~Chapter Thirty-Nine~
Winter coldly took a step back, watching the woman's face contort with shock before the body dropped the ground. Blood pooled around the still body and the black haired girl cracked her neck, stepped over the body, and drawled out, "I have to admit it took me a while to figure out your trick. I don't know how you made clones this perfect, or how you made synthetic bodies with blood and hearts, but you made a fatal mistake when you decided to make a clone out of Inazuma Kuro. You see I knew my sensei better then I know myself I reckon. And you made quite a few flaws with her clone."
The black haired kunoichi continues walking forward, cutting down anyone who got in her path.
"Number one, her lighting was black not grey. Number two, her eyes weren't one solid color. They were black at the top before gradually fading to a darker gray at the bottom. Number three, she never ever called me Yuki. And finally, I never call her Inazuma. Otherwise she'd slap me aside my head and insist I call her Ina-sensi."
Shadows twist and twirl before taking the form of a cloaked figure in the distance. The shadows melt away leaving behind a midnight blue cloak, tan hands reaching up to pull the hood back. Loosely curled white hair tumbled down the woman's back as she looks at Winter, her eyes a dark red, the pupils slit. Her lips are full and plump, the color of fresh blood. "You have been a great thorn in my side, Yuki Ookami." The woman purrs out, her voice low and sultry.
Aexstra was the first to react, his eyes wide with shock. "You're the Emperor?"
She turns her attention to him, smiling with wicked fangs and letting her gaze room up and down his body. "Indeed I am. Surprised?"
"V-Very."
Sairen slaps him with enough force to send the teal haired man to the ground.
"Since you've figured out my trick I suppose I don't need to keep any pretenses anymore." She raises a hand, her nails long and sharp and painted a crimson. She snaps her fingers smoothly and the people fighting the Originals freeze. All the different faces, looks, and genders flash away, leaving behind exact copies of the woman standing far away. With a wave of her hand, a nonchalant look on her face, all of her clones attack.
Now that Winter's theory was confirmed, that Septor Eight was comprised entirely of clones, the Originals fought without mercy. Their goal was to reach the self proclaimed Emperor, although it would really be more proper to call the woman an Empress.
In the back of everyone's mind they all assumed that Winter would be the first would there, the first one to lunge at the woman, the one to deliver the killing blow. Or perhaps even Ja'far or Daiki if it wasn't Winter. And their job was the get rid of as many clones as possible. However as the group got closer and closer to the woman, who kept on making more clones, it wasn't Winter who got there first. It wasn't Daiki or Ja'far or Emiko or even Aexstra.
It was Eien.
The black haired male appeared inches away from the woman in a flash of silver, a surge of chakra rising up within him. The air around him rippled and Winter could've sworn she saw something above him, something with wings and sharp teeth and glowing eyes. But as quick as it appeared, it vanished. Then Eien- shy, introverted, stumbling Eien- grabbed the woman's left arm, yanked her forward, and kissed her.
Ja'far's eyes widened in shock.
Aexstra let out a wolf whistle yelling, "Get some!" before getting the back of his head smacked by Sairen.
Emiko slit the throat of another clone and raised an eyebrow, Daiki mirroring her moves.
Kiki murmured something about hormonal teenage boys.
Kishi didn't show any emotion.
And Winter?
Winter proceeded to trip, take down several clones with her, and splutter in confusion at the sight.
What confused the Originals even more was the ear piercing scream that issued from the woman moments later when Eien moved back, his face hidden from them. A strange blue aura was originating from the woman, and with each step Eien took back, the aura followed him, growing. After four steps the aura was completely detached from the woman's body and she fell to her knees, her eyes wide. One by one all of her clones disappeared. And one by one, the Originals realized just what Eien had done.
A glowing mark took place on the woman's forehead, the kanji for "Bound" there for all to see. The soft breeze that had always been lingering picked up to a roaring wind as a creature descended. The creature had blinding white wings that were feathered, long, spinal-cord like arms, and bone-like skin. The tips of her hair and markings on her face, arms, and upper torso are a light blue with a hint of purple. "Hello Fuun."
"Hello Eien." The creature's voice was definitely female although it was lower than normal. The creature hovered above the ground about a foot. "It looks like you accomplished it after all. I'll let Ryuk now, he'll be pleased." Then, without another word, the creature taps the woman on the head before flying off. The woman's body flickers, like a bad quality image, before disappearing with not a trace left.
"What... was that?" Winter finally asks, looking around for any sign of the woman, and coming up with none.
Eien turns and looks at her. "Shinigami's kiss. Now, if I ever need her, I can summon her." He grimaces and wipes at his lips, which are tinted red from the woman's lipstick. "But I must admit, that wasn't very pleasant."
"You're not going to go around kissing all our enemies now, are you?" Aexstra asks curiously.
"Oh no! Of course not, this was just to make sure I could actually do it."
"Well, I suppose we should head back." Winter murmurs, still in a bit of shock. As she turns and starts jogging away, Ja'far catches up to her and nudges her side with his elbow.
"Shocked that your brother got his first kiss before you?"
"Shut up and run."
Chuckling good naturedly, the white haired male listens and keeps pace with his friend, trying to ignore the almost suffocating shadow of war that was almost on top of them.
***
Winter kneeled in the center of a circle, her long hair moving with every whisper of the wind. Both her eyes were closed, the bandages around her right eye nowhere to be seen. Her palms rested on her thighs, each breath she took deep and steady. She could feel her chakra hum steadily in response to the pure energy that resided in the smooth stone she meditated on top of.
The wind blew once more, her hair rising and falling. Darkness had long since fallen, the only light provided from the sliver of moon in the sky, and thousands of twinkling stars billions of miles away. Slowly she opened her eyes, the darkness shrouding her. The faint scent of a brewing storm rolled over the land, stretching far and wide. It was time. No more waiting, no more stalling, no more small enemies to crush underfoot.
Turquoise and silver flashed before Winter vanished from the mountain peak.
Tomorrow, they went to war.
REMINDER
If you are wanting to enter my contest for this story, ALL ENTRIES ARE DUE TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT MT (MOUNTAIN TIME ZONE)
> Remember to email them to hey.its.nashoba@gmail.com OR share your one-shot via google docs with the same account.
> PLEASE PLEASE HAVE A TITLE FOR YOUR ONE-SHOT OTHER THAN ONE-SHOT
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How'd you guys like this chapter? Let me know :)
QotC: How do you think Winter and the others will enter the war?
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guardian of the storm | ✓
Fanfiction𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒉. Sometimes ghosts come back to haunt you, and sometimes those ghosts never really died. When Winter returns to Kohona after leaving for nearly three years, it's clear to the others that something has c...
