NT/N: Hi this is Number two once again pleading with you to visit the forum. Just take a peek. Why do I ask you to do this? Because it will allow for a dialogue between myself and the readers and the readers (being you) and each other. This will help me get an idea of how you feel about the story and its characters. Also there is a thread about updates with which you may prod me. You might be surprised at the effect this may have. Oh, one more reason, it would make me happy. On the subject of making me happy, it would do a lot for my writing motivation if you guys would either start reviewing or continue to do so. To those who have been reviewing, thank you.

Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or any of its characters. They are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. We do own Ashi, Teru, Sato, Korikata, Janken, Musashi, Silent, Jiitri, Miyazaki, and other characters mentioned in the foreword.

Key:

"Talking"

"talking to dogs"

"Shiromaru/Akamaru/Kuromaru talking"

'Thinking'

Chapter 9 - Ambush, Battles, and Beatings:

The would-be ambushing team was made up of three specter genin. The first of them was almost impossible to not notice. Because he was about five feet tall and more than five hundred pounds. All fat. It was amazing he could even move, seeing as he was about as wide as he was tall. The next was his exact opposite. Standing at four foot seven he was nearly two hundred pounds of muscle. In fact, except for his serious expression he looked very much like Sato. Ashi quickly pegged him as a Taijutsu user. The last genin was surprising only in the sense that he was completely normal looking. But they all shared one feature.

They had just been duped.

The two not-morbidly obese ninja had fallen upon the three bunshin and were very unpleasantly surprised to discover that they had been tricked. Of course they went into rolls to dodge as soon as the bunshin were discovered, but it was already too late. Sato was first to break cover. Finally free of the stealth-enforced silence he let out a high-pitched squeal as he dashed toward the fat one.

"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAHAHAAHA DIE!" Still squealing with delight Sato plunged his fist through the opposing ninja's gut. But there were a few things about the blow that didn't seem right. Foremost there was no blood and no real evidence of a wound, like a…

"GENJUTSU" Teru called out hoarsely, "WATCH OUT SATO THERE'S A NINJA IN THERE!"

Sato just said "huh?" before a large cracking sound was heard. Sato's face screwed up in confusion as he pulled out his arm. It had been bent all the way at the elbow, the wrong way.

Meanwhile Ashi headed for the Taijutsu user while Teru went for the more normal seeming ninja, red strings drawn. Ashi missed the details of their fight as his foe came charging to meet him, creating a copy of himself in the process. Once again Teru found time to yell out a warning. "Be careful Ashi, that's a specter clone, one is solid the other isn't. Problem is he change which is which at any time."

"Oh noooooo, whatever shall we do?" Shiromaru's tongue lolled out in laughter as he mocked the unheeded warning. As a dog and an Inuzuka they could both tell which was real by smell. Ashi chose not to mention that to Teru who seemed busy at the time. He also neglected to tell the oncoming ninja who would hopefully base his fighting on the useless clone. He did.

The clone led the charge. It was insubstantial and obviously (to Ashi) meant as a distraction. Ashi went to meet him faking caution, but then, instead of trying to engage the incorporeal opponent Ashi dove right through him, landing a right cross on the surprised REAL ninja. Not one to let an opportunity go by Shiromaru used Ashi's forward momentum to launch himself at the enemy's head. Unfortunately said enemy was smart and a fast thinker. Shiromaru found himself falling right through the now-incorporeal ninja. But Ashi was a fast thinker too. Immediately smelling that the ninja he had just jumped through was now solid he pitched his torso forward on his right leg in order to bring his left leg up in a snapping kick. Ashi's maneuver paid off as his left heel crunched into the gut of his opponent.

Meanwhile Shiromaru had rushed back toward Ashi and the real ninja. Ashi, seeing him coming, crouched down to let Shiromaru jump on his back.

"Shikyaku no Jutsu!"

"Juujin Bunshin!"

There was a puff of smoke, which dissipated to show two more feral looking Ashi Inuzukas. The one on top them jumped and attacked the specter clone, his claws going right through it. Ashi wondered why Shiromaru would choose to attack the clone when he could easily smell that it wasn't the real one. Ashi made to turn to attack the real one, but Shiromaru had a different plan.

"Don't turn. Jump over me, the other one is about to be real." Putting his trust in his partner Ashi leapfrogged over a charging Shiromaru and vaulted toward an enemy he knew wasn't real. Shiromaru was true to his word. Just as Ashi completed his jump the clones switched who was real in order to avoid a Tsuuga from Shiromaru. Just in time to run into Ashi's elbow. His nose broken the enemy fighter hit the ground hard.

As this was taking place Teru and Sato had switched targets. Teru went right for the "fat" ninja. Seeing the genjutsu for what it was he hastily performed two handseals and shouted "KAI!" to dispel it, rushing chakra to his head. What he saw didn't look good. The enemy he was facing was just as well muscled as Ashi's foe and a few inches shorter than the illusion.

Teru paused for a second, huffed out his breath, and then enacted the plan he had devised while huffing. First he created four bunshin and then the five of them moved to engage. Teru knew the muscle-bound ninja would be expecting him to use the clones as distracting fodder. He had no such intention. Using the illusionary nature of the Bunshin to his advantage Teru had them move into and through each other as well as him. In a seconds time he had his enemy guessing which one was the real threat. Teru let a grin lock into place on his face.

"How do you like a taste of your own medicine specter?"

His opponent didn't respond. Or move. Teru didn't halt the charge but in his head gears were turning furiously to determine why a muscled foe wasn't rushing to start a fistfight. Just before his clones got to fighting range the answer hit him like a lead bat and he DID stop the charge. The enemy wasn't coming to engage for the same reason he had a genjutsu inviting attack. He was a counter specialist. Teru smiled wider. Normally the hectic pace of combat stopped him from planning things out the way he wanted to. But this guy had to wait for him. He took a deep breath and got to thinking.

Sato wasn't bothering to think. Straight off after having his right arm broken he had flung himself into battle with another target. The enemy ninja quickly summoned two specter clones and set back into a defensive position, thinking he had an advantage over an injured enemy. Sato disagreed, not making any allowance for his badly broken arm. There was fun to be had and nothing would get in the way of that. But he didn't have Ashi's smell advantage and so was very puzzled when his good fist went through its target. But then his opponent made a mistake. Taking advantage of Sato's swing the Specter genin drew a kunai and stabbed down at Sato's neck.

What Sato lacked in smarts he made up for in instinct. Seeing the flash of the kunai's blade, he saw it was too late too dodge and so he didn't exactly. Instead he turned into the attack, getting the kunai buried in his useless right shoulder. Not missing a beat he completed the turn and smashed his palm into the face of an entirely stunned ninja. After landing the palm strike Sato was fast to capitalize on his advantage and struck the specter genin with a speedy kick combo to the ribs before he once again found himself attacking a ghost. He was ready to continue pursuit when heard a voice ring out, Korikata's voice.

"GET BACK! I'VE GOT COMPANY!" Trained to respond immediately to orders Team nine disengaged and broke for the trees, albeit with a frustrated snarl issuing from Teru. Their fear of pursuit was eased when a much more cheerful voice came ringing out. "AT EASE BOYS, THE PAIN TRAIN IS COMING THROUGH!" Shortly following both teams of genin had hidden themselves in the forest to watch their senseis battle.

The tone of the fight was set by Korikata's entrance into the clearing. He flew into it. Face first. Into the ground. Fifty copies of a Specter Jounin followed him. The rest of the "fight" went much the same way. Korikata lashed out with blades of his own blood but fifty clones that all fought with the skill of a Jounin, and seemed to be able to be solid all at the same time quickly overwhelmed him. A solid kick launched him into the air by his chin. He was hit in both kidneys on his way up and then sent back down by a chop onto a rising knee. Rolling away from the combo his face met a heavy boot. Gritting his teeth the Konoha Jounin threw himself back off the kick. Into another kick that struck the back of his head hard. He managed to remain conscious but the merit of that was debatable. He was lifted by his arms; two clones to an arm, and then those arms were broken. The injured jounin was spilled to the floor when the clones holding him disappear along with forty-nine others, leaving only the real ninja: Miyazaki.

"Well now Korikata, we meet again. You look good. Well at least as good as you did after the last time I roughed you up." Korikata offered only a grunt in response. "Tell you what. I won't kill you this time either, but I will do a little jig."

Miyazaki did as he said he would and did a small taunting dance over his enemy. "Hmmmm, that seemed more silly and less in your face than I had hoped. Whatever. C'mon boys let's go." Without waiting for a response he turned back towards his village, his genin soon followed.

As soon as they were out of Sight team nine rushed out to help their wounded sensei. He didn't need the help. As they ran towards him he held out his broken arms and all the blood on the ground rushed into the wounds. All the blood he spilled himself combined with that of Sato and the specter ninja healed his arms and more. By the time they reached him Korikata was fine. Physically at least. Without saying a word he led them back home.