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Chapter 22 - The Sacrifice and Her Protector

In Jump City, there is a tower standing on an island where a team of heroes live. These heroes have been found in numerous places and brought together to protect the world.

Chapter 22 - The Sacrifice and Her Protector

Chapter 22 - The Sacrifice and Her Protector
It's impossible. I must have been seeing things.

Flashback:

"Lightning Blade!" A male voice called out followed by the sound of raw electricity. Fade's eyes snapped open at the familiar voice and she stared in shock at the sight before her.

Terra was stopped in her tracks; a hand emanating lightning sparks was through her chest. Her eyes were wide with horror and then faded into a dull shade of blue as she slumped forward. The man pulled out his hand from the dead teens chest and watched as the body fell to the ground, staining the dirt with her blood. The shadow possession jutsu had worn off, but Fade was still frozen in place, her blue eyes brimming with tears as she stared at the tall middle-aged man with disbelief. He turned and smiled at the girl.

It was no other than Kakashi Hatake, in the flesh, and very much alive.

"D…Dad?" Fade choked out, the tears finally falling from her eyes. Even Inuyasha was at a loss for words.

"Looks like we got here in the nick of time." The former ANBU leader stated, before ruffling his daughter's hair.

Mimic stared into Naruto's eyes, both of them are reflecting fear. The blade lingered on her pale skin, pricking her slightly. Mimic awaited the pain, but instead she felt the grip on her soul vanish quickly. Naruto felt his sister's influence leave his body and then he felt the gentle touch of a hand on his shoulder. He slowly looked to the right of him and paled. Gentle green orbs bore into his shocked blue ones as the pink haired kunoichi helped him to his feet. Mimic stared at the supposed dead girl before turning to see what had become of Crystal.

She saw disbelief gleaming in the girl's eyes as she slowly backed away, her body rigid with shock.

A gloved hand appeared next to Mimic, belonging to a boy wearing a black and red outfit and a friendly smile on his pale face. She took his hand and he gently pulled her up.

End of Flashback

Those people… they're supposed to be dead. I saw their bodies. This has got to be a trick.

"Minami… I heard you failed your mission. Quite disappointing." Naraku's sadistic voice brought her out of her thoughts. She glared, her eyes glowing slightly.

"Watch your mouth, half breed, or this will be your last breath." She threatened, her voice thick with malice. Naraku's eyes darkened at her choice of words, but he kept quiet. That blood power was not something to mess with.

"Naraku." Slade called out, catching the spider demon's attention. "You have an errand to run." Naraku glared, hating being referred to as an 'errand boy'. If he still possessed the Sacred Jewel, he would overthrow Trigon and defeat Inuyasha and the others all at once. But, Trigon holds the jewel; increasing his, already dangerous, power ten-fold. Even he, Naraku, wouldn't stand a chance. So, he just needs to play along.

"Oh? And what might that be?" He asked nonchalantly.

"The kidnapping of Ichiko Ryoko." Slade seemed to be smirking beneath his mask.

"Ichiko Ryoko?" What is her purpose?" Naraku asked with mild curiosity.

"With her blood… Trigon shall rise again."

Naraku's eyes widened. They found the sacrifice already?

"I see. Where would I find her?"

Slade smirked again.

"Cross Academy."

XxXxXx

"ZERO-KUN~!"

Ryoko squealed as she tackled Zero from behind. The young vampire hunter nearly toppled over from shock at the sudden human contact. He sighed and glanced down at the overly excited girl who currently had her arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

"Ryoko, what are you doing?" He asked before prying her off of him. This action seemed to annoy her slightly, but she simply brushed it off.

"Happy Birthday!" She exclaimed, a huge smile on her face. His eyes widened in shock before softening. A warm smile appeared on his face as he ruffled her hair.

"Thanks." He said after a few minutes, his eyes never leaving hers. She smiled up at him, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Otousan and I made a cake! So you better be grateful and eat it all!" She squealed, earning a soft chuckle from the boy. However, a twinge of pain erupted in his heart. He gazed down at her smiling face, his eyes filling with sorrow as her blonde hair changed into a soft brown and her blue orbs darkened to a chocolate brown. His mind seemed to whisper that name that had been forgotten; foreign to his lips.

Yuki…

"Zero?" Ryoko whispered; her tone worried. Abruptly, the image of the former prefect vanished, and he was back with the girl who had melted away the ice the previous one had left around his heart.

"Zero, do you miss her?" Ryoko whispered softly, her eyes hidden beneath her bangs. When there was no response she looked up at him, her sorrowful blue orbs now visible. "Cross-San, I mean." She watched as a collection of emotions danced across his face.

Sorrow, Anger, Loss, Guilt… Love.

Without thinking, she placed her hands on each side of his face, cradling his head in her small hands. He looked at her sadly, seeing his reflection, as well as her concern, within her eyes.

"Well now, isn't this a touching moment?" Naraku sneered, his sudden presence alerting the two prefects. In a flash, Zero pushed Ryoko behind him and pulled out his Bloody Rose; aiming it at Naraku's chest.

"Such a strange toy…" Naraku murmured, unfamiliar with the weapon.

"Zero, the Bloody Rose won't work on him… he's not a vampire." Ryoko whispered, her hand placed on her thigh where a stash of kunais and shurikens were kept.

"He's not human either." Zero spat, obviously disgusted with the creature before him. Naraku smirked and chuckled.

"Regardless of what I am… Step away from the girl. I will be taking her." Naraku snarled before tentacles shot out from his body and heading towards Ryoko.

BAM!


Naraku's eyes widened at the wound in his right shoulder. What really surprised him was that it wasn't healing like it should be. The tentacles froze and then crumbled into dust.

The Bloody Rose worked? Ryoko thought with disbelief. What is this guy?

Ryoko took a step forward from behind Zero, her eyes staring at Naraku's shocked form.

"Why do you want me?" She asked, her hand grasping onto a kunai – just in case he tried anything. Naraku, having being brought back to reality, smirked and unleashed a cloud of miasma which engulfed the girl and brought her to her knees; she lost consciousness soon after.

"Ryoko!" Zero yelled, about to run towards her but was stopped as the cloud of poison neared him. Cursing silently, he covered his nose and stayed back. Naraku chuckled and began to approach her, the miasma having no effect on him. He froze in his tracks as a black figure leapt down from a nearby tree, landed by the unconscious girl, picked her up, and then jumped a good 10 feet away. The cloud of miasma kept the person hidden from view, the only thing was visible was their silhouette.

"It's been a long time, Naraku. And here I thought that idiot of a half demon had killed you." A feminine voice called out.

"Who dares to speak to me that way?" He snarled, narrowing his eyes. She simply laughed before a swirl of leaves surrounded her and Ryoko, and then surrounded Zero as well. Then, the miasma cleared; the three of them had vanished.

xXxXxX

Three loud knocks echoed throughout the tower, alerting those who heard it. I mean seriously, who knocked anymore?

Beastboy, who was the closest to the door, opened it and peered out warily. He then looked down and let out a startled yelp while jumping 5 feet in the air. "Our hero", right?

The unconscious bodies of Ryoko and Zero were at their doorstep, along with a cute little pink card on top of their bodies.

Hearing Beastboy's cry, Fade, Usagi, and Cyborg came down to investigate. Fade glanced down at their "present" with wide eyes. Usagi blinks blankly before kneeling down and picking up the card. He opens it and skims through it briefly. Without a word, he hands it to Fade. Fade gives him a questionably look before taking the card. It read:

My dearest Fade,

I leave this girl to you and your band of dorks. 3 The guy is just a bonus, enjoy! He's a sexy little thing. I entrust that you'll protect her.

Love and kisses
!
<3


Fade's eyebrows knitted together with confusion as she tried to think of the person responsible for this. Sighing, she placed the card in her back pocket and turned towards Usagi and Cyborg.

"Can you two take them up to the infirmary?" She asked before leaving them behind. With a sigh, Usagi lifted up Ryoko and carried her in his arms while Cyborg slung Zero over his shoulder.

Meanwhile, a girl with long glossy black hair and piercing green eyes sat up in a tall tree, silently watching Usagi and Cyborg carry the two inside. With a smirk, she leaned against the tree's base and watched as the doors closed.

"I think I'll stick around, just for a bit." She whispered, remembering the look on Fade's face as she read her note. The girl smiled before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

xXxXxXx

Ryoko awoke in a strange and very white room. She panicked, having remembered her previous encounter with Naraku.

Was I captured?

She slowly turned her head, observing her surroundings. The room was fairly large, way bigger than the dorm she had back at the academy. The walls were bare and plain, and the carpet was a dull shade of gray. She looked down and realized she had been sleeping on a large, and rather comfortable, circular bed. Again, much bigger than the one back home. She slowly moved to the edge of the bed where she swung her legs over the side and placed her bare feet on the carpet. Hesitantly, she made her way to the rectangular metal door. As she approached, the door swooshed open, slightly startling her. She peered out into the hallway, slowly she looked down the hall in each direction; it was empty.

Summing up her courage, she stepped out of the room, jumping once again as the door swooshed closed. She began to make her way down the empty hallway, not sure where exactly she was headed.

"Oh, you're up." A male voice called out behind her, causing her to leap five feet into the air, which in turn startled the boy as well. She turned around to see a boy with brown hair and emerald green eyes trying to slow his pounding heart. He looked a little bit older than her, and he didn't appear to be a threat. He looked rather weak, actually.

"Jeez, don't scare me like that!" He yelled, his heartbeat slowing finally. Ryoko blinked before silently apologizing.

"I'm sorry, sir. Um, could you tell me where I am and why I am here?" She asked politely. Misaki blinked and looked at her with a slightly confused look.

"You're in Titans Tower… You're a new recruit, aren't you?" He asked with curiosity. Ryoko stared at him as though he grew another head.

"I'm where and what?" She asked, completely lost. Misaki was about to repeat himself when a large hand rustling his hair stopped him. Ryoko gasped slightly at the man who had just appeared. He was taller than the boy, and older by the looks of it. He was rather pale, including his hair, which was a lovely shade of silver. His eyes were violet, and held a sort of mysterious vibe. He wore a casual, yet professional, white button up shirt and brown slacks. She couldn't help herself.

She had a fan girl moment.

So cute!
She mentally screamed, gazing at the man with wide eyes and a small blush across her cheeks.

"If you would come with me, Ms. Ichiko, I can answer your questions for you. My name is Usami Akihiko, and this is Takahashi Misaki." Usagi stated, a small smile on his lips. (The ones he usually saves for award ceremonies and such) Ryoko blinked several times, trying to snap out of her thoughts. She nodded and walked over to the two men. Usagi led her to a room about 13 doors away from the room she had left. Ryoko read the words "FADE" on the metal door. However, unlike the door she encountered, this one didn't automatically open when Usagi stepped in front of it. Usagi knocked softly on the metal door and waited patiently.

Seconds later, a girl with shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes emerged. She was wearing a black low-cut tank top and dark blue jeans. She looked at Usagi and then to Ryoko.

"Oh, so you're awake. Come in, Come in." Fade greeted, smiling kindly at Ryoko, who was slightly taken aback by her beauty. Ryoko walked inside the room, not noticing that Usagi and Misaki had followed her.

"You can take a seat on that couch over there." Fade called out to her, pointing to a black loveseat across from a queen-size bed, which was hovering off the ground. (Chains were holding it up.) Ryoko sat on the right side of the loveseat just as Misaki sat on the left side. Usagi was leaning against the wall not too far from Misaki. Fade sat on the edge of her bed, still smiling.

"Hello, Ryoko. My name is Keira Hatake, but please call me Fade. I'm sure you're wondering why you're here, frankly, so are we." Fade laughed softly at Ryoko's confused, childish face.

"Let me explain… our friend, Beastboy, found you and Zero at our doorstep unconscious. All there was, other than you two, was a note. The note said that you needed protection… therefore, I made the order to bring you and Zero into our home." Ryoko's eyes widened at the mention of her friend.

"Where's Zero?" She practically screamed, fear visible in her eyes. Fade held up one hand and smiled gently at the worried girl.

"It's alright. He is in the main room along with some of our other friends. He woke up a day ago… you've been asleep for two days. That's how we know your name. Zero told us about the demon you fought, whose name is Naraku by the way." Fade's eyes narrowed slightly, that name leaving a bad taste in her mouth.

"Naraku?" Ryoko asked, still trying to digest this information.

"He's a despicable demon who has claimed many lives. He is also one of our biggest enemies." Fade explained. "I just want to know why he was after you." She finished, raising an eyebrow.

Ryoko was silent for a moment, her eyes staring down at the black carpet. After five minutes she whispered:

"I wish I knew."

Before anyone else could say anything, the "Danger Alert" was going off. The siren blared and red lights flashed throughout the whole tower. That's when a girl with red hair and green eyes ran into the room, a murderous glare on her face. Ryoko couldn't help but notice that this girl was also just as beautiful as Fade.

"Fade, It's Crystal!" Mimic called out, venom coating her voice. Fade's eyes narrowed and she quickly rose to her feet. In a flash, she tied her hair back and attached her small weapons bag to her thigh. She glanced over at Misaki and Usagi, a fierce look in her eyes.

"Usagi-San, Misaki-Kun… please, protect Ryoko!" She exclaimed before her and Mimic disappeared into thin air. Ryoko stared at where Fade use to stand, her eyes wide with disbelief.

xXxXxXx

All the Titans, minus Usagi, Ciel, and Misaki, gathered around outside the Tower entrance. To their distaste, Crystal stood a couple feet away, her eyes as cold as ever. Robin was the first to speak.

"What do you want, Crystal?" He spat, not having much patience for traitors. Crystal ignored him and scanned over the many faces in front of her.

"Where's the girl?" She asked dully. Fade took a step forward, her fists clenched.

"Like I'd let you get to her. Why do you want her anyway?" Fade snarled, her blood beginning to boil. Everyone else readied themselves for battle, knowing that they couldn't just let that innocent girl be taken by the girl before them.

Crystal smirked.

"That girl is the portal needed to bring Trigon to Earth. You, of all people, should have known that, Raven. You are able to have 'visions' of anything regarding your father's resurrection. So is the fate of any of the prophecies born in his name."

Everyone froze; they were shocked into silence. Not even Inuyasha had anything to say.

"Now there's no way I'm letting you get to her!" Fade yelled before charging towards Crystal, Sebastian and Mimic shadowing her movements. Crystal glared and easily dodged them. She was preparing to throw a paper bomb at the three while in midair, but was struck from behind and was brought crashing down into the dirt. Then out of nowhere, a dozen of kunai's with paper bombs attached at the ends stuck into the ground, outlining Crystal's body. Crystal's eyes widened and before she could get away she was thrown a good 12 feet away in from the explosion.

"Honestly, I never thought you to be the one to betray your comrades. I guess people change. What a disgrace you are to the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Namikaze Minami." A feminine voice called out, the owner hidden behind the smoke from the explosion. Soon, a black silhouette was spotted, the person seeming to be walking towards Crystal.

Two shurikens flew out from the silhouette and hit Crystal on her cheek and on her right arm, leaving deep gashes.

The mysterious woman chuckled, stopping in her tracks.

"Honestly," the smoke cleared and a handful of people gasped. "You bring a downer to my reunion party."

There, standing in front of Crystal, was not other than Hyuuga Patzie, a smirk upon her lips.

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