Growing Pains

Chapter 36

Araile's hair flew around wildly as a snarl ripped through her chest. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the two figures that were standing in front of her brother on the ground. Her slitted pupils were a dull purple, and she threw back her head and released a loud roar. Shinrai tensed as Araile suddenly lept towards the two figures, and Shinrai took a step forward, intending to stop her.

Kakashi quickly placed a hand in front of the teen, and Shinrai glanced up at the Jonin in surprise.

"I wouldn't interfere. We don't know if she's in control or if she's lost control of her demon-side" the Jonin said, a serious glint in his visible eye.

"I saw her like this before" Shinrai murmured as his eyes continued watching Araile slashing wildly at the two figures.

His eyes suddenly widened as he noticed the two figures.

"That's Kazoku and Seishin! They will kill her! Please we have to do something!" he said to Kakashi.

The Jonin looked at the teen for a brief second, then turned to look at his old charge. There was no telling what Araile would do. She might attack them as well if they interfered.

Another roar sounded, and the two looked to see Seishin slashing at Araile with a sword. Kazoku stood nearby, a cold glint in her eyes. She suddenly stepped forward and raised her arm with her palm out towards Araile.

Araile's eyes snapped towards the woman, and Araile snarled. Kazoku smiled evilly, and chakra-like whips shot from her fingers. They wiggled at an alarming speed towards the growling girl, and Araile jumped back. She landed in a tree branch and let out a loud hiss, teeth bared. She launched towards Kazoku with another roar, and Shinrai blinked and let out a cry.

"Araile, look out!" he shouted as he watched the chakra-like whips race towards Araile.

She dodged the whips, but let out another snarl as one of the whips slammed into her back. It quickly wrapped around the snarling teen, causing her to let out a viscious growl. A cold laugh tinkered from in front of the snarling girl as more whips wound themselves around Araile. Kazoku stepped in front of the teen, an evil and cold glint in her eyes.

"It looks like we will have to put her down again" Kazoku said with mock-sadness.

She snapped her fingers and electric currants ran down the whips. Araile let out a loud roar as they entered her body. Shinrai griped his hands into fists, then leaped forward with a yell. He wouldn't let them kill her again. The roars started to die off, and began morphing into regular screams. Araile hacked up blood while screaming, and her nails returned to normal.

Kakashi bit his thumb and slammed it on the ground as Araile kept screaming in pain. Markings appeared, and within a couple seconds the ground began shaking violently. Viscious barks and snarls echoed throughout the area. Cracks appeared in the ground, and his hounds jumped through the cracks. They snapped at Seishin and Kazoku, who both jumped back.

The screaming died down as Kazoku took her attention off Araile, and the teen slumped forward. The chakra-whips disappeared, and Shinrai ran to her. He knelt in front of her and with hands shaking, brushed her bangs back from her face.

"Araile? Can you hear me?" Shinrai said quietly, his heart pounding in his ears.

He sighed in relief when her eyes opened slowly. Her gold eyes hazily landed on his face before closing again. Her body swayed and then fell to the side. Shinrai reached out quickly and took her in his arms, situating her in a safe position.

A screech sounded suddenly, and Shinrai looked up with Araile in his arms. Kakashi had pierced Kazoku in the chest with a kunai as his hounds kept her still with their jaws. The woman's cold eyes locked onto the Jonin's multicoloured eyes before breathing her last. Her body fell forward and hit the ground with a 'thud', blood pooling around her.

Shinrai gripped Araile closer to him as he gazed at the body of the woman who he thought was the definition of kind and compassionate. He looked down at Araile's face with worry and gently pressed his fingertips to her neck. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found a pulse.

A loud laugh sounded, and both Shinrai and Kakashi looked towards the last villain. Seishin stood on top of a tree branch, and a large smile spread across his face.

"Are you enjoying yourselves?" Seishin called down to them.

Shinrai let out a small growl and clutched Araile closer to him. Kakashi tensed as Seishin laughed again. Seishin threw a smoke bomb, and before Shinrai knew it, he was knocked to the side from a large force. Araile flew from his grip, and the two teens skidded on the ground. Shinrai coughed as the air was knocked out of his lungs and he laid on the ground, gasping. He groaned and opened his eyes before scrambling to his feet.

He gazed around for Araile, and growled when Seishin held Araile to his chest. His hand gripped Araile around her waist as her head slumped forward. Both men tensed as Seishin let out a loud laugh.

"Well, gentlemen. I will be leaving you both now with this lovely young lady here. Don't worry, you'll see her in the afterlife" Seishin said with a crazed expression on his face.

Shinrai took a step forward, but was stopped when Kakashi threw his arm in front of him. He looked at the Jonin with confusion. Kakashi was staring at the crazed laughing man with narrowed eyes. A 'shink' caught Shinrai's attention, and his eyes snapped to Araile as she slowly and quietly unfurled her tail around Seishin's sword. Her hand twitched and her tail brought the hilt of his sword to her hand. His green eyes widened as her hand closed around the hilt.

As Seishin continued his crazed laughing, Araile struck fast. She twisted her body around and sunk the sword into Seishin's neck, effectively cutting off his laughing. Blood gurgled from his mouth, and his eyes looked down at Araile. Her gold eyes that blazed with hate stared back at the man. His arm tightened momentarily around her waist, before going limp. Seishin fell to his knees as Araile squirmed out of his grasp. He fell face-first to the ground, and blood pooled around him as the sword fell out of his neck.

Kakashi leaned down and helped his old charge up off the ground. She smiled at him and Shinrai rushed over. Araile looked at the teen as he came over to them, and enveloped her in a hug.

It was finally over.