Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any other Character on the show though I wish I did.
My sister made this one. (My idea though)
Blood Jutsu
The message arrived via hawk, not abnormal in the least, and even as the decoders read it, it didn't seem as if the mission really had any real threat to it. The only strange thing about it was the fact that it asked for a large number of ninja. Taking precautions, Tsunade listened to her instincts, and decided to send all ninja available, which turned out to be the two Jonin, Kakashi and Neji, as well as most of the rest of the chunin (And Naruto) from teams Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai, and Shikamaru.
"There has been reports of a group of a ninja attacking a small village in hidden in the hills. Your mission is to investigate, and report back to me." Tsunade explained, glaring at the group of twelve that stood in front of her.
"Oh come on, Granny Tsunade, why do we all have to go?" Naruto whined, "I mean I'm sure that Lee and his team could take this alone." Neji smirked,
"For once my Lady, I must agree with Naruto." Neji sent a smug grin in Naruto's direction, "I'm sure my team could handle it without them to slow us down." Naruto let out a roar of irritation,
"Would you stop TWISTING MY WORDS!" Naruto growled at the Hyuuga. "We would NOT slow you down! I was just saying…"
"ENOUGH!" Tsunade roared, "Your all going! Kakashi is in charge! Listen, and GET IT DONE!" she scanned the stunned group, "Any questions, EXCEPT from Naruto?"
"NO MA'AM!" the group chorused. She grinned.
"I thought not, now get out of my office!" they all tripped over each other in order to escape her fury.
…
Five hours after the journey began, Shino spoke.
"Kakashi sensei we should take a break it's getting late." Kakashi looked up towards the pale sky.
"Yeah we'll stop here, but first, Neji!" the boy turned around to face the masked ninja,
"Yes Sensei?"
"Go scout ahead and make sure it's all clear." Kakashi hesitated. "Oh and take Hinata with you." Neji nodded motioned for Hinata to come with him, and leapt into the bushes.
A few minutes later, Neji heard a sound in the bushes.
"Wait!" he exclaimed digging a kunai out from his bag and holding at a ready position.
"What is it Neji-Kun?" Hinata asked reaching for her own kunai. "Byakugan!" She whispered.
"It's fine." Neji began lowering his weapon. "He has a low flow of chakra if any at all. Probably a villager." Neji stepped forward. "Come out we know you are there." A handsome man stepped out into the large clearing that Neji and Hinata where standing in.
"Why of course." The man said stopping a few feet a way from Neji. "I can see that you are not the enemy but the leaf village aid!" Neji nodded and stiffened; something didn't feel right about him. Neji looked at him with his penetrating eyes.
"Huh, if you are really a villager I would have expected that you would have had the common sense not to come out, especially at night until we shinobi came to meet you." The man's eyebrows pulled into a strait line in the middle of Neji's sentence.
"I'm sorry to be an inconvenience to you but our leader sent my sister and me to meet you." Neji looked around he had seen no one with the strange man.
"What sister? Where is she?" He asked. A figure appeared behind him.
"Brother dearest you're being quite rude. Why not tell them your name?" She to was beautiful and graceful. Both had jet-black hair and dark eyes.
"Useless and time wasting!" The man cried, "But, if it will appease you sister." He turned to Neji and Hinata, "I am Fenogi and this woman here is my dear sister Firongi. We are from the village hidden among hills." Hinata stepped forward so that she was closer to Neji, she felt uneasy about the man's hungry stare.
"My name is Hinata Hyuuga and this is my cousin Neji Hyuuga." Neji flinched when she told them their clan and how they were related.
"Charmed." Firongi smiled, gracing them with a deep bow. "Excuse my dear brother. He is just hungry." She admitted. Neji was prepared to leave this conversation. Staying to long would make Kakashi wonder what they were doing.
"I'm sorry if we interrupted your supper." Neji replied. "We should be going." He grabbed onto Hinata's arm.
"Oh no." Fenogi said suddenly behind Neji, putting a chilled hand on his shoulder. "Your just in time for supper."
…
"Kakashi Sensei did you hear that?" Kiba asked getting to his feet after two piercing screams broke the silence of the night. Kakashi nodded.
"You heard it to huh?" He asked the antsy boy in front of him. "Looks like Neji and Hinata ran into some trouble. Get ready we're going. NOW!" Akamaru whined inside of his master's jacket.
"Hinata is fine Akamaru don't worry." Kiba reassured him, scratching the dog's shivering head.
…
"Master Kakashi." Tenten said catching up to him. "Are you sure something is wrong? Maybe it was just a… maybe their not even in trouble." Kakashi shook his head and mumbled half to himself.
"Even Hinata doesn't scream like that when there is no threat, and for Neji to scream that's just not him."
Kiba and Kakashi both stopped once they entered the clearing.
"Kakashi sensei what's wrong?" Ino asked stopping next to Kiba.
"Blood." Kakashi and Kiba answered together.
"Neji and Hinata's." Kiba added taking another whiff.
"Blood?" Sakura asked. "Are you positive?" Kakashi nodded walking forward once he heard shuffling in the bushes.
Suddenly Neji tumbled out of the foliage covered in scratches and blood.
"Neji!" Tenten and Rock Lee yelped, and ran to help Neji stand. More blood poured from his mouth staining their shoes, pants, and the ground crimson.
"Sakura!" Lee yelped but she was already there, helping him lay down. Lee took a cautious step back, and pulled Tenten with him.
"Can you sit up?" Sakura asked helping him up. He nodded and put his right arm back for support.
"Now what happened? Can you tell us?" Kakashi asked smoothly. Neji nodded again and cleared his throat with a large cough.
"Shortly after…" He began then hacked more blood on to his lap. It took a moment for him to be able to talk again, "Shortly after you sent us out we met two people, but they weren't villagers like we originally believed. They were the enemy." He coughed again. Sakura patted his back, like she was burping a baby. "They attacked, and I told Lady Hinata to run but…" He paused. "The woman jumped on her and bit her. The man tried to bite me but I think it was only a knick…" Naruto and Kiba leapt towards their half dead comrade.
"Bit?" Naruto asked. Neji just gave a slight nod.
"Neji let me look at that bite." Sakura said pushing the two idiots away. Neji pointed to his shoulder and Sakura rolled up the sleeve to look.
Sakura bit her lip, and rolled the sleeve back down. "Neji he bit you and it looks pretty deep. Only two bite marks though and around it the skin is purplish. It's almost like… A snake bit you." The crowd began to mumble.
"Calm down every one Sakura just try to wrap it up before it gets…" Kakashi began, but Neji let a scream rip through his lips as he fell back on to the ground clawing at his shoulder as if it burned him.
His heart sounded like the blades on a helicopter as he gasped and spit blood. Finally the screaming ended and Neji lay still on the ground.
"Back up!" Sakura screamed and knelt over Neji. She put her hands on his chest for a minute before saying a quite "No" She turned and looked at the group behind her tears dripping down her cheeks.
"What?" Tenten screamed. "Tell me what's wrong with Neji!" she shrieked at the sobbing medical ninja.
"It was too late, I couldn't save him! He's gone ok!" The forest seemed to take a moment of silence. Before Tenten's screams broke the quiet, she fell to her knees.
"No! He can't die! No, no, no, no!" She shrieked until Kakashi grabbed her arm.
"Tenten in the life of a shinobi you have to be prepared for losses." He said like it was a prepared speech.
"LIES!" Tenten screamed shaking out of Kakashi and Lee's grip and running to Neji's cold motionless body. "NEJI!" She cried and began pounding on his chest. Lee stepped closer, but Choji and Shikamaru beat him to it. Each grabbed onto the screaming, struggling girl.
"Tenten calm down. He's gone I know it's a drag and all, but you'll move on." Shikamaru said.
"Yeah hitting him won't bring him back. Like Sakura said it's to late!" Choji added.
"NO, NO! Let go! He's not dead!" Their captive sobbed. "NEJI!" She screamed plopping herself on the grass, and curling up into a ball she began to shake violently.
Neji's eyes cracked open and he struggled onto his elbows, and whispered. "Tenten." No one turned to him, they were to intent on the despair in Tenten's heavy sobs. He grunted and forced himself to move his legs. "Tenten." He repeated louder. Kiba's ear twitched, but nothing more, he must have passed it off as a whisper from another one of the crowd staring at the sobbing Kenochi. Neji moaned again staying in a sitting position for a while before trying to stand again. "Tenten." Finally the group looked up at him. His cuts were healed, but blood still clung to his face.
"Neji!" Tenten exclaimed jumping to her feet. Neji was standing when she made it over to him. Tenten wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. "Neji." She whispered so only he could hear.
"I'm back." Neji shakily put his arms around her and tilt his head down so his face was on her neck. Slowly he opened his mouth and bit down on her exposed skin. She screamed and struggled under him, but his grip was like iron she couldn't break through. Her body grew limp and her screams ceased as Neji scooped her up into his arms. "I'm so sorry." He whispered into her ear. "I had to."
"Your… One … of them." Tenten wheezed clinging onto his shirt. Before he could answer, her arm dropped and her breathing stopped.
Lee roared and ran towards them.
"What did you do to Tenten?" He demanded.
"He… bit her." Kiba snarled Sakura stepped back.
"That means…." She began Shino finished for her.
"He's one of them, one of the enemy ninja" His tone wasn't its usual unconcerned monotone.
"He's like a vampire." Naruto growled his blue eyes growing darker.
"Very good guess." An unfamiliar female voice said from the bushes. "Ah Neji already at it hmm?" She asked stepping into the sliver of light left by the moon.
"You!" Neji hollered tightening his grip on Tenten. It was the same woman he had encountered before one of the reasons he was like this. Why Tenten was like this "What did I… why was I so attracted to Tenten's blood?" He asked his voice was sharp.
"Because you are one of us." She simply replied brushing her silky hair back.
"Where's Hinata!" Kiba asked stepping closer to Firongi.
"Wait. Kiba come back here, I'll do the questioning." Kakashi said and casually made his why to the beautiful demon. "What's going on here?" He asked.
"We are merely feeding." She answered. Kakashi nodded.
"And do you know where our missing little lady is?" She nodded.
"Of course those snakes do!" Neji hissed pulling Tenten to a spot on his back and getting into a crouch teeth bared, hands formed into claws.
"Come my son." Firongi said motioning for Neji to follow.
"No wait!" Kakashi said. "What is this?" She smiled.
"Jutsu." The white haired sensei said nothing more, when the black haired demoness answered so curtly. "Neji follow." She demanded. Neji shook his head but his feet unwillingly dragged him towards her.
"Neji." A small voice said into his ear. "I smell something. It smells good." Tenten propped her chin on Neji's shoulder, but jumped off his back once the wind blew from where the mortal group was standing to them.
"Tenten! No!" He yelled as Tenten inched to the group, only Lee stepped forward.
"Lee." She said. Her voice more attractive then any living thing's. "Lee please. Help." Lee took another step to her. Tenten bared her teeth and jumped on him biting deep into his left shoulder.
Lee let out a shriek of pain; he could not free himself Tenten on top of him was like an elephant on a mouse. Crushing him. Tenten drew back wiping her lips on her arm. Once she turned to look for her next prey the group set off running.
Ino let out a piercing scream when her foot struck a rock and she fell. Three vampires jumped on her before she could regain her balance.
"Ino!" Sakura screeched, but continued running. Ino kept them occupied long enough that the group could escape towards a large bubble that surrounded a small village.
"What is this place?" Choji asked and ran his hand down the paper-like exterior.
"I don't know but we have to get in." Kakashi said pulling up his headband to reveal the sharingan eye. "There's a weakness… right here." Kakashi said and rammed all his weight at a spot on the bubble. "Everyone but Kiba, Choji, and Shino go in and tell them we mean no harm that we were attacked by these creatures and we need shelter," The group nodded. "Shino you take west, Kiba south, Choji north, and SHIKAMARU come here. You guard east." Choji raised his hand.
"Guard?" He asked Kakashi nodded.
"Don't let the Vampires get in." Kakashi clarified. The group of boys nodded and set off in their directions.
…
"Pretty creepy stuff out here eh Shino." Kiba asked after a while of silence.
"Yes. But Kiba don't let them…" Shino began but Kiba cut him off.
"Hinata? Hinata your alive!"
"Don't fall for it man!" Shikamaru screamed into the radio.
…
Kiba turned off his radio and stepped closer to Hinata's figure that sat in the grass only feet away from him.
"Kiba-Kun." She said her voice was low and shaky. Kiba took one more step, and with a sigh of relief, he staggered into the grass next to her, and wrapped his arms around her neck.
"I thought I lost you." He whispered into her coat.
"I think they're going at this wrong." Hinata said putting her arms around him. Akamaru whined as Hinata smiled and buried her head onto his neck.
"How did you get away from them?" Kiba asked stroking her hair. Hinata shook her head and laughed.
"I didn't."
"GAH!" Kiba screamed as Hinata exposed her teeth and dug them deep into his neck. Kiba shook under her grasp but didn't try to break free. Resistance was futile.
"Kakashi I think we have a situation." Shikamaru said into the microphone,
"And that would be?"
"We just lost Kiba." The other end was silent. "Kakashi I think I know why…" Shikamaru was backing up now heading closer to the bubble. "You watch horror movies right?"
"Yes, but what does a horror movie have to do with this?" Kakashi's voice was deep with a hint of frustration,
"Any one that goes off on their own is a goner. And I think by sending out four people your going to be left with one or two coming back." Shikamaru said nothing else but turned to leave. "Retreat." He called into the microphone at his neck.
"No." Choji's voice said from the other end. "I found Ino." Shikamaru shook his head.
"I know it's a drag man but you heard what happened to Kiba!" Shikamaru screamed, sprinting towards the bubble.
"No" Choji whispered into the microphone again and stepped forward. "We didn't see Ino get bitten maybe she did some kinda flower jutsu and poofed."
"Maybe." Shikamaru was panicking now. "But maybe she's going to trick you like Neji tricked Tenten and Hinata tricked Kiba!" With that Choji ripped the radio off his neck and went closer to Ino. She was leaning against a tree panting, blood dripped onto the ground.
"Ino are you ok?" Choji asked grabbing her arm and sitting down onto the wet grass in front of her. Some of the spots on her purple shirt had been stained red with blood. "Ino let me see." He said pulling her closer so he could get a better look; it was dark out which made it hard to see. Ino pulled closer to him; Choji took her arm in shaking hands. "Ino you're a little close." He said inching back. "Pleasantly plump people need their space." Ino followed him. Beads of sweat clung onto Choji's eyebrows. "Ino what would Shika say? You know he likes you way better." She came closer, her knee was touching his now. "I only like you like a sister or something!" she pounced sitting on his stomach and biting hard on his neck. He let a yelp escape his lips before slipping into unconsciousness.
"Choji is probably gone. That sounded like she caught him." Shino muttered into the radio, He started to step back through the greenery.
"Shino." A low voice said from the bushes.
"Come on Shikamaru stop this nonsense." He replied stepping back.
"Shino." Another voice said from behind him.
"Shikamaru that's not you." Shino twisted around to look into the shrubs. It was so dark. "Parasitic insects…"Something jumped on him from behind. He swatted at it but his arms were held down by another vampire; leaving his neck completely exposed. Shino flipped when he saw the figure coming closer to his neck. "No." He said and rolled on to his stomach his glasses fell to the ground. The figure holding his arms shifted their weight and their knee land on the glasses snapping them in two. Shino watched them snap. A scream ripped through his throat as he was bitten, he thrashed, but missed each time as he attempted to hit his assaulters. Soon the blackness came and sucked him in. So this is what it feels like to die. He thought.
"Shino what's going on?" Shikamaru asked. "Kakashi."
"Huh?" His voice was tired like the call interrupted a nap.
"It's down to me I don't know how but they got Shino, I'm almost there."
"Shika!" A voice called from behind him. Shikamaru didn't look back he kept running. Only a few feet left.
"Why are you running?" Choji asked this time.
"We asked you a question." Ino, Hinata, and Tenten jumped onto Shikamaru's back laughing.
"Come on where you going?" Tenten asked biting his arm. Shikamaru screamed
in pain.
"We just want to play!" Ino laughed chomping down on his neck.
"You don't have to go." Hinata smiled and sunk her teeth deep into his leg. Shikamaru struggled and screamed for help. He clawed at the bubble but the others came out of a small hut just in time to see him breathe his last breath, and then slip into unconsciousness.
"Shikamaru!" Sakura shrieked watching the group drag him away.
"Man Sakura! Now I know how you felt not being able to do ANYTHING as your friends were taken down in front of you." Naruto sighed and Kakashi grabbed the shaking girl.
"Who's left?" He asked his voice had a tint of fear in it.
"I think it's just me, you, and Sakura." Naruto answered.
"I'm going to send a bird to Tsunade then; to tell her what has happened. We need back up." Kakashi went into the hut again. Naruto and Sakura followed close behind. "There." He said as soon as they arrived; he was rolling a letter into a small scroll and shoving it into a small pouch. "Ask the villagers if they have any pigeons to spare." Naruto and Sakura nodded took the letter and headed out the door.
"Excuse me but do you happen to have any pigeons?" Sakura asked, one of the villagers nodded, and ran off into the night.
…
It was almost midnight before they managed to get a bird into the air. Kakashi was outside gathering samples of Shikamaru's blood for examination when he saw the pigeon leave. Knowing that such a move could bring attention to his spot, Kakashi hightailed it back into the village.
"Sakura, I have the blood sample." He explained as he pushed open the flap, and stepped into the small medical hut of the village. She looked up from the herbs that lay scattered all over the small medical bench, and nodded.
"Give it to me, and go get any information that you can from the village leader about what these strange happenings are about. Tell me what you find out. I might be able to find a cure better if I have some facts." He nodded, not wanting to argue with the little medical ninja, he stepped back into the dimly lit street.
…
"So, do you have any idea what these people are?" Kakashi asked the little shaking leader of the village,
"None, all I know is that they where once human." Kakashi raised his one showing eyebrow.
"How do you know?" the little man looked up from his hands.
"They are my children." He explained, Kakashi didn't show the shock that welled up inside of him.
"Your children? Has this happened before in your bloodline?" the leader nodded,
"Once a very long time ago, our people where in great need of protection. The leader at the time was my seven time great grandfather. He developed a chemical, almost like a poison that could turn anyone affected into blood sucking unstoppable warriors." The man shivered.
"What happened?"
"The leader ended up infecting himself, hoping that he could control the uncontrollable. Instead, he became a monster, so driven by blood lust that he not only wiped out the enemy, but almost destroyed the village that he sought to protect." Kakashi nodded, "Now it seems that my children have not only been infected by the disease, they have found a way to infect others the same way."
"How was the man stopped before?"
"He was destroyed, but I implore you! Don't take my children away from me, do anything else but that! I can't loose them like I lost their mother." Kakashi nodded,
"We shall do our best, but we must wait for our reinforcements to arrive before we can do anything, our numbers are to low to take on such a threat." The man nodded, and gave a grateful bow as Kakashi left.
"Sakura." Kakashi said once he made it to the medics hut. "I found out that these are children of the villages leader, they have been infected by a disease." Sakura nodded.
"I thought it was a disease. I think it's transferred through the blood streams." Sakura turned back to her work. "The back up is on the way I think you and Naruto should go meet them up at that cave." Kakashi nodded. It felt odd taking orders from his student,
"Come on Naruto. We need to get going." Naruto nodded and headed out the door. They exited the bubble soon after.
"Kakashi sensei where are we going to meet them?" Naruto asked after running for a while.
"At the cave we passed down by the river it's the only safe place to explain what's happening before we can go back to the village and get the antidote from Sakura." Naruto nodded then jumped ahead. "One more thing Naruto, Shikamaru told me something before they attacked him." He paused waiting for Naruto to slow down and listen. "If you go off on your own." He looked down when he said it. "You'll die." Naruto gulped then nodded. "Small groups like this aren't safe either. We need to get going Tsunade will probably send more Jonin to back us up seeing that chunin are getting hurt." They were silent until they got to the cave. The group wasn't there yet and they didn't want to draw attention so they just sat there in the dark waiting for them.
"Is this where we were supposed to meet them?" A familiar deep voice said.
"So they send sand ninja." Kakashi said stepping out into the field; indeed the three sand siblings stood in front of them.
"So what exactly is going on here?" Temari asked pulling her fan down to lean on it.
"Why did the leaf village need our assistance?" Gaara stepped forward between his two siblings.
"We can explain latter. First we need to get back to the bubble." Kankuro laughed.
"The bubble? Where is this bubble?" Temari smacked him on top of the head and strapped her fan back on.
"Lets go." She said. The group nodded and leapt into the trees.
"You go on ahead I'll catch up." Gaara said quietly "I need to check something out." The group was already gone. They had probably heard him. "I'm no tracker but these foot prints don't look like they belong to one of us." He knelt down and looked at them more carefully.
Soon rain began to fall and Gaara still hadn't moved. Only when his red hair clung to his face did he look up.
"Damn." He said as the rain attacked the steps, washing them away. "I should head back anyway." A sound came from the bushes and Neji and Hinata stepped out.
"Gaara-Kun!" Hinata squeaked. "There you are! Kakashi Sensei sent us to find you." Gaara nodded.
"Are there any others?" Gaara asked looking around. Neji nodded and gestured for him to follow.
"They've been dieing for a nice snack." Neji laughed,
"You've come just in time you might be able to eat with us." Hinata said grabbing Gaara's arm. She pulled him into the clearing where Neji, Hinata, Tenten, and Lee had been attacked, and told him to sit. Everyone that had been bitten sat in the clearing looking down on Shikamaru's unconscious body.
"Don't worry he's fine enemy hit him." Neji explained, Gaara nodded but looked around. Had they entered the bubble without him knowing? Shikamaru shook and his eyes flickered open. Hinata smiled and ran to him.
"You must be hungry." She said. "Don't worry we brought home something." Shikamaru's gaze landed on Gaara. He sat straight up and jumped at him teeth exposed hands in claws. Gaara struggled and sand grabbed at the new vampire, but he didn't move. Shikamaru bent down and dug his teeth into Gaara's neck. The sand ninja gasped and a scream tore through his lips but came to a strangled silence.
"He sure is a messy eater." Ino laughed; Choji laughed along with her.
…
"Where's Gaara?" Temari asked looking around after a short while running.
"You mean he's gone?" Kakashi snapped. Naruto ground his teeth and Kankuro pulled his hands into fists.
"I want to know what's going on here!" Temari asked her voice was shaky. "Where's Gaara?" Kakashi shook his head, and sighed.
"I don't know." Naruto raised his hand,
"He stayed behind. He said he would catch up latter. Our enemy may be strong but we have all seen Gaara and they won't be able to take him out!" Naruto snapped. Kankuro nodded.
"Um guys," Temari whispered. "I have to…" She blushed. Kakashi nodded and she leapt into the bushes. Before Temari got far enough from the group of men to relieve herself a voice called from the bushes.
"Tem-tem!" Temari looked around.
"Shika-baby? Where are you?" Shikamaru walked out from behind a tree. Temari ran over to him and crushed her lips against his. "Shikamaru what's going on here?" She asked once she had pulled herself away.
"The enemy ninja have been attacking and me and another group of look-out had to move away from the bubble once Shino was attacked. We've been wandering the forest for ages I'm glad I found you." He pushed his lips back onto hers for a moment then pulled away to rest his chin on her shoulder.
"Shika-baby you haven't seen Gaara have you?" Shikamaru shook his head. Temari sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "It sucks doesn't it." She asked.
"What?" Shikamaru asked looking up.
"Being from different villages and still making this work." Shikamaru nodded.
"I've missed you. But now we can be together forever." He said biting down on to her neck her arms dropped. As she fell she whispered,
"Shika." Shikamaru caught her adjusted her so he could carry her with both arms and ran towards the clearing.
…
"We should go back and check on Temari." Kakashi said after they had been waiting for her for over ten minutes. Kankuro and Naruto nodded. They turned back and headed to the clearing.
"Hurry I don't want them getting her." Kankuro snapped worry was sprinkled in his tone. The boys ran through the forest, trees whipping at their faces and wind nipping them as they flew by.
"What the hell?" Kakashi staggered to a halt once he hit the clearing. All the so-called vampires were spread out Gaara and Temari unconscious and guarded. Temari's head was on top of Shikamaru's lap.
"TEMARI! GAARA!" Kankuro yelled getting the attention of every vampire in the clearing, Kakashi sighed.
"Sakura's in charge. Now go!" He screamed pushing the boys out of the way, and getting into a defensive stance. All the vampires but Shikamaru jumped on him and sunk their teeth down into his flesh. The two nodded and ran. Naruto felt tears build up, he didn't feel embarrassed to show his tears though because Kankuro's head was turned and the puppet master growled,
"That was all my stupid fault." Kankuro sniffed once they were safe in the bubble again. Sakura shook her head and turned back to her work.
"It wasn't your fault Kankuro. They were on us before you shouted they can probably smell fear or something." Naruto said trying to comfort him.
…
The only sound that came from the hut was low snoring and the clicking of glass on glass as Sakura mixed the ingredients together. It had been hours since the boys had fallen asleep when Sakura finally finished.
"Guys wake up. I have the antidote." Kankuro rolled over and let out a loud snore.
"No, no ten more minutes Tem-tem. I have to save the ducky." He rolled over again squishing Naruto in the process. Naruto let out a yelp, and attempted to dislodge the larger shinobi before he was suffocated.
"Kankuro! Get off!" Naruto screamed, squirming as the ninja stated to drool onto his sleeve.
Sakura sighed, and with a grunt managed to drag Kankuro onto the floor.
"Sure is a heavy sleeper isn't he?" she giggled as Kankuro rolled over seeming to not notice the commotion. Kankuro let out a groan, and sat up.
"Wha…happened...are we under attack?" He muttered, rubbing his eyes.
"NO! If we where we'd all be dead! You sleep like a rock!" Naruto fumed. Kankuro looked shocked,
"What do you mean by that?" Naruto's mouth started to open and shut like a fish's.
After Sakura explained to the boys what had happened, Kankuro took three vials of antidote from Sakura and replaced his puppets poison with the antidote while Naruto continued to scream.
"You rolled over, and started to DROOL ON ME! Sakura had to lift you off! I mean COME ON! I thought ninjas were supposed to be…"
"That's enough Naruto!" Sakura roared. "I have the antidote, we have to get this injected soon, I don't know how long the infected people can be affected before this antidote wont work so get off of your lazy asses and move!" Kankuro put his puppets back in their wrap before Sakura grabbed them by the ears, and proceeded to drag the knuckleheaded ninjas of the sand and leaf villages from the hut.
…
"So…so if we get bit…we…we die right?" Naruto stammered, as he clung to both Sakura and Kankuro's arms.
"No, if you get bit, I shall hit you with an extremely big needle, and you'll get better." Kankuro grunted as he shook of the little blonde ninja.
"Oh, thanks…HEY WAIT A MINUTE!" Naruto yelped, "The needles are really little." He held out one of the small syringes.
"Not the one that I'll use on you." Kankuro said and flicked his wrist. One of his puppets exposed a foot long needle only inches from Naruto's face.
"Enough." Sakura said. "Alright so you said they really didn't hear you before right." They nodded.
"But they sense fear." Naruto added.
"Yeah whatever. I think if one person goes up in front they can sneak the antidote in to them. Or if that doesn't work you give me ALL the antidote and I'll go into the clearing. They'll attack me and when they drink my…" Sakura gulped but carried on hesitantly. "Blood they will also be drinking the antidote." She sighed and looked at the two boys.
"But what will happen to you?" Naruto and Kankuro asked at the same time. Sakura laughed.
"Well let's just say this might be my last mission." Naruto and Kankuro gasped but Sakura gave a weak-hearted laugh.
"No Sakura you can't!" Kankuro hissed.
"Wait! You mean you'd commit suicide?" Naruto growled. Sakura nodded and bit her lip to hold back tears. Kankuro mumbled,
"Lets go." As he jumped into the thick undergrowth. The pink and orange ninjas followed close behind him.
They skidded to a stop once they were close to the clearing.
"Looks like we have some visitors." Neji laughed pulling the bushes out of the way so Kankuro and him were face to face. Kankuro stumbled back
"Retreat!" He called shoving Naruto and Sakura forward. Every vampire followed after them, even the newborn Kakashi. Sakura screeched to a halt after a second.
"The antidote!" She jumped back down on to the ground and scooped up the vials that she had dropped. Sakura threw them to Kankuro, yelling,
"Run I'll hold them off for awhile" Ino tackled her, and the rest began pinning her down and biting harshly on any exposed skin. Sakura shrieked but Kankuro followed orders and only grabbed the vials before he took off running. Soon he met back up with Naruto.
"Where's Sakura?" Naruto asked.
"She sacrificed herself so we could get farther away from them and so we could have the antidote." Kankuro explained with hurt in his voice. "I should have stayed behind." He muttered. Naruto shook his head.
"We need your puppets." Great he only needs me for my puppets. Kankuro thought harshly as Naruto leapt in front of him.
"Fine then I declare myself leader. One because I'm oldest and Two because I said so." Kankuro said after a minute Naruto turned away but said nothing. Arguing wouldn't be the best idea in this situation.
"Naruto we need to stick together that's the only way we'll survive." Kankuro said after five minutes of running. Naruto nodded. "We also need a shelter." He added. Naruto nodded again.
"We can't go back to the bubble." Naruto whispered.
"Why not?" Kankuro wanted to stop and talk but he didn't know how long it took their followers to suck Sakura dry. He pushed away the thought.
"I did something bad." Naruto sounded as if he was trying to laugh but couldn't.
"What? What could you have possibly done this time?" Naruto bit his lip.
"I'll tell you when you're in a more humorous mood." Kankuro nodded and leapt over another branch. How much longer did they have to be human?
They found a cave as far away from the clearing as possible and took refuge there. Kankuro laughed after a while. Naruto looked at him he had taken off his cat
eared hat and was washing off his face paint.
"What's so funny?" He asked sitting next to him.
"Nothing I'm just trying to remember good times me, Gaara, and Temari had before this whole thing happened." He laughed again. "Like I remember this time back when we were little. Gaara was mad at me for stealing his gourd so he decided to tamper with my sandwich. I took it over to eat on the couch took a bite out of it and spit it back out." Naruto cocked his head to the side.
"What was in it?" He asked.
"Lets just say Temari's bathroom floor doesn't taste very good." The two fell back laughing.
"I wish I could have seen your face!" Naruto said through his laughter.
"Well I was pretty used to it. Back when Dad was alive he used to tamper with Gaara's food all the time. When he was about three Gaara found away to be able to eat food that wouldn't send him to the hospital with food poisoning." Naruto sat up.
"How?" Kankuro let out a chuckle.
"Ask to switch with me I used to always pretend it was crunchy and squirming peanut butter." Naruto laughed again.
"Aw man!" Kankuro said after they had lain there for a while.
"What?" Naruto asked having completely forgotten the situation at hand.
"I have to pee." Kankuro laughed. Naruto sat up.
"Then go!" Kankuro shook his head.
"Not in front of you!" Naruto laughed.
"In the bushes!" Kankuro bit his lip.
"You think it's safe?" Naruto nodded,
"Just don't go to far out. They wont attack a man doing his business." Kankuro nodded, stood, and waddled out of the room. Naruto sighed as he watched him leave.
Kankuro stopped a little to the side of the caves mouth to relieve himself.
A strong wind blew passed him and into the cave once he was done. Kankuro looked in to see three figures hunched over Naruto. The ninja squirmed and screamed but couldn't escape his attackers grasp. Kankuro snatched his puppet that he had put just inside the cave door.
Naruto was gone it was just him. Kankuro turned to leave but once he turned around he was face to face with vampirized Shikamaru. The black haired shadow ninja hissed once before jumping at the puppet master. Kankuro stabbed the needle into his sister's boyfriend's stomach. The monster fell back and screamed. This time the scream sounded more like Shikamaru rather than a pissed off wet cat. Kankuro panted as Shikamaru shook on the floor like a leaf tied to a stick in a hurricane. Kankuro nudged him with his foot a few times before jumping into the bushes,
"Kankuro I know you're my brother, but I wont forgive for what you just did to Shika-Baby!" Of course Temari wouldn't be to far behind Shikamaru.
"Bring big sissy." Kankuro laughed arming himself with another butterfly needle before his sister pounced on him. He dodged and stuck it deep into her arm.
"Oh Yeah!" he laughed. Two more vampires stepped into the clearing. Shino and Kiba. "Bring it you pansies!" Kankuro said and jumped at them first jabbing a needle into Kiba's arm then standing back so he and his old rival could go face to face.
"You took down three of my comrades I wont forgive you!" Shino said and lunged himself at the only human left.
"Hey that's what she said." Kankuro said pointing at Temari. "Score!" He yelled stabbing Shino with two needles just to make sure. "Yeah and don't get back up bitch!" He managed to say before Ino attacked him from behind.
Kankuro was to fast, he plunged a needle into her side no sweat. He turned to see Choji jump at him. "This may take more then one!" Kankuro said with a laugh, and stabbed three into Choji's blubber. The pleasantly plump ninja fell back howling. Sakura and Kakashi jumped out. "Holly crap!" Kankuro yelled stabbing Sakura in the knee. "How many are there?" he panted as Kakashi was stabbed in the cheek.
Naruto's growl ripped behind him. "A double might do!" Naruto seemed to be stronger then the others.
"Here." Kankuro said stabbing him in the butt with two needles. Naruto howled again. When sand wrapped around Kankuro's feet, he threw the needle at his brother but his sand deflected it. "Dammit." Kankuro said as he flicked a finger. Kankuro knew that Gaara's sand wouldn't attack one of his puppets. But it did attack him. So he sent another from the behind just incase.
The puppet came up behind Gaara, but struck something before it hit Gaara. A small squeal came from behind him. Kankuro laughed he had hit a target he wasn't aiming for and he couldn't see. Gaara turned around to see Lee get lifted into the air and dropped. This was his chance, Kankuro thrust his puppet forward and it hit Gaara in the back of the leg.
"KANKURO THE VAMPIRE SLAYER!" Kankuro yelled as Gaara's sand retreated. He spun a ring of needles held together by chakra around his finger once then threw it behind himself letting the chakra strings go so it hit two Vampires coming out of the bushes behind him. Five hit Hinata and three hit Tenten, just as he'd planed.
Naruto had told him Hinata, Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee had been attacked first and might need extra. 'Well Shino could have to!' Kankuro thought trying to explain his previous actions to himself; as Hinata and Tenten fell to the ground behind him.
"Gah!" Neji called from the bushes. "How did you get all of our men?" He looked at the puppet master with furious eyes.
"They same way I got you." Kankuro explained having his puppet use most of its antidote in one stab. "By being fricken awesome."
"Oh, brother won't be happy when he hears about this, but he will enjoy you as his trophy!" A females voice said from behind him.
Firongi was standing behind him. Kankuro laughed, but she looked different them the others her lips weren't stained with blood and her clothes weren't ripped.
"Are you the puppet master here?" Kankuro asked arming himself with ten needles. If she wasn't the leader, and there was more. He still had twenty with him. And there was always plan B, the plan Sakura would have done if this approach hadn't worked. The woman lunged at him baring her teeth. Her weight was crushing him. He struggled to free himself as she laughed.
"I'm just second strongest my brother is stronger then I." She said bending down coming closer to Kankuro as slow as she possibly could. It wasn't what he had hoped for, but hey, it worked; Kankuro had gotten a needle to nick the skin on her left hand while she was distracted for that fraction of a second he sat up and forced the needles into her stomach laughing like a lunatic.
"Kankuro the vampire slayer just beat the bitch!" He laughed and pushed her body off. He was about to set off again but realized her body could be useful. It would make this almost TOO easy. Kankuro set to work attaching puppet strings onto her and placing needles in her open palm. She could do all the dirty work for him. "Ready lady?" He asked before they got to the clearing. He twitched his index finger and made her nod. Making her act human like was going to be a challenge but KANKURO THE VAMPIRE SLAYER could do it.
"Brother dear." He spoke through the human puppet. "I got rid of that thorn in our sides." The boy looked up he looked much older then the girl.
"Where is he?" Kankuro wiggled his index finger to make her look down.
"It was a bloody mess and I couldn't bring him back unless you wanted me to sweep him up in a dust pan." Fenogi stood and grabbed his sister by the throat. 'To easy!' Kankuro thought as he forced his human puppet to thrust all twenty needles into him and held him to them letting the antidote drip into his blood stream. When she collapsed so did he. Kankuro collapsed as well, but got up knowing he alone had defeated the vampire army.
He began dancing back to the group the whole time singing.
"Kankuro the vampire slayer kicked all the vampires asses. I rock the house. And when I rock the house I rock it up and down and all the way around." Now he was beginning to copy something he heard some basketball cheerleaders say on T.V.
…
After Kankuro had reached the group Shikamaru, Temari and some others began to wake up. Lucky for them, Kankuro found a small carriage had been held in the vampire fortress.
Once Kankuro had finished putting all of his comrades in the cart he began to drag it down the road towards Konoha. Naruto woke up soon after and jumped down to help Kankuro pull the cart. The puppet master looked at him with curious eyes.
"So what did you do to get us kicked out of the bubble?" Kankuro asked after a few minutes.
"I popped it." Naruto said, Kankuro laughed. "It can only be destroyed from the inside. Well let's just say I was carrying a kunai when Sakura was dragging us out."
Sakura looked down at the two boys and laughed. She was taking care of all the people on the cart.
"I thought horses were pulling it!" Naruto and Kankuro hissed at her. The all mighty vampire slayer looked at Naruto.
"Get back on the cart." Naruto nodded and yelled. "Hold on!" To everyone that was conscious. Kankuro could have been running faster then a bullet as he screamed.
"Kankuro the vampire slayer brings home his prey!" He was just entering Konoha at the time. The two men at the stand jumped back, but Kankuro didn't slow down until he stopped at the Hokage's office. Shizune looked through the window and laughed.
"Looks like the back up helped a little." Tsunade came to stand beside her but flipped around when her door opened and Kankuro stepped in every ninja awake or not was balanced on his shoulders.
"Where you want them?" Kankuro asked. Tsunade stepped forward.
"Right there's fine." She said. "Do you have time to do a report?" Kankuro shook his head,
"Shikamaru promised to do it for me the kind soul that he is." He grinned, she raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, she was to busy staring at the blood stained ninjas on the floor.
"You and you siblings may go." She finally said, Kankuro nodded and scooped
Gaara and Temari up into his arms and set off. Hitting Gaara's head a couple times on the doorframe.
…
The way back home took longer then expected, Kankuro spent the whole time telling about how he fought off all the vampires. Also about how he was the best and how stupid it was of his two siblings to go off on their own. They allowed him to go at it for two days before they finally lost it, and Gaara put Kankuro into his sand coffin.
"KANKURO THE VAMPIRE SLAYER!!!" Was the last thing he said as the sand filled in around him.
The End
Some time on their way back when the sand siblings where trying to get some sleep.
"The End? Or is it? Cause we could so make a sequel!" (Kankuro)
"Cool it Konk." (Gaara)
"We could change the name to BLOOD WARS!" (Kankuro)
"Seriously shut it!" (Temari)
"And you two could be my side kicks!" (Kankuro)
"SHUT UP I WANT TO GO TO SLEEP!" (Gaara)
(Momentary silence.)
"Seriously guys, I'm not kidding." (Kankuro)
"GOOD NIGHT KANKURO!" (Gaara and Temari)
"Fine fine, I was just saying…"
"ENOUGH SAND COFFIN!" (Gaara)
"Finally silence, good one Gaara." (Temari)
"Thanks" (Gaara)
"Night." (Temari)
"Good night." (Gaara)
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