Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Music Box ❯ The End of The Elementals ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Meg:Hehe, thanks for reminding me this story existed, Rabid-chan! I've been so busy with Hold On and Demon Girl, not to mention helping Zero with Somewhere I Belong, I completely forgot about it ^_^

Alex:No real surprise there

Meg:Anyway, all for the Vega-centric-ness (my new word^_^) and Kakashi's apparent stupidity, neither will last much longer. Kakashi's just extreamly distracted right now. By what, you'll just have to wait and see.

Kakashi:Huh, someone call me?

Meg:See what I mean?

Ishtar:Can we get this over with already?

Meg:Sure sure

~*~Quote of the Chapter~*~

"NEE-CHAAAN!!!!"- Yuki-kun when he spotted me on the Sea Ray at Harvest Festival. He never calls me by my name, it's always Meg-nee, nee-chan, or Emonom (don't ask)

~*~Music Box Chapter 3: The End of The Elementals~*~

Darkness. Unending black.

'This must be how it is for Vega-kun,'Ishtar thought, running his hand along the wall of the cave. 'How am I supposed to find my way out of here alive, much less sane?'

He'd been wandering in what he hoped wasn't circles for God knows how long. He'd heard several struggles and explosions, but seen nothing. Weren't there supposed to be demons in this cave?

CRACK!

Ishtar spun around, but was only greeted with more darkness. He was half tempted to open up the earth just so the boiling lava under his feet would give some light, but he quickly shook the thoughts from his mind. Aya had warned them before they entered the cave.

"No matter how tempting, conserve your energy. Don't waste it creating enough light to see by. The things you'd see would probably drive a normal person out of their mind, with how many corpses must be in there. Just keep moving forward."

Ishtar shuddered as his arm brushed against something that felt disturbingly like human flesh. He squeaked and bolted forward. What on earth possessed him to try to become a ninja anyway?

"I'm gonna become a great shinobi, no matter what. My brothers can't, so I will for them. Maybe I'll become a medic ninja, and I'll find a way to cure our family's diesease."

"Oh yeah,"Ishtar said with a half-chuckle. "So I could help Vega-kun."

"Such sweet sentiments,"

Ishtar jumped and looked around wildly, trying to see through the endless black.

"Behind you,"

Who knew having your throat slit hurt so much?



Vega knelt down and ran her hands through the thick liquid around her ankles. She was beginning to regret her distinct hated of shoes. 'Aya-sensei wasn't killing. This isn't water I'm walking through. It's blood.'

Vega supressed a shiver and trudges on through the lake of blood, making a mental note to wear shoes the next time she went into an unknown cave. Unwittingly, her mind began to wander. Ishtar hated the sight of blood. He'd nearly fainted when a demon had cut Vega's stomach open last year.

'I'll have to tell him that he was walking through blood when we get out of the cave,'Vega thought, before her foot struck something soft and she went face first into the blood. "If I get out of here."

Vega managed to get back on her knees spitting blood and cursing and yanked her blood soaked bandana off.

"Nice,"Vega muttered, wringing the cloth out. "Can't see any better with the damn thing off."

She reached around behind her till she found what she tripped over. A body, badly decomposed, at least four or five years old.

"Poor bastard,"Vega muttered, pushing herself onto her feet. "This won't do me much good,"she muttered, shoving her bandana in her pocket. "Even if I did run into someone, it's too dark to see my eyes anyway."

The psychic had to wonder if there were many people who talked to themselves as much as she did. Probably not. A gold, lightning-like presence poked at the edge of her consciousness, and Vega had to smile. She mentally reached out to the boy.

'How's it going, Rai?' she asked, side-stepping to avoid a large rock that was barely illuminated by Raikin's distant aura. Man, she loved being a psychic.
felt Raikin's mental jump and giggled.

I'm survivng. Raikin's mental voice crackled with eletricity. What about you?
be better,' Vega mused, turning off in Raikin's direction.

Should I ask what we're walking through, or would I be safer just going with the hopeful guess of water?
blood.' Vega said simply, side-stepping another rock, then jumping over another corpse. 'I keep tripping over dead bodies, it's almost unnerving.'

The mighty Vega Arume, getting unerved by a bunch of dead bodies? You feelin' ok, Vega-chan?
f-omf!' Vega had tripped over another body. 'Damnit!'
scrambled to her feet and was about to kick the poor body when she saw it. The faint glimmer of what was usually a boiling, lava-like red and green aura.

"Kami-sama," Vega muttered, stumbling backwards. "No, please no...."

Vega-chan? Vega, what's wrong?
Vega's voice cracked as she fell to her knees next to her best friend's lifeless body.



"They've been in there a really long time,"Sakura mused, watching Naruto pace across the cliff.

"I would have expected Vega to be the first out,"Aya muttered, leaning over the cliff face to look at the cave's exit. "But she, Rai-kun, and Ishtar-chan are the only ones woh haven't come out."

"Probably just screwin' around,"one of Vega's less-than-likeable classmates muttered.

"Yeah, that blind girl's a psycopath, she's probably in there slaughtering every demon she can find,"another piped up.

Sasuke' s eyebrow arched at these harsh words. These kids sounded almsot like the ones that constantly teased Naruto.

"I'm getting a bad feeling,"Faust muttered, looking up at his older sister. "I've lost track of Raikin and Ishtar, and there seems to be another presencein the cave with them."

"Just another demon,"Aya said, waving it off. "And you know they boys' auras tend to get lost in Vega's when she's fighting."

"That's no demon,"Faust shook his head quickly. "demon auras aren't white, and they easily get lost in Vega's black arua. This one is actually fighting it."

Panic startled to rise in Aya's face. She quickly turned to her remaining students. "Head back into town, now."

"But...!"

"Go!"Aya snapped, shoving the boys away. They nodded and slid down the cliff face, then took off at a run towards the elements village. "This is bad. Why didn't you say something earlier, Faust?"

Faust shook his head. "I didn't notice it till Vega's aura began filling the cave. She's panicing, Aya. Something's going very wrong in there."




Vega reached out and touched Ishtar's lifeless body. She was faintly aware of the sound of feet splashing through the blood and a small light behind her.

"You're not allowed to die you bastard,"Vega growled. "you promised."

Raikin froze behind Vega. Darkness was slowly creeping away from her body as she muttered to the dying body. Not like the darkness around them, but an endless pitch black that enveloped the senses.

'Well, forget conserving energy,'Raikin thought as the darkness suddenly washed over him, extinguishing the lightning in his hands.

The warm darkness pressed in around them and, among the ringing in his ears and the pounding of his heart, Raikin heard two very familiar words, whispered in an almost derranged, misty voice. "Never again."

The dark lasted for several minutes. Raikin didn't even know if he was still alive. He swore he'd screamed once, but he hadn't heard it. The smell of decay that had been strong moments before had vanished. He couldn't even feel the blood lapping around his feet anymore. There was absolutely nothing. Or he thought there was.

A large mass of white suddenly barreled through the darkness and struck Vega dead in the side, sending her careening across the ground and into a rock wall. Vega's concentration immediately broke and the cave returned to normal. The scent of decay assulted Raikin so suddenly that he fell back into a rock.

The white mass gave off just enoguh light to see by as it hovered several feet in the air. Vega pulled herself from the rock wall and staggered upright. Ishtar, too, was struggling to get to his feet. Raikin immediately jumped to help him.

"It's been a long time, dear Vega," they psychic's voice filled the cave around them. "far too long."

"Who the hell are you?!"Vega snapped, not taking her eyes off the white mass above them.

"I'm hurt! Dear, sweet Vega, don't you remember me?"

"I think I'd remember something with an aura as bright as yours,"Vega growled, a small black ball of energy forming around her fist. "Especially one that tries to murder my friends."

"You've changed so much, dear Vega, I hardly recognized you. If it weren't for that blinding black aura, I probably wouldn't have."

"Stop rambling!"Vega shouted.

"Vega-chan!"Raikin shouted.

It took all her power not to turn to look at Raikin. 'I mustn't,' she reminded herself. 'I don't have my bandana.'

"We need to get out of here! Ishtar's badly hurt!"

"No shit, Sherlock!"Vega retorted.

"You're not going anywhere, Rai-kun."

"Don't be so affectionate towards my boys,"Vega spat, levitating a few feet in the air.

"Vega-kun! Look out!"

Vega spun around, then flew up several more feet just in time to miss another white mass. This was getting very annoying. She halted just above Ishtar and Raikin.

'Listen, and listen good, Rai. There's an exit a mile directly behind you. Aya and Faust are waiting there. As soon as I land a hit on this bastard, I want you to run like hell.'

Raikin started to protest, but was cut off as he and Ishtar were forced to dive away from another ball of light. Vega charged forward, one fist completely covered in darkness and struck at the ball of white energy. It disintegrated around her arm.

"Missed me!"

Vega snarled. He was controling the light balls from somewhere, but where? There were too many places to hide, and too many white points.

"Feels kinda hopeless, doesn't it?"

"Goddamnit! Show yourself you coward!"Vega shouted.

"Ok,"

A white blur whizzed by Vega's head a stopped in front of her.

"See me now?"

Vega made a surprised noise. He was her age, maybe younger, with icy blue-white hair, snake-like green eyes that glowed brightly, and a familiar symbol tattooed on his chest. A large blue diamond with two white crecents coming from its bottom tip. The symbol of the Elements.

"Shaka..."

Ishtar and Raikin gave the Arume heir a startled look.

"I killed you!"Vega shouted angrily. "I buried you with my bare hands, you bastard!"

"Wrong again, dear Vega-chan..." Shaka said, wagging a finger at her. "You of all people should know we psychics are very hard to kill."

"We?"Vega asked coldly. "You never hand an Elemental gift. You always hid behind me at the first sign of trouble you coward!"

"But look at me now. I'm stronger than even you, dear Vega-chan."

"Don't flatter yourself,"Vega growled, landing on a rock above Ishtar and Raikin. "I'll murder you just like I did last time."

Raikin had pushed Ishtar behind him, and was now looking hopelessly up at Vega. They were so screwed it wasn't even funny.

'Run,' Vega urged quickly. 'Turn around and run. I'll handle Shaka. Get out and warn the village. Tell them they have to destroy this cave at all costs, even if I'm still in here.'

Raikin looked horror-struck, but Ishtar nodded.

'Don't worry,' Ishtar said, giving his cousin a weak grin. 'we'll tell them.'

"But..."Raikin started to protest.

"No buts,"Ishtar whispered. 'We're ready.'

Vega nodded and charged up another ball of enedless black energy in her left arm. 'See ya on the other side, boys.' She leapt from her perch and flew directly at Shaka.

Ishtar and Raikin took off at a run. Each time Raikin tried to look back, Ishtar would give his arm a foreceful tug and pull him forward.

"Trust her,"Ishtar whispered. "she knows what she's doing."

One hour later...

Footsteps jarred Sasuke out of his thoughtful trance. He stood up, drawing a kunai, and faced the entrance to the cave. His orders had been to not let anything in or out of the cave until Faust and Aya returned with help. Sasuke's muscled tensed as figure appeared in the darkness. The shadow staggered and something pushed Sasuke forward, catching Vega before she could hit the ground.

"How'd you know I wasn't Shaka?"Vega asked. There was blood dripping from her mouth.

Truthfully Sasuke didn't know, so he stayed silent. He surveyed the injured kunoichi. Her black yukata had been torn to ribbons, and gashes and bruises lined almost every inch of her pale form. Her shuriken holster, as well as her trademark bandana, were nowhere to be seen. And her long blue hair had come loose from its former pony-tail.

"Are Ishtar and Rai alright?"Vega asked, turning away from Sasuke before he could focus on her eyes.

"They're fine,"Sasuke said, setting Vega up so she was sitting on her knees. "Where's Shaka?"

"Dead,"Vega replied harshly, playing with a loose ribbon of her former yukata. "I dropped the ceiling on him."

Sasuke let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, which recieved a half-laugh from Vega. The laugh, however, quickly turned into a fitful cough, and she doubled over trying to keep the blood from pouring out of her mouth. It passed quickly enough, but Vega's hands were now soaked with blood.

"I thought laughter was supposed to be a cure,"she mused, giving Sasuke a fake 'I'm alright' smile.

"Your eyes,"Sasuke blurted out.

Vega's eyes were slowly changing from deep, blood-red to black. Vega wobbled, then fell against Sasuke.

"I'm exhausted,"she muttered. "My eyes are turning black, aren't they?"

"Yeah."

"Do me a favor and don't let anyone see them,"Vega muttered, before she completely passed out. "I can't close my eyes."

Sasuke knelt down next to the fallen girl. Indeed, her eyes hadn't closed, but simply turned black.

"You're as hopeless as Naruto,"Sasuke muttered, reaching up to untie his hitai-ate.

One week later...

"Here you are."

Sasuke cracked one eyes open to meet a pair of swirling red and black ones. He twisted around and sat up to look Vega up and down. She loosely resembled a mummy, the only part of her body that wasn't bandaged was her face, thought it was little with cuts and scratches. Her left arm was in a sling, and she held out Sasuke's hitai-ate with her right hand.

"I believe this is yours,"she said with a smile.

"Thanks," Sasuke took the head protector and restored it to its original position of his head. "I see you're felling better."

"If you can call being stiff and sore in places you didn't know you had better,"Veag said, letting her legs fold under her so she was sitting next to Sasuke.

Sasuke nearly grinned at the comment. "Isn't your graduation ceremony today?"

"Yeah,"Vega said, gazing down at the river in front of her. "It's been so long since I've been able to do this."

"Do what...?"

"See,"Vega breathed easily. "take of my bandana and sit by the river talking to someone with worrying about killing them. My brother used to come out here with me, and we'd sit out here till it was so dark we couldn't see anymore, and I'd have to guide him home through the forest."

"Where is he?"Sasuke asked.

"Dead, both of them,"Vega said with a false nonchalance. "They died five years ago, right before I started at the ninja academy."

"...I'm sorry."

Vega shook her head. "Don't be. Ichiro and Kitsune were suffering, I'm glad they're finally free of that, even if it is lonely without them. If you ask me they're the lucky ones."

Sasuke could see the reasoning in that. There were hundreds of time he wished he was dead, just so he didn't have to deal with things anymore.

"Do you miss them?"

"All the time. But, it's not really that bad anymore. Ever since you and Naruto came along, things have felt so much better around here. I'm going to miss you when you go back to your village."

Sasuke looked up at the sky. "Smoke...?"

"Wha..?"Vega followed his gaze. There was cloud of dark smoke drifting across the sky. "That's coming from the village!"

Vega and Sasuke leapt to their feet and took off into the forest, Vega in the lead. She came to the edge of the village and froze in horror.

~*~End Chapter 3~*~

Meg:*dodges flying objects*

Yuki:*twitch twitch*

Axel and Alex:Lovely....

Meg:*ducks behind the couch* Well, that's all for now folks! Don't murder me, but Chapter 4 won't be up till some time next week, cause I'm going to camp in a little over twelve hours and I don't get home till Friday, and it takes me at least a day to write a chapter, not to mention I have to help grandma at the store....*more flying objects* But don't worry! I promise I'll get 4 and 5 up as soon as I get back!! I'll also probably have some artwork, but I'm not gonna put it on Mediaminer. I'll be putting it on my website, once I get that up and running and I get my scanner to stop killing my sketches.

Yuki:I have nothing to do with this! I live in another state!

Tori and Panda:Same here!

Meg:*kidnaps Nadia from her niece's Beyblade fic* Nadia-chan, be a dear and do my preview for me

Nadia:*had been on the verge of murdering Enrique before Meg pulled her out of sub-space* Only if Lyserg lets me borrow the Frying Pan of Doom *thunder crashes in the background*

Lyserg:Sure

Nadia:Next time on Music Box, the Elements village burns to the ground, leaving Vega and her young cousin, Angel, as the only survivors. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura encouter several Akatsuki members fleeing the village, and Vega and Sasuke share a brief encounter with Itachi. Finding an ally against Itachi in the Arume girl, Sasuke invites Vega and Angel to come live with him in Konohagure. But can she really leave everything she's ever known, all for the sake of revenge?