Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Glimpses of Fire ❯ Invasion ( Chapter 22 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Glimpses of Fire
Author: shattered-words

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, it'd be called 'Gaara'. So, isn't it a shame that I don't own it?

Summary: There were many things that shaped the plans of a certain Nukenin, and one was a shinobi that was as destructive as fire. AU/Mentions of Shounen-ai/Yaoi/Yuri [Linked to 'Caught in the Rain']

AN: This took longer to rewrite than I expected but I wanted to get this scene just right. Thanks Shadows for all your help T.T I couldn't have done it without you! -bows to the greatness of the beta- hehe, anyway, on with the chapter!

Their match had been postponed for over half an hour since Uchiha Sasuke had been late. While that would have been immediate grounds for disqualification, the Kazekage had insisted that the match be postponed since he, as well as others, wanted to see the match of Gaara versus Sasuke.

Eizan suspected that the signal would most likely be given during their match, since the Kazekage wanted to ensure Suna and Oto’s victory by using Shukaku.

A frown twisted her features but it would go unnoticed since her bangs shrouded half her face in shadow. Her short figure, which had grown an inch over the last month, was resting against the wall besides the railing and her arms were crossed over her chest. She fastened her dark orbs on the two figures fighting below.

The Sharingan user had become faster and was most likely up to Lee’s speed, but she saw that he used up a lot of stamina to attain it. Eizan had been training her body since her brother had been alive, and the years that followed had been completely devoted to nothing but training. It had been a never-ending cycle that even continued outside of the Academy until she would pass out from exhaustion. The boy would be hard pressed to match her.

She let a ghost of a smirk lift her lips as she imagined what his reaction would be if he knew her thoughts. He didn’t take being bested lightly and she had learned from Naruto that his goal in life was to kill someone. She knew that it was Itachi, but she wondered what his thoughts on his older brother were now after what she’d told him.

Eizan had refused to engage too much in her own match against Takejiro. While inside the mirrors she had seen that he was very fast, but he was vulnerable outside. With the right amount of chakra to make her Jigoku no Yaiba hot enough, she could have melted even the chakra-endued mirrors. Then she’d only have to deal with him in a hand-to-hand situation. Eizan doubted that he’d have sufficient chakra to produce the jutsu again, and she knew that she’d exhaust hers so low that she’d have to stick with taijutsu.

She had known that it had been the best thing to do. Amane and Iwane had choreographed their match, Kankurou had forfeited his, and Temari was the only one that had actually fought. She had won against the Konoha boy.

Her opponent had been Nara Shikamaru, and it had turned out that he was a genius strategist, and had used his intellect to trap her with his shadow jutsu in the end. However, he had performed the technique too many times and so his chakra was very low and had seen no other option but to give up. It had been pretty obvious that if it had been a real life battle she would have lost.

Also, there were still those that were surprised by the end of the blonde’s match, since they hadn’t expected the Uzumaki to win. Eizan had seen the hate that filled many of the villager’s and ninja’s eyes. Konoha saw him as Suna saw Gaara. A monster. She knew that it would have been interesting information for the red head to know that he had the Kyuubi inside of him, but she hadn’t gotten a chance to tell him.

Eizan’s eyes were fixed on the match below and she was sure that many were doing the same thing. Many had come solely to watch this match. Even the Kaze no Kuni no Daimyo had been anxious to see it, since Sasuke was one of the last survivors of the renowned Uchiha bloodline. They all wanted to see what this so called prodigy was capable of.

As for the Ashikaga, she knew that he had improved a lot, but it was a last minute stretch during the last month. He didn’t have Itachi’s potential who had become an Anbu captain at the age that Sasuke was now.

However, right now her gaze was locked solely on Gaara, and if anybody could see her eyes under her bangs, then they'd be able to tell that she'd hadn't been sleeping these past few weeks. It had been a month filled with long days and nights plagued with nightmares. She also had to deal with the curse seal acting up.

Eizan leaned her head against the wall behind her as her eyes fluttered closed but they snapped open when she saw Gaara's face as it had been that night. A frown twisted her features as his words came unbidden to her mind.

‘You’re useless and insignificant. Your very presence is stifling me.’

The fire user flinched and bowed her head so her features were once again obscured by her bangs. She refused to allow anyone to see the tears that gathered in her dark orbs. When she had blinked away the salty water that stung her eyes she sighed wearily. She let slender, pale fingers slip through her slightly longer black hair, and when the memories threatened to engulf her she pushed them down.

That night had been one of the worst of her life, and now that her greatest fear had come true nothing seemed to matter anymore. She had isolated herself from even her two teammates, and had refused to speak of what had happened. Almost like she wanted to pretend it had never happened, but it had.

Eizan didn’t even have to glance in their direction to know they kept looking at her with worried looks. She couldn’t blame them for being worried about her, but she wished they wouldn’t. Eizan hoped they would be able to cope with her decision.

Also, she’d come to realize that something had manifested itself from her suffering. This is what had leveled the forest in a ten-foot radius of where she had collapsed after she’d left Gaara. Whatever it was, it had become essentially a jutsu that only required a single, strange hand seal.

She had given it a name after she’d heard Naruto’s account, since he’d been the only one to witness it. He had told her that for a moment, wings of black fire had appeared behind her, and they’d been spread as if she’d been ready to take flight. The Suna kunoichi wondered if she’d have to use the jutsu during the invasion. She feared for Naruto and Sasuke’s safety if she had to.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Iwane was worried but for different reasons. During her match against Amane she had spotted something that made her shiver. ‘Eight of them,’ she mused to herself. ‘Spread out among the stands and within the civilians. ANBU.’ She vaguely wondered if they suspected Sunagakure’s betrayal, but she doubted it. There would have been more of them if that was the case.

They had heard through Enoki about the proctor finding out about the mission, but that while he had escaped Baki he hadn’t been able to evade Eizan’s attack. There hadn’t even been a body but the Jonin had assured that he’d seen the man torn to shreds by the jutsu. So, it didn’t seem likely for their plans to be discovered, since they had been as discreet as possible.

‘Perhaps it’s a precaution?’ she wondered. She certainly hoped it was.

Iwane glanced at her teammate and saw the same worry, but a lot was directed at Eizan. She couldn’t deny that she felt the same, since she’d completely disappeared after their last meeting in the forest. Usually, it was easy to sense her fire-based chakra but the shorter girl had seemed to vanish off the face of the earth.

They were both sure that something had happened, but Eizan hadn’t said a word to them since they had reunited at the beginning of the third exam. The Erizawa felt her blood boil in anger because she knew it had something to do with Gaara. He was responsible for all her suffering and the changes in her up until now.

Again, she felt a foreboding at the back of her mind like the cold hand of death, and she turned sharply to Amane. The wind user’s eyes narrowed since she had no doubt heard Iwane’s heart as it skipped a beat and sped up.

‘What is it?’ she silently questioned. Iwane could only shake her head, since she didn’t know where this feeling of dread was coming from. All she knew was that something bad was going to happen, and she could only wait and hope that they made it out of Konoha alive.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The people in the stadium watched as Sasuke's hand tore up the side of the stadium wall as he ran along. His chakra was visible and it crackled like the sound of many birds chirping. That’s why Kakashi had named it Chidori, as it was his own signature technique that he had taught Sasuke over this past month.

A pair of blue eyes watched his teammate battle and felt a slight surge of jealousy that left a bitter taste in his mouth. The Jonin had abandoned him this past month and had left him in the care of Ebisu. He’d then started to be trained by Jiraiya. The man was one of the legendary Sannin but the Uzumaki only saw him as a perverted old man. He was Ero-sennin.

He’d learned a valuable technique from the hermit, but it still stung as he watched Sasuke. Kakashi had abandoned him for the Uchiha.

Naruto glanced away and spotted the Suna kunoichi standing besides her teammates and frowned. She’d lost her fight against Haku, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that told him she’d let him win.

The blonde turned back to his teammate and watched with the others in the stadium as the Uchiha reached the dome of sand. The tendrils of sand had shot out but he easily avoided them and his chakra enhanced hand was curled to resemble a claw. His hand connected with an almost piercing wail and then broke through.


Eizan gasped in shock from where she was watching as the Uchiha’s hand plunged into the dome and disappeared from sight. ‘I can’t believe it! He got past Gaara’s defense!’

Her wide eyes were trained on the battle as her hands tightly gripped the railing until her knuckles turned white. Several breathtaking moments passed, and the Uchiha remained immobile. Then he frowned as he tilted his head to the side and he seemed to be listening to something.

A sudden scream ripped through the silence and Eizan’s blood ran cold when she recognized it. “Blood! My Blood!!” Gaara’s voice echoed off the stadium walls as she shuddered.

Meanwhile, Sasuke grunted as he tried to pull away and it looked like he was experiencing pain. He could feel something clamped painfully around his arm, and when he was unable to dislodge himself he gathered his chakra to produce the electrifying effect of the Chidori. Gaara’s pained screams came again.


Eizan’s two teammates appeared beside her suddenly and both placed hands on the shorter girl’s shoulders. They knew she was capable of interrupting the fight and to hell with the plan.

She seemed to regain her senses and even if her body was still tense, she didn’t look like she would jump over the railing at any second. However, her gaze hadn’t left the arena below them.

Sasuke started to pull his arm away but he could feel something clamped painfully around it. He jumped back when he was able to and the sand stretched across the distance in a deformed shape that looked like an arm. It released him and fell to the ground with a loud crash as the vibration made him stumble.

The arm was a sandy color with purple splashes over its surface, whatever it was. Also, there was a strange chakra coming from the dome now and he couldn’t stop the tremor of fear that went through him.


A small, terrified cry escaped Eizan’s lips when she saw the arm stretch from the hole in the sphere. The hands on her shoulders tightened considerably as she moved to jump down out of instinct. She knew what this meant, and she tried to fight against the hold but both of them came to grip her with two hands.

‘It can’t break free, not now!’ Her nails dug harshly into her palms as she tried to calm herself but it did no good.

Sasuke continued to stare at the appendage in shock and watched as it started to slither back and into the opening his Chidori had made. As the deformed arm disappeared inside he was able to see a bulking figure moving around inside since the hole hadn’t closed yet. Then as it ceased its motion, an eye came into view and it was followed by a burst of chakra and killing intent that left Sasuke trembling and gasping with fear.

He could tell by the strangeness of the pupil, that it was not human. At that moment an image of similar, crimson orbs flashed in his mind. ‘His eyes are like...’

‘Are you hurt, scaredy-cat?’ Naruto’s words floated back to him. He remembered that his voice had almost been a growl, and his eyes had burned as red as his Sharingan. His, however, had been filled with wildness and so much malevolent intent that he had shuddered. This eye before him was similar but there was so much more blood thirst in it. He wanted to turn and flee.


The dome around Gaara cracked and disintegrated into sand around him. She almost sighed in relief when she saw that he had changed back to normal, but she was horrified to see the expression of pain on his features. His hand was gripping his bloodied shoulder against one of the two wounds he’d ever received in his entire life.

The sight of his blood was enough to drive her over the railing but the restraining hands stopped her again. Her nails dug into her palm once more and this time blood slipped past her clenched fingers.


Gaara lifted his weary face as his body heaved with every breath, and his gaze locked on the slightly taller boy. His right hand was pressed against the torn clothing and flesh where the Chidori had struck, and his pale fingers were stained a dark red. He took a step toward Sasuke even as he felt his limbs like leads.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

An ANBU member was crouched just behind the last row in the stands as he watched the battle taking place underneath. His hooded head turned to where the Hokage and Kazekage were sitting at. After a moment he brought his hands up in a seal.

‘Nehan Shoja no Jutsu!’ As he performed this technique, those gathered beneath them would start to see blurry before feathers floated in front of their eyes.

“Kakashi! This is-!”

“Hai, Genjutsu,” Kakashi muttered and brought his hand up into a single seal as Gai did the same. “Kai!” He frowned as he looked around and saw that all the civilians and some ninja had fallen under the Genjutsu, and wasn’t surprised that Sakura was one of the ones that had managed to dispel the illusion.

The Copy-nin was surprised to see that Naruto was one of the few Genin that hadn’t passed out. He had no doubt that the kunoichi and knew that Naruto had been able to do it because of Haku’s training. Although, he knew that a lot was because the blonde was growing into the great ninja he always said be would be.

All movement ceased as a smoke bomb went off in front of where the Hokage and Kazekage were seated. “Hokage-sama!” The copy-nin and others started to move.

A team of ANBU dashed past. “Leave Hokage-sama to us!” the leader told them as he lead his team toward the tower. He was clothed in a white hood while the rest of them were in black ones.

Meanwhile, Baki and Enoki frowned as they stood and recovered from their slight surprise. That was the signal, and so the destruction of Konoha had begun.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Eizan gasped and jumped over the rail, and this time she wasn’t stopped. She disappeared in midair and appeared next to the red head. Amane and Iwane jumped up onto the roof, and watched and waited.

The signal had been given but their sole purpose was to protect each other and right now Eizan needed them to look over her. However, her only concern was Gaara at the moment. So they were alert since soon it would be obvious that Suna had betrayed Konoha.


There were four ANBU dressed in black cloaks crouched before the smoke and they turned as the leader arrived with three more ANBU at his side. “2nd squad, take the top,” he spoke as the other four in black turned to look at him. “6th squad, take the bottom. Protect the feudal lords!” They moved as one and jumped off the roof to carry out the order.

The ANBU leader, who wore a porcelain neko mask, turned toward the smoke and saw the two Suna-nin that had been with Kazekage come out of the smoke. They withdrew kunai and attacked.

He growled as he withdrew his weapons “Out of the way!” It was a testament to his skill when he promptly sliced both figures in half. They fell on the roof in two pieces and the other three members jumped toward the smoke.

A cry of pain came from within but they couldn’t tell who it had come from, and anyone within hearing range turned toward the tower in worry. Suddenly, two figures shot out of the smoke and they were identified as the Hokage being held prisoner by the Kazekage. Sunagakure had betrayed them!

From the two Suna ninja that had been killed, four figures shot out and surrounded the two older men, and formed a rectangle formation. They were three males and one female.

There was a dark skinned shinobi with six arms and an Oto hitai-ate around his forehead. He wore a sleeveless pale lavender top that ended at his knees, and a white ying yang sign over his groin area. Underneath that was a sleeveless black shirt, and he had a purple rope tied around the waist. His black hair was tied at the top of his head in a similar fashion as Iruka and his black eyes were narrowed on the ANBU before them.

The second male had pale features and straight purple hair. His lips were painted blue and lifted into a slight smirk. He wore a similar shirt but a darker color with the same ying and yang sign, but his had long sleeves held in place by his black bands. Around his neck there was a maroon beaded necklace and a large scroll on his back, and over his shoulder it appeared like another head was hanging from his back.

The kunoichi was wearing something similar as well but hers was of a pale pink color and with black pants instead of the white her other companions wore. She also had the rope around her waist, and like her purple haired teammate, she wore no headband or anything to associate her with a village. Her dark hair could be a lighter shade of red and it hung to her shoulders and some fell into her face and dark brown eyes. A black hat was stuffed over her head and the same black bands were seen on her wrists.

The tallest of the four had almost no hair except for a bit of orange fuzz on the sides and the top of his head. He was wearing almost the same thing as his six armed comrade and the purple rope around his waist. The legs of his black pants were held in place by bandages and he wore the same black sandals and bands as the other three. While the others were slender, he was heavy set and looked strong.

They were Oto shinobi. When the smoke cleared, they saw a figure with several kunai sticking out of his stomach and chest collapsed against the wall where the Hokage had been. It was Namiashi Raido.

“Raido-san,” the Anbu commander muttered with worry. He almost moved to help the Jonin but paused when he saw three figures moving in his direction. The frown that crossed his face remained unseen as he turned back to the front. “We are going to help Hokage-sama. Be careful of any traps.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Haku frowned as he heard the smoke bomb go off and he was alert immediately. His team and he had been able to dispel the illusion. He was use to doing so and Sanako had been taught well by her mother, and she had awoken her snoozing brother.

“What the hell is going on?” Anzai wondered out loud as he rubbed his head where he had bumped it when he had fallen under the Genjutsu. His cobalt eyes shifted to their oldest team member as if he expected him to have the answer.

“Seems like an attack, duh!” Sanako muttered and punched him against his right arm. He whined and called her abusive as she smirked and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Quiet,” Haku told them sternly as the cry resounded from where the Hokage was. They all turned expectantly in that direction and were worried that perhaps it had been Sandaime that had been hit or injured.

They watched the two figures leave the smoke and saw that it was Hokage and the Kazekage. “Hokage-sama!” Sanako gasped and cried out when she saw the smoke clear.

“Raido-sensei!” Anzai exclaimed and stepped forward before jumping in his direction. Haku and Sanako didn't hesitate to follow him and didn't even see the ANBU move to help the Hokage, only thinking of their instructor.

Haku growled as he killed an attacking Sound-nin as Sanako's enhanced hands dealt with another and Anzai's controlled weapons killed a third. They arrived beside their Jonin sensei and the kunoichi quickly checked that he was still alive and sighed in relief when she realized that he was.

“Oh, thank Kami-sama!” she breathed. Her hands glowed and she let the healing chakra seep into his body to close the wounds spilling his life's blood after having removed the kunai. “He's alive...alive.”

Haku and Anzai felt relief flood them but didn't take their eyes off their surroundings in case they were attacked. They would help the other leaf-nin defend their homes as soon as they ensured that Raido was out of danger.

The former Nukenin turned and watched what was happening in the stadium and saw his opponent. His eyes narrowed on him as he noticed that there were Suna-nin attacking shinobi from Konoha. 'Suna has betrayed Konoha.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Ninpou, Shishi Enjin!” the four Oto ninja cried simultaneously as a purple, rectangle barrier went up with the four ninja being the connectors. One of the masked Konoha ANBU tried to pass through the barrier. He was repelled as he burst into flames and his screams were soon drowned out as he fell on the roof in a lifeless, charred lump of flesh. They could not get through.


As the explosions rang out, the sounds of battle started to fill the arena, but Eizan's only concern was Gaara. She glared at his two siblings as they appeared on either side of them and her body tensed when she saw Baki in front of them. They didn't dare approach. The signal had been given but she didn't care. Gaara was hurt and he needed her.

“Gaara, the plan...” Baki turned slightly and was disturbed by the sight of the suffering shinobi. “Baka, I can't believe he would try to undergo complete possession without waiting for the signal!”

Temari stepped toward her younger brother but didn't reach out to touch him. “He's suffering a reaction.” He turned to look at her sensei. “He can't do it anymore!” Eizan's lips pulled back in a snarl as she listened to them.

“Then what are we supposed to do?” Kankurou demanded. “You want us to go ahead without Gaara?” He also moved to stand a bit closer to his brother.

Gaara wasn't paying attention as he gripped his head in pain, having been brought to his knees as he leaned unconsciously against Eizan. She, meanwhile, was distracted as her own instructor appeared behind her.

“What the hell are you doing?” he yelled. “You have to go through with the plan if Gaara can't!” He stepped toward her and hissed as he jumped back at the wave of heat that rushed at him. The other three Suna-nin did the same.

“I will not leave his side,” she growled. Her eyes shifted toward the Uchiha and their gazes met over the distance. The proctor of the exam, Genma, was standing in front of him and watching the whole scene intently. Amane and Iwane had been standing guard and had taken out a few weak leaf shinobi but luckily hadn't fought against any high level ninja.

Genma wore the customary Jonin attire, with his head band hitai-ate reversed so the village symbol faced the back. His hands were stuffed into his pockets as he chewed nonchalantly on the senbon, staring Baki down. The man didn't seem all that motivated to fight, but any that challenged him would see the promise of death within his eyes.

“I'm calling it off,” Baki told his two uninjured Genin subordinates. He knew that Gaara was in no condition to fight and it looked like Eizan would refuse to do so with the red head hurt. “You two take Gaara and withdraw for now.” They looked ready to protest. “I'm going to help fight. Go!”

Kankurou and Temari nodded and turned to look at Eizan, the hostility coming from her in waves. They were too terrified for their lives to approach and Gaara seemed to be the only one not being affected by it.

The short girl clenched her teeth as Kankurou and Temari turned to look at them. She was fully prepared to refuse the Jonin’s orders, but Gaara’s voice stopped her. “Do as he says,” he growled quietly, already realizing that he was too weak to fight against Sasuke at the moment. Eizan was worried that he might change, however, and that he would lose himself to the monster inside. “You will go to Oto after I leave.”

A searing pain engulfed her heart as she closed her eyes and lowered her head so her bangs shielded them from view. It was several seconds before she could respond where her voice wouldn't crack. “Hai...Gaara-dono,” she responded quietly, feeling a tightening in the back of her throat which she couldn't identify.

“Stop calling me that,” he told her before fiercely shoving her hand away and leaning against Kankurou as he came to his side. Temari moved to his other side, their faces solemn and they quickly left the stadium, not wanting to look at the fire wielder and what they might see on her face.

Actually, they would only see her lips pressed in a thin, bloodless line since her bangs still hid her eyes from view. “Amane, Iwane,” she called after the other team had left. They were beside her almost instantly. “Follow them... Keep him safe.” Amane opened her mouth to ask her what she planned on doing, but the shorter girl lifted a hand to silence her as she clenched her teeth to a point that it was painful. “Just...go!”

Iwane frowned, knowing that something was wrong. Something had happened during the past month to cause Eizan to close her mind and emotions off, and now they found that they couldn’t even read her expression. Her emerald eyes narrowed on her but after a moment she gave a sigh before nodding.

They quickly left after the Ashikaga had refused to even look at them. When she looked at Amane, she saw a helpless look on the wind users’ face. Something was terribly wrong. They just wished they knew what that was before it was too late.


When they were gone, Enoki moved to speak again, but Eizan turned away and walked off before he could get a word in. Nothing else needed to be said to her. She knew what Gaara wanted her to do. Taking off her Suna hitai-ate, she stuffed it into her pouch at her back before she started to form seals. She had to get rid of the enemy and at the moment, everyone was her enemy.

‘Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!’ The fire that was expelled from her mouth cut through the air toward two ninja that were fighting one another. One was a Konoha-nin and the other from Oto. Even then, she didn’t hesitate and only watched as the fire consumed both of them as their screams soon joined others.

They fell left and right under her fury. Suna, Oto and Konoha alike died at her hand. She didn’t care anymore as she gave herself over to the seal, and the black flames started to spread over her neck and across her face. The red cracks appeared across her eyes and her pupils became slits.


Enoki was in shock, seeing as she killed shinobi and not distinguishing between villages. He rushed up to her side but when he would have reached for her shoulder, he yelped in pain and jumped away. Her aura had been an inferno that only she would be able to survive. He glanced at a bit of his exposed skin and saw a second degree burn that had been inflicted by the chakra alone. It was evident that any that approached her would be hurt.

Now even he was backing away since he didn’t wish to perish by her hand. Plus, he had seen the black markings that marred her face and the terrifying look in her eyes. She had allowed the curse seal to consume her.-

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Translations:
1. Chidori: lit. “One Thousand Birds”
2. Nehan Shoja no Jutsu: lit. “Temple of Nirvana Technique”
3. Ninpou, Shishi Enjin: lit. “Four Violet Flames Battle Encampment”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
End Chapter Twenty-one

Heh, Shadows-upon-Sand suggested that I add this to the end. Please review! lol, there! Althought, I do want people to review my story, I want them to do it because they enjoy reading it and not because they feel obligated. Although, positive reviews and constructive criticism do motivate the author to write and so please review! n.n That is all, thank you.