Ani-fun-me

Notes: Here is the next chapter for all my little followers. I know it seems a little slow now but things will be picking up in the next one. Hope you all enjoy. Sorry for any mistake you may find. Ans don't worry, most of your questions will be answered soon. Just be patient. Feedback would be highly appreciated. Also, I would like to thank Yami Mizuna, DeathChibiNeko16 and Dr. Captain Pepper for all their help and advice. Without them this story would be nothing.

 

Song Title Inspiration: Life is Beautiful - Sixx a.m.

Listen to this while you read the chapter. It creates such a melancholy ambiance.

 

Disclaimer: I do not and never will own Naruto. I do own Kyo Izumi and all of the Ocs. Yami Mizuna belongs to Yami Mizuna and Hikaru Sabeji belongs to DeathChibiNeko16

 

"Talking"

thinking

inner voice/ demon voice

 

Chapter Summary: Broken Promises...

 

 

 

The Falling Game...

 

#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#

 

 

Chapter four… Life is Beautiful…

 

 

The sound of ceramic crashing sounds through the empty two story house. Followed by several grunts of pain. Crouching in the middle of her kitchen, surrounded but pieces of broken plates, Amane Izumi clutches her chest in agony. She had never felt such excruciating  pain before. It’s like a burning that started in her solar plexus and spread to throughout the rest of her.  

There is only one explanation for this unexpected occurrence.

The connection has been severed.

The successor was lost.

Kyo was gone.

Amane falls back onto her bottom, tears falling down her face, as her lightly wrinkled hands fists the fabric over her heart. A ragged sob burst from her, making her entire body quake.

No!

No, no, no ,no!!

She can’t be gone!

A week...she had one week left! Seven days and nothing could have harmed her. She would have been free of the fear of dying.

She can’t be gone!

 

But as the burning pain finally begins to fade an emptiness is left in its wake. And Amane cannot deny it.

Her baby is gone.

Kyo, her sweet, loving granddaughter is...dead…

Her life cut short by an evil force.

 

How does she know it wasn’t just some accident? Because Kyo had made powerful friends. Friends who would protect her from the everyday dangers that humans faced.

It had to be Supernatural. And something they didn’t see coming. Something not even the young Hyuuga girl could have seen.

 

Whoever did this knew them. Maybe not personally, but enough to know that Kyo, though human and virtually useless, had been important. They had to have known how hurting her would affect those around her. That her friends would be broken without her.

 

Wine colored eyes harden in anger and determination.

 

They must have known her lineage as well. It would just be too much of a coincidence if they didn’t.

 

Yes, her friends would be broken, but once they figured out who hurt Kyo, all hell would break loose. It has happened once before.

 

They must have taken her out to stop her from gaining her inheritance…

 

Well...Amane sure as hell had a surprise for them. They are going to wish they never messed with the Izumi’s.  They may seem weak and useless, but they held a power inside them that could destroy the world and all the realms.  It’s a good thing they can only use the power for good.

 

Picking herself up, Amane ignores the mess on the floor. She’ll get to it later. Right now, she had a plan to spoil.

 

#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#

A week later…

 

From the cloudless blue sky, the spring time sun shines brightly down on Konohagakure. Bathing the bustling city with its warmth. The birds sing their morning song, dancing thru the air marrily. A strong breeze blows, allowing loose leaves and petals to take flight and decorate the ground in natural confetti.

All in all, it is a wonderful day.

A day Kyo would love.

She’d plan a nice picnic for all the ones who could go out in the daylight. Everyone would gather in the Council gardens and joke and laugh and play, while enjoying Kyo’s home cooking and store bought goodies. Akamaru would chase butterflies along with Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon and Hanabi. Hikaru and Choji would have an eating contest that would always end in a draw. Kiba and Naruto would argue and westle. Kyo would pull Yami and Shino from the shadows, forcing them to participate.

 

Tears run down Naruto’s whiskered cheeks. There would be no more picnics. No more home cooking. No more spontaneous friendly gatherings… Nothing.

Staring at the picture of Kyo, her wild, wavy platinum hair framing her smiling face, it takes all his willpower to hold back a sob. He’ll never see that face again. Never see her violet eyes shine with happiness and laughter. Never hear her sing again. Never hear her scold him about keeping his apartment clean. Never feel her warm comforting hugs.

His best friend is gone. And she is never coming back. Whoever did this...he is going to find them and make them pay.

 

The Burial Service was over and now everyone is gathered in the main hall of the Council for Kyo’s memorial service.  Amane, Kyo’s grandmother, had done an amazing job. Everything...just breathed Kyo. From the flowers, tiger lilies and sunflowers; to the color scheme, mint, white purple and pink; and even the music, a playlist of soft rock, instrumental, and metal ballads. There’s even little dragon fly decorations (he would never understand her fascination with the little insects) placed strategically around. It made the somber occasion...happier. Most people would frown at the unusualness, but nothing about Kyo was usual. So why should her memorial service be?

It felt more like a welcome home party, than a memorial.  

Actually, it’s almost an exact replica of the party they threw after she recovered for her near fatal wounds after rogue vampires attack. That time Sakura had been able to stabilize her, keeping her alive until they could get Kyo to the hospital. And when she was all better, they celebrated.

 

And, thinking back on it, Naruto remembered even though she had smiled and partied along with them, Kyo had looked...sad. Depressed even.

Why?

Because she knew. She knew that one day, they would all be here. That no matter how hard they tried to keep her safe, no matter how many times they saved her, one day she wouldn’t make it. Whether by an evil force, natural causes or by old age, she would one day die.

They knew that. But refused to entertain it. Because no one could stand the thought of losing her.

 

But look at them now. Ino, TenTen, Neji, Shikamaru, and Choji stand not to far away reminiscing about the good times with Kyo, trying to keep a strong face.  They try to act normal, but the usual passion is gone. Lee, his large eyes red and puffy from crying, stands quietly beside Shino and Hinata watching the memorial slideshow that plays on the TV. She makes a comment here and there but Lee doesn’t have the energy to answer back. It’s as if his youthful fire has died completely.

 

Will they ever be the same again?

 

“Naruto.” A soft voice calls. Wiping his tears away he turns to looks at the person.

“Amane obaa-Chan.” He says looking at the shorter older woman.

 

Amane looks just like the older version of Kyo. Same long platinum white hair (though instead of being wild and free, her’s is in a neat braided bun) rich caramel skin with a light dusting of barely noticeable freckles across her nose and cheeks (Amane’s has a few wrinkles here and there, mostly around her eyes and mouth)  and the same twinkling mirth in her eyes.

Strange.

She doesn’t looks like her granddaughter just died.

She smiles up at him, that same glimmer of mirth in her wine colored eyes.

“Don’t cry son. Kyo may not be here but that doesn’t mean she’s gone forever.” She says, patting his shoulder lightly.

What the heck does that mean?! Naruto isn’t sure if Amane obaa-chan is in the same kind of extreme denial Hikaru is in or if she’s finally gone senile . Whatever it is, he knows better than to ask. Crazy or not, the old lady would still clock him good. So he just nods. Agreeing is always the best policy.

“Yeah. I know. I can’t help it though. She was one of my best friend.” He smiles sadly. Amane squeezes his shoulder.

“And she always will be.”   

Not knowing what to say, an awkward silence falls between. Naruto starts to feel a little uncomfortable, something he has never felt around the older woman. But something is...off about her.

“Have you seen Yami?” She asks suddenly. Frowning, Naruto looks around. There is no black clad vampiress to be seen.

“Actually...no. I went to get her this morning but she didn’t answer, so I just slipped the funeral information under her door. I figured she was taking Kyo’s … passing … really hard.” The word passing felt weird on his tongue, but he just couldn’t bring himself to say “death” or “dying”. Amane hums in understanding.

“Kiba told me that Hikaru wasn’t doing so good either.”  Naruto rubs the back of his head remembering the time he went to visit them.

Hikaru (who cannot cook whatsoever) was in the mess that was their kitchen mixing what he hoped was brownie batter. Kiba tried to get her out of the kitchen but she wouldn’t leave. She kept insisting that Kyo would be over soon and would teach her how to bake… It had been really sad.

So Naruto isn’t surprised that they didn’t make it. With the day as perfect as it is, she would need Kiba to stop her from doing anything drastic. Naruto knew they were close but didn’t know the loss would affect her like this.    

It’s funny, really. How on simple human could have such a great effect on beings that could easily kill her.

That just goes to show amazing Kyo truly was.

 

But now she is gone,

 

Forever...

 

#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#

 

Yami looks around the empty studio apartment. It had been cleaned out days ago, leaving nothing but barren space and monotone earth colors. It’s as if Kyo Izumi never lived here.  The only sign that something had happened in this room, is the bathroom, where the door has yet to be replaced.

She had no real reason to be here. Just tying up loose ends. Because, just like this apartment, Yami had nothing of value without Kyo here.

 

Despite what most think, she had been there for Kyo’s funeral. She had been in the back… in the way, way, way back, so far that no one could see or sense her. Yami couldn’t bring herself to move closer.

But,she had been there for the whole thing. For every tear filled speech. For the lowering of the coffin. And for every fist full of dirt and flower that had been laid on top. She had been there when they finally buried her and long after they left.  

 

And instead of feeling sadness and sorrow. Instead of shedding needless tears.

 

Yami felt nothing but cold rage.

 

At Kyo. At her supposed friends. At the soulless fucks that had taken her life. And at herself.

 

Kyo had promised. She said she would be there for her always. That she wouldn’t die.

It had been a stupid promise. One that, initially, she didn’t believe. Kyo was human. Mortal. A simple bug bite could kill her. And as clumsy as the girl was, Yami really had no idea how she had endure living with supernaturals for so long. But after she survived being severely beaten and even impaled, a small part of her began to believe.  

 

She can remember it as if it were yesterday. Kyo, bandaged from head to toe, smiling happily in her hospital bed, reassuring them all.

“Hey, don’t look so blue guys. I’m immortal. Something small like this could never kill me.”

It was irrational and idiotic, but Yami had seen the damage. Even with Sakura’s help, her injuries had been so severe that it truly had been a miracle that she lived.  Kyo said it had been her strong will that kept her alive.  And against her better judgment, Yami believed. She allowed herself to get attached to the little mortal with a big heart, and trust that as long as Kyo was protected, she could really overcome anything. For the first time and decades, Yami put her faith in something.

 

But it was all lies.

 

Where did that “strong will” get her now? A bed six feet under.

 

It isn’t Kyo’s fault she couldn’t keep her promise.  No. Someone forced her to break it. Someone attacked her and stole her precious life.

And she hadn’t been there to protect her. To save her.

If she had been faster. Had shown up sooner…

Kyo would still be alive.

 

Granted, Yami made it in time to ensure that Kyo didn’t become a pavement pancake. But that is only a small consolation. She’s still dead and the people who did are still walking around unpunished.  

 

But not for long…

Unlike the others, Yami refuses to let sadness distract her. While everyone is at the memorial service, Yami is working. Finding clues. Because she is going to find out who killed Kyo. And she is going to make them pay in spades.