Surprise! I updated :) Honestly this story is like my baby (horrible analogy but whatever) so I couldn't not update! Listen to song, it fits this chapter pretty well (or at least I think so)

~Chapter Thirteen~

"Jiraiya-boy has died."

The broken words swim relentlessly around the blonde haired boy's head as he sits in the middle of the woods, a tree broken courtesy of his emotional turmoil. His throat clenches shut, hot tears making their path down his cheeks. His blue eyes swim with enough sadness to create an entire ocean, his shoulders slumped forward.

Why? Out of all the shinobi in the world, why was it his sensei that had to die?

Another shuddery breath. Eyelashes damp with tears. Heart throbbing, pounding, slowing. He fingers curled over the fabric of his shirt in front of his heart, his lips dry as he let himself finally drop to his knees.

Why was it always the people closest to him?

"WHY?" His voice cracks as he screams up at the obsidian colored sky, "WHY IS EVERYTHING I CARE ABOUT TAKEN AWAY FROM ME?!" His lungs shrink and gasps escape from his mouths. "Why?" He whimpers quietly, his eyes downcast.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

One by one the blades of grass grew covered in tears, the dark green shining in the sparse moonlight. He could feel hopelessness sinking its claws into him, feel as one by one his friends- his lights- flickered out. "Please." He croaks out, "Don't take anymore."

In response to his plea thunder booms overhead, offering to make the heavens cry for Naruto Uzumaki, to help share his pain. His palms press against the cool earth, nails digging into and scarring the ground for a short period of time. He bites down hard on his lower lip; feeling his sadness, his anger and his frustration slowly harden into fury. Pure, undulated fury that rolled off of him in thick waves that were tinted orange.

"Naruto." The soft voice chimes out, intermingling with the cool wind and striking harmony in the air. "Don't become angry, don't head down the path the Uchiha and I did." The wind sends a great gust over the Village of the Hidden Leaf and brushes over the forest. "Don't let yourself fall. You have a bright future ahead. Live it, make the most of it, for those of us who couldn't even begin to hope for what you're going to be capable of doing. For those of us who are slowly losing our sense of self."

His head snaps up, wide eyes searching for the black haired owner of the voice. He strained to see anything: a glimpse of red, a flash of black or a glimmer of turquoise. He was met with pure darkness instead as he search turns futile.

"I'm sorry blondie, that I couldn't be there for you. That I abandoned you. That I couldn't be the person you believed I could be. And I just want to tell you one thing..." Lighting races overhead, a brief flash of a smiling girl standing in front of him making his heart race. "No matter who I turn out to be, where I am or what I have done: I will always be rooting for you, Naruto."

A genuine smile appears on her lips, her hand reaching out to him. He lunges forward, and just seconds before he can grab her hand he touches something hard, like glass... and she disappears.

"WINTER!"

***

The crushing sound of roars of approval reached Winter's ears as she struggled to breath, a huge beast lying motionless on the sand next to her. Sweat poured down her face in rivulets and harsh coughs threatened to break out of her throat at any moment. Her already tattered clothes were in ruins and her legs shook with exhaustion.

One month. Two weeks. Six days. Nineteen hours. Forty-five seconds.

That was how long she'd been in this place. And it was slowly killing her, mentally and physically. She wiped the sweat off of her forehead, turning around to head back to her gate when the crowd grew eerily calm making her look around. Judal grins as he stands up from his box, high up in the stadium where he can view everything.

"My, my, hasn't this catch proved to be quite useful? I think we can all agree that the woman standing below us is a wonderful warrior, am I right?" Cheers met his words, Winter's eyes squinting in confusion. He raises a hand and the noise dies down once more. "Well I think it's just about time for an initiation, because I for one want to see all that she is capable of! So, let's see if she has the skills to become an Executioner!" The sound coming from the crowd was deafening, Judal's red eyes bearing down on her wickedly.

The sound of gates grinding open make her chest seize with panic. One by one a pride of snarling lions stalk out, their hackles rising from agitation. Then the gate, the gate she came from, opens up. Out walks Shiro, no sign of fatigue on his features at all. He holds a sturdy broadsword and he walks with confidence, confidence that wavers when he sees not only the lions already out but Winter as well.

"Let us see if these two can best the Namurian Lions, the pride that has eliminated several hundred contestants!"

Shiro frowns slightly, gripping his sword tightly as he stalks forward. Winter barely spares him a glance before bolting forward, sand whipping up around her. The lionesses come first, tails lashing and jaws dripping with saliva.

Winter doesn't know what happens, or really how it happens, but a bright flash of light blinds her just enough for one lionesses to pounce on top of her. The animal snarls fiercely and threatens to tear into her skin, the girl vanishing under the animal. The crowd murmurs, viewers straining their necks to catch a glimpse of what is going on.

The big cat let's out a shriek before slumping over, blood quickly pooling on the sand. There's a few shifts and Winter drags herself out from underneath the cat, drenched in its blood. Her eyes are hollow and she pushes herself to her feet, her dead gaze locking onto another lioness.

She lets her mind go blank, lets her instincts take over no longer wishing to bare the burden of killing unnecessarily. It takes only mere minutes for the pride to be destroyed and the crowd roars once more.

Winter's shoulders slump forward as she catches a glimpse of her transformed self; blood drenched and with an emotionless, drained face. She looked like she was ready to just fall over and die, to let this all end. But no, she couldn't let it end right now. She'd gotten this far, she was going to see it all the way through to the finish.

"And now, for the grand finale!" Judal's sickening voice echoes around her ears as the cheers die down to a rolling murmur of anticipation. "Number four!" Shiro glances up at the bloodthirsty young man, "What is your weapon of choice?"

"Chakram." He calls out in a strong voice making Judal's eyes glisten with excitement. A wave of the black haired man's hand and the circular weapon drops into the arena at Shiro's feet. He bends down and separates the two halves, wrapping his hands securely around the wooden handles. He spins them around expertly and nods his approval.

Judal turns his attention to the much more beaten up girl. "And you, number eight-two, what is your weapon of choice?" She licks her dry lips before looking up at him with cold eyes deciding to stick with what she knew best, "Twin katanas." She murmurs lowly, just loud enough for Judal to hear. He blinks once before laughing and waving his hand. Two katanas with black handles and rippled blades appear in the sand at her feet. Murmurs break out as Shiro raises an eyebrow at her weapon of choice.

Not many could wield two katanas, seeing how most focused on using one.

She leans down and picks up the deadly pieces of weaponry, adjusting her grip on the handles. The katanas were light weight and she rolled her shoulders back, feeling some amount of control washing back over her.

"As much as I hate to say this," Winter inwardly scoffed at his fake words, "It is time for these two to fight. I can only allow one back in, so I suppose it's up to you two to decide who wins and who loses their life." Shiro's eyes harden at the words and he spins one chakram on the tip of his finger.

Winter lets out a sigh, letting her tense muscles relax and closing one eye. She could feel her heart pounding relentlessly against her ribcage and her physical strength was draining with every second that ticked by. She closes her other eye blocking out all the excess noise. Her strength was almost to zero and she could feel her resolve wavering. It'd be so easy, to just give up and let darkness envelope her... it'd be so easy to lay down and let her problems fade away.

It'd be so easy to die right now.

"WINTER!"

Her body freezes as the voice reaches her ears. It was a voice usually so full of conviction, one that'd used to drive her to the brink of insanity. And now it sounded broken, lost and shattered beyond compare.

It was only a spark but that's all it took. Someone hurt her friend. Someone made him feel horrible, someone made him cry.

Shiro dashes forward, wanting to get his over with as quickly as possible. He flicks his wrist and the chakram flies at Winter's throat with incredible speed, she shouldn't be able to stop it. But she did.

Her swords snapped up in an X formation, slicing clean through the chakram. Her eyes opened and even though they were still hollow there was a small flicker... a flicker of lightning. A warning of the storm about to come. A promise of destruction.

Winter was pissed.

And so she shot forward, a snarl peeling back her lips as her sharpened teeth glinted in whatever light shone down onto the arena. Energy seemed to crackle around and as she spun high in the air, descending down to release her wrath all Shiro could think about was how she looked like an angel falling from the heavens to free him from the hell he was stuck in...

She was an angel with a vendetta.

That was the last thing Shiro ever saw. His death was quick and painless, though it only stacked up against Winter even more. It was one thing to kill animals with minimum regret, it was another to kill a human who had the misfortune of being stuck in the wrong place.

She slowly straightened up, her eyes meeting the gaze of Judal. He wore a sickening grin on his face, happiness clear in his eyes. Her eyes narrow and he felt a flash of an emotion long lost to him, the girl below him looking as if she was ready to unleash a monster within herself, as if she was ready to destroy this place brick by brick.

Her sharp teeth grit against one another, her body painted a scarlet red. She lifts her head high, a silent challenge issued to anyone who would dare to stand in her way. She raises one sword into the air, liquid dripping down the blade.

And she points it straight at Judal, her eyes burning like embers lost in a smothered fire.