R E S I S T A N C E

U N L I K E L Y S A V I O R

"I said, shut up!"

I pooled all of the chakra I had into my right fist, and punched Killer Bee's eight tails form right on his snout. He wailed out in pain as an indent formed from my fist and he pushed backwards into the water. Giant waves racked the ocean and mist sprayed into the air, forming rainbows in the sunlight that faded within seconds. I landed on the ground he once stood on, shoulders rising and falling heavily as nature energy was drawn to my body like a magnet.

"She's... such strong chakra... both of them..." Karin whisper from her spot next to Jugo.

"Eight tails will make you pee your pants, you little ants!" His rhyme came from the water as the monster emerged from the depths, sending droplets of water down over all of us once more.

I only blinked at him.

"An ox-octopus monster? That's his true form?" Suigetsu's words lifted from the water somewhere behind me.

"To spear my foes, my glorious longhorns!" The eight tails continued to rap, waving his appendages like his human form before.

"You're conscious," Karin's words caused me to look over my shoulder. "Come on, get up!"

I couldn't believe it.

It was true; Sasuke was alive.

He appeared slightly worn and disheveled, but mostly back to his normal self again. I almost allowed a smile to show itself on my face until my eyes landed on Jugo. He was smaller now, childlike even, and panting heavily. It was as if whatever he did to save Sasuke's life had degenerated his body and regressed his age.

"I wont let you die..." he said to Sasuke in a shaky tone. "You're all I have left of Kimimaro."

I didn't stop to think about Jugo's words. All that mattered was that he was okay.

Sasuke was okay.

We were all okay.

I allowed myself to turn back to the eight tails with a new determination settling over me.

"Let's do this," I said more to myself than to him. I believe he heard me though, because in that moment he charged directly at me, shaking the ground below my feet. I stood in place, not flinching in the slightest as I knew exactly how I was going to counter his attack.

But that moment never came.

The water in front of him shot up suddenly, forming the shape of a deadly piranha with Suigetsu's liquified form and his sword floating in the middle.

Suigetsu!

"A water style ninja... I knew it," the jinchuriki spoke. "You have the advantage of the terrain!"

Both of their giant forms charged at each other, bouncing off of one another with enough force to rumble the ground every time.

"I'll take over from here!" Suigetsu yelled towards us as he held the eight tails off. "Run while you can!"

Run? That wasn't an option.

"There's no way I'm leaving you here on your own!" I yelled back, chakra swirling around my fists once more. I turned back to the others. "Me and Suigetsu will stay behind. You go, now!"

"Let's go, Sasuke," Karin said, not needing to be told twice. With Sasuke hanging on her shoulder, she and Jugo began running in the opposite direction.

"As if I'd let you get away after what you've done! You fool! You jerk!"

The eight tails voice boomed loudly and suddenly, he reared his head up, forming a giant chakra ball in his mouth. It continued to grow in mass, mimicking the fear in my eyes.