Exhausted.
Drained.
Body ravaged and in agony.
Couldn't feel his right arm any longer. Pretty sure it was gone if the blood pooling around him was correct.
His breath labored, and he struggled to keep it steady.
Yet he held a smile on his face. His eyes were held closed. The sun's warmth, which finally peaked after the clouds dispersed from their battle, soothed his aches.
Then he heard a noise to his left and slowly opened his bruised and battered eyes.
"Eh, you finally regained consciousness? Good. Got that out of your system?"
"Hn." Was all he heard in response, a strained voice that came from a person as broken and battered as he was.
After all, he left him in that state. Had to make sure his brother understood him one last time. Made sure his point got across this time.
His pained smile grew at the response. His chest hurt as it only made him laugh.
Of course, that's how Sasuke would react.
Why would he respond any other way?
"Heh, typical. Well, should let you know we've lost too much blood." Naruto gazed up into the dazzling skies, feeling numbness and tightness around his chest every time he took a breath. "Can't move. Know you aren't in any better shape. We will die here, unfortunately."
"What?" He heard Sasuke strain and fail to move, coughing and losing precious oxygen. "Dammit, why? Why would you go this far to get in my way? To stop me, Naruto? Out of everyone… You were the only one to try and stop me? But never tried to kill me until this very moment? Yet I've tried to kill you. Plunged everyone else into darkness to achieve my goals…"
"This is the most I've ever heard you talk."
"Shut up and answer the question, Naruto!" Sasuke snapped at the quip, and a pained laugh coming from his friend, scowling as it hurt him to do so, turned his head to gaze at his injured friend. "You should have given up on me long ago? I'm not worth it! Why keep coming back for me?"
And then he saw his state and realized he was correct.
Because, despite his laughter, every breath was harsh, and he barely drew it in. He struggled even to keep his eyes open, straining to see the sunny sky above that was quite beautiful to behold.
They were going to die here, and there wasn't anything they could do about it.
"You know why, Sasuke," Naruto smirked, causing the scowl to grow further on Sasuke's lips.
"Dammit, Naruto!" Sasuke tried to reach out, feeling his bloody stump of an arm, and cursed. "That word means nothing to me, so I don't understand it! If you would explain it to me…"
"I have to explain what being my friend means, sheesh. You still don't know after how much I've chased after you?" Naruto chuckled and only earned further ire from Sasuke. "I don't even have a good answer anymore for you. I've done it for so long that I almost forgot why."
Sasuke gritted his teeth, eyes seething at Naruto. "You don't have an answer for all of this?"
"Not really. Not a good one, anyway." Naruto exhaled, his breath slowing. "I just see how much pain you are in, and I just know what that feels like. I was always alone when we first met, and I just didn't want to leave you all alone in it to suffer. You were one of the first who noticed me, and I couldn't just give up on you, no matter what I did."
"You meant too much to me." Naruto turned his head, his typically lustrous cerulean eyes dull and faded as they looked into onyx eyes that shimmered. "As I said, not a good reason…"
"Naruto…" Sasuke's voice quivered as he stared directly at the blonde knucklehead before him, his words passing over him.
He closed his eyes while a rush of emotions flowed through him, attempting to sort through them. And slowly, he came to accept them, and that in the end…
"You idiot." Sasuke turned his head and gazed at the sky, the slightest smile gracing his lips.
"Yo! You wanna go another round!" Naruto barked despite barely having the oxygen to yell at Sasuke. "Because I can bash you around for another round! Right here, right now!"
"Okay." Sasuke let out a rare laugh, even if it was excruciating. "If you've got the energy, I'll make the effort. It's the least I can do for my friend… Besides, I got to get back my win somehow. I'll concede you won this round."
"Sasuke?" Naruto was taken by surprise at his friend's admission.
"But we have a problem here," Sasuke added, his breath haggard, and he grimaced as he stared into the sky. "That Eternal Destiny Hagoromo told us about. If we die here, then what happens? I couldn't care less about my death, as I could settle all my debts with my body. But if you die, that's a problem. This world needs you."
"Who else can become Hokage if you die, after all?" Sasuke quipped, closing his eyes and forcing a smile. "We both know I'm not equipped for the job after today. I've still got a long way to go, but you, my friend, are ready to lead this world to a new revolution. Do what I couldn't."
"Save it."
Sasuke's words hit, tears built up, and Naruto's eyes as he looked upon his friend before slowly turning and gazing up at the sky that he could barely see any longer. It was too hazy. Too blurry.
He was only able to make out Sasuke due to his voice and his scent…
Which always oddly smelled like wildflowers. But that was neither here nor there…
"All this talk about death, shit," Naruto inhaled slowly, gritting his teeth. "Man, I'm giving everything I have here to stay awake, you?"
"Yeah, same. Don't feel like going into that good night either." Sasuke stared at the sky, taking a deep breath and finding his next one was also tricky. "So, let's make a promise, and I know you keep those."
"Yeah, I eventually kicked your ass and got through to you." Naruto grinned, his sight fading to darkness as his breath slowly stilled.
"To meet each other again, if this happens to be the end… And end this cycle of hatred." Sasuke closed his eyes, letting his last breath fade from his body.
"I promise, my friend." Naruto closed his eyes, unable to draw his next breath, and could no longer hear his friend's breathing.
Everything had grown cold and dark.
Then there was nothing but a glowing light…
And the smell of wildflowers.
"We can't leave him, Adam! He'll die!"
[ X ]
She wasn't sure what to do. This had gone on for far too long. She felt nauseous.
This had exceeded the reason she had joined. She wanted to help her people! Help their cause!
But not like this… Not in such a brutal manner.
No, this was too extreme. The violence was getting obscene.
Adam was getting worse.
Everything she had attempted failed to reach him. It didn't seem that staying by his side was working any longer. That her presence was discouraging him from the harmful thoughts in his mind.
Adam was no longer seeing reason.
This path was wrong, and she could no longer convince him otherwise. He forged his path forward. Into the madening darkness and despair that lay in wait.
Blake had done everything she could to understand him. She understood his plight and what he felt. She felt it. It was why she had stood by his side for so long, why she was swayed into believing his cause initially.
Now, she regretted every minute she had stayed. She had known better, but she continued on this path. Did she honestly think she could fix him? After all he had done so far…
What he was willing to do…
Her parents had impressed their morals upon her, and this went against every fiber in her being. She could not do this…
Even if they did not necessarily agree with Blake leaving, she knew in her heart they would support her decision to break away and see reason finally. To see the kind girl they raised embrace that nature and keep others from harm instead of causing such damage.
Blake felt horrid every time she took part in such a mission. She didn't hesitate, at first, and she knew it was wrong. That she could do better, but now she was owning her mistakes. Attempting redemption, if that was even possible.
"Hurry up," A smooth, sly voice called for her and brought her out of her thoughts.
Her attention was drawn to Adam, his back turned to her, so the rose design on his jacket was visible.
"We're almost at the target, and it's at the deadline. We don't have a moment to spare, Blake." Adam continued with a growl.
"Yes, Adam," Blake stated, fidgeting with the white mask she wore to conceal her identity.
Her hands trembled. Adam was bringing her on this mission without backup. If she didn't know better, this felt like a set-up.
However, Blake dismissed that notion. They worked well together as a team. Adam probably thought they could handle a job such as this on their own.
What worried her was how he was acting after that woman showed up at their outpost.
Adam was acting atypically. He felt more… Desperate than he usually did.
Was it to ensure this job went well? That they didn't fail and obtained the Dust they needed?
Blake shivered, shaking her head. She was unsure and did not want to think of the consequences of failing. He was already becoming more unstable than she could handle. What would happen when this job ended in failure?
He was never going to get a chance to set off that bomb. Adam lied to her about the intel he gave her. She went behind his back to gather that information, but there were going to be people aboard…
And Blake was not about to let someone die if she could stop it.
Blake stopped in her tracks. She sniffed several times before she scrunched her nose.
That smell.
It was disturbingly disgusting, yet… familiar? Why was it familiar?
Blake shook her head. She knew what that smell was.
It was the smell of death.
Blood had been shed, and someone was dead or nearly dead.
Blake knew that if someone were near death, hesitating would only hasten their demise. By reacting, she at least gave whoever was on the verge of death a chance. And, if she could do anything about it, it was better to try than let someone perish.
She intently followed the smell. While she wasn't the best at tracking, she wasn't a slouch at it. The genes of her parents' Faunus traits helped her tremendously. It wasn't often that two similar Faunus species ended up having a child…
"Blake!" Adam voiced his disapproval as she fled the scene, and he pursued immediately.
It didn't matter. She didn't care about his approval. Not anymore. All she cared about…
Blake's heart dropped into her stomach as she stepped into a clearing. A young man, she wasn't quite sure if he was human or a Faunus due to his strange features, was lying in a pool of blood. A pool that was likely his own, given the grievous wounds he had sustained, including a missing arm.
And worst of all, he had taken one last deep breath… And another did not follow.
"Oh, Oum!" Blake's stomach turned as anxious energy shone through her golden eyes.
Blake rushed to his side, sliding onto her knees. She didn't care if her stockings were now stained in blood. She knew what she needed to do. Her mother taught her at a young age.
She tilted his head carefully and gently pressed her fingers onto his throat, searching for a pulse, praying that his heart was still pumping. As long as it was, there was a chance.
He was still warm. Quite hot, actually. That was a good sign. Now, as long as she could feel something…
There! Blake felt an intense thump.
He was still fighting! Good!
"You are not dying on me, understand!" Blake snarled, settling herself above him while pacing her hands, hand over hand, directly onto his sternum.
She pressed down, but something immediately alarmed her. Despite the amount of effort she placed into the compression, she barely budged his chest. She was trying to be careful, knowing she was stronger than many others, but she didn't even cause his chest to tremor…
He had to be a Huntsman with a defensive Semblance that was passively active. That was the only thing that made sense to Blake. And that meant she had to apply a lot more strength.
This time her compressions worked. It took consistent pressure to find a steady, rhythmic beat. But once she hit the marker, she bent forward and placed her lips on his mouth and pushed the deep breath she held into him.
Nothing.
"No, no, no... Come on!" Blake gnashed her teeth, an anger building as she went for another set of compressions.
"He's dead, Blake." Adam's voice resonated, having stepped into the clearance.
"No!" Blake adamantly denied, still pushing with all her strength.
"And if he's not? What can we do for him?" Adam questioned, eyebrow raised. "If you haven't forgotten, we're in the middle of a forest with no one to help within hours... He's a lost cause. Let's get moving."
"I am not giving up, Adam!" Blake screamed, an intense glare in her eyes as she dared to stare into Adam's eyes. "He's still warm! He was breathing just a second ago, dammit! I'm not stopping!"
Adam scoffed, but he did not say another word. Internally, Blake exhaled in relief. If there was one thing Adam had learned over the years, it was not to push against her unwavering conviction. He lost every time.
Despite that, the look in his eye told her everything. And she didn't care. She kept her pace even as frustration set in.
"Come on! Please let this work!" Blake hissed, shifting back and cupping his chin once more to help elevate his airway.
Her lips pressed against his once more, and she prayed to whomever listened above that this would work. That with this breath of air, he would breathe again...
And miraculously, he did.
…As he coughed, as spit along with some other vile liquids splattered directly into her mouth.
Blake immediately vomited onto the ground next to him.
"Oum, that was disgusting," Blake gagged, wiping her mouth clean before looking down at the young man she had saved. "You better not be a carrier for anything…"
She shook her head. She could save such a sentiment for later. The more pressing matter was what more she could do for him now that he was steadily breathing. Blake hated to admit that Adam was correct, but they were in the middle of nowhere. They weren't close to anything here.
Given how he was bleeding, was this small victory even that? His heart would seize from overexertion.
Obviously, she had to bandage the arm. That was the first step and would significantly halt his blood loss. Then, perhaps, there was a chance…
"And now you have come to the realization I made just a moment ago. What now, Blake? You can't save him." Adam snarled, his anger evident, but a hint of amusement was hidden beneath.
"What am I supposed to do? Leave him to die?" Blake coldly glared.
"Yes," Adam simply answered.
Blake shivered from his response, blanching and looking at him in horror. Unable to say another word.
He was willing just to let someone, whether they were human or Faunus, die so casually? Without doing anything…
"It's a cruel world, Blake. The fates have chosen to let this... Human... die without honor... Without a fighting chance. There is nothing any of us can do about it." Adam shrugged before motioning his head. "By saving him, you've only prolonged his fate. Do him a mercy and leave him. Maybe the Grimm will come by and put him out of his misery."
Blake grimaced. There was some truth to Adam's words. And yet, they felt wrong.
No, they were wrong!
"No. I'm not leaving him here to die! I figure something out!" Blake snapped, preparing to rip part of her stocking off to try to bandage his arm.
"Are you seriously considering risking this mission to save the life of a human?!" Adam venomously countered.
"Yes! I will always choose to save someone's life over a damn mission! It doesn't matter if it is human life or Faunus life! Every life matters!" Blake seethed.
If Adam would just help…
"Oh, so that's the way it is… That idealism of yours is going to get you killed in this changing world." Adam's cold voice caused Blake to shiver again.
She didn't like that tone. Her eyes sharpened, and she carefully observed his movements.
What was he planning?
"Alas, you have always been this way. Have always doubted the agenda of the White Fang. I should have seen this long ago… I was too blinded by your beauty." Adam exhaled, slicking his hair back with a single comb of his hand.
Blake grimaced. She knew when he did that, he was about to do something heinous. Every single time, it was just before he struck. She had to distract him. But with what?
"Adam, if you don't head out, you'll miss the train. You can still complete the mission Lady Sienna gave you." Blake motioned her head in the direction of the tracks.
Instead, her eyes widened in horror as the young man she saved coughed in pain. As Adam planted his boot directly into his sternum.
"I have all the time in the world for you, my dear! And I will not leave until you understand the futility of your fight against the changing tide!" Adam snarled, fiercely glaring into Blake's eyes.
"Leave him out of this!" Blake rapidly stood up, trying to shove Adam off the young man.
Only for her blood to drain as she stopped, withering away at the frigid stare she received.
…From seeing his hand on the hilt of Wilt and Blush…
He wasn't planning!
"Adam, no!" Blake tried to disuade the volatile bull. "You don't have to do this!"
"Oh, I think I do. It's the only way to make you understand!" Adam's voice lowered to a whisper, his voice chilling Blake to the bone.
Blake knew she couldn't stop him. He had trained her and was still her better! If she stepped between them to stop him, what would that accomplish? Them both dying?
Could she even stop his swing… She had to try…
But her body was rooted to the spot. She couldn't move, no matter how much she willed it to!
She was forced to watch this... This execution!
His red blade flickered, charged with his Aura. She felt the world turn red. This was the end. There was nothing she could do...
Despite everything she did, this young man she tried to save…
Metal clanged, and Adam recoiled, stumbling back and off the young man in utter surprise.
"What?!" Adam exclaimed, stunned at the event that transpired.
Blake blinked, equally shocked. Never before had she seen Adam's Semblance fail.
Yet, despite it all, a black rod was clenched in the young man's one arm as his half-lidded eyes gazed toward Adam.
"Mah, you should listen to your friend, ya know? Especially when they are pouring out their heart and soul to you." Naruto grunted, weak and weary, but his intent was focused on Adam.
"But... How... You were... I resuscitated you..." Blake stuttered, unable to comprehend what she was witnessing.
How could someone recover so quickly after such an ordeal?! While still profusely bleeding?!
"I died again? Can I stop doing that?" Naruto muttered under his breath while keeping eye contact with Adam. "Well, not the worst thing I've heard all day… Now, what to do with you?"
"With me? You aren't in any position to…" Adam started before his eyes widened and staggered back.
Naruto, with a tremendous amount of effort and a few swears and grunts, lifted his body from the ground and pointed his black staff toward Adam. "Don't worry about how I'm doing. You should be worried about yourself. My speciality is dealing with idiots like you who don't listen! And it seems like an ass kicking is in order for you, my friend!"
"You think you are better than me, human? That you are better than a Faunus? Who do you think you are?!" Adam snarled, sheathing Wilt into Blush, preparing for the next swing.
"Don't know half of what you just said there, but you call me Naruto, professional ass kicker! It doesn't matter who it is or if I'm on death's door, I'll beat anyone's ass! You are no exception to that rule!" Naruto grinned despite his wounds.
"Hah, typical human! Thinking you are our better! I show you just how superior Faunus are!" Adam glowered, a visible red Aura coating Wilt and Blush.
"What are you babbling about? Human, Faunus? What does that even mean? We're just people, right? …Bah, I don't understand what's going on, where I'm at, or what you are talking about, but there is only one person who can match me!" Naruto blinked before bringing his rod to his side.
"What?" Blake's ears stood straight, alarmed by what Naruto said.
He didn't know where he was or what was going on? And what he said about everyone being people...
It reminded Blake of what her father always used to tell her.
However, her gaze shifted to Adam in horror. To visibly see his Aura building in such a manner terrified her. She wasn't sure the damage he was going to cause, but Blake had to stop this!
"We need to go!" Blake stepped beside Naruto, attempting to disarm the situation by putting herself in harm's way.
It was the only way she could think of stopping Adam when he was like this.
"Huh? Why?" Naruto raised his brow before his entire body reminded him. "Okay, fair… Let me end this quickly!"
"What?!" Blake yelped as Naruto moved forward.
And at the same time, Adam unleashed the most powerful slash he had ever shown before. The hair on Blake's neck stood on end, and her eyes widened as fiery red shards scattered.
Adam stumbled again, his eyes drawn to the shattered remains of Wilt. "What? But how…"
"I've shattered meteors with ease. A sword is simple to break in comparison." Naruto grunted before motioning his head. "I don't have time to do this, buddy. I'll give you this one chance. Get out of here and leave the girl alone. Got it?"
"What?!" Adam and Blake simultaneously shouted, not willing to let that meteor snippet go by without notice.
"Understand?!" Naruto barked, enforcing his will onto Adam and causing him to buckle.
Adam's eyes narrowed. He stared up into Naruto's gaze before he cursed. "Fine!"
"Good. Get out of here." Naruto exhaled, releasing his intent before grasping his temple, feeling lightheaded.
Adam grunted and turned his back. But as he did, Blake shuddered from his parting words. "But don't think we're done here, Blake. I will find you and show you the error of your decisions."
"You are seriously pushing my buttons! Don't make me regret not beating ya!" Naruto yelled after Adam, allowing him to retreat from the clearing before heaving, a small amount of blood leaking from his lips. "Ugh… Did someone break my ribs? Those weren't broken before…"
"I'm sorry!" Blake grimaced, placing her hand on his shoulder.
"Nah, did what you had to do. I wasn't in the best of shape." Naruto grunted, placing his left hand on his open wound. "Don't have much of this power left. Should be enough to patch this up."
"Patch up?" Blake's eyes widened as she returned her gaze to Naruto's wound.
She hadn't even bandaged it? How was he supposed to patch a wound as…
Her eyes shimmered in wonder, observing the open wounds recover, scabbing and healing over until only a nub remained.
"How?!" Blake shouted, stunned.
"Would take too long to explain," Naruto muttered before forcing a smile. "Say, you know how far it is to a hospital from here?"
"I could really use a good rest right about now."