learned where I got my Uchiha blood from. I am the Granddaughter of Madara Uchiha. Great Granddaughter of Hashirama Senju." Riley responded as she stared down at him.
He returned her gaze as a smirk spread across his face. Both of their eyes met. His Mangekyou Sharingan, and her Rinne Sharingan.
"Wow. So you're descended from the founders. I guess that makes sense." Shisui stated with a shake of his head and a light chuckle.
"Shisui…" Riley stated with obvious pain lacing her voice.
"I know. Listen, Narumi. You have to send me back. She's just going to keep using me to kill you. I know it hurts, but it must be done." Shisui stated with a sigh.
"What if it didn't have to be like this? What if I could bring you back?" Riley asked with hopeful eyes.
Shisui gave her a look of confusion as his body began to react on it's own, he began to flash through hand-signs in preparation for an attack.
"Narumi… I know it hurts, but this is not living. Even if you find a way to sever her control over me, I wouldn't be alive." Shisui called out to her as he prepared to launch a fire style jutsu at her.
"That's not what I meant. I can bring you back. I can give you your life back, let you live like you couldn't before. I want too… I want to bring you back so badly. I want to tell you all about my life. All the things I've learned. All the things I've seen. I don't want to watch you die again. But Itachi is right. As much as I want too, I shouldn't just do it because I want too. Please tell me you want to live again. Tell me you want to experience the world one more time. Just say the words and I'll free you from her control and bring you back." Riley responded as she shot forward, Itachi moving with her as Shisui unleashed a Grand Fireball Jutsu on the two of them.
Shisui looked contemplative for several moments before offering Riley a sad smile. "I'd like that." He stated when their eyes met again.
Riley's eyes filled with joy at hearing those words, but Shisui quickly followed up with, "But not at your expense Narumi."
He quickly drew a blade and blocked the strike that Itachi delivered once he closed in on him.
It was as he was blocking Itachi's strike that Riley flew past him, seizing the man by the throat, and slamming him into the ground. Shisui felt his connection to both his hands sever and once he regained his orientation, he could see that Riley had speared both of his palms to the ground with some sort of blackened bones.
Whatever they were, they were cutting off the chakra flow to his hands preventing him from moving them at all.
"Shisui, you selfless bastard. It wont cost me a thing to bring you back." Riley responded as she hovered above him. She used her ability to manipulate her own weight to keep him fully pinned beneath her, while she also kept her forearm pressed against his throat.
"Bringing the dead back to life isn't a trivial task Narumi. Jutsu like that carry a cost. Just look at what was needed to bring me back in this form. All sorts of dark rituals and some poor fucker had to die so that I could be here. I wont put that price on you." Shisui responded fervently, despite the softening of his gaze.
Now that he was immobilized, he took the opportunity to admire just how much his little friend had grown. She was much taller then him now, and she looked much like how many would describe her grandfather. Though unlike Madara she was not grim, or frightening. She was beautiful. Elegant in a way that Uchiha naturally were. Her eyes were something that really took up his attention. Her new Dojutsu was stunningly beautiful, and Shisui felt the innate desire to question her about it, but he knew his summoner was listening so he chose not too.
"Shisui… I'm not the same little girl you used to know. I'm more powerful now then anyone else. I'm stronger then Minato. Stronger then Itachi. I'm stronger then my Grandfathers, then my Grandmothers. I have brought the dead back many times before. Trust me… believe me… your life is worth a bit of chakra." Riley implored her, her eyes almost pleading.
Shisui looked conflicted. As much as he wanted to come back and spend time with her again. Spend time with Itachi, and see the world, he didn't want for Narumi to have to sacrifice anything for him. He had hurt her once by dying, she shouldn't have to suffer further just to correct that. Even if she had suffered through the act of carrying out vengeance against the one responsible for his death.
Seeing Riley in such a state pulled at both Shisui and Itachi's heartstrings. Both men care about her, and had since she was a little girl. Seeing that Shisui did indeed want to come back, cleared up any doubt Itachi may have had. When he had warned Riley not to do it just for her own sake, it hadn't been to keep Shisui dead, merely to allow their old friend the right to choose. Riley didn't know it, or at least she probably didn't consciously know it, but there was a reason for Shisui's possession of the Mangekyou. He had suffered just as everyone else who had obtained those eyes. He endured the harshness of the world, and had willingly offered his own life for the greater good. For the chance to offer Itachi the ability to save lives.
However, seeing that Shisui truly did want to come back and live again, removed any doubt Itachi may have had. "Shisui."
Shisui turned his gaze towards Itachi to see him offering him a small smile. "Are you really doubting your old students abilities? You trained her. Do you really believe that a little thing like death would be able to stand in her way?"
Shisui stared back at him for several seconds before letting out a chuckle.
"Fine. If you can bring me back squirt, I wont stop you. But if I find out you lied to me and this did actual hurt you I'm gonna make you regret it." Shisui warned as he returned his gaze to Riley whom smiled down at him.
Riley simply let out a chuckle and locked eyes with him. Just as she had done with Zabuza and Haku, she dove into his mind and sought out the link to Mito.
What she found there surprised her.
Standing before her mental probe at the entrance to the link between Shisui and Mito was an image of Mito herself.
"Hello girl." Mito greeted as Riley's mental probe approached and took on Riley's form.
"Mito! I will make you suffer for this!" Riley snarled at her.
"Why? I obviously gave you a great gift. You have your friend back, good for you. I'm sure you two will be very happy together for what time you have left." Mito responded with a condescending laugh.
"Mito..." Riley growled as the Gravemind moved forward, intent on rushing Mito's construct and tearing it to pieces.
"Before you do that, my dear, I have a message for you." Mito stated as she felt the Gravemind approach.
"I don't give a shit for what you have to say!" Riley snapped, urging her familiar forward to tear the annoying bitch apart and sever the link she held with Shisui.
"Oh but you do. I'm offering to put an end to this. I'm in the Fire capital. I wont leave, promise. Make you're way here, and you and I can finish with this." Mito offered, earning a dark glare from Riley.
Riley was about to respond, about to call the woman out, and tell her that she knew from Zetsu that the two of them had something else in the works, but she stopped herself.
"Fine Mito. I'll see you there." Riley growled as Mito's construct disappeared, and the Gravemind tore it's way into the bond.
"She doesn't know that we know that Obito is off somewhere else. She intends to hold us at the Fire Capital while he finishes his work." Kurama noted, as Riley pulled back.
She quickly tore her black rods free, and flashed through hand-signs.
"Gedo Art: Rinne Rebirth!" Riley intoned, and within a single moment, a green light encased Shisui's body. The spirit of the man that had died to revive him was released and Shisui's body was brought back to life.
A huge smile tore across Riley's face as she heard his heart start to beat again.
Shisui stared up at her for a moment before letting out a howl of pain. He quickly his hands on her stomach and tried to shove her off of him. It was a moment before Riley realized that she still had her body weight increased and probably weight several hundred pounds. Thus she was probably crushing his ribs.
"Shit!" Riley stated as she shot off of her old friend and he let out a noise that sounded like a gasp mixed with a laugh.
"I guess I deserved that." Shisui whined as he clutched at his torso.
"Probably." Itachi noted, as Riley started to heal him.
"Hey, don't be mean, I had a traumatic day." Shisui whined, earning a chuckle from Itachi and Riley.
After several seconds, Riley finished repairing his bruised rips, and she and Itachi helped Shisui sit up.
Once he was sitting, Riley took the opportunity to glomp him. This caused him to fall back, unable to withstand her strength.
Shisui merely let out a laugh as he returned the affectionate gesture, while Itachi merely knelt over the two, offering them both a smile.
Not far off, Madara, Hashirama, Arturia, and most of Riley's mates stood watching the exchange. They had tracked her down and come to see what had caused her sudden emotional reaction. Now that all watched her hugging an unfamiliar man, and doing so in a manner that was very much unlike Riley.
Madara recognized Shisui after only a few moments and a small smile spread across his face. Hashirama was close behind him, as he recalled viewing Riley's memories of Shisui and was able to place the pieces together. Still he had to turn to Madara and inquire if he was seeing things correctly.
"Who is that?" Katie asked, earning a look from both of Riley's Grandfathers.
"Shisui Uchiha." Madara replied, expecting that answer to be enough. However, all he received was even more confusion, and it quickly dawned on him that despite everything she had shared with her lovers, there was one thing she kept to herself. The pain that had awakened her Mangekyou in the first place. Madara and Hashirama both just now realized that Riley had never spoken of Shisui to anyone really. Only to Itachi and in a few cases, as an accusation towards Minato. But never to anyone else. Not her family. Not her friends. Not even to her mates.
None of them even knew who Shisui was, or what he meant to Riley.
"Who is he?" Daphne finally asked as Shisui sat up, Riley still hugging him close, almost like a child would hug their favorite toy. Riley's mates could tell through the bond, and through her actions that whoever this man was, he was very important to Riley and she was overjoyed to have him back.
"Shisui Uchiha. One of her first friends. He trained her alongside Itachi when she was very small. The two developed a very close bond from those times. From those days she came to see Itachi as a friend and later as family. Shisui was different though. He quickly became her brother. Someone who looked out for her, and made her feel loved. This was during one of the hardest times of her life. He was the first person she ever loved." Madara explained, earning surprised looks from Riley's mates and Arturia, and a nod and gentle smile from Hashirama.
"What happened to him? She's never mentioned him before." Katie noted as she watched her beloved mate, pull away from Shisui, teary-eyed and smiling, almost like a child.
"He killed himself to allow Itachi to awaken the Mangekyou. This was only after he was critically injured fighting Danzo of the Leaf. That was the reason she swore revenge on the Hidden Leaf in the beginning. She hated Danzo, and Minato for the parts they played in Shisui's end. She blamed Minato for sending him on the mission alone, and leaving him a target. She blamed Danzo for his injuries. She even blamed Itachi for killing him and held him in contempt for a while, until she finally forgave him. It was for that reason that she went to the Leaf and killed Danzo. And before he died he delivered upon Riley the truth of her conception. It was because of her retaliation against Danzo for Shisui's death, that she was able to meet Kushina, and thus Hashirama." Madara responded, again earning a nod from Hashirama, whom then turned thoughtful.
Riley's mates could only offer their mate looks of either sadness or happiness. Many were a mixture of both. They were sad to know that Riley's suffering went further then they had known, and they were saddened to know that she had kept such pain locked away in her heart, where even they could not reach it, but it made them happy to see her so happy. It made them happy that she was so elated to have him back.
"Well… we should let Riley enjoy this moment while she can. There are still other undead to finish off." Hashirama stated after a moment earning a nod from Madara. Both men quickly turned and headed off, intent on finishing this battle for good.
While Riley basked in the joy of having her first friend back, elsewhere in the world, the Akatsuki were finishing the final preparations for their plan.
Obito stood in a large open chamber with the demonic statue poised behind him. Minato was standing over a seal configuration in the center of the room, a Hiraishin kunai embedded in the center of it.
"You truly believe this will work?" Minato inquired.
"Once Mito sends the signal and your daughter arrives at the Fire Capital, you will unseal the Layline and allow the chakra within the flow out. The power of the Earth will be corrupted and fed into the Statue, and with it, the Ten-Tails revival will soon follow." Obito responded.
"This isn't going to work. Even if you succeed in bringing this demon back, she's just going to kill you." Minato noted.
"You apathy and lack of belief is noted. We shall await the signal, in silence." Obito responded, shutting up his old master as he glanced down at the seal on his forearm. It was tied to Mito and would allow her to contact him the moment Riley arrived in the Fire Capital.
Most of the undead were there and with any amount of luck enough devils would be summoned that they would hold her there long enough for the Ten-Tails to complete it's revival. Even if she somehow got there sooner, Hashirama, Madara, Tobirama, and many other Kage level reanimates were present in the city. She would be in for the fight of her life, and even if she succeeded. It would be too late.
Everything was falling into place. The time for their endgame had come.
-To Be Continued-
Alright there's the next chapter. Again sorry for the delay, work and revisions kept me busy and led to me falling behind. I hope you all can forgive. Anyway, Thanksgiving is in a few days so I hope you all have a great time with your families. Ja Ne!