Remembered Light (Naruto FanFic)

Chapter Eighteen

I have to admit, I was scared. These guys were tough, S-ranked criminals. Not everyone makes it into the Akatsuki.

Kakashi seemed to share my thoughts. "Not to be rude, Keira..." He muttered, "But are you the only backup Lady Tsunade sent for us?"

"No," I answer, and everyone seems to breathe a sigh of relief. "They should be about ten minutes away. We can survive that long, right?"

"Survive?" Ino cries out, "we can take that guy down in that time!" But her voice wavers, giving away her doubt. OUr conversation is interrupted as Kakuze steps up, and two of his wire monsters begin to merge. "He sent them out seperately... and now they're joined?" Ino stuttered.

The masks that merged were the fire and wind ones... Kakashi thought, narrowing his eyes.

"Kakashi," Kakazu called out, "I'm going to rip you're heart out to replace the one you destroyed." Kakashi glanced up towards me, meeting my eyes quickly. I nodded, and he quickly looked away as Kakazu made a hand sign.

One of the masks opened its mouth, and lightning spurted out towards Kakashi. He barely managed to dodge the lightning, and while in midair the fir and air shot towards him quickly. He threw a kunai with wire towards a tree, pulling himself away from the blast just in time.

"Is that your idea of hiding?" Kakazu narrowed his eyes in contempt, and the wind mask opens it's mouth, shooting a bullet of air towards the tree Kakashi was in.

My flock appears right in front of the bullet, becoming a streamlined shaft, splicing it in half. It dissipates before it hits the tree Kakashi was hiding behind.

In response, Kakazu sends several more, more then I could keep up with. He jumps up over the tree, only to be greeted with a fireball.

"Sensei!" I call desperately as he began to fall back to earth, then notice his mind, safe and hidden beneath the earth. In my moment of distraction, a fireball is thrown towards me. I'm thrown backwards, and realize that the birds, not the fireball hit me.

"Thanks guys," I mutter as we all regain our perches in the trees.

"You did an excellent job of hiding yourself this time, Kakashi," Kakazu applauded, "but do you have the courage to stand before me again?"

In response, Kakashi pulls the lightning style mass if wire beneath the earth, then springs up, fighting the fire and air.

The masks manage to counterattack. Not again, Kakashi exclaims, making a quick hand sign. A wall of water appear between him and the incoming fireball, but the fire manages to break through.

I quickly send half my flock to cover him. The fireball hits them, turning their silver wings a magnificent glowing red.

Water attacks aren't enough to stop a wind fire combination, Kakashi thought. My only option is to fight him at a close range!

Couldn't we combine my wind and your water style to make it more powerful? I project into his mind.

In theory, yes, Kakashi agrees, but it takes an uncanny amount of teamwork and sometimes years of practice to pull off.

Oh...

Wires suddenly burst towards Kakashi. They tore right through my flock, mangling the birds that they hit. My eyes widen in horror as I saw several of my birds being stabbed through and through, or being brutally torn in half.

"Tu-chan..." Miku whispered from my shoulder, staring in shock.

The wires wrapped around Kakashi, pulling him to the ground. "I guess you can't manage to account for my attacks as well," Kakazu mocked.

"Yeah, but can you account for mine?" I mutter, then dive towards him quickly. I prepare to deliver a roundhouse kick to his head, only to be met with a wall of wire. The wind and fire wire beast delivered a casual backhand, sending me flying back.

Ino manages to catch me, and I shoot her a grateful look. Wheezing, I try to catch my breath, staggering upright. "Hold still. You've manage to fracture a rib, I bet," Ino ordered.

She placed her hands on my back, a green glow surrounding her hands. I hurt my teeth as my skin crawls, wanting to scratch at my skin and jump away.

Soon enough relief follows, and I quickly stand. "Now I'll take your heart!" Kakazu declares. My breath catches in my throat. No. No way. Kakashi had an escape plan. This would work out.

Kakazu suddenly grips at his heart, groaning in pain. "What's going on?" I ask, confused.

"Shikamaru!" Ino softly exclaimed.

"What about him?"

"You know about Hidan and his powers, right?" I nod. "Shikamaru managed to plant Kakazu's blood on Hidan's weapon! Hidan just destroyed his partners heart!"

I turn back to the scene, and see Kakazu collapse on the floor. "It's impossible... That he planned so far ahead," Kakazu rasped.

"Well, that's what happened," Kakashi replied, sitting upright. "You two severely underestimated Shikamaru."

I run up to Kakashi with Ino and Choji. "Sensei," I breath, collapsing on my knees next to him, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Keira, calm down," he chuckles mirthlessly. "I'm alright, somehow."

He begins pulling the wires off, and that's when we see the wires still embedded in his chest.

I touch the wires softly, eyes wide. "That really was close," I whisper, clutching my hands to my chest. "If Shikamaru had taken any longer..."

Kakashi grimaces, grasping the wires and yanking them out harshly, despite Ino's protests. "Heal me later," he orders. "They're coming!"

Choji grows big, smashing down into the wire monsters. "Nice! Good one, Choji!" Ino shouts.

But the wire monsters survive somehow, and we're forced to retreat as the lightning style dives into Kakazu's body.

"He absorbed the lightning creature's heart..." Kakashi muttered. Then the fire and air beasts dive into him as well, and the wire overflows from his body.

"What is he?" Ino gasped.

I curled my lip in disgust. "Even his main body is a monster," I say.

"You've destroyed two of my hearts. It's been ages since anyone has managed that," Kakazu drawls. "You won't escape me again," he warns.

"Here he comes," Kakashi warns, "Keira, in the air!"

"Right!" I jump up, beating the air with my wings desperately as I gain the altitude I need.

Wires quickly wrap around my teammates. "Too fast!" Kakashi gasps.

"Now die!" Kakazu shouts.

"No!" I shriek, calling my flock to me. The thousands of birds surrounded me, creating a constantly shifting wall of silver. I was determined. No one else was dying. There would be no more funerals in Konoha for a while.

"Keira, get away! The power if that blast will rip right through you, birds or not!"

I was determined. I wasn't going to die, and I was going to protect my teammates.

"Spiraling typhoon!" I hear a familiar voice shout.

"Naruto," I breath. Steam erupts everywhere as the two forces meet. We use the cover to quickly escape. "Sorry we're late," Naruto apologizes.

Kakashi shakes his head. "Prefect timing," he disagrees.

"Y'know what they say," I grin, slinging an arm around his shoulders. "The hero always arrives at the last moment!"

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Yeah, I know, it's pretty short.

But at least I updated!

I can't wait Till I'm out of this arc!

Comment! Vote!

Bye!

gaara119