A/N: Sorry for the wait. Now I feel able to write up another chapter of this one. This one goes out to my two girlfriends. Have a Merry Christmas to all!
Chapter four: The Hell Games.
In Konohq one Anko was in the Council chambers, the Civilian council was not present due to all its members mysteriously falling ill. The Kunoichi was being put on trial for misappropriate conduct and sexual conduct with a minor.
The Shinobi council maintained neutral expressions, they all knew Anko personally to some degree or another and all knew there was more to this than being said. Hiruzen cleared his throat and recited the charges and report placed by Jiraiya followed by the photographic evidence when he finished he asked "How do you plead?"
She was about to say 'Not guilty' but the door burst open revealing a raven-haired woman in a business suit. She smiled and shouted while pointing an accusatory finger at the Frog Sannin "MY CLIENT PLEADS NOT GUILTY!" at that the present council and Hokage glanced at the Snake Mistress who looked equally confused.
"Apologies for my lateness in representing my client. Naomi Misora, esquire. Legal representative for Shinobi. At your service." She smiled and passed about small business cards to the Shinobi council. They were all dumbfounded, they had heard the name before. She was a well known and very dependable lawyer that worked exclusively for Shinobi clientele. Some say she served as an Anbu in Kusa before gaining a rare early retirement.
"Bu-but, but I…" Anko sputtered but was cut off by the lawyer "Hush Anko-san! Don't worry about my fee. It has already been waived. Now what say we get to business hmm?" she asked at the end with a smirk while adjusting her black silk necktie.
"Umm… of course. I trust you are already aware of the charges and whatnot?" Hiruzen asked, stunned that Naomi was representing Anko. "But of course Hokage-sama. And I am aware of the alleged 'evidence' as well." She spoke confidentially.
"Alleged? These pictures show…" Jiraiya attempted to protest but the lawyer silenced him with a raised hand then zpoke "Did you or did you not take actual photographic evidence of my client engaging in sexual intercourse with Academy student, Naruto Uzumaki?"
The Frog Sannin stammered for a few moments, but finally replied in a reluctant tone "I did not." A series of murmurs washed over the Shinobi council as they gave the Sannin a glare of suspicion. "And did you not Blackmail Anko-san for the removal of her now nonexistent Curse Mark in exchange for Sexual favors and she violently rejected you? Yes or no." she asked while removing a pair of leather gloves.
The Sannin's stance crumbled further as he replied with a small "Yes." Naomi hmmed for a moment then spoke with a grin "Ladies and gentlemen. This whole trial, in itself is a farce. A ruse for a sick pervert to gain some form of petty revenge against my client. She and Naruto-san have been friends for some time. They haven't done anything of an inappropriate nature. My client is a young woman that works hard at her job for her daily bread. She needs to let her hair down on occasion, what these photos portray isn't a misbegotten relationship of passion between a young woman and a minor. But of a good friend helping her relax and relieve the built up tension in her body. No Sexual innuendo intended."
The Shinobi council all turned in their seats and glared angrily at both Jiraiya for attempting to do this to Anko and wasting their time and at Hiruzen for indulging in the Sannin's request for this trial. Hoping to quickly save face the Sandaime banged a gavel and announced "Cleared of all charges." And with that he rushed out the door, followed by his student.
With a smirk Naomi shoved Anko out the door then shut it behind them. She laughed heartily "Sorry for dropping in unannounced like that. But the looks on their faces was priceless. Hahaha!" the Snake Mistress let out a weak chuckle then asked "Thanks for the help, but who the hell waved your fee?!"
The Lawyer smiled and replied in a rather snarky tone "A mutual friend of ours. Let's suffice it to say I had some problems with conspiracy theorists thinking I was still pulling for Kusa, and our friend made my problems go away."
She caught onto the Lawyer's meaning and gave a stiff nod of understanding. "Well, the King of the Crossroads DOES need a legal representative for himself. That's where I come in. Heheh. I'm already having fun at this whole Dealing business."
The Snake mistress chuckled. She was already liking the perks. She got into some trouble and her new boss was already bailing her out. Speaking of her boss… what was he up to?
Meanwhile.
Kizashi Haruno's eyes shot wide open in panic, he found himself strapped to some kind of chair. In front of him was a small table on his left and right were two separate decks of playing cards. In front of the left deck was one Iruka Umino. On the right was a small girl, whom fit the description his daughter Sakura gave him. Long and straight black hair, and bright crimson eyes that almost never seemed to blink. Ai Enma.
"Ai-san? What is the meaning of this?" asked Iruka whom struggled against his own bonds. Ai looked at them both impassively amd answered "Welcome. To the Hell Games. It is here you shall be granted a second chance at life… or damned to the torments of Hell by the one whom you wronged." With a snap of her fingers the lights blinked on with a loud click.
The two men gasped ar their surroundings, which had the likeness of a luxurious casino but was… in a single word… corrupted. The slot machines were broken and in disrepair, the ceiling had water damage and the carpets were discolored and in tatters. From their position they could tell they were in some kind of a small arena. The type often used for poker tournaments.
A spotlight shone on the top of the stairs revealing the silhouette of a young man leaning on a walking cane. He chuckled and stepped down the stair, revealing himself to be Naruto Uzumaki. He was dressed in an all black business suit, a pocket watch chain sticking out of one of his pockets. He wore a crimson silk tie, a white dress shirt and a black vest. The cane appeared to be steel, but was colored much like a black pear. On the top of the cane was a shimmering skull with rubies for eyes.
"Afternoon gents. I was feeling a little bored… so I decided to take retribution." The blonde spoke with a wide grin as the Hell Girl summoned a luxurious chair for him and pulled it out for him to sit in. When he sat down she pushed it back into place then resumed her original spot.
"I hope you know how to play Blackjack gents. Standard 'Over 21 busts' rules apply. But there's a few twists. Like the stakes… being your souls." He spoke with a shark like grin.
"Hey brat! Don't joke around here! This is too much for a prank! I'll have you arrested for kidnapping." Kizashi yelled angrily. Naruto huffed and replied "Ah… boohoo. Way to spoil my fun. Well, if you want out so badly, then by all means… do attempt to leave." When Naruto finished speaking, the pink haired man's bonds were unlocked.
He rubbed his wrists and angrily stomped off, leaving a confused Iruka, a blonde with a smug grin, and a girl with a blank face. Kizashi walked off into a dark hallway that had an illuminated Exit sign and disappeared into the dark. Footsteps sounded again but this time they were coming BACK. Kizashi emerged from a second hallway behind Ai's seat. The Ex-Shinobi hmmed for a moment then muttered "Hmph. I must have taken a wrong turn."
He turned back into the dark hall and a few moments reappeared again in another spot. He then went back to try again. No matter how many times he tried he kept looping back towards the table where thw other three still sat. "Get it yet? You're not leaving till you play."
Angey and frustrated he went back to the seat he was shackled in and asked while trying not to grind his teeth "What were these 'twists' you mentioned?"
The blonde snapped his fingers signaling Ai to explain "Number cards 2-10 shall have the value of their numbers. Face cards shall automatically count as 10. Ace cards shall count as 1 or 11. Go over 21 and you lose. There shall be three rounds. Two out of three wins. Rounds shall continue until one player busts or gains 21. Additionally, there are two new cards added into the deck. An 'Angel' card that shall automatically bring the total of your hand to 21 regardless of your hands value making an instant win. And the 'Devil' card which is an 'Instant Death' card. In short, if it is drawn then you lose automatically. There is one final rule… you must choose which Dealer to receive a card from per turn."
Kizashi glared at the boy across from him. The punk-haired man had played some card games before. But he could tell that final rule was to provide a dilemma. Should he choose the girl who could possibly be helping the brat? Or choose the hapless Chunin who was clearly in a not so good position.
"Before we get started… I gotta know… why are you doing this Naruto?" Iruka asked wondering if he might appeal to his students. The blonde replied in a casual manner "Different reasons. In Kizashi's case he has been sabotaging me from the jump. His attempts increased more when he learned I was sharing classes with his daughter. As for you… well, during my years in the Academy… you KNEW about my… issues. About Kyuubi. But not once, not once, did you EVER help me. Actually help me."
The scarred Chunin gulped and stated "But Naruto! I couldn't afford to show any favoritism!" at that statement the skull on the blonde's staff came to life and began cackling 'LIAR LIAR LIAR LIAR! HAHAHA!' the blonde smirked and spoke "The skull laughs when someone attempts to lie to me. I had it specially ordered."
The Chunin sweated bullets at that. Was it really seeing through him? Or was it some kind of trick? Nothing made sense at the moment. "Well, enough of that. By the way. There's one more thing you need to know. One of these decks is linked directly to your heart Kizashi. If you can figure out which, your odds of living shall exponentially increase. Now let's play. Iruka's deck. Deal hand." The blonde spoke. On command the Chunin's hand moved against his will, drawing two cards and placing them in front of the blonde. It was a 9 and a 7 making a total of 16.
The Ex-Shinobi grimaced wondering what the boy meant by a deck being linked to his heart. The two looked the same. The tops of the cards being black as midnight. With a grunt he decided to play "Iruka's deck. Deal hand." Once again the Chunin's hand was forced to move against his will. A King and Jack making it 20.
The Ex-Shinobi grinned widely. The only way the brat could win was by getting a 20 or 21. But the only way he could do that was getting a 4, 5, or an Angel. The blonde smirked and spoke "Ai's deck. Hit me." The Hell Girl's hand moved on its own and drew… a 2?
Kizashi was stunned… he had expected that the brat would cheat and draw an Angel. But he hadn't. With a scowl he growled out "Stay." This made the blonde grin and speak triumphantly "Iruka's deck. Hit me."
Again a new card was drawn… and it was a 3. Bringing the total to 21. Naruto had won the round. "You… you cheated… you somehow know what cards are going to be drawn!" accused the Ex-Shinobi. The blonde scratched the side of his face and replied "To be frank… you are both wrong… and right. You see… the Hell Games isn't just a game. It is a kind of test. And I'm not the one being tested. I didn't know what cards would be drawn. But I DID know that I COULDN'T lose. There's only one way for you to win… you gotta dig reeeeeeal deep and find the solution."
At that Kizashi growled and barked out "Ai's deck. Deal hand." The Hell Girl's hand moved and sent two cards towards the Council member. A 2 and 8, making 10. Kizashi smirked, all he needed to guarantee victory was a an Ace or Angel card. But then his smirk fell, what if… there WASN'T a way for him to win? He just couldn't figure out what the boy meant by digging deep for the solution. Nor about one of the decks being linked to his heart.
Here he was sitting in some weird rundown casino, playing against the offspring of THAT woman. Yes. He knew who's child Naruto was. He could always see it in the brat's eyes. That same sense of superiority, that same pair of eyes that showed a deep intelligence mixed with a primal fury. That same smile. That same laugh. That same posture that said 'I will always win'. The boy was definitely Kushina's child.
During his time as a Shinobi he once was in a platoon of Shinobi. Kushina was their leader. And she was the best damn Platoon leader one could ask for. Tough but fair to her troops, always got the job done, never lost a soldier to the enemy… but despite her success. He saw her… true face. The face of a sociopath with no regard or value for human life outside of anyone linked to or sympathetic to the Uzumaki clan.
He witnessed her taking 'trophies' from her kills. She would cut off their ears to make a necklace. Or scalp them and clip them onto the scabbard of her Katana. One time she tortured a traitor to Konoha who was selling information to Iwa. She laughed as she stabbed the spy repeatedly in the groin. Laughed. Like it was some kind of joke. He confronted her about it and she said that 'she was having fun'.
There was no remorse whatsoever. Kushina was the most vile and evil and twisted woman he had ever known. Since then he resolved to quit the Shinobi, become a Council member and do everything in his power to ensure the destruction of Uzumaki clan. Even if he had to destroy one goddamn Uzumaki brat who just wouldn't fucking die!
The deck in front of Ai glowed a dark purple color. It was then Kizashi had figured it out! His memories and emotions affected the deck. He was about to make his move but the King of the Crossroads spoke "I wouldn't do that Kizashi. I really wouldn't."
Ignoring the brat the Ex-Shinobi ordered "Ai's deck! HIT ME!" he roared, expecting to draw an Angel… but instead it was a Devil. The Devil on the card came to life and began dancing about and cackling evilly, then it reached through the card and dragged Kizashi in. With the clap of thunder and a bright flash of light… the Devil card showed Kizashi in the place of the Devil.
"Seems his heart was so tainted with bitterness and anger… it proved to be his undoing. Now… it's your turn to play Iruka." The blonde spoke menacingly as the seats rearranged themselves so that the the Chunin sat across from the blonde and Ai sat between them.
The blonde spoke again with a grin "This time. Standard game of Poker. One round only." He snapped his fingers signaling Ai to deal the cards. She gave them both two cards for their hands. As she shuffled the deck to place the three cards on the table that could make or break Iruka's future he had a decent guess the second deck that was being used was linked to his own heart.
He looked back and remembered his parents. He loved them both so much. And both were Ninja under some redhaired woman's command, he had only met their commander one time but he couldn't remember the name. But she gave him an uneasy feeling.
Then came the night of October tenth. He remembered it like it was yesterday. He saw the Kyuubi's wrath in person. He remembered being pulled to safety by some Chunin or someone. When the attack was over and the Hokage sacrificed his life to seal away the Kyuubi… he learned about Naruto. And shortly after that… about his parents.
Why? Why did Naruto get to live and not his own parents? Why did the boy have to live and breathe in the village Iruka's parents died for? Why did the brat have to be in his own damn class? It would be better if the boy had just given up being a Shinobi and gone away, or better yet, he should have died so much sooner from Konoha's resentment.
The blonde tsked as he spoke in a bored tone "Too bad. I was expecting better. Seems that this was a boring game." When Ai dealt the cards on the table, to his horror Iruka's hand was a pair of twos which lost to Naruto's Full house.
"You know what they say. You're your own worst enemy." Spoke the blonde with finality. The Hell Girl got up from her seat, the floral patterns on her kimono seemingly coming to life as she spoke "Oh damned souls who have caused harm to my master… perhaps it is time for you to die."
A bell chimed and both Kizashi and Iruka found themselves on a small ferry. Slowly sailing along as the Crimson eyed girl steered it. They begged and pleaded to her to go back. Kizashi attempted to bribe her while Iruka attempted to appeal to her morality.
She ignored them for the most part but spoke as though she were talking to herself "Plead and beg as you like. Materialistic things hold no value to me. Morality is irrelevant to me. I have a duty to fulfill to my master. You are to be ferried to Hell. You had a chance for redemption… and squandered it. Goodbye to you both."
Meanwhile. Somewhere in the woods outside Oto.
Kabuto was panting tiredly. He had been running for hours and hours to escape Kira. But so far his stamina was running out and from the brief glimpses of his pursuer she wasn't showing any signs of stopping. He then remembered she was built to hone in on her prey and could go on for days without need for sleep, or drink, or food.
A small part of him cursed Orochimaru for making that damned Kira too perfect. He needed some means of making her lose his scent. So long as she had a lock on his scent she could follow him forever. He leapt down to a nearby stream and began to cover himself in mud and dirt.
He then heard twigs snapping. She was close. He quickly threw some leaves onto his muddy body and hid amongst the rocks and moss to hide. He then heard some pebbles clatter, he knew Kira had landed. She sniffed the air for him. She growled when she found his scent had stopped.
It was then she decided to rely on her hearing. Her ears twitched as she heard a heavily beating heart nearby. She grinned vanished in a swirl of leaves. Kabuto sighed in relief, believing she had left. He was about to make a break for it while he had time but then a cold and pale hand grabbed him by the throat. "Mmm. Lunch." Spoke a hungry Kira as she licked her lips.
Kabuto's screams rang throughout the forest. Scaring numerous birds out from their hiding places. The last of Orochimaru's most loyal followers had met a gruesome yet well deserved end.
End chapter four.
Next time: Chaos in Konoha! With Kizashi gone a serious power vacuum has been left in the Councils. The Shinobi council decide to take advantage of this as they should have long ago. With both teachers gone, Naruto decides it's time to place a real teacher in their place. Meanwhile with Orochimaru and his followers dead, executed or subjugated by Kushina, she puts her new village under a new and brutal regime, preparing for the inevitable war against Konoha. But what will she do when she meets Naruto? Shall she too be forced to play the Hell Games?
