Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Fox and The Phoenix ❯ Silence ( Chapter 21 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Anaki Of The Blood Wolves 
Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Comedy / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.15.2007 | Pages: 7 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 619 | Status: Completed
Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Comedy / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.15.2007 | Pages: 7 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 619 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)
Key
S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)
*thinking*
"talking"
*thoughts progressing into speech"
'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)
//telepathy//
::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)
~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...
A/n: Ok, I am soooooo sorry this took so bloody long! Between penpals, papers, teching for the dance recital 'and' the pageant, studying, reviewing as well for final exams. I just haven't had time to work on it as much as I'd like. Enjoy though, it took a while but here it is!
The long awaited....FINAL CHAPTER.
Chapter Twenty One: Silence
~Author~
::Atop the Hokage Tower::
The fight waged on, a mother fighting not for fun, but putting everything on the line to kill the man who had the nerve to threaten everyone and everything she cared for. She growls as she is matched in strength by the fat kid Jiroubou, whom she had chosen to attack first in taking down the barrier.
"Give up, you ain't getting through here woman!" he swings a punch at her, landing it solidly in her jaw. The crunch of bone melting beneath his meaty fist as the entire lower part of her jaw is seperated from her skull. He doesn't notice, the woman being flung out of his sight as this happens, and he continues his speech. "We are Orochimaru's personal best! The Sound Four! No one can surpass us! Urk-!"
He is effectively cut off as his temple is impaled by a well-aimed CHH senbon, the weapon itself blowing the fat boy into bits due to the addition of the chakra merger, thus effectively and efficiently ending his life. Sanziya pulling herself from the rubble soonafter and smiling at the gore and bits. A massive amount of blood stains the front of her outfit, but other than that there is nothing to identify that she was ever missing her mandible. Spitting out a loose tooth, she goes over to the boy's still beating heart, picking it up and sniffing it.
"Too much cholesterol..." she grumbles, going to take care of the other three.
::With Tayuya::
"So you killed the fat ass Jiroubou, big deal bitch. He was the weakest of us anyway, so you aren't even a fucking challenge if you could take his sorry dipshit ass out." Tayuya replies with a smirk, readying her flute. Sanziya's eyes take on a seemingly darker shade as the foul-mouthed red-head summons her beasts. A second later three poofs are heard, signaling their ceased existence as the Phoenix woman appears behind the flute user, thrusting a midnight blue flaming hand into her right lung. Tayuya hacks up blood, turning to face her killer and gasping as she looks into deep pools of sable, looking languidly at her flapping charcoal wings.
"K-kuro...metsuki. Sh...shini...gami...."
The girl slumps forward, dead, as Sanziya removes her hand from the girl's chest with a thoughtful look gracing her face.
"Dark Eyed. Death God, huh?" she grins, pulling out Tayuya's heart and tearing out a chunk with her teeth. Her eyes looking more and more like a predator's. "I 'like' it."
One couldn't tell if she was talking about the heart she was devouring or the new nickname.
Ah well.
::With Kidoumaru::
A few yards away in a tree we find a bloody six-armed boy, face white like a ghost's and entangled in the branches of the magnificent oak by what seems to be a thickly woven spider's web laced with tinges of deep blue. There was not a need to eat his heart, it truly stank like rotted meat after all.
::With Sakon and Ukon::
Despite the fact that their bloodline allowed them to control another person's body, they soon found themselves seperate and alone, minds crushed by the trauma of seperation. There was no need to even bother killing them now, they were shattered.
The woman smiles as the barrier finally shatters into pieces, quickly rushing inside as she sees the Kusanagi hovering in midair, Orochimaru about to strike down Sarutobi who was being held by one of the Shodaime's Mokuton (Secret Tree) techniques.
::On the roof, battle between Orochimaru and Sarutobi::
"Orochimaru!" was the battle cry as the woman threw multiple chakra laden kunai at the three opposing forces, managing to get Sarutobi free just as the weapons explode. She nods to the old man as she sets him down, both getting into a ready fighting stance, King Enma (in staff form) at Sarutobi's side, and Naruto's borrowed Syriffian at her own. The two are forced apart as the Shodaime grows vines from the rooftop, the Nidaime and Orochimaru going in for their respective targets; locking blades.
"Sssanziya, why fight? You know that if and when I kill you I'll only go after those boysss." Orochimaru tells her, a malevolent smirk upon his pale features. Sanziya says nothing, grinning jovially.
*Is she going mad?* the snake thinks to himself with a mental smirk.
"I'll be the one killing you Orochimaru...." she breathes out, her grin getting even wider, but her voice doesn't raise in pitch. "I'll pay you back for the hell you put me through with this seal...and I'll pay you back tenfold for the destruction of Yarnis." she shifts her weight to her back leg, letting the locked blade free itself. "I'll have your head!"
The Hebi Sannin is forced back as he dodges a near fatal swipe from the six-bladed weapon.
What was this? She couldn't have suddenly overcome her emotional pain over everything could she? No...unless...
"You've forfeited your life haven't you?"
There is no acknowledgement of this statement as she ascends, making a cleaver chop towards Orochimaru's neck, however he turns to mud just as the blade makes contact, but she does manage to lob off the Nidaime's arm, which quickly regenerates. There is a growling shriek as she changes her direction sharply, the infinity marks of the curse seal flashing malevolently in the sunlight as she suddenly disappears.
The snake man hisses warily, not knowing where she was and not caring at the moment, instead deciding to attack the now panting Sarutobi. He was winded from battling with the Shodaime, and appeared to be on his last legs. He wouldn't survive the attack from his Kusanagi.
"Die old man!" Orochimaru hisses, a smirk upon his pale features as he makes to stab the Sandaime in the heart, when a poof sounds from nowhere; a cloud of smoke appearing inbetween both men.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Tagekiri! Protect Sarutobi-sama!" a yell is heard, echoing around the area as the roof of the building they are standing on collapses under the summon's great weight. The summoned wolf quickly wraps its tail around the aging Hokage, pulling him to safety atop his massive back. Enma being dropped unintentionally, but noone really notices.
"ARE YOU ALRIGHT SARUTOBI-SAN?" the wolf asks, landing gracefully as the Sandaime looks around for Sanziya.
"Yes, I'm fine. Where is Sanziya? Is she alright?" he asks, still looking as Orochimaru and the two undead Hokages land.
"SHE WILL BE ALRIGHT SARUTOBI-SAN. DO NOT WORRY. I AM PROTECTING YOU, SANZIYA-SAMA WILL FINISH THAT MAN." the wolf chief replies, a low growl emanating from his throat as Orochimaru places his hands to the ground in a summoning jutsu. Sanziya is nowhere to be seen as both the Nidaime and Shodaime turn to dust, another coffin rising in their place with 'Yon' on the front in kanji.
Sarutobi curses, he didn't have any projectiles on him to stop it from opening now. If Sanziya didn't stop the summoning, then they would be hard pressed to end this battle.
"How dare you try and summon him!"
A barrage of kunai embed themselves into the coffin as Orochimaru smirks, Sanziya landing in front of the coffin.
It was too late for her to stop it.
A man clad in a long white jacket with flames running across the bottom steps out of the coffin, shaking dust from his head as a small smile creeps across his formerly featureless face.
"Arashi..."
"Hello Sanziya-koi, have you been well?" he asks, Sanziya's gaze trained upon him warily while Orochimaru quickly goes to slap the seal into the back his head. It sinks in slowly, his blue eyes turning dull as he looks to his stunned wife.
"I'm sorry dearest, but it seems I must kill you."
Milk-green eyes are trained on him, tears streaming down her patterned cheeks as she nods.
A barrage of three pronged kunai are thrown and Sanziya, knowing what they'll do, refuses to let them hit anywhere. It proves tough with the three other Kages attacking her, but she manages.
Orochimaru stabs at her with the Kusanagi but she dodges, pulling herself up into the Shodaime's Mokuton trees with chakra strings. Handfuls of kunai and chakra whips lashing out at different intervals to distract the Hokage from her chakra levels.
::Meanwhile, in the stadium::
Zabuza and Haku have managed to kill off about two-fourths of the attacking Suna and Oto nins, but they just keep coming.
"Damn it!" Zabuza curses, taking out a slew of nin with a water dragon. "At this rate we'll never be able to give Sanziya any support!"
Haku nods in agreement, quickly going through the signs for his bloodline limit.
::In the streets::
A giant orange and black toad battles a three headed orange snake, the white haired man atop it frowning at the giant summoned wolf in the distance.
"Sanziya..."
::In the forest::
Meanwhile, Sasuke is engaged in battle with Temari, his curse seal burning like hell as he grapples with the wind user, her fan broken on the forest floor.
He curses as he is thrown back, Temari summoning Kamitachi to do battle with him as she pulls two medium fans from her hip pouch, sending air slashes along behind the summoned weasel. Sasuke manages to dodge the first strike of Kamitachi, but the air slashes catch him off guard, breaking his defense and leaving a few deep gashes on his legs.
*Damnit!* Sasuke curses mentally, throwing a smoke bomb and readying a Kanshiki. *I don't have time for this!*
::Back to the rooftop battle::
Sanziya has become ensnared in the limbs of the trees, courtesy of the Shodaime. Orochimaru, a smile on his face, takes delight as they begin to slowly crush her, sitting atop a giant summoned snake.
"You know, if you just give in, I'll give you Arashi back, whole and well. I'll keep your little boy safe from any demon hunters. You could all be a nice, safe, unbroken family again." he states, his long tongue curling in delight as he smiles darkly at her. "What do you say Sanziya?"
She grins down at him, managing to form her half crushed left hand into a vulgar gesture.
"So be it."
A wave of his hand and the Shodaime tightens the branches around her body, screams are heard along with the shattering of many bones. Her body goes limp, blood pouring down the branches, the whitish-gray of different bones poking through the wooden deathtrap.
One could say the rebirthed Hokage looked sad, especially Arashi, but that could also be mistaken for indifference.
Sarutobi is devasted, trying to get off of Tage's back to go and help, but the wolf refuses to let him down.
"YOUR WOUNDS ARE TOO HEAVY TO BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE TO HER. YOU HAVE NOT HEALED YET."
The old Hokage hangs his head, knowing the truth in the wolf's words.
"Well, now that the minor annoyance is taken care of, I can finally finish what I started! Come sssensei, let's dance!" Orochimaru hisses, putting his snake on a one-way death course towards the monkey summoner and the summoned wolf. Tagekiri jumping back out of the way quickly, not noticing the flash of yellow appear on his back next to Sarutobi. The old man has no time to react as the Yondaime brings his sword down upon him.
"SARUTOBI-SAN!" the wolf growls, his tail bound by the snake which has begun to crush him in his moment of inattentiveness, he manages to grab its head in his massive fangs, crushing it. The snake dissapates as a loud clinging sound is heard, then a gasp, the wolf turning his head back quickly to see what has taken place. "ENMA-SAN?"
The monkey king turns around, flashing a grin at the astonished wolf as he pushes up and pulls, effectively wrenching the sword from Arashi's hands. He kicks him back, sending him flying off the wolf's back to the ground, jumping down to fight him the whole way. The wolf bares its teeth up at a smirking Orochimaru standing before him on a newly summoned purple horned snake. Except this snake wasn't just any snake, it was their lord.
"MANDA..." the wolf growls, pulling his lips as far back as possible to snarl at the frowning reptile. "WHAT AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE..."
"THE SSSAME CAN BE SSAID FOR YOU, TAGEKIRIIII..., I DETEST YOU EVEN MORE THAN GAMABUNTA AND KATSUYU..." Manda replies, flicking his tongue in and out of his mouth. "OROCHIMARU...WHERE ARE MY SACRIFICES? I REQUIRE AT LEAST 1,000 BEFORE I EVEN ATTEMPT TO LISTEN TO YOUR FOOLISH REQUEST."
The sannin standing atop Manda's head frowns, a little sweat coming to his face.
"Why Manda-sama, your sacrifices lay before you. I offer this entire village for you to dine on."
The snake seems to actually smile before abruptly throwing the snake man off his head.
"THEY AREN'T WORTHY ENOUGH FOR MY PALATE. DON'T SUMMON ME AGAIN WITHOUT DECENT SACRIFICES OR I WILL KILL YOU." the snake lord replies, poofing out and leaving Orochimaru at the mercy of a giant wolf summon, or at least he would've had the wolf not suddenly poofed out as well.
*Tagekiri...stay hidden, don't make a sound.*
The sannin looks stunned, glancing up at the prone form of Sanziya with a malevolent smirk as her chakra finally fades to nothing. Blood and black feathers swirling to the ground in an intricate pattern of macabre beauty.
"Ah...ssso, ssshe's finally dead." he hisses, looking over to Sarutobi and Enma who quickly glance up to where Sanziya hangs, shocked looks plastered to their faces. "Now I can finish you with no problem...Ssssensei...."
He puts his hands into a seal, killing the rebirthed Hokage for a second time as their bodies revert to the ashes and chakra they were originally made from.
Sarutobi barely has enough chakra to keep Enma on this plane of existance, so the monkey king is forced to poof out. A smile graces the old man's face as he sinks back into an attack stance, knowing he won't get out of here alive.
*I'm sorry Konoha. I did my best to protect you all and will continue to defend you with my last breath.*
His former student grins and swings the Kusanagi towards him so fast he can't dodge, but before he is hit a hand pulls him back out of the path of death.
"Oi Sarutobi-san, did you forget how to move?" the voice asks, a hint of a smirk in said voice. The owner steps forward, brandishing a sword coated in fire. "Get out of here, hide in the darkness until the one of forsaken blood retrieves you. Just call out, they will know when it's safe for you to leave. Food, water, things for your wounds, and everything else is already there."
Before the old Hokage can protest he is pushed backwards, stumbling into the embrace of many black arms that pull him gently into the darkness as the portal quickly seals back up into nothing.
Orochimaru hisses.
"How are you still alive?"
She winks at him, putting a finger to her lips.
"You don't need to know and I don't need to tell you."
He growls, readying his Kusanagi for a final attack.
"I'm going to kill you and bathe in your blood."
"By all means feel free. It's poisonous after all."
"I'll have that body Sanziya."
"Come on now babe, you know I'm taking you with me."
She smiles, rushing towards him, enjoying the wind on her face.
*Will you let us die this time Soriyu?*
'Second time in one day, our body will simply 'die' after it's been buried. You'll sleep for fifteen years and reawaken on this same day from now.'
Her wings fold closer to her body, allowing her to move faster.
*That's fine, maybe the world will be better.*
'Or not.'
Orochimaru activates the curse seal, hoping to stop her insane speed, but the pain only makes her faster.
*You're so negative. Where will my soul go?*
'To Makai with my own.'
He speeds up as well, cockily knowing he will survive this no matter what.
*Will my musuko be alright?*
'You know I can't answer that.'
Their swords pierce each other's hearts simultaneously, Orochimaru bursting into an array of colorful flames as screams grasp the air.
*Will I get to see Arashi?*
'I can't answer that either.'
A blackened corpse and a jinchurikki fall to the ground as ANBU and Oinin (Hunter-Nin) finally arrive on the scene a few minutes later. The Oinin take care of Orochimaru's corpse, a lizard masked ANBU picking Sanziya up and rushing to the hospital. Her chakra was fading too fast though.
*Soriyu?*
'What is it?'
*I hope, when we come back, that things will be better. I hope I can see everyone alive and well. Especially Naruto.*
Soriyu looks down to the child hanging onto his arm, her red and gold hair shimmering in the light while many earrings and bracelets clink rythymically.
'Yeah...me too.'
She died before they reached the hospital.
::Hours later::
The still living Suna nin were apprehended, Gaara and the rest were being held in custody with many chakra binding seals placed on them courtesy of Jiraiya. The remaining Sound nin were promptly executed.
::Two weeks later, Sanziya's funeral::
Many people came out of the woodwork for the Phoenix woman's funeral, even people that had seemingly hated her. They regarded her as a hero, in death, she had rid them of their greatest threat forever. Even Orochimaru (a white snake in truth) couldn't stand up to the flames of a legendary bird. Sarutobi, who had been pulled out of the shadows as soon as Naruto woke up, sat up front in a specially tailored black Hokage outfit simply for this occaision.
After Naruto had placed his yellow rose on the woman's chest and hugged her body tightly Jiraiya was forced to pull the hysterical boy back from the casket as his curses filled the ears of all present.
"Kaa-san!!!!! Damnit!!!!" he screams, tears running freely down his whiskered face. "You said you wouldn't fucking leave me again!!!! You shouldn't have been killed by that weak snake bastard! KAA-SAN!!!!!!!"
The white-haired sannin manages to get the boy calm, leading him back to his seat with his big hands on his shaking shoulders.
Zabuza and Haku linger off to the side, Zabuza finally going forward to put a hybrid orange and blue rose on the dead woman's chest.
"You were truly the best of us Sanziya." Zabuza grunts as he lays the rose down. "In rememberance to your love of odd colors."
He steps back as Haku steps forward, a white rose clutched tightly in his palm.
"You helped us when we needed it most, protected us from the hunters, and finally gave us a safe place to call home." he lays down the rose. "Thank you nee-san."
Sasuke steps forward, clenching another white rose so tightly the blunted thorns leave marks on his sweaty palms. He puts the rose down softly, bowing his head for a bit before turning to walk away. Naruto is still in his seat, crying softly as the raven haired boy walks past him, only to stop and place a hand on his shoulder. The blonde looks up, his eyes raw and red, placing his own hand over the raven's for a split second as Sasuke removes his hand and continues down the aisle.
Jiraiya suddenly rises to his feet, a red rose in his hand as he goes up to the casket, letting it slip from his hands onto her chest.
The old man looks down into her face, his lecherous eyes not resting on her breasts for once as he stares at the curse seal engulfing her face as well as what could be the entirety of her body. No Henge proceeds a person in death, so needless to say, the people were shocked to find a curse seal upon her body. Most of the civilians anyway.
It was hard to get her body in a regular sized casket, sans cutting off her wings of course, so Sarutobi had a custom one made especially for her. It was as bigger than regulation permitted, (which was 26 inches wide, just over 2 feet) since her wingspan was so huge even when they were folded to her body. The coffin was, instead, a whopping 52 inches wide, which amounts to a little over 4 feet, about the size of a pickup truck's bed. Tears soak into the silk fabric laid inside the stainless steel deathbed as Jiraiya simply utters a few words.
"You're not coming back this time are you?"
The corpse lays peacefully silent, a mark where the Body Sheath used to hold a place stains her wrist. It currently rested in a package residing in Naruto's closet. He was too devasted to open it after hearing about his mother's death.
Jiraiya wipes his eyes, going back to his seat slowly.
Other people that knew Sanziya personally came up to place white roses in with the woman, people such as Ashui and Old Man Ichiraku. Once everyone had finished the ceremony, Sarutobi stands up, placing a single yellow rose on the woman's chest and whispering a barely audible goodbye as he slowly closes the lid.
The procession to the mausoleum inside Hokage Mountain was a silent one, Naruto, Jiraiya, Haku, Zabuza, and Sasuke bearing the weight of the coffin on weary shoulders before finally sliding it into a specially widened catacomb. It was ringed in white, with the letters K.I.A on it's small plaque, underneath those read:
'Sanziya Amari Uzumaki-Kazama. A brave woman. True friend. Loving mother. Village Saviour. A true hero, she is buried with the highest posthumous ninja honor. We, the Konoha Council, as well as Lord Hokage, award her the Golden Kunai.'
A small gold kunai was welded into the bottom of the plaque.
Naruto let his tears grace the dusty floor as he stared at it, long after everyone had left, respecting his wishes to be alone.
He...was alone in the world now.
No more blood family.
He felt devasted.
More than he was when Iruka was killed.
This heart wrenching feeling wasn't gonna go away anytime soon.
He fished for the pack of cigarettes he had taken from his mother's dresser before the funeral, taking one out only to place it between his lips and light it.
The smoke didn't help his lungs any, but he wanted to be reminded of his mother so badly.
"I love you...kaa-san." he states to the empty room, leaning back against the cool cave wall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anaki: Well, it's done.
RC16: They're gonna killl you for that cliff.
Anaki: You act like there won't be a sequel.
RC16: What sequel?
Anaki: Damn you're retarded. -looks to the readers- Do you guys want a sequel?
RC17: I hope so, 'cause she's gonna write one. And you better like this chapter, she's been up since 12:00am to finish it.
RC16: Enjoy.
The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)
Key
S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)
*thinking*
"talking"
*thoughts progressing into speech"
'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)
//telepathy//
::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)
~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...
A/n: Ok, I am soooooo sorry this took so bloody long! Between penpals, papers, teching for the dance recital 'and' the pageant, studying, reviewing as well for final exams. I just haven't had time to work on it as much as I'd like. Enjoy though, it took a while but here it is!
The long awaited....FINAL CHAPTER.
Chapter Twenty One: Silence
~Author~
::Atop the Hokage Tower::
The fight waged on, a mother fighting not for fun, but putting everything on the line to kill the man who had the nerve to threaten everyone and everything she cared for. She growls as she is matched in strength by the fat kid Jiroubou, whom she had chosen to attack first in taking down the barrier.
"Give up, you ain't getting through here woman!" he swings a punch at her, landing it solidly in her jaw. The crunch of bone melting beneath his meaty fist as the entire lower part of her jaw is seperated from her skull. He doesn't notice, the woman being flung out of his sight as this happens, and he continues his speech. "We are Orochimaru's personal best! The Sound Four! No one can surpass us! Urk-!"
He is effectively cut off as his temple is impaled by a well-aimed CHH senbon, the weapon itself blowing the fat boy into bits due to the addition of the chakra merger, thus effectively and efficiently ending his life. Sanziya pulling herself from the rubble soonafter and smiling at the gore and bits. A massive amount of blood stains the front of her outfit, but other than that there is nothing to identify that she was ever missing her mandible. Spitting out a loose tooth, she goes over to the boy's still beating heart, picking it up and sniffing it.
"Too much cholesterol..." she grumbles, going to take care of the other three.
::With Tayuya::
"So you killed the fat ass Jiroubou, big deal bitch. He was the weakest of us anyway, so you aren't even a fucking challenge if you could take his sorry dipshit ass out." Tayuya replies with a smirk, readying her flute. Sanziya's eyes take on a seemingly darker shade as the foul-mouthed red-head summons her beasts. A second later three poofs are heard, signaling their ceased existence as the Phoenix woman appears behind the flute user, thrusting a midnight blue flaming hand into her right lung. Tayuya hacks up blood, turning to face her killer and gasping as she looks into deep pools of sable, looking languidly at her flapping charcoal wings.
"K-kuro...metsuki. Sh...shini...gami...."
The girl slumps forward, dead, as Sanziya removes her hand from the girl's chest with a thoughtful look gracing her face.
"Dark Eyed. Death God, huh?" she grins, pulling out Tayuya's heart and tearing out a chunk with her teeth. Her eyes looking more and more like a predator's. "I 'like' it."
One couldn't tell if she was talking about the heart she was devouring or the new nickname.
Ah well.
::With Kidoumaru::
A few yards away in a tree we find a bloody six-armed boy, face white like a ghost's and entangled in the branches of the magnificent oak by what seems to be a thickly woven spider's web laced with tinges of deep blue. There was not a need to eat his heart, it truly stank like rotted meat after all.
::With Sakon and Ukon::
Despite the fact that their bloodline allowed them to control another person's body, they soon found themselves seperate and alone, minds crushed by the trauma of seperation. There was no need to even bother killing them now, they were shattered.
The woman smiles as the barrier finally shatters into pieces, quickly rushing inside as she sees the Kusanagi hovering in midair, Orochimaru about to strike down Sarutobi who was being held by one of the Shodaime's Mokuton (Secret Tree) techniques.
::On the roof, battle between Orochimaru and Sarutobi::
"Orochimaru!" was the battle cry as the woman threw multiple chakra laden kunai at the three opposing forces, managing to get Sarutobi free just as the weapons explode. She nods to the old man as she sets him down, both getting into a ready fighting stance, King Enma (in staff form) at Sarutobi's side, and Naruto's borrowed Syriffian at her own. The two are forced apart as the Shodaime grows vines from the rooftop, the Nidaime and Orochimaru going in for their respective targets; locking blades.
"Sssanziya, why fight? You know that if and when I kill you I'll only go after those boysss." Orochimaru tells her, a malevolent smirk upon his pale features. Sanziya says nothing, grinning jovially.
*Is she going mad?* the snake thinks to himself with a mental smirk.
"I'll be the one killing you Orochimaru...." she breathes out, her grin getting even wider, but her voice doesn't raise in pitch. "I'll pay you back for the hell you put me through with this seal...and I'll pay you back tenfold for the destruction of Yarnis." she shifts her weight to her back leg, letting the locked blade free itself. "I'll have your head!"
The Hebi Sannin is forced back as he dodges a near fatal swipe from the six-bladed weapon.
What was this? She couldn't have suddenly overcome her emotional pain over everything could she? No...unless...
"You've forfeited your life haven't you?"
There is no acknowledgement of this statement as she ascends, making a cleaver chop towards Orochimaru's neck, however he turns to mud just as the blade makes contact, but she does manage to lob off the Nidaime's arm, which quickly regenerates. There is a growling shriek as she changes her direction sharply, the infinity marks of the curse seal flashing malevolently in the sunlight as she suddenly disappears.
The snake man hisses warily, not knowing where she was and not caring at the moment, instead deciding to attack the now panting Sarutobi. He was winded from battling with the Shodaime, and appeared to be on his last legs. He wouldn't survive the attack from his Kusanagi.
"Die old man!" Orochimaru hisses, a smirk upon his pale features as he makes to stab the Sandaime in the heart, when a poof sounds from nowhere; a cloud of smoke appearing inbetween both men.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Tagekiri! Protect Sarutobi-sama!" a yell is heard, echoing around the area as the roof of the building they are standing on collapses under the summon's great weight. The summoned wolf quickly wraps its tail around the aging Hokage, pulling him to safety atop his massive back. Enma being dropped unintentionally, but noone really notices.
"ARE YOU ALRIGHT SARUTOBI-SAN?" the wolf asks, landing gracefully as the Sandaime looks around for Sanziya.
"Yes, I'm fine. Where is Sanziya? Is she alright?" he asks, still looking as Orochimaru and the two undead Hokages land.
"SHE WILL BE ALRIGHT SARUTOBI-SAN. DO NOT WORRY. I AM PROTECTING YOU, SANZIYA-SAMA WILL FINISH THAT MAN." the wolf chief replies, a low growl emanating from his throat as Orochimaru places his hands to the ground in a summoning jutsu. Sanziya is nowhere to be seen as both the Nidaime and Shodaime turn to dust, another coffin rising in their place with 'Yon' on the front in kanji.
Sarutobi curses, he didn't have any projectiles on him to stop it from opening now. If Sanziya didn't stop the summoning, then they would be hard pressed to end this battle.
"How dare you try and summon him!"
A barrage of kunai embed themselves into the coffin as Orochimaru smirks, Sanziya landing in front of the coffin.
It was too late for her to stop it.
A man clad in a long white jacket with flames running across the bottom steps out of the coffin, shaking dust from his head as a small smile creeps across his formerly featureless face.
"Arashi..."
"Hello Sanziya-koi, have you been well?" he asks, Sanziya's gaze trained upon him warily while Orochimaru quickly goes to slap the seal into the back his head. It sinks in slowly, his blue eyes turning dull as he looks to his stunned wife.
"I'm sorry dearest, but it seems I must kill you."
Milk-green eyes are trained on him, tears streaming down her patterned cheeks as she nods.
A barrage of three pronged kunai are thrown and Sanziya, knowing what they'll do, refuses to let them hit anywhere. It proves tough with the three other Kages attacking her, but she manages.
Orochimaru stabs at her with the Kusanagi but she dodges, pulling herself up into the Shodaime's Mokuton trees with chakra strings. Handfuls of kunai and chakra whips lashing out at different intervals to distract the Hokage from her chakra levels.
::Meanwhile, in the stadium::
Zabuza and Haku have managed to kill off about two-fourths of the attacking Suna and Oto nins, but they just keep coming.
"Damn it!" Zabuza curses, taking out a slew of nin with a water dragon. "At this rate we'll never be able to give Sanziya any support!"
Haku nods in agreement, quickly going through the signs for his bloodline limit.
::In the streets::
A giant orange and black toad battles a three headed orange snake, the white haired man atop it frowning at the giant summoned wolf in the distance.
"Sanziya..."
::In the forest::
Meanwhile, Sasuke is engaged in battle with Temari, his curse seal burning like hell as he grapples with the wind user, her fan broken on the forest floor.
He curses as he is thrown back, Temari summoning Kamitachi to do battle with him as she pulls two medium fans from her hip pouch, sending air slashes along behind the summoned weasel. Sasuke manages to dodge the first strike of Kamitachi, but the air slashes catch him off guard, breaking his defense and leaving a few deep gashes on his legs.
*Damnit!* Sasuke curses mentally, throwing a smoke bomb and readying a Kanshiki. *I don't have time for this!*
::Back to the rooftop battle::
Sanziya has become ensnared in the limbs of the trees, courtesy of the Shodaime. Orochimaru, a smile on his face, takes delight as they begin to slowly crush her, sitting atop a giant summoned snake.
"You know, if you just give in, I'll give you Arashi back, whole and well. I'll keep your little boy safe from any demon hunters. You could all be a nice, safe, unbroken family again." he states, his long tongue curling in delight as he smiles darkly at her. "What do you say Sanziya?"
She grins down at him, managing to form her half crushed left hand into a vulgar gesture.
"So be it."
A wave of his hand and the Shodaime tightens the branches around her body, screams are heard along with the shattering of many bones. Her body goes limp, blood pouring down the branches, the whitish-gray of different bones poking through the wooden deathtrap.
One could say the rebirthed Hokage looked sad, especially Arashi, but that could also be mistaken for indifference.
Sarutobi is devasted, trying to get off of Tage's back to go and help, but the wolf refuses to let him down.
"YOUR WOUNDS ARE TOO HEAVY TO BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE TO HER. YOU HAVE NOT HEALED YET."
The old Hokage hangs his head, knowing the truth in the wolf's words.
"Well, now that the minor annoyance is taken care of, I can finally finish what I started! Come sssensei, let's dance!" Orochimaru hisses, putting his snake on a one-way death course towards the monkey summoner and the summoned wolf. Tagekiri jumping back out of the way quickly, not noticing the flash of yellow appear on his back next to Sarutobi. The old man has no time to react as the Yondaime brings his sword down upon him.
"SARUTOBI-SAN!" the wolf growls, his tail bound by the snake which has begun to crush him in his moment of inattentiveness, he manages to grab its head in his massive fangs, crushing it. The snake dissapates as a loud clinging sound is heard, then a gasp, the wolf turning his head back quickly to see what has taken place. "ENMA-SAN?"
The monkey king turns around, flashing a grin at the astonished wolf as he pushes up and pulls, effectively wrenching the sword from Arashi's hands. He kicks him back, sending him flying off the wolf's back to the ground, jumping down to fight him the whole way. The wolf bares its teeth up at a smirking Orochimaru standing before him on a newly summoned purple horned snake. Except this snake wasn't just any snake, it was their lord.
"MANDA..." the wolf growls, pulling his lips as far back as possible to snarl at the frowning reptile. "WHAT AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE..."
"THE SSSAME CAN BE SSAID FOR YOU, TAGEKIRIIII..., I DETEST YOU EVEN MORE THAN GAMABUNTA AND KATSUYU..." Manda replies, flicking his tongue in and out of his mouth. "OROCHIMARU...WHERE ARE MY SACRIFICES? I REQUIRE AT LEAST 1,000 BEFORE I EVEN ATTEMPT TO LISTEN TO YOUR FOOLISH REQUEST."
The sannin standing atop Manda's head frowns, a little sweat coming to his face.
"Why Manda-sama, your sacrifices lay before you. I offer this entire village for you to dine on."
The snake seems to actually smile before abruptly throwing the snake man off his head.
"THEY AREN'T WORTHY ENOUGH FOR MY PALATE. DON'T SUMMON ME AGAIN WITHOUT DECENT SACRIFICES OR I WILL KILL YOU." the snake lord replies, poofing out and leaving Orochimaru at the mercy of a giant wolf summon, or at least he would've had the wolf not suddenly poofed out as well.
*Tagekiri...stay hidden, don't make a sound.*
The sannin looks stunned, glancing up at the prone form of Sanziya with a malevolent smirk as her chakra finally fades to nothing. Blood and black feathers swirling to the ground in an intricate pattern of macabre beauty.
"Ah...ssso, ssshe's finally dead." he hisses, looking over to Sarutobi and Enma who quickly glance up to where Sanziya hangs, shocked looks plastered to their faces. "Now I can finish you with no problem...Ssssensei...."
He puts his hands into a seal, killing the rebirthed Hokage for a second time as their bodies revert to the ashes and chakra they were originally made from.
Sarutobi barely has enough chakra to keep Enma on this plane of existance, so the monkey king is forced to poof out. A smile graces the old man's face as he sinks back into an attack stance, knowing he won't get out of here alive.
*I'm sorry Konoha. I did my best to protect you all and will continue to defend you with my last breath.*
His former student grins and swings the Kusanagi towards him so fast he can't dodge, but before he is hit a hand pulls him back out of the path of death.
"Oi Sarutobi-san, did you forget how to move?" the voice asks, a hint of a smirk in said voice. The owner steps forward, brandishing a sword coated in fire. "Get out of here, hide in the darkness until the one of forsaken blood retrieves you. Just call out, they will know when it's safe for you to leave. Food, water, things for your wounds, and everything else is already there."
Before the old Hokage can protest he is pushed backwards, stumbling into the embrace of many black arms that pull him gently into the darkness as the portal quickly seals back up into nothing.
Orochimaru hisses.
"How are you still alive?"
She winks at him, putting a finger to her lips.
"You don't need to know and I don't need to tell you."
He growls, readying his Kusanagi for a final attack.
"I'm going to kill you and bathe in your blood."
"By all means feel free. It's poisonous after all."
"I'll have that body Sanziya."
"Come on now babe, you know I'm taking you with me."
She smiles, rushing towards him, enjoying the wind on her face.
*Will you let us die this time Soriyu?*
'Second time in one day, our body will simply 'die' after it's been buried. You'll sleep for fifteen years and reawaken on this same day from now.'
Her wings fold closer to her body, allowing her to move faster.
*That's fine, maybe the world will be better.*
'Or not.'
Orochimaru activates the curse seal, hoping to stop her insane speed, but the pain only makes her faster.
*You're so negative. Where will my soul go?*
'To Makai with my own.'
He speeds up as well, cockily knowing he will survive this no matter what.
*Will my musuko be alright?*
'You know I can't answer that.'
Their swords pierce each other's hearts simultaneously, Orochimaru bursting into an array of colorful flames as screams grasp the air.
*Will I get to see Arashi?*
'I can't answer that either.'
A blackened corpse and a jinchurikki fall to the ground as ANBU and Oinin (Hunter-Nin) finally arrive on the scene a few minutes later. The Oinin take care of Orochimaru's corpse, a lizard masked ANBU picking Sanziya up and rushing to the hospital. Her chakra was fading too fast though.
*Soriyu?*
'What is it?'
*I hope, when we come back, that things will be better. I hope I can see everyone alive and well. Especially Naruto.*
Soriyu looks down to the child hanging onto his arm, her red and gold hair shimmering in the light while many earrings and bracelets clink rythymically.
'Yeah...me too.'
She died before they reached the hospital.
::Hours later::
The still living Suna nin were apprehended, Gaara and the rest were being held in custody with many chakra binding seals placed on them courtesy of Jiraiya. The remaining Sound nin were promptly executed.
::Two weeks later, Sanziya's funeral::
Many people came out of the woodwork for the Phoenix woman's funeral, even people that had seemingly hated her. They regarded her as a hero, in death, she had rid them of their greatest threat forever. Even Orochimaru (a white snake in truth) couldn't stand up to the flames of a legendary bird. Sarutobi, who had been pulled out of the shadows as soon as Naruto woke up, sat up front in a specially tailored black Hokage outfit simply for this occaision.
After Naruto had placed his yellow rose on the woman's chest and hugged her body tightly Jiraiya was forced to pull the hysterical boy back from the casket as his curses filled the ears of all present.
"Kaa-san!!!!! Damnit!!!!" he screams, tears running freely down his whiskered face. "You said you wouldn't fucking leave me again!!!! You shouldn't have been killed by that weak snake bastard! KAA-SAN!!!!!!!"
The white-haired sannin manages to get the boy calm, leading him back to his seat with his big hands on his shaking shoulders.
Zabuza and Haku linger off to the side, Zabuza finally going forward to put a hybrid orange and blue rose on the dead woman's chest.
"You were truly the best of us Sanziya." Zabuza grunts as he lays the rose down. "In rememberance to your love of odd colors."
He steps back as Haku steps forward, a white rose clutched tightly in his palm.
"You helped us when we needed it most, protected us from the hunters, and finally gave us a safe place to call home." he lays down the rose. "Thank you nee-san."
Sasuke steps forward, clenching another white rose so tightly the blunted thorns leave marks on his sweaty palms. He puts the rose down softly, bowing his head for a bit before turning to walk away. Naruto is still in his seat, crying softly as the raven haired boy walks past him, only to stop and place a hand on his shoulder. The blonde looks up, his eyes raw and red, placing his own hand over the raven's for a split second as Sasuke removes his hand and continues down the aisle.
Jiraiya suddenly rises to his feet, a red rose in his hand as he goes up to the casket, letting it slip from his hands onto her chest.
The old man looks down into her face, his lecherous eyes not resting on her breasts for once as he stares at the curse seal engulfing her face as well as what could be the entirety of her body. No Henge proceeds a person in death, so needless to say, the people were shocked to find a curse seal upon her body. Most of the civilians anyway.
It was hard to get her body in a regular sized casket, sans cutting off her wings of course, so Sarutobi had a custom one made especially for her. It was as bigger than regulation permitted, (which was 26 inches wide, just over 2 feet) since her wingspan was so huge even when they were folded to her body. The coffin was, instead, a whopping 52 inches wide, which amounts to a little over 4 feet, about the size of a pickup truck's bed. Tears soak into the silk fabric laid inside the stainless steel deathbed as Jiraiya simply utters a few words.
"You're not coming back this time are you?"
The corpse lays peacefully silent, a mark where the Body Sheath used to hold a place stains her wrist. It currently rested in a package residing in Naruto's closet. He was too devasted to open it after hearing about his mother's death.
Jiraiya wipes his eyes, going back to his seat slowly.
Other people that knew Sanziya personally came up to place white roses in with the woman, people such as Ashui and Old Man Ichiraku. Once everyone had finished the ceremony, Sarutobi stands up, placing a single yellow rose on the woman's chest and whispering a barely audible goodbye as he slowly closes the lid.
The procession to the mausoleum inside Hokage Mountain was a silent one, Naruto, Jiraiya, Haku, Zabuza, and Sasuke bearing the weight of the coffin on weary shoulders before finally sliding it into a specially widened catacomb. It was ringed in white, with the letters K.I.A on it's small plaque, underneath those read:
'Sanziya Amari Uzumaki-Kazama. A brave woman. True friend. Loving mother. Village Saviour. A true hero, she is buried with the highest posthumous ninja honor. We, the Konoha Council, as well as Lord Hokage, award her the Golden Kunai.'
A small gold kunai was welded into the bottom of the plaque.
Naruto let his tears grace the dusty floor as he stared at it, long after everyone had left, respecting his wishes to be alone.
He...was alone in the world now.
No more blood family.
He felt devasted.
More than he was when Iruka was killed.
This heart wrenching feeling wasn't gonna go away anytime soon.
He fished for the pack of cigarettes he had taken from his mother's dresser before the funeral, taking one out only to place it between his lips and light it.
The smoke didn't help his lungs any, but he wanted to be reminded of his mother so badly.
"I love you...kaa-san." he states to the empty room, leaning back against the cool cave wall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anaki: Well, it's done.
RC16: They're gonna killl you for that cliff.
Anaki: You act like there won't be a sequel.
RC16: What sequel?
Anaki: Damn you're retarded. -looks to the readers- Do you guys want a sequel?
RC17: I hope so, 'cause she's gonna write one. And you better like this chapter, she's been up since 12:00am to finish it.
RC16: Enjoy.