The Fox's Son

Chapter 44 - Granted Redemption

Kikyo fell to her hands and knees as tears fell down her eyes. She looked up to find the man's red and blue eyes staring down at her. They were cold and impassive as he gazed down upon her. So many questions where running through her mind. When? How? Why? What? Where? Was the beginning of many her inquires. But there was one question she wanted to know the most.

"Why did you show me this?" she asked in breath as she began to rise to her feet.

He didn't answer at first. He just stood there and continued to stare down at her. After a few more moments of silence, the red head finally spoke. "Because you needed to understand." he answered.

Kikyo remained silent as his 6'3" frame towered her 5'7" one. What was he trying to get her to understand? She knew how he felt about human. She saw why when he showed her his past. And then there was the point that he said that humans and demons were alike with few differences. Maybe that was the point he was trying to get her to understand. But why did she feel like there was more? Like there was something beneath that statement and she was merely thinking on the surface?

The priestess suddenly felt something impale her gut. Her eyes widened in shock as her body began to tremble. He looked up at the man to see his heterocromial eyes looking back at her, without emotion. She then looked down to she that it was his hand that pierced her abdomen. Suddenly, an explosion of power came from her.

The souls that she once collected were now released and freed of her body. White balls of light flew into the sky and disappeared, going into the afterlife. Kikyo felt her body go weak as her cold hands latched onto the man's arm. She looked at him with tears falling down his eyes, knowing that she was about to meet her end. She closed her eyes as she drew her last breath, her heartbeat dwindling and her body slumping over.

At this point, a clone appeared beside Naruto. Pulling his hand out of her stomach, the body began to deteriorate and return to its original state - bones and clay. Naruto turned to his clone and nodded his head. Getting his instructions, the clone stepped a couple of feet from him before going through several handsigns. Using his mokuton abilities, he was able to create a wooden casket. However, the unique thing about this basket was that it had an Uzumaki symbol engraved on it's side.

While his clone prepared the ritual, Naruto looked down at the pink and purple orb that was in his hand. This ball of energy was no other than the very thing that was partially keeping the priestess alive. Her soul. As his clone gathered the bones that lied on the ground, Naruto inspected the glowing orb. For some reason, some of the energy the orb was giving off was awfully familiar. He narrowed his eyes when he realized exactly who's energy it favored.

He turned back to the clone who had just finished putting the bones into the casket. He also sprinkled some of the clay into the casket. On cue, another clone appeared from the trees. When he crossed the small stream, he walked up to the casket with a small box in his hand. When he opened, it revealed itself to be remains from Kikyo's grave - the ash mixed dirt to be exact. Because the ashes of her body was mixed into the dirt of the grave, it provided a medium for the physical body.

The clone poured the grave dirt into the casket as well. Once this was done, Naruto activated his rinnegan. Creating black receivers, Naruto nailed the coffin shut, making it nearly impossible for anyone to open. He then walked up to the casket with the glowing orb in his hand as the two clones sat down on the ground with their legs crossed. The closed their eyes and began to meditate. One was gathering nature energy while the other was gathering his yin chakra.

Naruto pushed the orb into the casket before standing back from it. Like his clones, he dropped to the ground as well, sitting with his crossed. He closed his eyes and began to meditate as well, calling forth his sage chakra. A couple of minutes, all three bodies opened their eyes. The clone that was gathering nature energy, now had the orange marking of the toads around his eyes and his eyes were orange with rectangular pupils. On his forehead was a black circular marking, the sage markings of mokuton senjutsu.