Nightfall By Freowin

Chapter 51 - Graceful Partings

I don't own Naruto and I never have, probably never will. Can never tell for sure though.

Nightfall!

Chapter 51: Graceful Partings

Akimi had never moved so fast in her entire life, the Swift release chakra danced around her lighting her up like a large firefly over a clear lake. Her target was the man laying face down on the cold stone. She was there in the blink of an eye, yellow sparks of chakra danced around her, and her hair danced wildly tears already falling from her face as she stood over the body of her brother.

All fighting had stopped as she bent to pick up the man who had cared for her the entirety of her life. Racing over to place him on the steps of the temple hall safely out of harms way before turning to glare at the man responsible. A tall man with silver hair holding a large three bladed scythe and a small spear like blade that still had Akaru's blood painting it red.

She was about to take off again to attack the man who stole her only family from her when a calm and soothing voice spoke. "Don't do it, take your brother and run, leave this place quickly I will hold them off" it was Chiriku who spoke.

"But, They, Killed, Him! How can I just run and let them get away!" she said anger and sorrow coating every word, and still sparking from how much swift release chakra she was channeling.

"He is not dead just yet, you still have time, you can say your farewells, his death does not have to be in the edge of a battlefield, take him away from here to somewhere peaceful" Chiriku said.

The chakra sparking around Akimi died down significantly although there was still a random spark of energy that would shoot out from her body. "But what about you, if you fight them alone you will die!" she said slightly calmer.

"My dear girl, do you really think we can still win? If you stay it will accomplish nothing more than adding another life taken needlessly. I am not afraid of death and although I would prefer to be buried among my people I can call it an even trade if I can save the life of an innocent" the monk said.

Akimi was in two minds looking in at her brothers broken body and the monk who stood between her and the Akatsuki ninja. Her mind was made up for her when Akaru moved his head and looked back at her. "Please leave this place... run, if you die here my giving my life becomes meaningless" he said weakly.

"Alright, you better make sure to kick their asses, for my brother. And I want some lessons the next time I come here" she said attempting to joke at the end but that just hurt her more, because she knew that this would be the last time she saw the man offering to give his life so she could get to safety and say her last words to Akaru.

Chiriku couldn't help but smile even if it was very small. "I would be honored to teach you, now go" he said.

Akimi picked up her brother again and moved to the back where some monks were directing her to a secondary exit to the complex.

"Hey look at that, she's running away" Hidan laughed.

"I couldn't care less about the girl, what I do care is her taking a five hundred thousand Ryo bounty away, I can't allow that!" Kakuzu grumbled.

"I won't allow it, I'm not afraid of death. But I will fight you to my last breath to help her get away, she saved my life so now I'm returning the favor" Chiriku replied his voice now void of emotion and in a fighting stance.

"Well good luck stopping us, Hidan go after the girl and get me the body of Akaru Hayaku!" Kakuzu ordered.

"Fuck you, you're not my boss, you do it! I want sacrifice this guy to Jashin-sama! Because so far today I have killed two people and neither of them was sacrificed I'm not letting this one get away as well" Hidan said.