Beyond The Stars (Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter 91~ Demons

"Long time Astara, seems you haven't forgotten us." She laughed, pointing the flute in our direction. I jumped down and landed next to Shikamaru crouching low as I deadpanned towards the redhead. "I'm sorry I can't seem to remember your name?" 

"How low, it's funny how much power you think that you hold over me. I have something you don't Astara." She smirked, lowering her flute towards her lips. Standing up, I traced my finger along the steel of my blade. "It's futile honestly, why even fight?" 

"Unlike you I embrace the power I was given! You have to hold back in every fight you're in, if you'd just use the power you'd be unstoppable Astara! Why can't you just get that through your thick skull!?" I scoffed looking over I saw Shikamaru smirking. "Jutsu and steel isn't the only weapon we have over you." 

He gestured to his head, I stifled a chuckle thrashing the blade, cutting the air that bends around the blade. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, quickly thinking back to the plan we had devised. I started gathering into my feet. The laugh of the redhead drew me from my through. 

"You guys are idiots, you really think sending that little shrimp will stop anything? Besides just think about what has happened to your team up until this point, you probably had to sacrifice one member every time you faced an obstacle just so you could keep moving. I mean what the heck is so special about this Sasuke guy anyway? How many are you going to lose just to save this one significant shinobi?" Her voice becomes eerily cocky and low as she continued. I swiped midnight down to my side, sticking it into the ground and leaning on it ever so slightly. 

"A few months ago I would've, without a strand of second-guessing, agreed. Any logical person would think that way, that shrimp is small and probably couldn't hold his own relying on his combat skills alone. I know you're not in the slightest dumb Tayuya, but I also know how you calculate, and how your mind works in detail. You play your cards by what you perceive, the look of a person, how capable they are. On a threat level, I would classify Naruto as a two, just above a non-shinobi and children. You are forgetting what is crucial, human emotion, other than anger." I watched her carefully, playing my words strategically to gain a physical reaction from her. My eyes drifted to her hand, the one holding the flute was balled up, the white in her knuckles present as she grasped it.  

"YOU THINK YOU'RE SO MUCH BETTER NOW HUH?! YOU'VE GROWN IRRATIONAL, OPEN THOSE DAMN GOLD EYES AND LOOK AROUND AT THE LOGISTICS OF THE SITUATION!" 

"Do you think I haven't, I have questioned myself subconsciously trying to find reasons why I haven't left." I started a smirk growing onto my face as I finally realized why I haven't given up with the Leaf. Why I stay. "Oh, and what do you think now Astara?!" 

"Well you see, I don't have any real reason.I like being here, being surrounded by people who don't expect to use you as some sort of machine. I get to make my own choices I get to determine what makes me happy. For the first time, I'm able to abide by what I think is right. With Orochimaru we were filled with nonsense and utterance of a fool, all his pawns acted, thought, and even perceived how he wanted. And quite honestly I am so much more than what I had thought of myself prior. So keep telling yourself it's fine, just don't regret what you've done once you realize how insolent, and wrong he is." I felt a hand on my shoulder, I quickly glanced to see Shikamaru nodding. There was a slight smile on his face before he redirected his gaze towards Tayuya. I took in a deep breath my smirk turning to deadpan as I began to gather Chakra into my palms. 

"Shut up!" She began to bring the flute to her lips. I smirked the chakra turning to raw electrical currents sparking into Midnight. The black steel sparking with blue sparks of electricity. I held my right hand forward, keeping my left steady with the blade in front of my face. 

"Oh I already know about your affinity with lightning chakra, that's not going to work. this time around." She bit her lip, blood tricking down as it dripped onto the flute. She let out a loud strand of notes whispering something I couldn't make out from the distance. I took a few moments of uncertainty, watching as her chakra was released along with the low metal voice of the flute. 

Eyes darting around as three large clouds of smoke seemed to fill the area. I scoffed and jumped back, hoping Shikamaru would catch on to what was happening. I closed my eyes, feeling the new arrivals of chakra signatures. 

"They aren't human." I uttered, keeping my eyes closed as I focused my sense of sight on feeling the ground vibration. Where Tayuya was seemed to keep increasing in chakra levels. I assumed she was in the first stage of her curse mark. 

The smoke decreased, allowing me to see clearly what I was working with. Three large creatures, each having one of their senses covered. They were wielding various weapons, one a club, the other a claw, and lastly one had needles protruding from their body. They created craters as the sound of the flute loomed over the area, their sheer weight causing the ground to be disrupted.

"Bet you didn't see this one coming!" She mocked, blowing more notes into the flute. I watched closely as the three demon-like creatures began to move towards us. I quickly started thinking, scanning the area for what would be the best plan of action at the moment. 

There was no way Shikamaru would be able to handle the demons, he'd have better luck trying to stop the source. From the size alone, these demons can pack quite the punch if hit. 

I nodded my head looking towards Shika as I spoke quietly. 

"You go for her, I'll handle these things." He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but quickly gave a nod of approval as he began to move away from me. 

"Hey Fuckers!" I shouted gaining the attention of the three demons. I pointed my sword at them releasing all the energy I had been gathering into one lightning strike towards the demon who wielded a club. "Let's go."