First Impressions

Chapter 6: The Shadows attack

Koomahana

Mamorigami—guardian spirit

Ubume-A mother ghost who died in childbirth or died leaving young children behind, this Yūrei (Demon) returns to care for her children, often bringing them sweets

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site

Thoughts

Paragraphs are flashbacks


Ino tucked her feet closer to herself, teal green eyes locked on the shadow resting just inches shy of the old fox's tail. She didn't need to be told to be silent to know that the owner of the shadow was not her ally; a single glance at his shaped unpainted mask was all she needed to know that he was her enemy. Sakura had told her of the 'Shadow Animals' and how they were always hurting the foxes and trying to take her away from the compound. Just the knowledge of them hurting the friendly creatures was enough to make Ino dislike them but to hear that they were trying to take her friend away was the last straw. Ino had wanted to tell her dad, so he could set up a trap and protect her but Ubume said that he would not be able to catch the shadows. She knew that the ghostly woman's name wasn't actually 'Ubume' but that was what Ino was going to call her and the woman seemed to be okay with it, she never corrected her. On that thought, Ino did find it amusing that while she called the woman an over protective demon, Sakura called her a guardian spirit.

"No I haven't found them," the Shadow's voice snapped Ino out of her thoughts and her amused smile fell straight off her face, her eyes widening as she paid rapid attention to the man crouching before her. "Are you sure we need all three of them? Master doesn't usually take girls," despite being more into fashion and boys then her school work, Ino was far from stupid, she could put two and two together. The Shadow animals were no longer after just Sakura; they were after the three of them, Shikamaru and Chōji, as well. Her father had warned her that people would someday try to take her away because of the bloodline she had, some people would even force her to have kids so they would become ninja of the village she had been taken by. That could be the reason here, that they were chasing Sakura because she held some sort of bloodline they were oblivious too and then when she chased after Sakura… with Shikamaru and Chōji, they saw a four for one deal…

It was all her fault, her friends were going to get hurt because of her, because she couldn't listen to Chōji and go back home, she just had to go chasing after Sakura in the middle of the night without telling anyone anything. If they were taken out of the village it would be next to impossible to track them down and returned home, they would be forced to continue their clans in an enemy village. There would be war, they would fight and they would properly die fighting against their home and family, this would happen because they would be brainwashed into believing that this new village is their home and that Konoha is their enemy. It was all her fault, they were going to be brainwashed into breading weapons and they were going to be killed because she couldn't listen.

What kind of friend leads they're friends into a trap?

What kind heir is she if she can't even protect her bloodline?

What kind of kunochi would she be if she can't even fight for the village that is her home?

"Understood," the Shadow spoke again, forcing Ino to focus on him again, her fear spiking when she thought that the man could see them. Suddenly she thought that the Foxes barrier failed and that he was staring at her and assessing the best way to take all three of them at the same time and—

"Ino?" a familiar voice whispered, freezing her heart as she turned slowly to look behind her, she wasn't aware of Choji having left the safety of the fox circle. "Ino? Shikamaru? where are you?" Chōji was standing at the edge of the clearing, looking around as if he was confused; on his right shoulder was a tiny yellow baby fox, yawning and threatening to fall asleep. The sight was enough to make Ino panic, even more so when the Shadow turned at Chōji's voice and readied himself like a Cat waiting to pounce; fitting because his mask was in the shape of the patient lucky cat. The kit lifted his head, ears perked and head tilted to the side curiously; the Shadow tensed his muscles ready to pounce. The kit laid its ears back and growled lowly, the way only a kitten could growl and hiss, cute but alarming in this case. She felt the burst of chakra the Shadow used to charge forward, she moved to stop him, a scream on the tip of her tongue. Suddenly she was restrained, a hand over her mouth and arms and legs wrapped around her, holding her to the ground and preventing her from leaving the protective circle of the Foxes. She thrashed, kicking, elbowing, trying to scream, watching in terror as Chōji shouted, the Kit yowled, and suddenly they were gone. She kept struggling, tears rolling down her cheeks, her screams muffled by the tight hold of one hand; it seemed to be hours before she realized someone was whispering in her ear.

"It'll be okay," it whispered, choked with pain and fear, "We'll get him back, everything will be okay, it'll be okay." It kept repeating and repeating until she stopped struggling, breathing heavily; one hand wrapped around the wrist of the hand held tightly to her mouth. It was about that moment that she recognized that fearful tone of voice, the voice of her friend, her adopted older brother, Shikamaru. As she came to the realization that Shikamaru was the one who restrained her, she also realized that her shoulder was damp and the arms wrapped around her were trembling. She sniffed a few times, taking in a few shaky breaths before she tapped Shikamaru's hand and carefully pealed herself away from him, staring into his carefully too blank face, the panic and tears still swirled in his eyes.

"He'll be okay," Shikamaru repeated, as if that was all that was keeping him from bursting out into full panic, "We can get him back."

"How?" she asked, "There could be an army in this forest and we wouldn't know it. How are we supposed to get Chōji back if we don't even know where to look?"

"Maybe but we don't have too," Shikamaru answered, taking in slow steady breaths, trying to push back his panic and fear, trying to be reasonable. "The foxes and your friend know this forest inside and out," suddenly he blinked as if he just realized something and looked at Ino wide eyed, "you know this forest just as good. Plus you're a sensor, you can find him, you can find Chōji." He sounded so desperate, so different from his usual lazy 'I don't care leave me alone' attitude that it actually scared her.

"No, no I can't," Ino started, panic rearing its ugly head, "I can't find him Shikamaru, I've never tried without Sakura or dad, how can you think I can sense when I've never—"

"You can Ino," Shikamaru said clasping her shoulders and shook her gently, "You were sensing when you were following Sakura the other day. You were sensing when you came looking for us, you were sensing when you left to find Sakura." Ino's eyes widened because she never once thought that was considered sensing, following a path with someone in mind wasn't what she called sensing. She thought sensing was following people's chakra, like the burst of chakra she felt from the Shadow man when he lunged at Chōji. "It's in you Ino, you can do it, you've been doing it this whole time. You can do it again!"


Sakura lost concentration and accidentally let the boy drop harshly on his back. She turned slightly, looking over her shoulder at the training hall half filled with sunlight and dancing shadows, the shifting orange mist of the miasma was like a wall of foggy glass. The orange mist wouldn't approach her so soon, not when it'll get purified and manipulated by her, so it'll leave her alone for now. She turned away from the training hall and took in a deep breath, she reached forward with her senses and searched for the warmth of the tunnel, purifying it and then using it to do what she could not. The boy's heavier clothes threatened to melt off him like ink in water, a sign that the miasma wasn't pure enough to move him. Closing her eyes and taking in deep steady breaths, she concentrated on purifying the miasma. When his hair lifted slightly, she knew the miasma was pure enough to use on him without worry about poisoning him accidentally. When the boy was lifted off the ground again, she continued around the corner, the purified mist surrounding the boy carrying him ahead of her.

"Kodomo," she didn't look as the woman she's known all her life appeared beside her, walking silently, "What are you doing?" she hummed and smiled, pressing all five fingers against her heart before tapping two fingers to her temple and pointed at the boy. "He has passed the test?" Mamorigami asked, one perfectly curved yellow brow arched diligently, she nodded in agreement.

"Fine, follow me," Mamorigami ordered, not stopping as they turned down another hallway, Mamorigami leading the way, Sakura not questioning the older woman. They disappeared into the dark hall rimmed in pale ghostly blue lights, the optical cords of light were the 'eyes' if the computer known as 'Mamorigami'. Sakura didn't know why the computer was named that but she also didn't care either. At the very far end of the hall, where it seemed that darkness could go on forever, Mamorigami stopped and waved her hand in front of an empty space. Like magic to little Sakura, a large section of black stone shuttered back and to the side, letting out a cloud of dust and a blinding white light that forced Sakura to shield her eyes.

"Welcome child," Mamorigami smiled patiently down at her, "to the garden of adaptation, a piece of our homeland."

"Whoa" Sakura breathed


He stared out at the floating, rotating orb of orange and yellow light, the chakra of the great demon being purified and returned to the earth from where it once came. He knew that in the very center was the curled up form of his best friend, the woman having sacrificed everything to save her village, there would be no way to get her out without releasing the remaining Miasma on the village. There was also no way of knowing if the woman inside was still alive or if it was only her body that remained untouched by time, was it even possible for her to still be alive? It was a terrifying thought, a hope he couldn't bear to see crushed; even if she was alive there would be no way to save her. The village elders wouldn't allow them to create a seal to do what Mebuki is doing, they wouldn't even consider saving her; to them she was just a corps preserved in a demon's chakra. They would never allow her to leave, especially if there was no promise of her survival or if it put the village in danger, they would rather have her rout underground for the rest of eternity.

"Hay mister," he looked down at the small child, the surprising warmth of her tiny hand settling around his wrist, "Is that Mebuki-hime?"

"Yes, that's Mebuki-chan," Shikaku agreed with a fond smile, "you're properly too little to remember her so don't fret too much, okay?"

"Don't worry I won't," the girl smiled up at him, "I'm more worried about how you're going to get her out."

"What do you mean?" a thump of fear and hope twisted his stomach into knots, he couldn't hope that she was alive only to find out that it was impossible to get her out of the orb.

"I mean she's still alive," the little girl answered, "Is there a way to get her out of the miasma?"

"Not without hurting the village," the teen behind them answered softly, "I'm sorry Aimi but you can't meet her before we move on."

"Okay," the girl, Aimi, sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping

"Come along children," Shikaku said softly, trying to ignore the lump in his throat and the ice in his belly, "I bet the sun is rising."

"It's been a long time since I last saw a sunrise," the teen whispered fondly, a memory from long ago surfacing in the for-front of her mind. Shikaku smiled to himself and walked the group of ten children to the far edge of the room and through the immense pure stone hall decorated with thousands of seals. At the far end of the hall, they all turned and started the long walk back up to the surface, little Aimi giggling at the new sights. For ghosts, it occurred to Shikaku that just him finding them should've relieved them enough to make them move on but it seemed that these ghosts were bound to him until they reached the surface... Maybe one or two of them slowly faded as they climbed the slope but Shikaku pretend they were still with him, so when he reached the top two hours later, he felt as if a mountain had been lifted from his shoulders. He stood at the very top of the slop, standing in the large door way big enough for two houses to pass through unharmed with room on either side to walk and a ceiling high enough for a dozen people to stand atop the roof of the house passing through. Before him was the view of the compound, a wonderful mixture of forest and houses evenly dispersed and beautifully shaped into the symbol of their village mark. One main road swirled through the forest to shape the swirling leaf and the point where he stood was the very bottom of the leaf, the part that hung to the tree. The Hattori clan were loyal to the village and no one could question that, the symbol of the leaf was carved into every pillar used and weaved into every dance they performed. Even some of the tomoe on their homes were replaced with three spinning leaves instead of the original Tomoe.

Suddenly he could see this place as he did once when he was still a child, following Mebuki to the top curiously. He remembered the way it looked back then, graceful and beautiful in every way to his childish mind. He remembered Mebuki pointing out different building tops and giving it a name, the daycare, the training grounds, the gardens, the little shops, the playgrounds, the exit into the main village and the dozen hidden entrances. Remembering her voice as it was back then, made him regret not trying to see her more often. Paper work and clan duties were poor excuses, he saw his teammates more often than her and he could not deny that for a time, he did forget about her.

Some best friend he was

"Shikaku," her voice whispered in his mind, full of amusement as it always seemed to be, "thank you... For saving me I mean." That's right, he forgot about that, he was the one who found and unburied her when those nin thought they could crush her to death with rocks. It took him an hour to unbury her and another twenty to pull her out of the thick wet earth sticking to her like slim. After that he just held her as she cried hysterically until their teammates returned to them. Mikoto and Kushina looking viciously victorious and Choza and Inoichi stood a healthy distance from the girls, they actually looked scared of them.

"Shi~ka~ku~," the voice was whisper soft and filled with uncertainty, he looked down and saw little Sakura standing a little further in the great tunnel. She appeared nervous in her dirty pink kimono frayed at the edges and looking too small for her to wear anymore. He sniffed and smiled down at her, crouching he waved her over with a sad looking smile. She walked over and took his hand, staring up at him through her too long pink bangs, curiosity shinning in her bright emerald eyes.

"A long time ago I made a promise to your mother," Shikaku said, a tear slipping past his guard, "and it's about time I renew that promise." Sakura tilted her head to the side in confusion, watching silently as he pulled her into a tight hug.

"I promise to always protect you,"


She trembled as she pulled Shikamaru up the ledge, the two giant foxes on look out. Ino tried not to feel scared with Shikamaru holding her hand so tightly, but she figured that he was trembling just as bad as she was. She whipped her nose on her sleeve and looked around the compound in perfect beautiful daylight. It was so different in sunlight as compared to its haunting darkness of a ghosts paradise. In daylight the mists of the miasma hid the bones of the dead, hovering two feet off the ground, hiding the destruction of the attack like an orange glowing blanket. From their place atop the same broken wall she walked on the previous night, it appeared as if the occupants of the compound just left and never came back.

"What happened here?" Shikamaru asked softly, stepping a little closer to Ino

"It's from October tenth eight years ago," Ino answered as she started moving forward, "from the kiyobi attack."

"Why doesn't the rest of the village look like this?" Shikamaru asked as he followed her, letting go of her hand so she could jump across a gap in the wall

"The Hattori clan was destroyed in the Kiyobi attack eight years ago," Ino explained, "according to Ubume; the Hattori sacrificed themselves to protect the village." Shikamaru stopped in his tracks, staring wide eyed at Ino's back, disbelief filling him. "Fifty people dead is better than a thousand, one clan's destruction is better than the entire village being destroyed. Can you imagine what it would be like if the entire village was reduced to this small twenty acer compound? How many people do you think it could sustain before disease broke out and killed more people? How many people do you think would've survived the kiyobi attack if the Hattori didn't pull the miasma towards their compound?" Shikamaru didn't answer; he was quiet as he thought about the answer. In a way, Ino was right. Fifty dead is better than a hundred, a clan destroyed is better than a nation; but he still couldn't imagine what it was like, having to face that threat and not be scared. Did the parents in the clan try to shield their children from the demon? Did the children cry for their parents? Did anyone try to save a Hattori before it was too late? Did anyone try to convince them that their lives were just as important as the village? Was their death quick and painless or slow and terrifying? If the Hattori didn't sacrifice themselves, would any other clan of the village still be living? Would his clan have survived the attack if the Hattori didn't pull the miasma into their compound just in time? Would his father or mother still be living? Would he still be alive without their sacrifice?

"Who would choose the village over their own family?" Shikamaru asked doubtfully, he hurried after Ino when he saw her jump to another ledge, this one slightly wider than the previous.

"The Hattori elders," Ino answered, "according to Ubume, the entire clan knew what would happen should someone unleash a demon on the village and prepared accordingly for it. Ever since that decision, each following generation was raised knowing that should a demon attack the village, then they would die as a result."

"I still don't understand," Shikamaru said softly, frowning at the back of his friend as he tried to keep up with Ino as she expertly weaved her way through the compound using only the walls, tree limbs and pieces of broken houses that she could reach. "Why would they sacrifice everyone? Wasn't there another way to protect the village? Did they all have to die?" Ino stopped in her tracks, they were standing on the second floor of a half destroyed house. In the corner Shikamaru could see a child's sized bed, a small desk and a dresser with small girly cloths strewn about the broken room, there was even a teddy bear hanging dangerously close to the edge of the broken floor, threatening to fall into the poisonous mist. Ino looked around them for a moment before she walked over to the edge and laid down, bending over the edge she fiddled around with the underside of the broken floor before pushing herself up and walking back towards him.

"In Sakura's words 'better us then them'," Ino thrust her hand forward, showing Shikamaru the long jade green ribbon she held. It seemed plane at first, but the longer he stated at it the more he saw the thicker lines of the hand-stitched leaves sown in the same jade green thread the ribbon was made in. It took him even longer to realize the leafs weren't strewn about randomly but where localized into groups of three, looking so much like the black tomoe spinning up and down the ribbon with them. The Hattori clan integrated the village symbol into their clan symbol, showing their allegiance to the village, and their sacrifice only spoke about their immense blind loyalty.


She slid to a stop atop a tree branch, her teammates skidded to stumbling stops just behind her, she ignored their grumbled complaints about her hair pin turns and random stops. Right now she was in the perfect place to get the view of the center of the compound, not far from her was the perfect view of a half destroyed house, two familiar looking children standing on the second floor. Not far from the house, walking on a broken in half wall, humming and smiling, arms out spread walking like a little tin soldier was a familiar, almost identical looking little girl to the one she once grew up with. The only thing missing was the pretty yellow hair and pristine white quipao dress, but other than that the girl on the wall and her old teammate could be twins. Just behind the girl, walking in the clear space of the ground, was Shikaku, walking as if nothing in the world was wrong. She gave a strangled shout and launched herself off the tree she was in, however she wasn't the only one and her old reflexes were the only thing that kept her from being riddled with kunai.

"Mikoto!" Inoichi shouted, dodging his own set of projectiles, "Where are they?!"

"Kakashi get to Sakura!" Mikoto screamed just a second before throwing out a fireball the size of a house towards the group of ninja who thought they could hide from her. Kakashi didn't question her as he dived forward, heading straight for Shikaku and the child, his hounds howled hauntingly through the air. Sakura snapped around at the sound, her green eyes widening as dozens of shadow animals charged her like waves of paranoias swarming on to a single pray. Ino shouted and jumped off the roof, Shikamaru went to follow her but one of the Shadow Animals lunged forward and took him away before he could. Sakura turned around just in time to see Ino become engulfed in the miasma and for Shikamaru struggle in the arms of a Shadow animal as they both disappeared into the shadows between the two houses. Shikaku jumped up beside Sakura and grabbed her just in time to dodge the net swung at her, reaching the end of the wall Shikaku jumped in, trusting Sakura to do what she does best. The miasma turned from menacing ominous orange to bright warm teal tinged green in a perfect five foot radius around them. Shikaku put Sakura over his shoulders and ran through the mist, creating teal mist in his wake that was quick to evaporate into pure air around them. Shikaku didn't have to go far before he found Ino, curled up because of her broken ankle, he was quick to pick her up and set her on his hip as he sprinted again away from the 'Shadow Animals' trying to take the two girls.

"To the willow," Sakura whispered in his ear, "hurry." Shikaku tightened his hold on Ino as Sakura scrambled down from his shoulders and huddled herself up on his other side, he didn't ask any questions as she kept watch over his back. He could only assume that she was using the miasma to cover their trail and purifying anything that got too close to them.

"Shika," Ino coughed, "Shikamaru… they took him." Ino wheezed breathlessly, her eyes clenched tight as she tried to breathe through the burning in her lungs, "Ch-Chōji too." Shikaku was busy dodging kunai and escaping explosions to really hear what the blonde was whimpering about, Sakura however appeared to be able to hear her just fine.

"Understood," it was the first time Shikaku heard Sakura's voice grow cold, sounding almost like ice. Sakura put both feet to his ribcage and used chakra to stand up and hold onto him tighter, just as he was about to ask what she was doing, Sakura let out a long, loud piercing howl too similar to that of a wolf's. Barely even a moment later, another howl sounded through the air, echoing even loud through the ruins, nearly vibrating in Shikaku's skull as he ran.

"Help," Sakura chimed with a smile, settling back around his waste

"From who?" Shikaku asked, just then there was growl and time seemed to freeze as Shikaku watched several great canine forms leap over them before time started he heard three men screams the canine's easily killed them. When he heard one turn and start to give chase, he quickly added chakra to his legs and made himself even faster, his heart skipped a beat when Sakura giggled and there was playful yip from the animal chasing him.

"Friend," Sakura giggled, "she will protect us."

Shikaku decided that he'll hold off on his questions until after they reach the willow tree


Inoichi smoothly hid himself in the shadow of the nearest house, letting Kakashi's summons surround him protectively as he concentrated on suppressing his chakra to that of his daughter's level. As predicted three signatures slid into the room of the house, the dogs took out two and immobilized the third, letting him take quick possession of the black dressed man. He took no liberty of sparing his sanity, he tore through the seals and traps like a hurricane on an island, destroying everything in the way of what he wanted. What he wanted was information, who he was, where he was from, who hired him, why he was hired, and the in the seven hells the man wanted his daughter. After tearing through the man's brain, shredding his personality into itsy bitsy pieces, he gathered up his necessary information and returned back to his own body, carrying a mental copy of the man's memories. Once he returned to T&I he would be able to take this mental memory and convert it onto a digital program, like a video and present it to Ibiki and Hiruzen. Right now Inoichi didn't know who wanted his daughter but he did know that by too night the person would be hanging by their innards.

No one touches his kid and gets away with it

"Inoichi-san, are you well?" He looked towards the pug and nodded courtly

"Take him to interrogation, no one but Ibiki is to see him." He ordered rising to his full height, "after that one of you stand guard and the other go inform lord Hokage of everything."

"Right, let's go boys," the dogs disappeared, leaving Inoichi alone with only the two youngest members of the pack.

"You two, can you search out my daughter?" Inoichi asked, staring down at the pup with the black eye.

"We know her scent, it shouldn't be hard to find her," the pup answered, tilting his head to the side

"Good, tell Kakashi to go after the boys, I've got the girl's," Inoichi left with only one of the pups following him. He cleared the way of any optical; the masked shinobi included, and followed the dog through the ruins of the once famous clan.

No matter the cost, he was getting his daughter back


Shikamaru didn't resist when the man tackled him and ran from the house he last saw his blond friend. He pretended to pass out from the sudden force of weight slamming into his body. He tried to keep track of every turn and the amount of jumping verses running the man did but when he felt the warmth of the sun get replaced by the cold of water, he began to panic. By the time he got himself calm enough to start counting again, the man slid to a stop and dumped him carelessly on the ground.

"Well, where's yours?" His voice was low but Shikamaru thought he heard a tone of pride in his kidnapper's voice

"Bear got caught by the Yamanaka," another male voice drawled unimpressed with the other, "we're to move out as soon as possible."

"Understood," his capture said, something sounding almost angry sounded in his voice, but it was so low Shikamaru couldn't be sure. The only Yamanaka he knew was there was Ino, but if their words were anything of a hint, then someone had to have gone looking for them. By 'someone' he meant their parents; they were going to be in so much trouble when this all ended.

"I'll head to master and find out where to take these two," his kidnapper said, lifting something that sounded heavy before reaching of to Shikamaru and pulling him over his shoulder.

"Be careful," the other ordered coldly, "the battalions have been sent out."

"All of them?" The kidnapper asked, a feint tone of alarm in his voice

"All of them," Shikamaru never knew someone could move so fast, his cracked open eyes were pressured shut by the wind that howled in his ears, the kidnapper was running for everything he was worth. He didn't if the 'battalion' he knew of was the same as the 'battalion' the kidnapper's friend spoke of but he had the feeling that it wasn't something to take lightly. Whatever it was, it made this man who braved the fox's forest feel fear deep into his bones. Shikamaru could only pray his family and friends could get out of the village before everything went up in smoke.


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