Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto, though we wish we did.

Author's Note: Well, this is a repost of chapter ten. The original wasn't initially written by us, but a contribution from a friend of ours. Scorn had uploaded it before I could edit it and, having the free time now, I decided to give it the attention it should have received ages ago. Hopefully this will make for an easier, more enjoyable read than the last copy was. Enjoy!

Ties of Friendship
Sasuke vs. Chouji

Lightning crashed on the night that sent horror through Konoha. The return of Uchiha Sasuke was not the joyful meeting that some, including one blond Genin, had hoped. He was more cruel and evil and almost an hour after he arrived, Ino had been lured to her death. His time away had changed him now, and he was almost enjoying his ability to toy with the young girls feelings towards him. His former peers were mere playthings to the heartless raven-haired boy.

But Ino was not the only victim as the lazy genius Shikamaru also followed the blond's movements, her odd behaviour made him suspicious but more his heart moved him to go, him realizing deep inside his heart he cared for her and wanted to ensure that she was safe. Both their blood had stained the Uchiha's hand yet the odd thing was he seemed to enjoy it, almost proud that he had done this, this being an attack not on his serpentine masters behalf, rather, purely for the hell of it.

Yet the team was not wiped out, being too lazy to follow Shikamaru the young Akimichi Chouji was getting most concerned, it seemed to be such a long time with no activity, he put down his packet of chips and stood up dusting his hands of the crumbs he was going to search for them.

"Shikamaru-kun! Ino-chan!" He shouted at the top of his lungs through the streets to hear no reply from his teammates. He spent a few hours searching slowly getting more and more frantic as it was clear his targets were nowhere in Konoha where they should be, and it would not be like Shikamaru at least to go to places he usually never went, Chouji knew he was too lazy to push his boundaries in the city. Totally unaware that as he searched, Shikamaru was slowly being destroyed through the copying ability of the Sharingan and the pure force of the cursed seal on the Uchiha's neck. Quietly an older gentleman, clearly knowledgeable of at least who Shikamaru was, pointed the direction as to where he had gone, at last a thread to where they were. Chouji actually felt motivated to run down this path towards his friends.

And there he saw it, in the shadows: the form of the Uchiha, his Sharingan seeming to glow as he held a certain lifeless form from around the neck and he chuckled.

"Ah, the last of this pitiful team of Genin has arrived; let's hope Akimichi that you prove more of a challenge than these two worthless creatures." And with a glare he threw Shikamaru's body on top of Ino's, the pair's blood dripping into a small pool around their bodies. Chouji's eyes widened as he saw this, and almost instantly the tears started to well in the boy's eyes.

"How- Sasuke!" He managed to yelp out in distress, "How could you do this to them, they were your friends! Have you lost your heart, or has Orochimaru just stolen it from you?" Tears dropped to the floor and the boy shook his head scattering the droplets of water over the battlefield. He had to defend them now, defend their honour against this monster. His left fist clenched tightly and in a grand gesture he threw his scarf onto his fallen comrades, the white material slowly turning crimson as it soaked up their blood. Slowly he moved his body into an offensive stance.

"Sharingan or not… I promise on my life, I won't let you get away with taking my friends from me!" He roared and dashed towards Sasuke, with more force than he had ever had before; this was the first- and maybe the last- that would mean so much to him.

"Heh, yea that will be the day" Sasuke muttered his hands much quicker than Chouji could see. In a few mere seconds the boy's attacks were skilfully deflected and Chouji was quickly sent hurtling backwards. Before he had time to react the Uchiha flew at him, slamming his fist deep into the boy's gut, which sent him spiralling towards the ground, a wave of dust rose into the air in his wake.

"I knew it, like all these pathetic leaf-nin you are just as weak. I can't say I'm surprised though. Konoha ninja always use to show more guts than skill." He tilted his head with a sinister smile, his hair casting over his face as his red eyes focused on the other male's movements. Sasuke could see whatever move Chouji might possibly perform well before he would do it.

"I won't let you win…." The Akimichi muttered slowly as he lifted his body, swaying slightly from side to side as he slowly inched towards Sasuke.

The actions surprised the Uchiha. He had expected Chouji to run rather than stand and fight a losing battle, but clearly the Akimichi's mind was torn. Sasuke watched as his eyes were periodically drawn to the body of Shikamaru, his best friend and the one he truly trusted. He smirked; pathetic, sentimental fool. More tears began to slowly drip down Chouji's face, memories slowly drifting into his head, a moment of weakness that Sasuke took advantage of.

He charged forward, kicking the boy hard in the gut and knocking Chouji away with considerable force. "Heh, that should do it" Sasuke muttered as he watched the boy's body crash and roll on the ground a few dozen feet away.

But Chouji, bloodstained and battered, rose to his feet again; displaying a determination the Uchiha hadn't seen in anyone other than Naruto. "You abandoned all those who believed in you like a coward, I draw strength from them" Chouji muttered narrowing his eyes and drawing a small container of three pills –blue, yellow and red- from his pocket. He popped the first pill into his mouth and glared defiantly at Sasuke as he chewed and swallowed. Instantly his chakra seemed to explode inside of him, giving him the boost in speed and strength that he needed.

"Baika no Jutsu!" Chouji cried as he charged Sasuke, his hands quickly forming the necessary seals that would allow his body expanded, like a balloon swelling with air, into a great sphere. The meat tank slightly took Sasuke by surprise; he had never seen this jutsu used in battle before.

However, he wouldn't be a genius if a little jutsu like that could defeat him. Sasuke dodged more easily than Chouji had expected and caused him to lose his focus and veer off course. He crashed head first into a tree.

"What was the point of that, hmm Chouji? It's useless for you to even bother" Sasuke said, folding his arms across his chest. This battle was turning out to be easier than the one against Ino, but it was much more satisfying to watch the Akimichi struggle to continue fighting than it had been with her.

"I can't… I can't let him down… I won't let them down!" The Akimichi said quietly as he fought to stand.

"Damn it! Just stay down fat ass! You can die swiftly that way" Sasuke said, disgusted by the way Chouji's spirit refused to break, refused to lie down and die. It was strange how many people Naruto had inspired over the years.

Chouji shook his head and, while drying his eyes with the back of his hand, inserted his second Houren pill, the curry pill, into his mouth. He was waiting for Sasuke to attack, and then he might be able to confuse the Sharingan by moving faster than expected.

Sasuke took the bait; impatient that this fight was being drawn out much longer than it was worth and charged towards him a kunai clutched in his hand. "This ends now!" He glared, the dark seal slowly creeping onto his face as his rage grew stronger. Chouji breathed and quickly moved his hands, muttering "Bubun Baika no Jutsu". He moved to the side of his foe his larger fist swinging round and connecting with Sasuke's face knocking him past the tree line and into the dense surrounding forest. His hand returned to normal and waited; Sasuke was not the type to let an assault go unpunished and rose snarling like a feral dog.

"I never thought I'd have to use this on the likes of you," Sasuke glared, "But you're not worth wasting anymore time on. So I'll finish you with this." Lighting gathered in his palm, making his intentions very clear. The piercing sound of Chidori cried through the air as Sasuke's charged forward.

Chouji watched as Sasuke drew closer and settled on the only solution left to him: the final pill. The boy's mind raced. This was a suicide move, he knew this, but against the chidori and in his state of fatigue Chouji's would probably be dealt the same fate no matter what move he made. Chouji swallowed hard and nervously drew the vial as his eyes flickered from the red pepper pill, to Sasuke and then to his teammates. The sight of their blank and bloody faces was enough to steel his will; he would do it for them and Konoha.

"Try your party piece!" Chouji shouted to the Uchiha, who was moving at an incredible pace.

Sasuke laughed menacingly as he drew upon his prey, "Let's see you stop this fat ass!" Chouji swallowed his last pill and with the moment Sasuke came close enough. His raised his hand as the Akimichi quickly became surrounded with chakra. All of his body fat burned up in an instant, leaving nothing but muscle and a leaner version of Chouji in its wake. "Who're you calling a fat ass" Chouji yelled as he forced all of his chakra out of his outstretched palm. The resulting wave was powerful enough to not only block the Uchiha's precious chidori, but deflect it back into the opposing Nin's face.

Sasuke was dead before he even hit the ground.

What was left of Orochimaru's vessel landed with a thud that resonated throughout the clearing some feet away.

Chouji dropped to his knees, all of his chakra gone and his breathing sharp and shallow. This was the end. Using what little strength he had, Chouji crawled towards where his teammates lay and collapsed beside the body of Shikamaru, his hand falling into the boy's chest. He was still warm even though the life had been long since been ripped from his body.

"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner," Chouji said breathlessly. He smiled as the tears began to roll down his cheeks once more and, with the last of his strength the Akimichi took hold of both Shikamaru and Ino's hands. "Please… forgive me…"

Chouji sighed softly, expelling the last of the air from his tired lungs as his heart grew still and his body died.

InoShikaCho was gone forever.