The room was sparse and devoid of any decoration, and after being locked in the room for several days without food things started to get a little tense. No one could remember the point of the training exercise that Konohagakure and Sunagakure had agreed to put them through. Even Shizune and Kurenai were here. Temari's stomach growled noisily in the empty space, as she ran a hand across her stomach she said, "Dammit, when are we gonna get food, I'm starving."
"For the millionth time, no one knows," shouted Sakura. During the time they were in the room tensions began to run high. Everyone was getting on each other's nerves, and it was only a matter of time before someone got hurt. Sakura knew deep down that it couldn't last even as her stomach started its own gurgle. She rubbed it trying to push down her need, and under her breath, "I'm hungry too, ya know."
In on one corner of the room Kurenai and Shizune sat huddled together, talking mildly to themselves. After a few days without food, Shizune was not sure why she was even here. She was a medical ninja for crying out loud. And she said so to Kurenai. Whose only answer was to hold her stomach as it growled. "We need to get food soon, or I might start eating myself away."
"You don't think I know that, Kurenai," Shizune asked with an incredulous look on her face. "We might end up dying in here. We have plenty of water to last another day or so, but with this many people in here it might not last till then." Kurenai agreed with what was said, but the idea that Shizune was suggesting was abhorrent. Kill some of the others to save themselves? It wasn't a good thought. Shizune's stomach growled and Kurenai's answered the same call. They rubbed their stomachs, saying their minds, I'm so hungry.
During the conversation between the two jonin women Ino had stood up and stomped her way toward Temari. She grabbed Temari roughly by one of her ponytails, yelling loudly at her. Temari didn't look pleased at the assault she was being subjected to. She tried to remain focused, trying to reign her flaring temper in. But it wasn't enough as she launched her own attack at Ino. Her fist flying hard and fast smashing Ino square in the face. As Temari stood there she heard the sound of gurgling. Tenten was leaning against the walling rubbing her tummy, "Sorry, just hungry."
Something snapped in Temari and dove at the black-haired girl, the image of spaghetti and meatballs in her mind. Tenten saw what was happening and stepped to the side trying to get away from the crazed girl. But it wasn't enough as the blonde turned and jumped onto her back holding on tightly as her mouth opened wide. She clamped down on one of the Chinese buns, and looked mighty pleased. The pleasure lasted a second as her stomach growled against Tenten's back. "I'M SO HUNGRY!"
Everyone stood around in shock at the surprise turn of events. Ino laid on the floor in a daze oblivious to the altercation. Although everyone was shocked at the idea of them fighting amongst each other, one mind quickly slipped away from reality and dreamed. Hinata saw Naruto sitting on a stool at the Ichiraku Ramen store. As she stepped forward toward her secret love her stomach growled. Naruto looked toward her while her hands stroked her aching stomach. "I'm sorry I'm just so hungry."
Naruto smiled at her, "That's okay, why don't you join me? My-" Her dream was cut off as Shizune landed in her lap. Another fight had broken out, but this time it was Sakura fighting Shizune. Shinzune had apparently tried to kill Sakura, sneaking up behind her. She was outmatched in strength and went flying. The pressure was reaching the breaking point and everyone had one thing on their mind. Kill, and save themselves. The room became silent; anything could set them off, even a pin dropping.
They all spread out backs to the walls and corners staring at one another. Watching, waiting. Hinata was scared, she managed to last this long without complaining, but even her quiet demeanor couldn't last. Ino still laid on the floor, with Tenten eyeing her hungrily. Temari's illusion gave the weapon master an idea. If no one was gonna be fed, she might as well try tasting Ino. She ran her hand across her mouth shocked that she was drooling.
That same thought was on everyone's mind as they waited for the pin prick to break the silence. Ino's stomach growled sounding much louder in the silence. That was it, everyone stood and attacked the poor unconscious blonde. Diving for the only one amongst them not able to put up a fight. Tenten got to her first and as her hand touched Ino's she was pushed away roughly by Kurenai.
All hell had broken loose as the fight ensued. A cloud of kicking, punching, screaming girls fighting over the body of an unconscious girl. The hunger made them weak but it brought about a new kind of savagery. Hand signs were made, and jutsus were flying out at everyone. Their minds no longer cared for the niceties, or politeness, and only focused on satisfying their most primal need. Ino stirred and opened her eyes slightly. They widened in horror at the sight of friends and colleagues in a dire death match. She sat up, and asked to whoever would listen, "What the hell is going on?"
Hinata stopped in the middle of her bout, and turned towards the blonde. "I-I'm sorry but we're going to e-eat you."
Ino's rage rose to a level beyond comprehension as Hinata took a kunai to the shoulder. The beast within her mind grew more powerful. She roared in animalistic rage and jumped onto the blue-haired Hyuga girl. Anger surged giving strength to the basic mindset of eat or be eaten. Her mouth clamped down onto the now bleeding shoulder lapping at the crimson liquid. Satisfaction rose into her mind, and she grew complacent. Hinata punched her hard in the stomach forcing the girl off of her. Face to face they stared each other down. The connection between the two only broke when they were jumped upon by two others. Temari took Sakura, and Kurenai took Hinata.
Sakura's strength was devastating to the sand ninja as she landed a punch to her. Temari hear the audible crack of her ribs as several cracked and broke, lucky she used her wind release to soften the blow just in time. Summoning her fan she sent blades of wind outward towards the medical ninja. "Wind Release: Wind Cutter!"
The blades flew at Sakura at great speed. With quite a bit of luck and skill she managed to dodge them instead slicing into Tenten, causing her to yell out in pain, "Not AGAIN!"
Shizune having a talent with poisons was at a clear disadvantage, not wanting to damage the meat and risk poisoning herself. Still she fought tooth and nail, sending her senbon needles out piercing the flesh of several of the kunoichi at once. Kurenai blocked her face when she saw Shizune's attack letting the needles enter the flesh of her arms. She growled behind her defense and quickly charged the other jonin, leaping into the air with a scream.
War had broken out amongst these kunoichi. And they knew only one would remain forgetting completely that it was a training exercise, that these were friends and allies. Should anyone look on at the sight all they'd see is the carnage of a pack of dogs on a three legged cat. The terror in their eyes mixed together with the primitive fire of beasts and animals.
Ino's arm was broken by Hinata in a vicious arm bar that was out of place in the Hyuga clan's gentle fist martial art techniques, proving that reason was being lost to the girls. Tenten despite the wind cutter jutsu forgot her pain and using every weapon at her disposal went after the two jonin. She drew blood on Shizune, a kama cutting her leg. It seemed in all the time that was spent everyone was now close to even in power. No one really knew who would win this vicious bloodbath, but there had to be a winner. Or at the very least that was what was thought.
"Die, you witch, DIE!"
Sakura bit down on the arm she held not knowing anymore who she fought. She felt fists crash down on her head as someone tried to free themselves. Tears strolled down Hinata's face, as she threw the punches, her mind had slipped but yet a flash of Naruto's image brought her back for just a moment to realize the massacre that was being created around her. Fear grew to replace the savagery that she felt before, forcing her to fight not for the food she craved, but for her own life, that she would soon lose if she couldn't hold on.
Tenten fell hard from blood loss not quite out just yet. Temari saw her moment of weakness and attacked. The only thing that kept her from the kill was another wanting the same. They squared off, leaving Tenten the chance to rest and heal, circling each other like wolves in a dance of dominance. They attacked hands stretched out like claws tearing at each other's clothes and bare skin. Tenten after resting jumped onto the two and joined the fray.
The others saw this scrimmage and one-by-one joined the fight. Hinata stepped back from it hoping not to be drawn back into the zoo that her friends became, that she too was before. But sadly for her it was not meant to be as she felt a strong grip on her jacket and herself being pulled into the mix. At some point during this fight an unlucky blow landed not on a person but the single light bulb that hung from the ceiling. The room went dark, and still the creatures that once were mighty and noble ninjas fought, even more ferocious than before. No one could see a thing, and yet it didn't seem to matter, only the deep pangs of hunger drove them now.
They say that war never changes. That no matter what it's always the same, where the most basic of instincts reigned over the minds of humanity as they tore each other apart in the battlefield. Or even here in that tiny little room. As the proof of that statement is even more true than ever before. The leaf ninjas and the sand, no longer the same, but shells of their former selves brought down by something as simple as hunger. The one ninja that wasn't like that anymore, Hinata, cried hard as she fought for her life. Knowing full well that she too had fallen into that trap and the only saving grace was the man she had loved for so long. She cried harder at the thought of losing her chance to tell him her true feelings.
Outside the room the Kazekage, Gaara, stood with the hokage, Tsunade. "Well, it has been the allotted 36 hours. Shall we open the door?"
Tsunade looked at the young kage and smiled, "Of course. I'm glad we had the chance to do this team building exercise, the boys did a great job working together to get out. Let's see how the girls fared, hmm?"
The door began to open revealing the scene before them. The girls were in a pile, many were gnawing on the limbs of others, while fists still flew. Only the realization of the two Kages made them all look up. The two master ninjas looked on in shock at the gruesome scene of blood, bruises and broken bones. Gaara looked at Temari, the leg of Hinata in her mouth. He opened his mouth and said, "Are you going to finish that?"