Cont. from previous post: In case you're starting from here, there's more before this certain part all the way at the bottom of 108, it wouldn't fit in one post :3
Konohagakure Village
Shonen Bat half sat half stood in an uncomfortable position over Sora who was laid back against a damp rock wall within a shallow cave; safe from the howling storm. One hand was firmly around Sora’s wrist, the one that supposedly housed the bracelet, now completely eclipsed by Shonen’s hand, he feeling Sora’s pulse grow more and more steady, while his other pressed the Light Cloak (torn apart rather heavily) upwards against the side of Sora’s neck, coaxing out a trickle of black from a gash; black, red, and tan patches completely splotching the white cloth.
“You know I’m reeeeeaaaaaaally getting tired of all these crippling movesets!” Sora spat against his anguish of Shonen applying a scissoring pressure to his wound.
“You're not the only one,” replied Shonen thickly. He then rubbed the accumulating black away from Sora’s wound and dabbed back against it with a clean part of the Cloak he was lucky to find, checking the shade, “Okay, good, the icky black stuff is done coming out, now here’s, yep, there’s the blood, okay focus now, use all you’ve stored up right on your neck, give yourself a nice Cure* right here.” Sora grimaced as the tender gash was rubbed clean.
“Cure*” – weak little flurries barely rode the air of the cave as the wound closed up.
“Good job, yeah good enough,” Shonen let out an exasperated sigh almost falling flat over the Master; he pushed himself back on his rear, “It’s just a patch job, but it’s better than nothing, at least till Abigale gets a hold of ya.”
Sora moved ever so slightly, his body and lungs iced with different degrees of pain, “How are you feeling?”
“Better, think you can draw your Keyblade?”
Sora held up a shaky hand, and drew out his weapon, arm dropping flat with the clank of metal; recalled back to a Keychain.
“Good, mine should wear off too then, eventually, and then we’ll Portal back and get you all fixed up.”
“….So, what number does this time make it? You know, for me?”…
Shonen lightly tapped his skate together, curling up his arms around his legs. “This one doesn’t count.”
Sora lightly huffed, “I was kind of hoping it wouldn’t.” That prompted a hiccup of a laugh from Shonen.
“I’m not, that shallow to hold your loss against her to you, [cheesitz]. You know this is a game of chance, don’t you?”
“I figured that out not too long ago.”
“You can’t be everywhere and protect everyone, you know that, right?”
“Yes, I understand that.”
“If they’re smart, and I’m sure you’ll attest to them being so, they’ll stay put in hiding; it’s the best thing we can do right now. So then, don’t you dare go and blame yourself for anything that happens today – I mean it, nothing.”
Sora lightly tapped Shonen’s foot with his, “Let’s hope for some miracles then,” he tossed.
Even though there was nothing he could do, it didn’t stop the frustration from whelping up, the feeling of absolute dread and fear for the lives of his friends. Sora mustered some strength up, and made a fist over his heart with his free hand (Shonen still had a slight grip over his other wrist, checkin’ that pulse), *Please…..please……*
Shonen glanced at Sora, watching the prayer in motion as Sora closed his eyes.
*Please, if there’s an angel out there listening, if there is some higher force out there, Yahena, someone, anyone…..Please, please help us.*
Shonen wasn’t going to hold a few tears against Sora either (even though the Master wasn’t crying), or anyone else for that matter this time. A few tear drops were allotted for such situations; albeit the frequency of these moments was starting to boil something deep, deep within…*Pray all you want, I’m sorry Master, but no one is listening…at least not the ones you want.*……..Shonen took a deep inhale, “’Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away~”
Sora looked over at Shonen, “What?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t know this song, I could only escape it for so long until Izzy, pounded this ***ty little tune into me, ‘catch a falling star, and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day~”
“Heh,” a soft smile curled the edge of Sora mouth.
“For when your troubles startin’ multiplyin’~
And they just might~
It’s easy to forget them without tryin’
With just a pocketful of star light~
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket,
Never let it fade away~!
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket,
Save it for a rainy day~
Save it for a rainy day~
Save it for a rai~ny day~”………Shonen looked back over to Sora who had closed his eyes. His pulse was getting stronger by the minuet, something he should not be able to feel if the Master hadn’t sacrificed that one, infinitesimal link he had that showed his ties to them, to those other friends, the others that held such a sacred place in his heart – it was certain he would take on all the Evil Beyonds had to offer and more for them, that he would die for them, and not have it part of some duty or destiny or beckoning; that promise came before all that.
Shonen knew it didn’t mean as much as that bracelet, but he had to keep checking his pulse.
….He had gained a new level of respect for Sora, if not just to marvel at the resilience he showed out of stupidity or bravery against that person. Against the Lady, he would face nothing less than her rapture of having his heart peeled apart thread by thread.
“STAR SHINOBI!”
“Huh?!”
On the edge of one of the rock pillars, stood Gaara.
The mouth of the abyss of the sky swallowed all and far beyond, the storm’s pace increasing almost exponentially; all shades of color restrained by darkness.
“Gaara?” Sora called, hoping he remembered his name right, “Are you out here all by yourself?”
“Dangerous~” Ed hissed, Ein growled at the sand Shinobi; thunder rumbled above as rain bega to dribble down.
“I think that question is irrelevant,” Shonen muttered half standing in a defensive stance, “Let’s leave him! Come on – I bet he’s nothing but a spy for his little clan, serves the little ****er right if you want to go by World Order – hell common sense, come on!”
“Whatever you are here for, we can better entertain you elsewhere,” said Vincent, “Farewell, take heed of the storm, Shinobi.”
Gaara remained silent as Vincent moved to transport everyone with a quick protest from Sora about Gaara’s safety, and then, “Her name is Kairi, is it? The red-haired, female Keyblade Master?”
Attention duly grabbed.
Vincent moved into a protective stance –
“How do you know about her?” Sora quickly asked, he drew his regular blade, wrapping the hilt in the unsheathed Light Cloak in one swift motion, pointing it right at the red, short haired genin, “Friend or foe? Make it known to us quickly.”
“Hey Bakura, you remember that red stone that Orochimaru told you to give to Gaara?”
“Yes I – oh crap…..”
“Y e a h,” Envy replied scratching his head, “Five bucks says that’s a piece of Hollow Castle too~….”
Gaara’s features stayed a stoic paste, “Be honest, Star, what do you think of that girl?”
Sora’s stance softened in surprise, but a sharp elbow to the side from Shonen toughened him back up –
“How do you know of her?” Vincent asked aiming his weapon well, “Such is a matter you need not have involved yourself in genin. Tell us how you acquired such information, or face an interrogation I promise would put your kin to shame.” Vincent cocked his gun.
“It matters not if I cared about the little whore” – Sora made an aggressive move, but both Ed and Shonen quickly stopped him short with nothing more than a mild stumble – “She matters to you doesn’t she? Otherwise, why would you wear such a ridiculous piece of jewelry?”
“How do you –?!”
“Alright you snot nosed brat – you asked for it!” Shonen Bat, Sora and Vincent moved in to attack, surrounding the Sand Shinobi in one leap – BA-BUMP – but all three were frozen in mid strike, run, and aim – a blunt pulse right to their beings scrambled their body’s function to move – Ed screamed and Ein barked wildly with the thunder as the numbers 646 burned across Gaara’s forehead, a large white ghastly face the size of the shinobi’s body opening wide behind him with black eyes and mouth before fading away as quickly as it had faded in.
Song: Ragnarok
The Sand Shinobi sighed in a double voice, “This child’s heart holds me well.” The possessed pressed his hand to chest, his hand having the red stone partially sticking out of it – and with a wave of the jeweled hand, all three assailants dropped down, a haze of static heavily clouding Vincent and Shonen Bat, Sora’s being only half so crippling, “Now, please answer me Keyblade Master, you showed a flare for Kairi during the Key Brawl did you not? What does she mean to you?”
*Oh god this can’t be happening – this can’t be happening!* Shonen mentally pleaded, *No, no, not now – NOT NOW!* His body couldn’t coordinate itself for ****, every decision ending up as just a haze of suggestion.
“Who are you to tell me what to do?” Sora hissed through his haze; what in the world was that attack?! Ah! His Keyblade was gone! Back to a Keychain! – the Cloak fluttered untapped around in his lap from the stormy, rising breeze.
“I said please. Before I’d threaten that little girl back there, and her little dog too, but I’m not here for a fight, nor would it really help get us anywhere as my reputation would stigmatize me in doing such.”
Sora, pushed himself up on shaky elbows, mustering concentration through the haze, and tried calling his blade back, but felt as if a stopper had been injected into his being, in-between his heart and will, stopping the Blade from manifesting! *Blade-block?* Sora pushed himself up into a sitting position with the help of the wind growing ever stronger, dropping the rain harder, looking straight up at the possessed; the soaked Light cloak moving to catch underneath his legs.
The lightning strike above the sand Shinobi illuminated for a second the unseen presence that had superimposed itself upon the boy, faint, ghostly, her figure stood within him showing piercing amber eyes that stuck deep within.
Sora’s core trembled – had he seen those eyes somewhere before? He knew that gaze….For such threatening a presence, there was no malice in them; it was chilling at how warm a gaze they portrayed as attached to a shadow.
“This was an opportunity to meet you, and I’m glad I did, “ Gaara’s double voice seemed to be settling to the more feminine one that intruded upon his, each alien syllable growing more dominant as his own voice faded away, “This is my chance to speak to you directly, without any other person telling you this or that about me. And by the way, feel free to ask me any questions as well~ But I did ask you first, what is Kairi to you?”
Just who was this person? This thing? Such an overriding power wrapping around him, invading him, plucking at his heart strings – gah! A glance to the left and right of him showed the predicament of his friends, “Vi-Vincent, Little Slugger!” – they were but infants squirming under the haze, “What, ungh, are you doing to them?!”
“I’m not hurting them, they’re just stunned for now. There’s no way I could be heard otherwise, everyone fears me too much. They call me an Evil Beyond.”
“An Evil Beyond….?” Sora’s mind digested the label slowly, he had heard that before, his memory slow to pull up the file through the fog clouding his mind.
“Ah, silly me, I guess it’s true I have no formalities, you have no idea who I am huh? Stanger danger! – heh heh. This isn’t my true form as you can guess, no one has seen my true form and lived to speak of it~ I’m about as infamous as the boogey man by now, no one really knowing what it is except to fear it. I am she simply known as the Lady of Red.”
The statement cut through Vincent’s and Shonen haze like a hot knife through butter – a choice four letter word sputtering across their minds – *F**K* – before the static assaulting their beings scrambled any further action other than pathetic trembling and wayward movements of their limbs.
Sora’s mouth went dry, his eyes opening wide at the declaration, “You, you’re the Lady?” his voice was high, “You…you….” Lightning flashed again, a little brighter, showing just as much more of the hidden form and those amber eyes – King Mickey! Minnie! Daisy! Pluto! – “YOU’RE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THIS!” The fear she proclaimed to produce wasn’t running through Sora, it was HATE –
A dazzling bolt of lighting, flashed through the sky, swinging it’s collected power from its natural brethren to strike Gaara!Lady square in the head – the force of the attack knocking Sora, Vincent, and Shonen to the edges of the rocky pillar, Shonen’s leg hanging off from the black abyss below, a quarter of Vincent’s body dangled, while half of Sora’s weight was over the edge and slowly shifting for the fall –
“Sora!” Ed screamed, but she and Ein were helpless to do anything on their pillar as the shift sped up with gravity, and he fell – toup~ but was caught by the scruff of his neck and lifted up, then held up, like someone observing a pet by Gaara!Lady, with not a scratch on the boy.
Without a ground, the Light Cloak was lost to the pull of the wind, to the abyss of the storm.
Sora’s head rattled he had done something strenuous, he blinked the stars out his eyes from the display of power, focusing in on an eerie, happy smile where it did not belong, “Wow, another display of Elemental Holy* magic? Truly impressive! But do show some consideration for this boy’s body, his heart can’t hold a speck’s worth of my real power, and if I dripped anymore into him, his heart would explode. But you know, to even be able to channel me, he’s already proven himself to be a juicy Opposite Heart if given the chance. Have you noticed how anyone’s true worth and potential is only unlocked once they leave their homeworld? Think there are other ways it can be done?”
A rock knocked Gaara!Lady on the side of her head, the possessed reacting as if caressed by a leaf adding an agitated glance in Ed’s direction.
“Let him go you sick dop durple head!” Ein’s barking backing up Ed’s hiss.
“Well most people’s potential,” the Lady reiterated – BOMPH – Sora slugged her right across the jaw, “Hey! This body’s a rental!” – but Gaara having a smaller frame than Sora, had no distance to spare to hold the livid Master up without suffering Sora’s muddled body’s attempts to beat the snot out of her, the lighting above threatening to deliver another blow – “Hey! Enough young man!” the Lady sent a much reduced pulse to Sora dulling his body’s function to drop limply; he barely having enough strength to hold his head up and glare daggers at her.
“Monster, you took them away, I’ll” –
The Lady shushed him with a gentle shake, “Are you going to take this opportunity or not to talk to me? And you still haven’t answered my first question either.”
“What do I have to say to you other than I’ll make you pay for everything that you’ve done,” he snarled.
“Bold statement.”
“It’s a promise.”
The Lady sighed, letting her eye drift over to Sora’s glinting bracelet, “How’s that Protection* working out for ya huh?”
Sora began to wiggle so violent to move his body to strike her, the Lady had to retreat away from the side of the ledge from the risk of dropping him to the darkness below; she set him down on the ground (a little roughly but that was Sora’s fault), and pinned his limbs firmly.
“You deserve to know how your Royalty went. He fought back swiftly, and strongly, even though I overpowered him, grasping him like a fly, he died so bravely. He must have been a magnificent King for his system, his friends, better than most of the spoiled pompousness housed in other systems. I took away something truly magnificent without a second thought. I remember his death very well since his last breath was spent on casting a spell that would become the Protection* from three things he thought was the most dangerous to cross your path. You’ve done really well to survive this far, heh, I know we’re not the only deadly things out there, but yes, I think currently we are of the most dangerous.”
“Why?...” Sora breathed, his emotions spiraling, “...What did you want with us?”
“Answer my question first about Kairi, and I will reply to yours, what is Kairi to you? I can gain nothing but a satisfaction of a bit of curiosity from it; there are other ways you can be tortured and already have been tortured by.”
The cloudiness still lingering in Sora’s mind didn’t help his thought process too much, but, “…….She’s, one of my dearest friends, and if you hurt her, I swear I’ll” –
“Okay enough said, pfft. My turn, I” –
“Hydro Pump*!”
Gaara!Lady was blasted by a gush of water clean off of Sora, leaving her to rolling and jump right up into a defensive position – Kakashi and Sasuke leapt off the Salamence, leaving the pokemon to gather defensively over the exposed Master, moving to pick him up –
Both Shinobi moved in to attack to cover the Salamence’s retreat, but no one got far – the Pulse attack dropped both Shinobi flat at the Lady’s feet save for two kunai that had somehow found their way into, not kill points, but superficial wounds upon Gaara along with several well aimed WACKS – (the Salamence almost crushed poor Sora).
“I totally need to give Hollow some more credit for security,” the Lady mumbled tugging the kunai out with magic instantly healing up the wounds, the weapons falling to the ground with a useless clink-clink-clank. She stepped over both Shinobi – her foot suddenly grabbed –
“Eh?”
His eyes were red with circles and tomoe and that was all the Lady had time to glimpse at before receiving a mimicked Pulse attack, though a bit more dull in power, “Right back at ya,” it still rocked the Lady’s frame – Kakashi spun up, kicking her across the head twice – the Light Cloak swirling out in all its glory – balanced on one hand he used the other to knock the Lady’s legs out from under her – both he and Sasuke moving in with kunai to cut, not kill – ah! That red stone – Kakashi cut it out – SPCHK – and it was lost to the black abyss below, smashed to pieces upon the hidden jagged edges.
“AUUGHHHH–!” Gaara! But she still held control – SPCHK – the warm blood trailed down Gaara’s arms –
“You’re not the only one in there, One Tails!” Kakashi called – he moved in, kunai in hand for a death blow through the heart – but sand suddenly whipped out of the gourd upon Gaara’s back, and stopped the attack cold as it hardened against the rain.
Kakashi and Sasuke retreated several jumps back as Gaara’s body was pushed up by an unseen force onto wobbly legs, his hands grasping his head with sand whipping about him for an enemy unseen –
“GET OUT! GET OUT OF ME!” he screamed, the sight of his own blood trickling down his arms spiraled him further into a panic – “MY BLOOOOOOOOOD–!“
“Gaara!” Sora called, Kakashi leapt to him, ripping a part of the Cloak for Sora, tying it around his neck, like a bandana –
“Hopefully that was enough for the One Tails to kick that monster out,” said Kakashi, he moved to the Salamence while keeping an eye on Gaara’s srtuggle, “Come on you big lizard, shake it off, we need you.”
The Salamence groaned pushing itself up, a torn piece of the Light Cloak tied around its left foot, and Sasuke too, had a piece of the Cloak around his neck, but it was tucked out of sight. Eeeeeeagth, a small chord struck low in Sora for not utilizing the Cloak well (again), but in his defense, he was more offensively oriented –
Gaara shrieked a high pitch, then dropped to his knees as the sand poured even more out from his gourd, encasing him in a solid sand ball against the rain.
“Great,” Kakashi huffed, “And this storm blocks all HU Abilites…”
Lightning flashes reflected off the protective covering.
“At least he’s safe from anything the storm can throw at him,” came Shonen’s sarcastic dripped voice as he and Vincent recovered themselves; the Pulse remnants dispersing, “Dammit you saved the day again Shinobi, ungh, come on, we have to get out of here” –
“We can’t just leave him!” Sora called back.
“Can you draw your Keyblade?” hissed Shonen.
Sora tried and failed yet again – “I can still fight with magic!”
“F***!”
“What?”
“She blocked my Portals too! @#$%!!!” *I should have known she’d remember me….(*shake*)* Ah Vincent, “Did she disable your traveling methods too?” An annoyed nod was the response.
“We have to leave,” said Kakashi getting Sora’s attention, “We can’t help him as we are now, if we can even help him at all.”
“Are y’all okaaaaaaay?” came Ed’s voice against a thunder clap, “YAY NINJAAAAAAA~S!”
Crk.
Vincent walked up –
“Vincent,” Sora pleaded –
“It looks like we’re walking, kids get the Salamence,” he chucked Sora up onto the dragon with Sasuke boarding as well (showing a disapproving look being labeled as such).
“What about Gaara? What’s going to happen to him?” Sora asked as the group gathered (minus Ed and Ein still alone on their rock pillar – “Heeeey~!”), Shonen and Vincent showing small limps.
Crck-csk.
“Get back to the village as fast your wings can take you,” said Vincent, the Salamence roared settling for take off, “Don’t forget the orange haired girl and her dog.”
“Hey! Aren’t y’all coming?”
“Get to the Hokage and tell him the Sand may have ties to the Evil Beyonds and Orochimaru,” said Kakashi.
With a gruff, the Salamence leapt up with the wind, and then all plans were hushed as a Mortal barrier sprung up tightly around the pillar where they stood, knocking the Salamence back to a crash landing feet away from the encased jinchūriki – Sasuke having leapt away before the crash; Sora’s reaction was not as swift in trying to help the Salamence recover – “OOF” –
“GET UP!”
Everyone prepared themselves, gaining what distance they could from the orb of sand, turning black as ebony (Shonen getting to Sora’s side)….
“These ties go way beyond any villainy,” came her voice, filling the area the mortal barrier encompassed, “What is taken for granted as chance, is actually destiny.”
The black orb rippled as if it had suddenly become as some sort of mud, BA-BUMP, a red glow came from its core, growing stronger with each beat, the black orb shifting, molding into the shape of a bloated tanuki with red markings over its face, body and tail; the Tailed Beast’s size expanding dangerously in the restricted space, its size eclipsing the glare of the lightning.
*Oooooooooohhhhhh shhhhhhhhhhhhhh*************************t” –
A vein ticked on the side of this tailed beast, of Shukaku’s head.
“Ah, through the One Tails I can project much more of my power, but ah, um, alas, I’m still pretty sick, controlling it is another matter it seems, especially without the red stone, it ah, also seems, thanks a lot Jounin…..”
Minds raced for a battle plan, but the size of the beast grew and grew and grew, overshadowing them all –
Sasuke’s stance shook, “We’re caged in with a Tailed Beast….”
“I’m assuming that’s very bad,” said Shonen.
“Awakening the Astral Powers of the One Tails, of this boy, probably wasn’t one of my smarter ideas. I’d avert your eyes for what’s about to happen Master Sora, you’ll be well protected, but I cannot say the same for your company!”
Sora’s heart felt a tap, and his Keyblade was drawn! “Ah!” (Shonen tried his Portals, but no go – “FAK!” –)
The One Tailed Shukaku reared up and roared – TUUCH – it’s front paws landing upon the Mortal barrier, it’s back legs touching the other end.
“Aim for its” –
“GROOOOOAAAAAAAARRRR!!!” – Shukaku roared at its discomfort in being so confined – the beast let loose it’s spiraling anger into a spiraling wind, making nothing short of a blender out of only air within the confines of the barrier – WHHIIIIIIIRRRRRRRR –
“Astral Power numero uno!” came the Lady’s voice, “I think it speaks for itself, Tornado*!”
The attack showed no mercy, the wind ripped bits of black sand from Shukaku and pieces of the rock pillar to add into the grinder – “GAH!” The wind ceased after a fully minute of torture, leaving everyone to crash land around the feet of the Beast, minus Sora, who’s Protection* finally came into practical use by coating the Master with a white haze, he merely floated about and landed like a cotton ball.
“What the –?!”
*Don’t worry, I tricked your Protection* to work by stuffing this monster to the brim with my aura,* came the Lady’s voice through Sora’s heart, *Stupid things, they’re so precise they’re practically worthless you know?*
Yeah, it didn’t trip with Haku now did it? He had some of her blood in him! Or, er, did Seritouge once again flip – uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugth – who knows who cares!
“You” –
The One Tails snarled, twisting and stomping about in the tight space, Shonen and Sasuke coming close to being pancakes – Shukaku thrashed its tail about, swatting the undead and Jounin from any attack attempts – the Beast seeing the Mortal barrier still in place exploded its anger tenfold, sending the wind into another tornadic fury as Shukaku pounded on the barrier walls.
“Urk, this is like Haku, but with sand – AND WAY WORSE! – AHHHHH!”
No one had control of anything! Sora swung his Keyblade to aim an attack, but instead caught Sasuke right across the throat leaving him to ‘cartwheel’ almost unconsciously in the tornado – “Oh Sasuke I’m sorry! Heal*! Heal*! – Come back!”
And everything they tried (mainly from Sora’s end since he was the only one stable enough to land hits) turned out to be useless against Shukaku’s impeccable body – if they even got that far! Shonen grasped his bat like a lifeline for fear it may become another projectile – t
The wind then suddenly stopped just long enough for a butt, back, foot, and face to touch the ground when yet another serving of tornadic wind ripped everyone back into the grinder of sand, water, mud, and rocks “GAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAA” – the same (along with blood) smearing the wall of the barrier. Shukaku let loose another bloodcurdling roar intensifying the wind twice the current speed for several seconds – then dropped the wind attack to body-slam the walls.
Shonen’s vision was doubled from the wind blender; the phantom images of Shukaku criss-crossing in movement – “You – you strafing bastard!”
The One Tailed Beast’s temper escalated exponentially – it was free but still confined?! *LET ME OUT!!* Again it let loose the blender-like attack, everyone suffering more (minus Sora) of another dose of cuts and dizziness – Shukaku was beside itself, as was Sora in being absolutely helpless to do anything – even with the Cloak – but float about, his magic drained in trying to fight and Heal* his friends, but anything he did, Shukaku instantly wiped away. He was left to watch his friends get the life whipped out of them; none of them could even stand as the wind ceased yet again for Shukaku to gather it’s anger up into a fine point of rage –
*At this rate, everyone is going to be torn to shreds!* - “ACK!” The Salamence got smacked into Sora, his head getting such a violent knock his vision doubled, (like so many others), his hands mingling with the shape of the dragon –
*Master Sora, do you want a tip in upping your friend’s chances of survival?* came the Lady’s voice again from his heart.
“WHAT?” Sora roared back at her (actually looking down at his chest to scream).
*Two words – Drive Form* Love~”
“My Drive Forms?! But I don’t” –
The Salamence perked up, *Master Ragiel Words! Master Ragiel Words!*
*All you need is a compatible heart, and the pokemon are wonderful tools for such an act as their hearts are open to everyone. What? You haven’t tapped into how they’re used in this system? For shame! Give it a try now! Combined with your Holy Elemental* Magic, you should have more than enough strength to serve one good blow to Shukaku for me to take over once again.*
Shukaku inhaled deeply, his chest cavity bulging while balling up his fist for to serve up an earth-shattering dose of pain – Sasuke in its line of sight! –
*Or you could watch your friends die a painful death, look at them they’re fatigued enough already!*
Everyone had a pool of blood (or black in Shonen’s case) at their base getting dispersed by the rain; cuts, scraps, gashes, contusions of all kind carved into their bodies; no one looking like they had the strength to dodge, much less brave another attack – the Light Cloak pieces passed about all soaked in red, tan, and rain, Sora’s also showing the collected grime, there was nothing “Light” about it anymore.
*I give them props for living this long, they are splendid Opposite Hearts, and don’t you want to continue our conversation?* -
Enough was enough, *I’m sorry Gaara* – Sora reached inside his heart – his being, his soul –
*Tamashii no kyoumei!* the Salamence prepped itself, *As you wish!*
“Sasuke!”
Sasuke couldn’t move for ****! – the One Tails opened his conclave mouth wide and pounded his gut to let loose a compressed air ball attack ! – WHOOO –
“AHH!” –
A sudden concentrated whirlwind sprung up from the ground, swirling up the One Tails attack – depositing it up into the sky, the force so great – it punched a hole as wide as the area the barrier encompassed through the storm, showing the clear blue sky up above; the storm none too quick the fill the space opened up.
The area where the whirlwind had sprung up from the pillar was drilled deep into the rock from the effort of the blocking wind; a tight precise hole.
Shukaku snorted at the rival in power, following it as it now stood before Sasuke in a protective stance, the Master glaring right up back at the Beast against the sunlight, his clear blue eyes full of retaliation against it and anything else that posed a threat.
Ah it felt so great to have the power of the Drive Form underneath his belt again! Geeze! And all this time it had just been staring him in the face! But this was indeed a little different, he was aiming for his Wisdom form to set up a protective barrier, but this wasn’t what he was expecting, the barrier turned into this whirlwind (it did the job, not that he was complaining), and when he finally saw himself in the reflection of the rain water –
“I HAVE WINGS?!”
*And a tail!* came the Lady’s voice.
END PART
:O
Konohagakure Village
Shonen Bat half sat half stood in an uncomfortable position over Sora who was laid back against a damp rock wall within a shallow cave; safe from the howling storm. One hand was firmly around Sora’s wrist, the one that supposedly housed the bracelet, now completely eclipsed by Shonen’s hand, he feeling Sora’s pulse grow more and more steady, while his other pressed the Light Cloak (torn apart rather heavily) upwards against the side of Sora’s neck, coaxing out a trickle of black from a gash; black, red, and tan patches completely splotching the white cloth.
“You know I’m reeeeeaaaaaaally getting tired of all these crippling movesets!” Sora spat against his anguish of Shonen applying a scissoring pressure to his wound.
“You're not the only one,” replied Shonen thickly. He then rubbed the accumulating black away from Sora’s wound and dabbed back against it with a clean part of the Cloak he was lucky to find, checking the shade, “Okay, good, the icky black stuff is done coming out, now here’s, yep, there’s the blood, okay focus now, use all you’ve stored up right on your neck, give yourself a nice Cure* right here.” Sora grimaced as the tender gash was rubbed clean.
“Cure*” – weak little flurries barely rode the air of the cave as the wound closed up.
“Good job, yeah good enough,” Shonen let out an exasperated sigh almost falling flat over the Master; he pushed himself back on his rear, “It’s just a patch job, but it’s better than nothing, at least till Abigale gets a hold of ya.”
Sora moved ever so slightly, his body and lungs iced with different degrees of pain, “How are you feeling?”
“Better, think you can draw your Keyblade?”
Sora held up a shaky hand, and drew out his weapon, arm dropping flat with the clank of metal; recalled back to a Keychain.
“Good, mine should wear off too then, eventually, and then we’ll Portal back and get you all fixed up.”
“….So, what number does this time make it? You know, for me?”…
Shonen lightly tapped his skate together, curling up his arms around his legs. “This one doesn’t count.”
Sora lightly huffed, “I was kind of hoping it wouldn’t.” That prompted a hiccup of a laugh from Shonen.
“I’m not, that shallow to hold your loss against her to you, [cheesitz]. You know this is a game of chance, don’t you?”
“I figured that out not too long ago.”
“You can’t be everywhere and protect everyone, you know that, right?”
“Yes, I understand that.”
“If they’re smart, and I’m sure you’ll attest to them being so, they’ll stay put in hiding; it’s the best thing we can do right now. So then, don’t you dare go and blame yourself for anything that happens today – I mean it, nothing.”
Sora lightly tapped Shonen’s foot with his, “Let’s hope for some miracles then,” he tossed.
Even though there was nothing he could do, it didn’t stop the frustration from whelping up, the feeling of absolute dread and fear for the lives of his friends. Sora mustered some strength up, and made a fist over his heart with his free hand (Shonen still had a slight grip over his other wrist, checkin’ that pulse), *Please…..please……*
Shonen glanced at Sora, watching the prayer in motion as Sora closed his eyes.
*Please, if there’s an angel out there listening, if there is some higher force out there, Yahena, someone, anyone…..Please, please help us.*
Shonen wasn’t going to hold a few tears against Sora either (even though the Master wasn’t crying), or anyone else for that matter this time. A few tear drops were allotted for such situations; albeit the frequency of these moments was starting to boil something deep, deep within…*Pray all you want, I’m sorry Master, but no one is listening…at least not the ones you want.*……..Shonen took a deep inhale, “’Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away~”
Sora looked over at Shonen, “What?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t know this song, I could only escape it for so long until Izzy, pounded this ***ty little tune into me, ‘catch a falling star, and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day~”
“Heh,” a soft smile curled the edge of Sora mouth.
“For when your troubles startin’ multiplyin’~
And they just might~
It’s easy to forget them without tryin’
With just a pocketful of star light~
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket,
Never let it fade away~!
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket,
Save it for a rainy day~
Save it for a rainy day~
Save it for a rai~ny day~”………Shonen looked back over to Sora who had closed his eyes. His pulse was getting stronger by the minuet, something he should not be able to feel if the Master hadn’t sacrificed that one, infinitesimal link he had that showed his ties to them, to those other friends, the others that held such a sacred place in his heart – it was certain he would take on all the Evil Beyonds had to offer and more for them, that he would die for them, and not have it part of some duty or destiny or beckoning; that promise came before all that.
Shonen knew it didn’t mean as much as that bracelet, but he had to keep checking his pulse.
….He had gained a new level of respect for Sora, if not just to marvel at the resilience he showed out of stupidity or bravery against that person. Against the Lady, he would face nothing less than her rapture of having his heart peeled apart thread by thread.
“STAR SHINOBI!”
“Huh?!”
On the edge of one of the rock pillars, stood Gaara.
The mouth of the abyss of the sky swallowed all and far beyond, the storm’s pace increasing almost exponentially; all shades of color restrained by darkness.
“Gaara?” Sora called, hoping he remembered his name right, “Are you out here all by yourself?”
“Dangerous~” Ed hissed, Ein growled at the sand Shinobi; thunder rumbled above as rain bega to dribble down.
“I think that question is irrelevant,” Shonen muttered half standing in a defensive stance, “Let’s leave him! Come on – I bet he’s nothing but a spy for his little clan, serves the little ****er right if you want to go by World Order – hell common sense, come on!”
“Whatever you are here for, we can better entertain you elsewhere,” said Vincent, “Farewell, take heed of the storm, Shinobi.”
Gaara remained silent as Vincent moved to transport everyone with a quick protest from Sora about Gaara’s safety, and then, “Her name is Kairi, is it? The red-haired, female Keyblade Master?”
Attention duly grabbed.
Vincent moved into a protective stance –
“How do you know about her?” Sora quickly asked, he drew his regular blade, wrapping the hilt in the unsheathed Light Cloak in one swift motion, pointing it right at the red, short haired genin, “Friend or foe? Make it known to us quickly.”
“Hey Bakura, you remember that red stone that Orochimaru told you to give to Gaara?”
“Yes I – oh crap…..”
“Y e a h,” Envy replied scratching his head, “Five bucks says that’s a piece of Hollow Castle too~….”
Gaara’s features stayed a stoic paste, “Be honest, Star, what do you think of that girl?”
Sora’s stance softened in surprise, but a sharp elbow to the side from Shonen toughened him back up –
“How do you know of her?” Vincent asked aiming his weapon well, “Such is a matter you need not have involved yourself in genin. Tell us how you acquired such information, or face an interrogation I promise would put your kin to shame.” Vincent cocked his gun.
“It matters not if I cared about the little whore” – Sora made an aggressive move, but both Ed and Shonen quickly stopped him short with nothing more than a mild stumble – “She matters to you doesn’t she? Otherwise, why would you wear such a ridiculous piece of jewelry?”
“How do you –?!”
“Alright you snot nosed brat – you asked for it!” Shonen Bat, Sora and Vincent moved in to attack, surrounding the Sand Shinobi in one leap – BA-BUMP – but all three were frozen in mid strike, run, and aim – a blunt pulse right to their beings scrambled their body’s function to move – Ed screamed and Ein barked wildly with the thunder as the numbers 646 burned across Gaara’s forehead, a large white ghastly face the size of the shinobi’s body opening wide behind him with black eyes and mouth before fading away as quickly as it had faded in.
Song: Ragnarok
The Sand Shinobi sighed in a double voice, “This child’s heart holds me well.” The possessed pressed his hand to chest, his hand having the red stone partially sticking out of it – and with a wave of the jeweled hand, all three assailants dropped down, a haze of static heavily clouding Vincent and Shonen Bat, Sora’s being only half so crippling, “Now, please answer me Keyblade Master, you showed a flare for Kairi during the Key Brawl did you not? What does she mean to you?”
*Oh god this can’t be happening – this can’t be happening!* Shonen mentally pleaded, *No, no, not now – NOT NOW!* His body couldn’t coordinate itself for ****, every decision ending up as just a haze of suggestion.
“Who are you to tell me what to do?” Sora hissed through his haze; what in the world was that attack?! Ah! His Keyblade was gone! Back to a Keychain! – the Cloak fluttered untapped around in his lap from the stormy, rising breeze.
“I said please. Before I’d threaten that little girl back there, and her little dog too, but I’m not here for a fight, nor would it really help get us anywhere as my reputation would stigmatize me in doing such.”
Sora, pushed himself up on shaky elbows, mustering concentration through the haze, and tried calling his blade back, but felt as if a stopper had been injected into his being, in-between his heart and will, stopping the Blade from manifesting! *Blade-block?* Sora pushed himself up into a sitting position with the help of the wind growing ever stronger, dropping the rain harder, looking straight up at the possessed; the soaked Light cloak moving to catch underneath his legs.
The lightning strike above the sand Shinobi illuminated for a second the unseen presence that had superimposed itself upon the boy, faint, ghostly, her figure stood within him showing piercing amber eyes that stuck deep within.
Sora’s core trembled – had he seen those eyes somewhere before? He knew that gaze….For such threatening a presence, there was no malice in them; it was chilling at how warm a gaze they portrayed as attached to a shadow.
“This was an opportunity to meet you, and I’m glad I did, “ Gaara’s double voice seemed to be settling to the more feminine one that intruded upon his, each alien syllable growing more dominant as his own voice faded away, “This is my chance to speak to you directly, without any other person telling you this or that about me. And by the way, feel free to ask me any questions as well~ But I did ask you first, what is Kairi to you?”
Just who was this person? This thing? Such an overriding power wrapping around him, invading him, plucking at his heart strings – gah! A glance to the left and right of him showed the predicament of his friends, “Vi-Vincent, Little Slugger!” – they were but infants squirming under the haze, “What, ungh, are you doing to them?!”
“I’m not hurting them, they’re just stunned for now. There’s no way I could be heard otherwise, everyone fears me too much. They call me an Evil Beyond.”
“An Evil Beyond….?” Sora’s mind digested the label slowly, he had heard that before, his memory slow to pull up the file through the fog clouding his mind.
“Ah, silly me, I guess it’s true I have no formalities, you have no idea who I am huh? Stanger danger! – heh heh. This isn’t my true form as you can guess, no one has seen my true form and lived to speak of it~ I’m about as infamous as the boogey man by now, no one really knowing what it is except to fear it. I am she simply known as the Lady of Red.”
The statement cut through Vincent’s and Shonen haze like a hot knife through butter – a choice four letter word sputtering across their minds – *F**K* – before the static assaulting their beings scrambled any further action other than pathetic trembling and wayward movements of their limbs.
Sora’s mouth went dry, his eyes opening wide at the declaration, “You, you’re the Lady?” his voice was high, “You…you….” Lightning flashed again, a little brighter, showing just as much more of the hidden form and those amber eyes – King Mickey! Minnie! Daisy! Pluto! – “YOU’RE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THIS!” The fear she proclaimed to produce wasn’t running through Sora, it was HATE –
A dazzling bolt of lighting, flashed through the sky, swinging it’s collected power from its natural brethren to strike Gaara!Lady square in the head – the force of the attack knocking Sora, Vincent, and Shonen to the edges of the rocky pillar, Shonen’s leg hanging off from the black abyss below, a quarter of Vincent’s body dangled, while half of Sora’s weight was over the edge and slowly shifting for the fall –
“Sora!” Ed screamed, but she and Ein were helpless to do anything on their pillar as the shift sped up with gravity, and he fell – toup~ but was caught by the scruff of his neck and lifted up, then held up, like someone observing a pet by Gaara!Lady, with not a scratch on the boy.
Without a ground, the Light Cloak was lost to the pull of the wind, to the abyss of the storm.
Sora’s head rattled he had done something strenuous, he blinked the stars out his eyes from the display of power, focusing in on an eerie, happy smile where it did not belong, “Wow, another display of Elemental Holy* magic? Truly impressive! But do show some consideration for this boy’s body, his heart can’t hold a speck’s worth of my real power, and if I dripped anymore into him, his heart would explode. But you know, to even be able to channel me, he’s already proven himself to be a juicy Opposite Heart if given the chance. Have you noticed how anyone’s true worth and potential is only unlocked once they leave their homeworld? Think there are other ways it can be done?”
A rock knocked Gaara!Lady on the side of her head, the possessed reacting as if caressed by a leaf adding an agitated glance in Ed’s direction.
“Let him go you sick dop durple head!” Ein’s barking backing up Ed’s hiss.
“Well most people’s potential,” the Lady reiterated – BOMPH – Sora slugged her right across the jaw, “Hey! This body’s a rental!” – but Gaara having a smaller frame than Sora, had no distance to spare to hold the livid Master up without suffering Sora’s muddled body’s attempts to beat the snot out of her, the lighting above threatening to deliver another blow – “Hey! Enough young man!” the Lady sent a much reduced pulse to Sora dulling his body’s function to drop limply; he barely having enough strength to hold his head up and glare daggers at her.
“Monster, you took them away, I’ll” –
The Lady shushed him with a gentle shake, “Are you going to take this opportunity or not to talk to me? And you still haven’t answered my first question either.”
“What do I have to say to you other than I’ll make you pay for everything that you’ve done,” he snarled.
“Bold statement.”
“It’s a promise.”
The Lady sighed, letting her eye drift over to Sora’s glinting bracelet, “How’s that Protection* working out for ya huh?”
Sora began to wiggle so violent to move his body to strike her, the Lady had to retreat away from the side of the ledge from the risk of dropping him to the darkness below; she set him down on the ground (a little roughly but that was Sora’s fault), and pinned his limbs firmly.
“You deserve to know how your Royalty went. He fought back swiftly, and strongly, even though I overpowered him, grasping him like a fly, he died so bravely. He must have been a magnificent King for his system, his friends, better than most of the spoiled pompousness housed in other systems. I took away something truly magnificent without a second thought. I remember his death very well since his last breath was spent on casting a spell that would become the Protection* from three things he thought was the most dangerous to cross your path. You’ve done really well to survive this far, heh, I know we’re not the only deadly things out there, but yes, I think currently we are of the most dangerous.”
“Why?...” Sora breathed, his emotions spiraling, “...What did you want with us?”
“Answer my question first about Kairi, and I will reply to yours, what is Kairi to you? I can gain nothing but a satisfaction of a bit of curiosity from it; there are other ways you can be tortured and already have been tortured by.”
The cloudiness still lingering in Sora’s mind didn’t help his thought process too much, but, “…….She’s, one of my dearest friends, and if you hurt her, I swear I’ll” –
“Okay enough said, pfft. My turn, I” –
“Hydro Pump*!”
Gaara!Lady was blasted by a gush of water clean off of Sora, leaving her to rolling and jump right up into a defensive position – Kakashi and Sasuke leapt off the Salamence, leaving the pokemon to gather defensively over the exposed Master, moving to pick him up –
Both Shinobi moved in to attack to cover the Salamence’s retreat, but no one got far – the Pulse attack dropped both Shinobi flat at the Lady’s feet save for two kunai that had somehow found their way into, not kill points, but superficial wounds upon Gaara along with several well aimed WACKS – (the Salamence almost crushed poor Sora).
“I totally need to give Hollow some more credit for security,” the Lady mumbled tugging the kunai out with magic instantly healing up the wounds, the weapons falling to the ground with a useless clink-clink-clank. She stepped over both Shinobi – her foot suddenly grabbed –
“Eh?”
His eyes were red with circles and tomoe and that was all the Lady had time to glimpse at before receiving a mimicked Pulse attack, though a bit more dull in power, “Right back at ya,” it still rocked the Lady’s frame – Kakashi spun up, kicking her across the head twice – the Light Cloak swirling out in all its glory – balanced on one hand he used the other to knock the Lady’s legs out from under her – both he and Sasuke moving in with kunai to cut, not kill – ah! That red stone – Kakashi cut it out – SPCHK – and it was lost to the black abyss below, smashed to pieces upon the hidden jagged edges.
“AUUGHHHH–!” Gaara! But she still held control – SPCHK – the warm blood trailed down Gaara’s arms –
“You’re not the only one in there, One Tails!” Kakashi called – he moved in, kunai in hand for a death blow through the heart – but sand suddenly whipped out of the gourd upon Gaara’s back, and stopped the attack cold as it hardened against the rain.
Kakashi and Sasuke retreated several jumps back as Gaara’s body was pushed up by an unseen force onto wobbly legs, his hands grasping his head with sand whipping about him for an enemy unseen –
“GET OUT! GET OUT OF ME!” he screamed, the sight of his own blood trickling down his arms spiraled him further into a panic – “MY BLOOOOOOOOOD–!“
“Gaara!” Sora called, Kakashi leapt to him, ripping a part of the Cloak for Sora, tying it around his neck, like a bandana –
“Hopefully that was enough for the One Tails to kick that monster out,” said Kakashi, he moved to the Salamence while keeping an eye on Gaara’s srtuggle, “Come on you big lizard, shake it off, we need you.”
The Salamence groaned pushing itself up, a torn piece of the Light Cloak tied around its left foot, and Sasuke too, had a piece of the Cloak around his neck, but it was tucked out of sight. Eeeeeeagth, a small chord struck low in Sora for not utilizing the Cloak well (again), but in his defense, he was more offensively oriented –
Gaara shrieked a high pitch, then dropped to his knees as the sand poured even more out from his gourd, encasing him in a solid sand ball against the rain.
“Great,” Kakashi huffed, “And this storm blocks all HU Abilites…”
Lightning flashes reflected off the protective covering.
“At least he’s safe from anything the storm can throw at him,” came Shonen’s sarcastic dripped voice as he and Vincent recovered themselves; the Pulse remnants dispersing, “Dammit you saved the day again Shinobi, ungh, come on, we have to get out of here” –
“We can’t just leave him!” Sora called back.
“Can you draw your Keyblade?” hissed Shonen.
Sora tried and failed yet again – “I can still fight with magic!”
“F***!”
“What?”
“She blocked my Portals too! @#$%!!!” *I should have known she’d remember me….(*shake*)* Ah Vincent, “Did she disable your traveling methods too?” An annoyed nod was the response.
“We have to leave,” said Kakashi getting Sora’s attention, “We can’t help him as we are now, if we can even help him at all.”
“Are y’all okaaaaaaay?” came Ed’s voice against a thunder clap, “YAY NINJAAAAAAA~S!”
Crk.
Vincent walked up –
“Vincent,” Sora pleaded –
“It looks like we’re walking, kids get the Salamence,” he chucked Sora up onto the dragon with Sasuke boarding as well (showing a disapproving look being labeled as such).
“What about Gaara? What’s going to happen to him?” Sora asked as the group gathered (minus Ed and Ein still alone on their rock pillar – “Heeeey~!”), Shonen and Vincent showing small limps.
Crck-csk.
“Get back to the village as fast your wings can take you,” said Vincent, the Salamence roared settling for take off, “Don’t forget the orange haired girl and her dog.”
“Hey! Aren’t y’all coming?”
“Get to the Hokage and tell him the Sand may have ties to the Evil Beyonds and Orochimaru,” said Kakashi.
With a gruff, the Salamence leapt up with the wind, and then all plans were hushed as a Mortal barrier sprung up tightly around the pillar where they stood, knocking the Salamence back to a crash landing feet away from the encased jinchūriki – Sasuke having leapt away before the crash; Sora’s reaction was not as swift in trying to help the Salamence recover – “OOF” –
“GET UP!”
Everyone prepared themselves, gaining what distance they could from the orb of sand, turning black as ebony (Shonen getting to Sora’s side)….
“These ties go way beyond any villainy,” came her voice, filling the area the mortal barrier encompassed, “What is taken for granted as chance, is actually destiny.”
The black orb rippled as if it had suddenly become as some sort of mud, BA-BUMP, a red glow came from its core, growing stronger with each beat, the black orb shifting, molding into the shape of a bloated tanuki with red markings over its face, body and tail; the Tailed Beast’s size expanding dangerously in the restricted space, its size eclipsing the glare of the lightning.
*Oooooooooohhhhhh shhhhhhhhhhhhhh*************************t” –
A vein ticked on the side of this tailed beast, of Shukaku’s head.
“Ah, through the One Tails I can project much more of my power, but ah, um, alas, I’m still pretty sick, controlling it is another matter it seems, especially without the red stone, it ah, also seems, thanks a lot Jounin…..”
Minds raced for a battle plan, but the size of the beast grew and grew and grew, overshadowing them all –
Sasuke’s stance shook, “We’re caged in with a Tailed Beast….”
“I’m assuming that’s very bad,” said Shonen.
“Awakening the Astral Powers of the One Tails, of this boy, probably wasn’t one of my smarter ideas. I’d avert your eyes for what’s about to happen Master Sora, you’ll be well protected, but I cannot say the same for your company!”
Sora’s heart felt a tap, and his Keyblade was drawn! “Ah!” (Shonen tried his Portals, but no go – “FAK!” –)
The One Tailed Shukaku reared up and roared – TUUCH – it’s front paws landing upon the Mortal barrier, it’s back legs touching the other end.
“Aim for its” –
“GROOOOOAAAAAAAARRRR!!!” – Shukaku roared at its discomfort in being so confined – the beast let loose it’s spiraling anger into a spiraling wind, making nothing short of a blender out of only air within the confines of the barrier – WHHIIIIIIIRRRRRRRR –
“Astral Power numero uno!” came the Lady’s voice, “I think it speaks for itself, Tornado*!”
The attack showed no mercy, the wind ripped bits of black sand from Shukaku and pieces of the rock pillar to add into the grinder – “GAH!” The wind ceased after a fully minute of torture, leaving everyone to crash land around the feet of the Beast, minus Sora, who’s Protection* finally came into practical use by coating the Master with a white haze, he merely floated about and landed like a cotton ball.
“What the –?!”
*Don’t worry, I tricked your Protection* to work by stuffing this monster to the brim with my aura,* came the Lady’s voice through Sora’s heart, *Stupid things, they’re so precise they’re practically worthless you know?*
Yeah, it didn’t trip with Haku now did it? He had some of her blood in him! Or, er, did Seritouge once again flip – uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugth – who knows who cares!
“You” –
The One Tails snarled, twisting and stomping about in the tight space, Shonen and Sasuke coming close to being pancakes – Shukaku thrashed its tail about, swatting the undead and Jounin from any attack attempts – the Beast seeing the Mortal barrier still in place exploded its anger tenfold, sending the wind into another tornadic fury as Shukaku pounded on the barrier walls.
“Urk, this is like Haku, but with sand – AND WAY WORSE! – AHHHHH!”
No one had control of anything! Sora swung his Keyblade to aim an attack, but instead caught Sasuke right across the throat leaving him to ‘cartwheel’ almost unconsciously in the tornado – “Oh Sasuke I’m sorry! Heal*! Heal*! – Come back!”
And everything they tried (mainly from Sora’s end since he was the only one stable enough to land hits) turned out to be useless against Shukaku’s impeccable body – if they even got that far! Shonen grasped his bat like a lifeline for fear it may become another projectile – t
The wind then suddenly stopped just long enough for a butt, back, foot, and face to touch the ground when yet another serving of tornadic wind ripped everyone back into the grinder of sand, water, mud, and rocks “GAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAA” – the same (along with blood) smearing the wall of the barrier. Shukaku let loose another bloodcurdling roar intensifying the wind twice the current speed for several seconds – then dropped the wind attack to body-slam the walls.
Shonen’s vision was doubled from the wind blender; the phantom images of Shukaku criss-crossing in movement – “You – you strafing bastard!”
The One Tailed Beast’s temper escalated exponentially – it was free but still confined?! *LET ME OUT!!* Again it let loose the blender-like attack, everyone suffering more (minus Sora) of another dose of cuts and dizziness – Shukaku was beside itself, as was Sora in being absolutely helpless to do anything – even with the Cloak – but float about, his magic drained in trying to fight and Heal* his friends, but anything he did, Shukaku instantly wiped away. He was left to watch his friends get the life whipped out of them; none of them could even stand as the wind ceased yet again for Shukaku to gather it’s anger up into a fine point of rage –
*At this rate, everyone is going to be torn to shreds!* - “ACK!” The Salamence got smacked into Sora, his head getting such a violent knock his vision doubled, (like so many others), his hands mingling with the shape of the dragon –
*Master Sora, do you want a tip in upping your friend’s chances of survival?* came the Lady’s voice again from his heart.
“WHAT?” Sora roared back at her (actually looking down at his chest to scream).
*Two words – Drive Form* Love~”
“My Drive Forms?! But I don’t” –
The Salamence perked up, *Master Ragiel Words! Master Ragiel Words!*
*All you need is a compatible heart, and the pokemon are wonderful tools for such an act as their hearts are open to everyone. What? You haven’t tapped into how they’re used in this system? For shame! Give it a try now! Combined with your Holy Elemental* Magic, you should have more than enough strength to serve one good blow to Shukaku for me to take over once again.*
Shukaku inhaled deeply, his chest cavity bulging while balling up his fist for to serve up an earth-shattering dose of pain – Sasuke in its line of sight! –
*Or you could watch your friends die a painful death, look at them they’re fatigued enough already!*
Everyone had a pool of blood (or black in Shonen’s case) at their base getting dispersed by the rain; cuts, scraps, gashes, contusions of all kind carved into their bodies; no one looking like they had the strength to dodge, much less brave another attack – the Light Cloak pieces passed about all soaked in red, tan, and rain, Sora’s also showing the collected grime, there was nothing “Light” about it anymore.
*I give them props for living this long, they are splendid Opposite Hearts, and don’t you want to continue our conversation?* -
Enough was enough, *I’m sorry Gaara* – Sora reached inside his heart – his being, his soul –
*Tamashii no kyoumei!* the Salamence prepped itself, *As you wish!*
“Sasuke!”
Sasuke couldn’t move for ****! – the One Tails opened his conclave mouth wide and pounded his gut to let loose a compressed air ball attack ! – WHOOO –
“AHH!” –
A sudden concentrated whirlwind sprung up from the ground, swirling up the One Tails attack – depositing it up into the sky, the force so great – it punched a hole as wide as the area the barrier encompassed through the storm, showing the clear blue sky up above; the storm none too quick the fill the space opened up.
The area where the whirlwind had sprung up from the pillar was drilled deep into the rock from the effort of the blocking wind; a tight precise hole.
Shukaku snorted at the rival in power, following it as it now stood before Sasuke in a protective stance, the Master glaring right up back at the Beast against the sunlight, his clear blue eyes full of retaliation against it and anything else that posed a threat.
Ah it felt so great to have the power of the Drive Form underneath his belt again! Geeze! And all this time it had just been staring him in the face! But this was indeed a little different, he was aiming for his Wisdom form to set up a protective barrier, but this wasn’t what he was expecting, the barrier turned into this whirlwind (it did the job, not that he was complaining), and when he finally saw himself in the reflection of the rain water –
“I HAVE WINGS?!”
*And a tail!* came the Lady’s voice.
END PART
:O
Last edited:
