Demonic Destiny, Broken Soul

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine!

A/N: I started writing this almost a year ago. I hope it still works.

-Chapter One: Ablaze-

"Why am I listening you?"

"Come on!" Naruto wined while strolling along side Shikamaru. He was being forced to stay at a steady pace because of the slow moving Chuunin. If the choice of pace were up to Naruto, they would have been at the training grounds for sometime already. "Just tell me!"

"It's too troublesome to choose what my favourite flavour of ramen is, that's why." Shikamaru groaned in annoyance at the hyperactive blonde's attempts in striking up a conversation. Why Shikamaru continued to allow himself to have Naruto in his company was a mystery, even to him.

"Fine..." Naruto's arms crossed over his chest in a pouting manner.

Shikamaru shook his head knowing his statement would not keep Naruto quiet for long. He would never give in so easily. '3...2...1!'

"You know! I can't really decide what my favourite flavour is! They're all so good!" Holding his hand out Naruto leisurely, not to mention childishly, began to count off by finger the flavours he enjoyed so much. "There's chicken, beef, pork, miso..."

Shikamaru let himself zone out while Naruto went through his list of favoured flavours of ramen and focus on where they were going. The training grounds were not far off from where they were at present.

"Shikamaru! Are you even listening?" Naruto stepped in front of Shikamaru stopping the Chuunin in his tracks, while his blue eyes narrowed in annoyance.

A superior smirk slid onto Shikamaru's face making Naruto even more frustrated. Naruto knew that that smirk all to well. It was the same smirk Sasuke had always directed his way. When he felt he was the better of the two.

As Shikamaru expected, Naruto lashed out the way he always did. "Shikamaru you bastard!"

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Areas unknown, an evil toned voice spoke, menace dripping with each word. A clear indication of the thirst for slaughter and the spilling life. "It's almost time to strike."

A heavy fist slammed down, demanding attention. "They're gathering already!" Led by an overall emotion, they were far too eager to add their opinion. The intensity of the voice seemed almost unsurprising. "We should have struck long ago!"

"Don't forget that we've spent these years building, gathering, taking our strength to ensure a victory." The figure that had just spoken loomed in the shadows hiding his face. The air of a monster loomed over the being. From the argument's beginning this person had not said a word, uncaring to what the final decision could turn out to be. "Taking action back then would bring our destruction."

"You're one to talk! Lets not forget your attempt at the little demon cage." Locks of blue hair swayed in front of deeply shaded green eyes. A female's figure arbitrated and mocked the figure in shadows with joy. The others fell quite. "Not to mention you ran without laying a scratch on the container!"

The figure in the shadows held back any form of emotion. "The blame for that can go to the Leaf-sannin and Him. If I had gotten rid of the boy I would never see that creature." Leaning forward, deep scars under each eye were made visible by what little light was available. "Just remember what demons are capable of."

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"You should save that energy for the Chuunin Exam." advised Shikamaru continuing in his slow pace, again forcing the now fuming blond to do the same. "Maybe this year you'll get lucky and become Chuunin."

"I can pass with flying colours!" proclaimed the eager blond punching the air. Naruto nearly rolled his eyes along with Shikamaru and made note to spend less time with Lee. For the fun of it, Naruto continued in his Lee-like behaviour. "Last year won't be a repeat!"

Remembering back to the disasters that took place the year before was not one of the best ways Naruto, or anyone for that matter, liked to spend their time. The village's stability was shaken with the attack of the Sand and Sound and death of not only the Third, but a handful of the village's ninja. Following that, there was the "abduction" of the village's precious soul surviving Uchiha.

Everything only felt like it was starting to slowly get back to normal. With Tsunade leading the village, the spirit of Konohagakure seemed to revive and crawl out from whatever pit it had fallen into.

"Thought you may not make it if you picking up Kakashi's habit of being late." Shikamaru added from his gathered knowledge of the blond. He had grown tired and felt it a bother that he was always being surprised with Naruto's ever growing strength. The best way to keep that from happening was to keep an eye on Naruto.

Naruto's cheery features diminished, slipping away to a sign of depression. Looking over his shoulder, Naruto let his eyes wonder in the general direction of the shinobi memorial. It was true Naruto had been showing up late for training and small missions, but his sensei did not mind too much; or just didn't show it. It was out of admiration and the feeling of close ties that lead Naruto to fall into the habit of paying his respects. Over the months, the time when Naruto spent his early morning hours at the memorial, he discovered Kakashi's reason for continuous lateness. Both Naruto's experience of arriving late and many chance meetings with Kakashi made the discovery come to light. They never spoke during the time they paid their respects to the deceased. Their reason was it was too awkward for either one to say anything under the circumstances with the very noticeable rise in tension between the two. They found it best to leave everything to silence with the fear that any word they spoke would be taken with misunderstanding.

Usually when another approached, Naruto took his leave allowing the new comer to see only Kakashi gazing over the large stone engraved with many names. Naruto felt the action necessary, telling a curious Kakashi (when the Jounin had gained enough nerve to ask) that the villagers, shinobi or otherwise, would probably be disgusted if they saw a monster in such a place.

That was one relationship from team 7 that was affected by the going-ons; but there were still more. Naruto was still considered the power hitter on his team. Sakura had fallen into the line of being sensei-ish, offering advise to those who asked it. It was always in the general subject of chakra control and usually asked by Naruto. Their attitude toward each other was an improvement, more so thanks to Sakura's acceptance of the blond and allowing her "inner self" to leak out into the open. But unlike Naruto taking on quietness when with Kakashi, Sakura put on an act like the good days of team 7. She too felt the discomfort when facing Kakashi, but did not want to show it like Naruto. The one thing that seemed to have little change was Sakura's infatuation over Sasuke, lowering to the point where she listened to each of his words with caution instead of glee.

The change in that team's relations were inevitable when Naruto had managed to being Sasuke back from the Valley of the End. The fact was that many things could be blamed on Sasuke. Consequence followed soon after his almost-betrayal to Konoha.

Adding to the shaky friendships between them, Sasuke was still in recovery. The curse seal Orochimaru had attached to Sasuke to give the boy power had in the end, acted as a double-edge sword. The "power" had placed such a strain on Sasuke's body that it was a challenge for him to partake in the simplest physical activities such as running. The wear on his body had lowered Sasuke to the point where he required a crutch to walk around; much like Lee after his match with Gaara in the pervious year. But unlike Lee, no surgery or chakra transplant would be his answer to regain his position as a shinobi. Another difference Sasuke had from Lee was that he could recover of his own. Unfortunately, the estimated guess on Sasuke's body healing to its own was grasping at years.

From his brief thought on Gaara, Naruto remembered the Sand siblings and their immediate departure after their services were complete. The group had disappeared back into the Wind Country. They had heard no word concerning the three since.

"Now look who's not listening." teased Shikamaru.

"Hey guys wait up!" called out a female's voice. Her hand waved around wildly in the air as she jogged to catch up with both boys.

"And here I thought I was going to have a quite morning." Shikamaru sighed stopping to allow the girl to catch up. His mother had forced him out of bed ranting about how a Chuunin should act and even had the nerve to actually shoved him right out the door. 'Well, it already got worse when I decided to walk with Naruto.'

Ino stepped up to the pair her hands taking a place on her knees as she leaned forward, her shoulders rising and falling with her heavy breathing. Glancing over to Naruto, Ino smiled. "You're picking up Kakashi's bad habit of being late."

"So I'm told." Rolling his eyes Naruto wondered if everyone was going to making that comment today. The male blond suddenly grinned. "You one to talk. Look how late you are!"

"Well dah!" Ino made a peace sign with her slender hand and smiled. "Asuma-sensei decided that we'd meet late today!"

Turning on his heel, Naruto began a speedy walk to get away from the pair. He also hoped that it would encourage them to move faster.

"Naruto!" Both Ino and Shikamaru shouted going on the offensive.

Naruto appeared like he would grin with glee at what he thought was his handiwork of getting Ino and Shikamaru worked up, but was taken by surprise as the full force of a kick made contact with his jaw. The force launched his body making sail through the air before landing in a heap near by.

"Disappointing." supposed a blue haired teenage girl from her position in the spot Naruto had formally stood. She readied for another attack bring one hand in front of her. She held her hand the way a model would with their fingers held out delicately. Her other arm extended out by her side. "I would have expected more from you Naruto-koi. Don't tell me your going to go easy on me because I'm a girl. That's so unfair."

Ino took hold of her kunai and charged for the girl despite Shikamaru's warnings. "Don't make fun of my team mate!"

Whipping her arm out to slash at the teen's uncovered flesh of her neck, Ino was surprised by the blue haired teen refused to move and merely stood her ground smiling. But what ultimately pulled at Ino's attention was the blazing red that entered the other girl's eyes. The crimson color seemed alive, moving like a raging fire that would never die.

The cold sharp metal edge of the kunai made its contact with human flesh, slicing skin open with ease. Fresh blood splattered sickeningly to the ground painting the green blades of grass a scarlet. Ino stood frozen staring horror at what she had done. Her body shivered at the very sight that lay before her.

Shikamaru clutched the gapping wound Ino had just inflicted to his shoulder. Only by luck and his skills, was Shikamaru able to dodged the blade enough that it missed his vulnerable throat only to have it strike his right shoulder. Bathed in his freshly spilled blood Shikamaru watched as Ino trembled, her skin paling with each passing second. When the kunai dropped from her shaky grip, Ino collapsed to her knees sick to her stomach. She could have killed Shikamaru.

The teen had experience seeing how as she manage the replacement technique that the exact instant the blade was so close to penetrate her flesh giving Shikamaru virtually no time to react properly. They had been cocky and underestimated the girl by her earlier amateur ambush on Naruto. This was something Shikamaru would scold himself for later. That was if they made it out alive.

A piercing scream rang through the grounds when intense heat struck with a powerful blow to the centre of Ino's shoulder blades. Slumping forward, Ino found herself with no movement in her pain filled arms. Ino forced her body to roll onto its side struggling to get passed the throbbing pain once on her back. Cautiously looked up, Ino and saw the other teen towering over her. Burning heat radiated from the girl's body cause the grass beneath and around her feet to dry to a dead brown and withered away. Along with the heat, a visible red aura was emitted from her body adding a menacing affect with the living fire of her eyes.

"You call yourself a ninja." She mocked before the scorching temperature. She smirked at her victim lying helplessly on the ground. Again Ino screamed in pain unable to do anything as the feeling of fire nipped and clung to her skin. "What's that matter? Dislocated shoulders?"

The searing heat halted somewhat as Ino could only witness as Shikamaru suddenly appeared and braced himself over her form offering his own body as a shield. The aura that had hovered around the teen's body grew with over whelming power. Altering its shape, the girl's aura burned and danced like it was fire itself licking at Shikamaru's skin leaving behind welting and burnt flesh. Most likely Ino had acquired the same damage to her body, only with it being minimized because of Shikamaru, Ino could never comprehend what Shikamaru was going to through to protect her.

"Stop!"

Immediately as the demand was given, the flames ceased. All eyes moved to a familiar blond boy struggling to stand a short distance away. From the corner of his mouth a streak of blood leaked free, traveling down his chin and on his hand, which was used to rub the aching chin.

'It's about time.' Thought Shikamaru fighting to maintain consciousness even with his body cried for release from the pain.

The murderous glare the teen held when sending her assault upon Ino and Shikamaru vanished. In its place was a look of pure joy and satisfaction. The corners of her lips curved upward into a smug smile and she glowed with pride. Her smile continued to widen with her growing excitement like a child about to receive a gift even after they had been bad and not listened.

With a swift movement one would still miss, if they blinked the teen had appeared directly behind Naruto. Wrapping her slender arms around Naruto, he seemed paralyzed by her choice of actions and did nothing as she pulled him into an embrace. It was a long shot to call it a warm embrace. Protective and greedy was more of the word. Resting her head on Naruto's shoulder, she continued smirking before cooing, "Mine."

Soon after the realization that the teen was after Naruto, Shikamaru analyzed and pieced together their situation. She had drawn Ino and Shikamaru's attention away from Naruto and used that to take them down. With no one around to assist him, Naruto would become an open target. There was still one mystery that left Shikamaru in the dark.

Before the teen could take any further actions an attack similar to her own when she had ambushed Naruto, sent her flying away from her target. Crossing her arms while in mid-flight, she managed a full lay-out before landing on three limbs and slid to a stop. They could feel it in the air as anger surged through her veins! Throwing her head up to see who managed to take her prize away, she spotted the two new comers. The first being a chubby boy with swirl markings on each of his cheeks. The other was a bearded man, a lit cigarette held in his mouth.

At the sudden serge of rage, Asuma moved from his normal stance to a combat one, ready for anything the girl might try. Asuma choose to speak in a bold, protective manner. "Keep your hands off my students."

-TBC-

A/N: I feel little better about this chapter now. I haven't done anything for this fic in a long time, so when I re-read it, I couldn't believe what I wrote! I was only touching what I imagined in my head. I still feel this fic it not everything I could be, but al least I fixed it somewhat. If I have to time, maybe I could get around to the later chapters.