[ picture in the media has nothing to do with this chapter, but I thought it was hella cute ]

~Chapter Thirty-Eight~

Eien yelped as Winter punched the back of his head, making the black haired male teeter forward before faceplanting in the grass. "I am too young to have a heart attack and yet you seem dead set on giving me one!" His twin roars, her eye alight with fury. Eien sits up on his knees, rubbing the back of his neck, a sheepish look passing over his face. But in the week he'd spent with Sia he'd gotten a bit of sass knocked into him.

"Sorry... WinWin."

Her eyebrow twitches. "And what's with that nickname?" She says, her eye flashing.

"Aw, I think it's rather adorable." Ja'far coos, slinging an arm over Winter's tense shoulders. "A sign of sibling affection, although I think everyone should start using it. In face, on your grave stone it will read "Here lies WinWin, the greatest Win to ever win."

Within seconds Ja'far was acquainted with the ground, grass going in his mouth. "That doesn't even make any sense!"

Sairen and Aexstra pause their sparring match to watch their leader walk all over the two males, her hair rising slightly as anger crackles around her. "Don't be so mean WinWin-chan~" He smirks up at her, the skin around his lips tinted green. "With such an adorable nickname, you're allowed to be super cute and sweet. Maybe then you can finally attract boys instead of sending them running in the opposite direction."

It is dead silent for a solid two seconds before Winter's eye twitches, her hair floating up above her, and lightning crackling in the distance. "...MY PERSONALITY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LACK OF BOYS IN MY LIFE." In the distance a flock of birds fly off, startled by the volume of her voice.

***

Dusting her hands off and leaving behind two sniveling boys, Winter makes her way to the official meeting place for the Lunar Society. Taking her place in between Emiko and Daiki, she waits patiently as the others trickle in, noting with satisfaction the amount of green grass residue on Jafar's face. Once all of the Originals had arrived, Winter started talking. "Daiki has located Scepter Eight's base. It's not too far from the old Shadow Village and hidden by one of their specialty jutsu's. However there is no doubt that once we arrive the Emperor will make a grand appearance to battle us. It's just how things work between these two organizations. One finds, the other makes a fantastic appearance. Unfortunately we got the short end of the stick so we don't get a grand entrance.

As you know, I went after the five generals yesterday, during the full moon. All of them are dead. I gathered enough information that the theory I devised two weeks ago was proven." She rubs her collarbone, thinking. "We will attack in duo's. Emiko and Daiki, Kuki and Kishi, Aexstra and Sairen, Eien and Kasumi, which leaves myself and Ja'far."

She looked around making sure that they were all satisfied with the arrangements. Her original plan was to put Eien and Ja'far together, which would leave her to summon Ara, but Eien had insisted on his partner being the wolf that had returned with him.

"We head out in an hour. Meet up at the entrance with any weapons you need. It will be a two hour journey, so make sure to bring light snacks and water as well."

"Yes, mother." Ja'far murmurs under his breath earning a glare from Winter.

Sure enough, exactly an hour later, all nine Originals showed up at the entrance ready to go. Winter nods in satisfaction and turns to face the barrier. Without a single warning she dashes towards it, the barrier splitting just a second before she hits it. She sprints through, the others following her with ease.

As the group moves down the mountain they slowly falling into a formation; Winter in the lead with Ja'far on her left and Eien on her right, the two behind her slightly. Behind those two where Daiki and Emiko, then Sairen and Aexstra. Kuki and Kishi brought up the rear, the flying girl's wings tucked away for now. All nine were wearing blood red cloaks, the fabric trimmed with silver. They raced over rocks, rivers, and even a small space of desert, never wavering, never tiring. If anything the time it took them to reach the start of Shadow territory gave all of them to slip into a calm mode, ready to fight, ready to kill. Ja'far knew better than anyone just what this could do to help Winter.

When give even the smallest amount of time to prepare for a battle, the black haired teenager would slip into a sort of perpetually calm state. Her body would move from muscle memory, her conscious receding into the depths of her mind, preparing for the fight. It gave her a chance to clear her mind and go in with a steady hand, knowing what she needed to do, and gave her a better chance of survival. The rest of the Original's did something similar, but Ja'far had never seen someone use this time the way Winter did.

At times, especially when he saw her fight after being in that state, it gave him a sense of relief that he was on her side.

They all were slightly surprised at how quickly the two hours flew past, and soon they arrived. It wasn't much, for the shimmering black barrier hid Scepter Eight's base from view. The nine crouch, hidden in the forest. "Now what?" Ja'far hisses, looking to Winter.

She grins over her shoulder at him, a smile full of mischief and sharp teeth. "Now we say hello."

She cracks her neck and the sky overhead slowly fills up with dark black clouds, thunder rumbling overhead. The thunder booms— it snarls and roars and shrieks. Winter clasps her hands together in the sign for dragon before completing a  series of handsigns that were too fast for them to follow. After the last sign, which looked like ox, she slammed her hand down on the ground. "Obliterate." She murmurs.

The wind picks up, the trees shudder, and lightning descends from the heavens crashing into the barrier. Electricity swirls along her arms before forming into a pack of growling wolves, lighting flickering to make raised fur and wicked teeth. They howl a challenge to the skies before sprinting forward, ramming their heads into the barrier, ripping at it with their teeth, yanking holes open with their claws. Cracks start form along the mass of black before a loud snap rings out. The barrier shatters, and a large gust of wind makes Ja'far squint his eyes. The lighting vanishes, as do the wolves, but the dark sky never gives way to the previous blue one.

They all cast incredulous looks at the elated Winter. "I need to teach you how to say hello so the next time you come to my house you don't destroy it." Ja'far says to her, walking out of the forest. "Because this is not how you usually say hello."

Winter looks at him, her face blank. "It's how I say hello."

"Well it's not the proper way."

"I don't care. This way is more fun."

"You didn't even say 'hello' therefore it's not even really a hello."

"Well then mister rule follower, next time I'll say hello after. Would that make you feel better?"

"Yes, yes it would."

"Look are we go to stand here and argue about how to say hello, or are we going to go fight?" Emiko huffs, her hands on her hips. "I swear you two are like children."

"Technically, Winter still is a child." Ja'far says, cracking his neck as they sense movement from the village before them. Soon they can see at least a hundred opponents running towards them. "She's not even sixteen yet!" Winter looks at him blankly causing Ja'far to mirror her look.

"My birthday is today." Is all she says before launching herself at the miniature army, not even bothering to unsheath her swords. Ja'far sprinted to keep up with her, the two guarding each other's backs they cut through their enemies. The others join the fray, each sticking with their partners. Every now and then Winter would glance around just to make sure everyone was doing alright, but she had no need to worry. These were some of the most capable fighters in the Storm Village and they barely had any scratches on them.

Despite his reassurances that he'd grown a lot stronger, Winter still kept most of her attention on Eien. Her twin had gotten better, his fists surrounded by a silver and blue mixed chakra styled substance, a ever changing weapon. His wolf, Kasumi, tore into anyone who dared to try and attack Eien while his back was turned to them.

Aexstra and Sairen made for a deadly combo, the scaled woman lulling her opponents into a dazed state while Aexstra dashed about, killing them swiftly.

Satisfied with how everyone was doing, Winter vaulted over a masked man, electrocuting him with a single touch. Landing in the crouch she makes several handsigns, twin electric wolves forming. They howl, the bone chilling sound climbing up the air. The race towards a group of people, their teeth long and humming with electricity. But seconds before they hit the group, snarling gray panthers made out of lighting as well, collide with them. The resounding explosion causes Winter to slide back a few feet, her arm shielding her eyes from debris. She slowly lowers her arm, watching as a woman steps out from the shadows.

Wearing a dark blue cloak with the kanji for shadow displayed on the back, Inazuma Kuro looks at her old student, not a hint of any emotion in her cold eyes.

Student and sensei stare at each other, time seeming to slow down. All at once it sped back up, the two rushing towards each other, lighting sparking in the air. The fight was fierce, lightning attack dispelling lighting. The two knowing each other so well that they could read what they were going to do moments before it actually happened. Kunai were flung and taken down by shuriken, fist met fist, each kick was either blocked or returned. It was like watching a deadly, mirrored dance.

Inazuma lunged forward, a kunai in hand, which was met by one of Winter's kunai. The two pressed against each other, their faces inches apart. "It doesn't have to be like this." Inazuma murmurs. "You could join us." Winter felt her body freeze up at her voice, the familiar warmth just barely there. "We could fight together, you and I. It would be just like old times." Inazuma looks into Winter's eye, gray clashing with turquoise.

Inazuma jumps back and lowers her kunai, holding out her empty hand for Winter to take. "We can go back to when we worked together, back to when the twins were still alive. We could be a team again...Yuki."

The black haired kunoichi stared long and hard at her sensei. Then, slowly, her arm lowered, the kunai being tucked away. She takes a step forward, not noticing the shocked looks on Ja'far and Eien's faces. Her steps are slow and measured, Inazuma's words ringing in her ears. "The twins will be revived and we can all be together again." Inazuma continues, watching as Winter takes her outstretched hand. The older woman draws her into a hug. "This is the right choice, Yuki."

Winter takes a deep breath, her eye closing. "Inazuma?"

"Yes?"

"I have something to tell you."

The older woman's arms are encircled around her, strangely cold. Winter felt her blood hum, felt the wind whisper at her back, felt the stares of her teammates. "You can tell me anything, dear." Winter gradually opened her eye, looking up into Inazuma's eyes. She licked her lips and took one more deep breath, allowing herself to take in her sensei. She then leaned in close, as if to whisper a secret into her ear.

"Ryu and Riku are dead, and so is Inazuma Kuro."

And with those words, Winter stabbed the woman in the heart.

Dun dun dunnnnnn!

A bit of humor mixed into this chapter (figured you guys would want some light hearted stuff before war comes and all the death happens... *thinks of all the people from Naruto who die in the war* *proceeds to cry*)

Okay, you guys are fantastic! A lot of you have said you're going to participate in my little contest, and I've even already gotten some entires, and can I just say... HOLY PANCAKES YOU GUYS ARE SO TALENTED! I feel like some of you guys should be the one's writing this story, not me lmao. If you for some reason don't know about the contest (or don't remember) all the details are on the chapter before this one, at the end.

QotC: Which duo do you like the best out of the Originals? (i.e. Eien and Kasumi or Daiki and Emiko, etc.)

I FINALLY DREW MORE PEOPLE FROM THIS STORY

ARE YOU READY TO SEE????

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I PRESENT TO YOU AEXSTRA AND SAIREN

Da[yummm] Aexstra's hot (or is that just me?)

So I've decided to draw the rest of the Originals in their pairs because it's easier. Actually I think I only have Kuki and Kishi left. (And Winter of course... but I'm really scared to draw her because I'm afraid she won't turn out how I want her too...)

Also Sairen might look different then I described her initially butttt this is how she officially looks now.

One last thing before I go (and sorry about the long author's note, I will be impressed if you guys read all of this)

MY BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP (it's on July 7th) AND I CAN GO GET MY DRIVER'S LICENSE I'M SO PSYCHED!!!

Bye now, I love all of your faces xx