Immortal's Daughter
Chapter 4: passing the test
Koomahana
I'm so sorry! thank you for pointing out my mistake! it must've happened when I last updated all of the chapters... I'm sorry!
here's the real chapter 4!
Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site
Thoughts
Paragraphs are flashbacks
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Shikamaru stopped dead in his tracks, eyes clued to a tree directly in front of him, his eyebrow twitching wildly. Chōji was the first to notice him stop, Kiba and Naruto only stopped when they heard a loud buzzing filling the air around them. The two boys shared a bewildered look before realization dawned on them and they both dived for cover, Shikamaru remained staring dully at the twittering blue insect sitting on the tree in front of him.
"Enough Shino," Shikamaru sighed, slumping his shoulders, "Come out already. You're scaring Naruto and Kiba"
"I'm not scared!" both boys protested loudly together
"Close not quite," A boyish voice snickered out, alarming Shikamaru in the process
"Kiba! Naruto! Move!" the two in question barely had enough time to stand before they were staring wide up at a cloud of buzzing insects. "Guys!" Shikamaru shouted, twisting on his ankle to move forward, Chōji close behind. Thankfully neither boy had need to do anything, their surroundings twisted dizzying before finally dispersing to reveal that they were still standing in their previous meeting area.
"A-are y-you o-o-okay?" a soft voice stuttered out softly, slowly Shikamaru turned to look at the speaker and found himself staring at a pair of pearl violet orbs and familiar turquois eyes.
"Fine," Shikamaru blinked slowly at the familiar girls, "We're fine."
"Fine?" Ino repeated slowly, one eye brow rising, "If not for Hinata-chan's quick thinking, you four would've been stuck in that Genjutsu until one of the Kazehitoha-brothers decided to free you."
"Ow~" Shikamaru turned to look in the direction of the pained groan
"Hi~na~ta~" Naruto groaned, "Why~y~?"
"S-s-s-sorry!" Hinata squeaked, her eyes widening and her face paling. Shikamaru remained staring dumbly at Naruto and Kiba, who were both on the ground looking like they just got ran over by an elk herd. Shikamaru blinked and looked to his other side, searching for his friend. He found Chōji swaying on his feet slightly, only standing upright because of Sakura and Shino, both of whom appeared to have wrapped their arms around the bigger boy's middle.
"Wait… genjutsu?" Shikamaru asked, turning to look back at Ino
"Yeah, Genjutsu," Ino rolled her eyes, "I bet you that snot nosed Akira brat put it over you guys before he got caught by Hikaru-sensei." She had the great pleasure of watching that particularly embarrassing scene happen and she had full intensions to flaunt her knowledge of his failure the next time they met up, "We're properly the reason he left you four without dispelling the technique himself."
"B-but, we're not supposed to learn any advanced techniques like that until we're genin," Hinata whispered to Ino unsurely
"Seriously?" Ino asked as if she couldn't believe that Hinata had just said that, "Just how do you think that boy even got to being the top of Mizuki-sensei's class? It sure as heck wasn't by working hard!"
"I-Ino," Sakura stuttered, drawing attention to Chōji's weak condition, "I-I think we need to find an instructor…Akimichi-san doesn't look too good…"
"Oh man, I've never seen him so pale before," Shikamaru said, staring at his friend in alarm
"Bu-but if we go to one of the brothers…" Hinata stuttered unusually, glancing at the two boys still laying on the ground
"Kiba and Naruto are hurt too," Sakura added, "I think we should go back and get them treated."
"But Sakura… the test," Ino reminded her, "What about the test! You heard what Hikaru-sensei told Akira-loser, if we get caught without a ribbon we're out of the race."
"…I think their health is more important than a ribbon, Yamanaka-san," Sakura replied softly, "Look if you don't want to go back you don't have too. But I want to get at least Chōji to the nurses, he really doesn't look that good…"
"I'm with Sakura on this one," Shikamaru said, stepping towards his friend, "Passing the test is useless if one of us gets hurt in the process." Shino nodded his head in agreement as he released his hold on Chōji and let Shikamaru take his place, without much thought about it the young heir then walked over to Kiba and Naruto and lifted one Kiba's arms over his own shoulder.
"I will go with them," Shino said when Ino and Hinata looked at him with wide eyes, "I cannot carry Naruto though I suspect he will be fine soon enough."
"Since that's the case the three of us will go take these two to the nurse," Sakura said, she turned to look at Hinata and Ino, "Please look after Uzumaki-san. He'll be a handful but so long as you remain reasonable and simplify your explanations for him, he should be able to understand your point of view quickly enough."
"And if he doesn't," Shikamaru grunted as he adjusted his hold on Chōji and turned with Sakura, "Just punch him on the head, He'll get it eventually."
"I wish you luck with Uzumaki-san," Shino said as he walked past the dumbfounded heiresses. Ino watched as the five walked away from her and Hinata, leaving the two of them with possibly one of the most difficult people to work with in all of academy.
"…they just ditched us with Naruto," Ino said flabbergasted, "of all the people to leave us with… it had to be Naruto."
I don't mind, Hinata thought glancing back at the blonde in question, watching how he groaned and pushed himself up enough to sit up, one hand clutched to his head as if in pain.
"He-hello," Hinata greeted with a smile, Naruto just stared blankly at her
"…Who are you?" Hinata bowered head in shame
"Moron!" Ino screamed, throwing a kick at the boy
"Ghaaa!"
…
…
Hotaru watched passively as slowly five small figures carefully revealed themselves to his line of sight. It didn't take him long to notice Sakura or the large boy she was helping support, instantly he was turning towards the group and walking quickly towards them. Shikamaru and Shino were the first to notice him, both having stiffened some when they saw him, alerting Sakura and a half asleep Kiba in the process.
"Ho-Hotaru-sensei," Sakura squeaked, "I-I think they might need a-a nurse."
"Indeed," Hotaru nodded in agreement, "What about you?"
"Um…" Sakura blinked and looked at Shino and Shikamaru before answered, "I-I think we're fine." Hotaru nodded and turned his attention to the sickly Akimichi and half asleep Inuzuka.
"What happened to them?" Hotaru asked, placing a palm to Chōji's head and pressing his fingers to the boy's throat—said boy instantly threw up on his shoes. Sakura and Shikamaru paled drastically, looking like Hell had just frozen over and their world was just about to end in a very bloody and violent destruction. Hotaru took a deep breath and stepped away from the boy, simultaneously he summoned a small spring of water from beneath the earth and washed the vomit from his shoes before putting the small amount of summoned water back in the earth and covering it carefully. No way in hell was he going to let his Sempai see—
"I saw that Ototo"
He'll never live it down
"Onii-san," Hotaru greeted in boredom, "It would appear these two boys are in need of medical attention."
"I can see that," Hikaru smirked at him, his one good eye dancing in pastel shades of green. "That blue-haired brat placed a genjutsu on them. Though I am surprised they're reacting so badly."
"Hi-Hyūga-san m-might've hit him too hard," Sakura whispered, turning to glance back at Kiba, "She-she tried to dispel it by hitting chakra points."
"In the only style she knows," Hkaru sighed, flinching slightly in sympathy for the brunet, "And this one?"
"A-Aburame-san and-and I…" Sakura hesitated as she glanced back at the boy in glasses, "We tried to disrupt his chakra flow…"
"Ah, that you did," Hikaru nodded in approval, "It would appear his chakra system doesn't like your guy's too much"
"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered bowing her head in shame
"Ah! That's not what I meant Sprite," Hikaru said quickly, "it's just that, when you don't neutralize your chakra enough it could have a negative response instead of a positive one."
"Neutralize your chakra?" Sakura repeated, slowly looking up at the man through her bangs, "you can do that?"
"Well… I can't," Hikaru corrected quickly, "but some of the best medics in the world can neutralize their chakra. Tsunade Senju, one of the legendary Sanin, is the best at neutralizing her chakra; it also helps in her healing."
"…what are the benefits of neutralizing your chakra?" Sakura asked, tilting her head to the side
"Sakura now is not the time for a lesson," Shikamaru sighed, "We have to get Chōji to the nurse." Sakura gasped and nodded her head in agreement, together they hobbled back towards the academy and in search of the nurse they all knew so well. Hikaru and Hotaru watched as Shino carefully dragged Kiba with him, ignoring them both and just flat out following Shikamaru and Sakura.
"Well… that went better than I planned," Hikaru chuckled
"Your plan?" Hotaru asked in an insulted tone of voice, "I'm the one who did all the work for the test. I set up the training grounds, I made up the rules of the test, I created the ribbons, I—"
"—Am an over-achiever," Hikaru snickered, "I'll go inform Lord Hokage, later!"
"NO! Damn it sempai! Get back here!" Mizuki frowned as Hotaru continued wave a fist at his retreating elder brother, those weren't the words of two siblings discussing the final contestants of a race. Those were the words of two co-workers discussing the end-game of a mission.
Just what are you two planning? Mizuki thought as he turned on his heel and returned to the roped up children waiting for the hour to end.
…
…
Naruto rubbed at the slowly growing lump on the side of his head, scratches littered his face and arms, his once pristine clothes (or as pristine as the washer got them) were ragged and dirty. Hinata was walking quietly beside him with Ino taking the lead as they marched through the mini-forest, trying to avoid anyone who might do them harm. Eventually they reached the very back of the training grounds and drew out what they knew of it, mostly with the Byakugan's help. Putting all their skills on the table, they each tried to figure out just how to get a ribbon from at least one of the brother's without getting caught in the processes.
"You can't be serious," Ino drawled, looking at Naruto with two heads, "you can't seriously expect me to succeed in conditions like that! Go through a tree and some bushes? Are you nuts? I could die!"
"You don't have to worry Ino-san," Hinata whispered, "I'll make sure they get close enough to you."
"And I'll keep them distracted long enough to not notice you," Naruto agreed, nodding his head in agreement. "Come on Ino, You're the best shot we have to pull this off."
"I am?" Ino questioned, blinking her eyes curiously at Naruto as a faint dust of crimson painted her cheeks
"Yeah!" Naruto smiled brightly, "Let's face it, I never win in a fist fight with a Jonin and Hinata's not that experienced with fighting adults. She won't be able to get close enough to land any hits on them."
"We-we can distract," Hinata stuttered, bowing her head in shame again, "While you-you take advantage of their backs."
"…alright then," Ino smiled, her face glowing proudly, "Since you both insist, I can't possibly let you down!"
"Alright!" Naruto laughed, "Now how else do you think we should get to team up with?"
"Team up with?" Ino repeated with a frown, "Are you stupid or were you daydreaming during Hikaru-sensei's and Hotaru-sense's explanations? Only three people can pass in a class and nine in the same year. Sakura, Shikamaru, Chōji and Kiba will have to try in their other classes but the three of us have a chance of passing; don't you think that we owe it to them to pass?"
"…oh," Naruto bowed his head with a sigh, "it's just that… I was thinking of getting help from some kids I know…"
"Are they good at diversions?" Ino asked, crossing her arms, "Can they protect my back?"
"Yeah!" Naruto pouted at her, "I wouldn't think of them otherwise!"
"Well tell me their names and I'll be the judge of that," Ino replied, glaring at him, "I only trust so few people to watch over my body, Shikamaru and Chōji are two of those people, the rest happen to be related to us."
"Well then Hinata will watch your back!" Naruto growled, "you trust her right?!"
"Of course I trust her," Ino huffed, "Our mothers were friends!" Hinata tried very hard not to flinch at the past tense; thankfully it appeared that neither blonde noticed the flash of pain that crossed the young heiress's face. "Now let's get this done and over with!"
"Get what over with?" all three jumped at the amused sounding voice, "oh~ what a detailed little map you three made." They all looked up at the high fence that was to Ino's back, staring wide eyed at one very amused looking one eyed man. "Hello children," Hikaru greeted with a lazy wave, his blue ribbons dangling from his waist mockingly, "are you having fun yet?" as one the children jumped to their feet and took off running, trampling over their map at the same time, Hikaru watched with a predatory kind of smile.
"Now we can't have that,"
Hidden safely in a nearby bush, a pair of black eyes widened as the man disappeared and reappeared inches in front of him, it took everything the young boy had not to flinch at the sudden movement. Thankfully Hikaru didn't remain in front of him long and was quick to give chase to the three conspiring children currently running for their lives.
Should I help them? he thought, watching the man disappear into the brush, I need a green ribbon…
All the while, the boy was unaware of a familiar looking blonde stationed on a tree branch directly above him
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…
"This meeting is about one thing we need to destroy," Hiruzen said from where he stood to the far side of the large room. Every Jonin he knew of stood inside the large information room, each whispering together, others silent and watchful, wiry about the subject at hand. "More specifically, a dangerous cult," Hiruzen leaned slightly back in his seat. "The cult worships a god known only as Jashin. For them he is the god of eternity, for others he is the god of death and destruction."
"So what are we going to do?" one of the Jonin's asked, "Track down their base and kill anyone inside?"
"Thankfully we don't have to worry about that," Hiruzen replied, "the hidden waterfall village did that several years ago. However they weren't able to exterminate everyone, those who achieved true immortality remain alive to this day. Thankfully we were able to capture one that was a live and were able to interrogate her before she died" Here, Hiruzen nodded to Ibiki as he stepped forward, his scared face smooth like glass and his black eyes hard like steel.
"I'm not going to sugar coat anything I've learned from the woman," Ibiki said, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "She informed me that the cult's plan is to awaken someone named 'hime' and destroy everyone living in the name of their god." Ibiki informed everyone calmly, "Saddly, she would only know the 'hime' when she sees her; something about being related to her high priest."
"Is she still around?" Asuma asked, stepping forward with a frown, "I thought you said she was dead?"
"She is dead," Ibiki agreed, "She died despite everything medics did to spare her life. We don't even know how she died, her body just shriveled up like a raisin and turned to dust. Her words are all we have left to work with."
"Did she give any descriptions of this 'hime' that they want?" Kakashi asked, "Anything to help find the woman before they do would be nice."
"Depends on your definition of 'description'" Ibiki sighed, "The girl was born in the last blood moon. Something that only the power their 'god' could do, which means their 'hime' has the power over blood and anything related to it."
"…so she's a real deal psychopath," a kunochi sighed, rubbing at her brow. "This should be easy," She said sarcastically, "When was the last blood moon? A century ago?" everyone fell silent as several loud thumps and what sounded like muffled screaming suddenly filled the room. Eventually one of Hiruzen's guards appeared, whispered in his ear and disappeared again, only to reappear helping hold up one familiar looking Anbu agent. Behind him was a thrashing woman wrapped tightly in a thick layer of Wire, wire that appeared to have consumed the Anbu agent's left arm.
"Crow," Hiruzen called, rising to his feet
"My apologies Lord Hokage, I—"
"You're excused Crow," Hiruzen waved away the young man's concerns, "What happened?"
"We found the woman as instructed," Crow grunted as he yanked his bloody arm forward and practically threw the woman in front of him, he slumped heavily against the guard holding him up. "I lost two teammates and the other is in the hospital but I was able to capture her as requested." The woman twisted at odd angles in her thick binds, twisting her joints painfully to glare furiously at Hiruzen from the floor. The muffled scream she gave sent chills rolling through a few Jonin's spines, it didn't take a genius to know that she wasn't happy and that she would kill them all if she got free.
"Please tell us everything you've learned from her," Hiruzen stared pointedly at the thrashing woman who stopped to growl lowly at Crow, she was bound tightly in his wire with what looked like a hanker chief stuffed in her mouth. The bound woman stilled as she felt everyone's eyes turn on her and she imminently twisted her head into a disgusting angle to glare at everyone from beneath her ratty black bangs, her too thin legs snapped out at the nearest Jonin as if she thought she could slam her pointed heel into his shin; Kakashi didn't so much as flinch back from her. The wire binding her arms to her side tightened over her skin, each time she growled or jerked forward to attack the wire tightened further and further. Her black eyes were crazed and wild, she wrenched furiously in her bindings, snarling at anyone who dared to stare too long. Beneath the thick wire keeping her in place, one could see that the only thing the woman wore was a white dress, that barely covered the essentials, and a single pendent that sat proudly on her slightly larger than normal bust.
"Yes sir," Crow nodded, glancing down at the bound and thrashing woman, only to flinch back when her image suddenly twisted horrendously; he could only whisper one thing before he collapsed completely against the Anbu Agent holding him: "the room's spinning…" Hiruzen sighed, staring at the steadily growing puddle of deeper crimson on his floor; why is it that a half dead shinobi must visit him right after his carpet gets cleaned?
"Someone please tend to him?" Hiruzen asked, looking pointedly at the medics in the room. Everyone tried not to snicker at the soft whisper of 'My carpet', it was a well-known fact that Hiruzen's office carpet was the deep red it was because so many shinobi went to him before the hospital because of important information, supposedly it started out as a light pink bubblegum color. He just got tired of replacing the carpet every week during the two wars and then just didn't bother replacing it when the third war ended and he returned to the Hokage seat.
"What information can you supply us with?" Ibiki asked, staring at the young Anbu agent wirily, silently watching Kakashi walk over, grab the back of the woman's dress top (Crow happily disabled the wire connecting him and the woman) and drag the still kicking woman towards the front of the room where everyone could see her.
"The high priest of the cult you're talking about is named Hidan," Crow replied, ignoring the resulting muffled scream of the woman, "She doesn't know how old he is, however she did inform me that some in her cult think he's about a century old and some think he's older."
Hiruzen nodded slowly, "what else did she tell you?"
"That this 'Hidan' guy is searching the five nations for his daughter," Crow answered, again the woman screamed shrilly, her voice nearly cut through the air and the Anbu's voice, "it might be possible that the one you call 'Hime' and the one he calls 'Daughter' are one in the same."
"If that's the case I can trick the information out of the woman," Ibiki nodded courtly, glancing back at the woman as she fell silent, choosing instead to tangle her legs under her so she could sit up instead of lay on the ground, "Do you know what this Hidan guy looks like?"
"Supposedly he's albino," Crow shrugged, only to flinch when the medic growled at him and forcefully pushed him to a chair to tend to his bleeding leg and arm better. "Anyways, he moves around too much to get a real lock on him," Crow continued, trying to ignore the whispering from the group beside him. "However… his followers aren't nearly as low key as he is, they're fairly easy to find." The woman growled lowly as she turned a bone chilling glare onto Crow, her eyes promising pain and torture.
"I've already told the other hidden villages and our Daimyo about this cult," Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully, "there is a kill on sight order for anyone wearing the crest of these people."
"Just so we know what to look for, what is their crest?" Kakashi asked curiously, again the woman fell silent, everyone's eyes turned to the woman. The woman's pendent that hung just below her collar bone, was little more than a single circle with an upside down triangle on it. While some of the men's eyes drifted slightly lower, they were quickly reminded of their purpose when several kunochi slammed a healed foot into their own.
"Are you serious?" one Jonin asked curiously, eyes clued to his Hokage as he could feel a particular glare of a young woman to his left, "that's nothing more than an upside down triangle in a circle." the woman screamed shrilly at him, her furious black orbs rounding onto him, as if making a silent promise to kill him first.
"And that would be the crest of their god," Ibiki drawled, "His name is Jashin." On cue, the crest glowed an ominous bloody red and hummed mockingly at everyone staring at it; several shivered and stepped away from the creepy object. The woman however rolled her eyes sky ward and moaned, her body shivering as the hum reverberated through her body; giving off the impression that the pendent gave her some kind sexual pleasure.
"That thing is creepy as hell itself," one kunochi commented as she shivered and stepped further away from the woman. The glow faded and the woman slumped in her restraints, a smile pulled at her cheeks and kind of glaze fell over her black eyes. "Extremely Creepy," the Kunochi emphasized, shivering as she stepped away again
"What else has the woman said about this Hime character?" one of the other Jonin asked, quickly changing the subject
"Since she was born on the night of the bloody moon, and the last known one was about nine years ago, it's assumed that this 'Hime' is approximately six to seven years old," Ibiki answered quickly and efficiently, the woman turned an irritated kind of look towards him.
"So she's right at that age where she's yet to decide what kind of person she is," Shikaku spook up, "if she's like the cult she'll have violent out breaks and an obsession with blood." The woman gave a delighted sounding giggle, wiggling in her binds as if she wanted to clap her hands or dance in joy.
"And if she's not?" the previous kunochi asked, the bound woman snorted in dismissal, "What if she's decided to not walk that kind of path? What do we do then?" everyone fell quiet, imagining just what kind of person this 'Hime' could be. Was she kind and gentle? Shy even? Dose she feint at the sight of blood or worry uselessly over a small scrape? Dose she act like a normal human being? Or was she worse then what the picture of the cult paints? Could she truly be cable of bringing down the five great nations in the name of her 'god' and laugh about it? Did she like blood? Did she like death? Did she laugh when someone got hurt?
"It doesn't matter what kind of personality the girl has," Hiruzen said at last, turning in his seat to look out at the prospering village before him. "The girl has the kind of power to destroy the world as we know it. We cannot let her get into the wrong kind of hands. If we find her and she is capable of empathy we shall train her to heal and save lives so she might be able to fight back the urge to destroy."
"…and if she doesn't?" it was the kind of question no one wanted to ask, but someone had to, someone had to ask what they were going to do if they find that one little girl capable of destroying everything they knew. Hiruzen closed his eyes and took a deep steadying breath, far below him he could hear the sounds of laughing children and it put a pain in his heart that one of them could be this 'Hime' they were now searching for.
"…she will need to die," Hiruzen said, opening his eyes to stare in finalization over his entire village, "her power must never be released."
…
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Thoughts are helpful
Opinions are wonderful
Helpful criticisms lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?
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