DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own my OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.
Chapter Eleven: May I Make Your Acquaintance?
"Rgh…"
Ino sat impatiently at her desk, blue eyes focused intently on the clock up at the front of the classroom. Only a few more minutes until school was set to let out. But it felt as if time had been dragging on forever! When would that blasted bell ring?
Next to her, Sakura was tense as well. She was seated on the floor, cross-legged, with her chin in her palm, and her elbow pressed into her knee. She was staring at something on the floor-upon a brief closer inspection, Ino discovered it to be a small beetle.
It wasn't that she wanted to get home early. No, there was a far more pressing reason for her desperation for escape.
She and Sakura had something to take care of. Namely, a meeting with one Hatake Kakashi.
Ino gulped silently. She hoped he'd still be in his room when they headed back upstairs. As hard as it was to swallow, he was a part of the game now. He knew Sakura, knew of her existence, though he wasn't supposed to. And now, it was up to them to see just how much he knew. And whether or not he was on their side. Her stomach continued trying itself in knots, over and over, as she waited for the long hand to reach the top of the clock. Just a little more…
'BRIIIIIING' At long last, the bell rang, and Ino let out a heavy breath that she didn't even realize she'd been holding. Rising to her feet, she began to pack her bag, shoving her books and papers inside. Once she'd zipped it closed, she hurried for the door, her pink haired companion following after her silently. This was it-the moment of truth.
Ino noticed every step she took, as she climbed up the stairs to the second floor. She felt like a character in a horror movie, drawing closer to the basement or attic-or, in this case, the door of the English classroom. She stopped outside, gazing down at the doorknob, as if by staring at it long enough, they could somehow get out of this predicament. Sakura looked quizzically at her.
"Come on, Pig. Let's get the hamper in the chute-and get this over with." Nodding slowly, Ino extended her hand. It was sweaty and warm, wrapping around the cool metal of the knob. Turning it with a careful swish of the wrist, the door creaked open before them.
"H-hello…? Mister Hatake?" Ino was surprised that this semi-coherent sentence managed to find its way out of her tangled throat. She peered around the thick door, to find…
…that the classroom was empty.
"Oh, no." Stepping inside, Ino's blue eyes frantically searched over the large room. "Don't tell me we missed him!" He can't have left already! He couldn't! Not with our situation still-unresolved between the three of us! She took another few steps, worry evident upon her face.
"Yo. Hold up, Ino-Pig. His stuff's still here." Sakura had gone ahead to his desk, and, sure enough-his bags were on the floor, leaning lightly against his chair. The knapsack with who knew what inside, and the paper bag from lunch. Ino rushed over, mouth breaking into a relieved grin. "Then-then we've got a chance! Maybe…maybe he's just in the restroom!"
Sakura snorted. "Yeah-in the can, draining the lizard." Both girls had to laugh at this, vulgar as it was. Neither of them noticed the tall shadow that slowly crept up behind them, until it was looming directly over Ino's shoulder. When Sakura finally locked eyes with the figure, her voice cut off, as her skin turned to a shade of ash. Her eyes were wide, as she began to twitch.
Ino saw this. "Haruno, what's the matter with"-But she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. A low tone rumbled from behind her, and she felt every hair on her head stand on end.
"Who are you…and why have you disturbed my chambers? Trespassers…trespassers must pay! They must PAY THE PRICE!"
Ino screamed. It was all she could do, as she leapt forward, tackling Sakura's waist in a fearful hug. The pinkette, surprised by the sudden move-and terrified by the voice-couldn't keep her balance. They both toppled over into a heap on the floor. Now they were completely at the mercy of this-this creature!
…
Ino waited. Waited to feel sharp claws tearing at her skin. Waited to feel hot breaths grazing her neck, to feel slimy spit trail down her collar. Waited. Waited. And waited. Her heart was going 150 miles a minute-she was going to explode!
And still nothing.
Then, a familiar drawl of a voice rang out. "Jeez…you two are so sensitive. Can't you take a joke?"
Ino's fear drained, like water in a tub. Her heart, furiously pounding, had now almost stopped completely. It couldn't be…
But it was. There, leaning over them, was none other than the 'missing' English teacher himself, Hatake Kakashi. He gave the girls a light wave. "Hey there. How's it going? Gee, you sure look cozy."
Ino was about to retort with a string of well-aimed curses, when she suddenly felt something shift beneath her. Something soft, round, and warm…and covered in fabric. She heard Sakura's voice, calling her. "Oi. Ino. Not that I really mind this, but…" Slowly, the blonde looked over.
She and Sakura were in a tangled pile upon the floor. Sakura was beneath her, torso upright, resting on propped elbows. Her legs were open, surrounding the blonde, whose head was right against her stomach. One hand was on Haruno's thigh. But the other…was directly atop her right breast. And she was squeezing it.
Both girls were silent. Sakura's face was tinted a light shade of pink-was she actually blushing? Ino's face, on the other hand, was as red as a tomato. If she'd been freaked out before, it was nothing compared to how she felt in this moment. She could feel Sakura's even breaths, could feel the smooth fabric of her red top crinkle beneath her fingers. She could feel the tender flesh under her tips, giving way to her touch. Like squeezing silk balloons.
W-what the…why isn't-why isn't she pushing me away? Ino was waiting to hear the pinkette's cry, to feel her gloved hands angrily yank Ino's away from her body. But the girl said nothing. And that was when Ino realized…
Wait a minute…w-why am I still holding on in the first place?
With a scream like that of a strangled wildcat, Ino scrambled backwards, almost crab-walking, just to get away from her perplexed companion. She nearly bumped into a pair of legs, and she remembered. Him. Kakashi. He was the reason for all of this! Him and his sick sense of humor! She jumped to her feet, and whirled around. It didn't matter that he was a good few inches taller than her-she shoved her index finger right up against his nose. The bitch switch had been flipped.
"Alright, you cocky jackass! I want some answers, and I want them now!" Both Kakashi and Sakura's eyes widened. Sakura stood up carefully, watching as her partner barreled on. "I don't care if you're a teacher here-you're the worst teacher I've ever known! And you've caused us more grief in one day than any monster over these last few weeks! Now answer me-who are you?"
The blonde was panting. All of her rage and stress, forced down and bottled up tight, had finally come bursting forth. She continued to fume at the silver-haired male, waiting for him to speak. He had to come clean now.
But to her surprise, the man launched into the same speech that he'd given her class that morning! "The name's Hatake Kakashi. I graduated from college. Age, none of your business, birthday"-
"No, no NO!" Ino stomped her foot. "Cut the crap, Kakashi! You know what I mean! How do you know about Sakura?"
Kakashi tilted his head. "Oh…that's what you wanted to know. Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?" Ino wanted to slap him silly. He knew damn well what she'd meant! He was just a smart-ass of the highest degree! She bore into him, blue eyes glaring as fiercely as she could manage, as the male stretched before them.
"You know…I'm still your teacher, whether you like it or not. So, a certain amount of respect is required…Miss Yamanaka." Ino grit her teeth. Was he seriously suggesting that she-
"Alright, alright!" To her surprise, Sakura wormed her way between them. Arms crossed over her chest-at this, Ino had to look away, clutching her nose tightly-she locked eyes with the man. Her green orbs seemed darker than usual as she spoke. "Kakashi-sensei…tell us everything. How do you know me? How can you see me? And why are you here?" He blinked. The pinkette growled. "Do it willingly…or I'll make you 'fess up." She reached down, pulling out her black pistol. Kakashi looked down, visible eye just a bit larger than normal now, as she jabbed the weapon into his chest. "Don't think I won't fire this thing-I'm not one to bluff."
"Trust me, Kakashi-sensei," Ino broke in, nearly spitting the last line. "If she doesn't shoot you knowingly, it'll happen accidentally. She's a walking, talking time bomb." Haruno glanced over, a slight expression of hurt evident in her features. "Aw, Pig. And here I thought that we had something special." Ino was about to retort, when Kakashi interrupted.
"Okay, okay. You got me. I'll tell you everything. But…" and he reached up, to scratch behind his head, "not here. It's not exactly…private. Let's go somewhere else-outside." He slipped around the black gun, to collect his belongings by the desk. "And put that blasted thing away, will you? You'll shoot your eye out." Sakura huffed, but obliged. At least they were getting somewhere.
…
'JINGLE' 'JINGLE' "Ice cream! Ice cream for sale!"
'TMP' 'TMP' "I got the ball! Watch me make this shot!"
"Come on, Fluffy-go do your business already!"
Ino knew that they'd be going outside. She also knew that they'd be going with an adult; her teacher from school. But she'd been hoping that he would have had more dignity and common sense…
"…than to pick a place like this!" The three of them were seated on a bench in the Konoha Community Park, beneath a large oak tree. There were people of all ages around them: babies, little children, parents, the elderly, teenagers-it wasn't exactly the most secluded or private place out there.
Kakashi cast a sheepish smile in her direction, but of course it was hidden by his mask. "Sorry…but I like the park. It's pretty, and peaceful. Great place to read."
"Peaceful?" Ino was sitting to his right, with Sakura leaning over next to her. "Yeah, it's peaceful-if you also consider air-raid sirens to be melodic! This place is as far from peaceful as you can get!"
He raised an eyebrow. "Do you want your answers or not?" Ino huffed, but ceased with her complaints. Sakura was swinging her legs back and forth above the ground-like a little kid.
Kakashi took a deep breath. "Okay. You know the kingdom of Konohagakure, right?" Sakura nodded. Ino did, too. "They're the ones who sent you down here."
"As punishment…for something stupid." The pinkette stuck out her tongue.
"Yeah…anyway, after they sent you here, they wanted to make sure that you'd live out your sentence properly-you know, don't cause trouble, don't scare the populace, no hunting." He emphasized this last part in particular-that's exactly what she had been doing. She rolled her eyes, but said nothing. He continued on. "Well…that's what I'm here for. You see"-
'FWOOM' Ino's ears perked up. What was that? It sounded like a small explosion. She listened for more, but all was silent. Glancing at her two companions, she leaned back against the bench, slouching a bit. Perhaps she was hearing things now? Great; another sign of her insanity.
Kakashi shook his head. "As I was saying, I'm basically a"-
'TING' This time, Ino sat straight up. Sakura did, too. "Did you feel that?" The blonde asked in a low whisper. The pinkette nodded. "Something's close by. And whatever it is…it ain't friendly."
Sakura rose from her seat. "Sorry, Kakashi-san, but this introduction is gonna have to wait. We have business to take care of-big business." The man waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not supposed to let you do this, but…oh, well." Now he and Ino stood up. She looked at him. "Where are you going?"
"Where else?" He flashed another smile, and his lone eye crinkled. "To see you guys in action. Maybe I'll even get to join in on the fun."
Haruno snorted. "Right, right. Just don't get in our way, Gramps." With that, the three of them began running, down the park path, and towards the woods. Thankfully, there was a little hiking trail in there that few people used anymore. It would be deserted-a perfect battlegrounds for them.
Now, only one question remained: What exactly was waiting for them in there?
…
'CRNCH' 'CRNCH'
"Mm…smells pine fresh in here."
"Sakura, this is no time to be quoting commercials."
"Yeaaah…pine fresh, with a bunch of lazy dog owners on the side. It smells like crap."
The trio was trying to make their way through the thick trees of the Konoha Park Forest. The foliage had grown quite a bit in the last few years, and now extended over the hiking trail. Ino had to lean over, in order to avoid being scratched by brambles and twigs. What good were miniskirts for school uniforms, anyway? She cursed under her breath, as her foot got caught under an extended root in the ground. She nearly fell forwards-only to feel a pair of secure arms catch under her armpits. Her heart skipped a beat, as she looked up to find Sakura smiling down at her.
"Careful, Pig. Can't have you getting knocked out before the real battle begins, right?" The pinkette winked. "I need you."
I need you…those last three words echoed through Ino's mind, as she slowly stood up, making sure not to stumble again. She looked into Sakura's green eyes and noticed that, because of the scenery, they appeared brighter than usual. Like glistening jewels in a cave. Beautiful treasures. She couldn't stop herself this time-the thoughts kept coming.
Fortunately-or not-the bored tone of Kakashi interrupted her train of comparisons. "Oi, hurry up back there-I came out to get shit done, not to babysit." He was already a good few feet ahead of them. How had he managed to keep his balance for so long? The pinkette flipped him the bird, as the two scrambled to catch up.
"Does it seem to be getting…heavier, in here, or is it just me?" Ino gulped, looking up at the sky-or what she could make out of it. They had traveled far beyond the park limits now, and were coming closer to the heart of the woods. The treetops had become thick enough to obscure the sunlight and the clouds from view; it felt more like nighttime, and the shadows seemed to be growing, as Ino swore she'd seen something move on her left, then her right.
'TING' "Oh!" That energy-they were getting close. Sakura coughed. "Of course-they'd just have to choose somewhere like this to hide out. So they don't have to chase after their prey outside. Either that, or they can lure unsuspecting humans in here, just so far, and then…chomp!" She made a gesture with her hands, of a mouth with long teeth biting down. Ino was starting to sweat, but she refused to allow her fear to seep through. She merely responded with a nod.
"Yeah…it's definitely hanging out in this general area." How could Kakashi sound so relaxed at a time like this? Ino wanted to strangle him and scream in his face. She didn't, but the urge was strong. No matter who-or what-you are, Kakashi-san, there's no way you can't be scared of a demon! It's not possible! You're just a really good actor…
As they took a few more steps inside, the blonde suddenly froze up. There was a new smell permeating the nearly impenetrable brush-something sweet. Very sweet. Too sweet, in fact-a chemical scent mixed with old candy. It was starting to make her queasy. She looked at the others, for any sign that they were experiencing something similar, but if they were, they weren't showing it. Kakashi was wearing a poker face, while Sakura was still and stoic. Ino felt dizzy-the smell was too powerful.
"AAAH…FRESSSH…FRESH MEAT…" Ino knew instantly that this chilling, hissing tone was the source of the odor. She flinched, as the scent seemed to move, in an almost circular motion-from her left, to her back, and then out from her right. Sakura saw the terror on her partner's face, and rushed to her side. "Pig, what is it? What are you pickin' up on?"
"T-that smell…can't you smell it? It's like-like rotten perfume! A-and…that voice…" The blonde gagged, as the scent became absolutely intolerable. She couldn't hold it back any longer-falling to her knees, she began retching. The faint traces of her lunch came up, and the pinkette rubbed her back reassuringly. "Whatever it is, it's strong. It's affecting her majorly." She drew her silver pistol, Icy, and waited for any sign of movement. Kakashi was looking in Ino's direction, and as she staggered to her feet, she wondered just what he was thinking. Was he wondering about her abilities? Well, that makes two of us, Mr. Antisocial. She still had no clue as to his true identity or abilities, as well. But at least she knew her limits-and this was pushing it dangerously close.
'SHFFL' 'POP' "What?" Ino whirled around at the sound, and instantly regretted it. Her head spun, and she nearly toppled over. In a flash, Sakura was by her side. Gripping the girl's shoulders firmly, she looked in the direction that the girl had turned. "There's nothing there…just some bushes, and a flower."
A…flower? Ino forced herself to look up. Sure enough, there it was. It was rather large, for a flower that grew up from the ground. Roughly the size of a rose in bloom, it was an almost neon shade of red, with pale violet at its tips, and orange near the base and up the middle of the petals. She was sure it hadn't been there before…right? She would have-should have-seen it. Looking like that? It was impossible not to notice.
'SHFFL' 'SHFFL' 'POP' 'POP' The same sound again. And this time, something else accompanied it-a high, wheezing laugh. Ino felt her skin break out into goose bumps, as the voice spoke once more. "YOU'RE…YOU'RE TRAPPED, NOW…ALL OF YOU…TRAPPED…MY PREY, MY DELICIOUS PREY…"
"Hey, there's more flowers over here!" They seemed to be sprouting everywhere-on the ground, in the bushes, even from the tree trunks. Ino couldn't contain herself anymore. "It-it's surrounding us! It's a trap!"
Sakura unlocked the safety on her gun, swinging up in front of her face. "A trap? What kinda trap? A trap of flowers?" Kakashi said nothing, but Ino could tell-he was scanning all of their surroundings, looking for a sign as to their foe-or perhaps a way out.
'RSTLE' 'RSTLE' "NOW!" Ino screamed, as the ground shook violently. The flowers began to rise around them. All three backed up together, as close as possible, watching as their opponent finally revealed themselves.
Roots were rising from beneath the flowers, as a mass of dirt and leaves grew from the underground. It loomed above them, swaying on legs made of vines-no, more roots! Slowly, the leaves parted, and the mass tilted downwards. Sakura swore. "Fuck! That's one ugly tulip!" Ino choked, as the sickly sweet scent surrounded them once more.
It had the features of a human…but they were distorted. The mouth was swollen, and bruised-like a drowning victim. Its teeth were oversized, sticking out from the gums and over the lips, jagged and yellow. It had no nose, just two misshapen holes in the center of its head. Its eyes were big and bulbous, black with tiny red pupils. As it let out a long breath, a cloud of brown smoke left its mouth, before vanishing into the air. Instantly, Ino felt the smell around her increase. She started coughing, and cupped her hands over her face.
"A…a plant monster…and we're on its home field. Shit!" Sakura aimed her gun, lining it up between the creature's eyes, preparing to fire.
"Look out!" Without warning, it swung one of its gigantic roots in their direction. Kakashi quickly leapt, pushing the girls out of the path. The root narrowly missed them, instead slamming into a nearby tree. It groaned from the force, and there was a loud crackling, as the root returned to its place by the monster's side. With dread in her eyes, Ino saw that the main vines from its body were lined with hundreds of razor-sharp thorns.
"What the hell were you thinking?" It almost frightened Ino, to hear him speak in such a harsh tone. As they climbed to their feet, Kakashi whacked Sakura in the head. "Ouch! What'd you do that for, you old fart?"
"I'm not old, damn it! Now listen to me!" He pointed at the being before them. "That is a Behemoth Bloomer! Its abilities are Earth-based! It's a demon that has taken solace in flora over fauna, but uses dirt to its advantage." He scowled, shaking his head. "Bullets will just bounce off its body, and fire isn't enough-you'd need something like a nuclear explosion to defeat it." He tilted his head up slightly. "Either that, or…"
"Or what?" Sakura was impatient, shoving her gun back in its holster. "What else can we do to kill it?"
"Its heart. Its heart is located somewhere specific on its body. One hit, and this thing'll be down for the count." His eye darkened. "But you can't see the heart-you'd have to be crazy-powerful to find it." He shook his head. "We have to stall it, for now. Until…until we can find some way to take it down."
"Pineapples!" The strange curse made Ino jump. "Alright, alright. Explosions? That I can deliver." Reaching behind her, she hauled down her bazooka. "Come on, Dorchet-show 'im what you've got!" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You named your weapons?"
"Don't judge me!" She cocked the hefty tool on her shoulder, aiming for the center of the flower-creature. The middle of its face. "Eat rocket fuel, you overgrown cactus-butt!" With a 'CLICK', she pulled the trigger.
'BOOM' The rocket flew forwards, slamming directly into the center of the monster's face. With a rumbling roar, it toppled backwards in a cloud of smoke. Sakura pumped her fist in the air, cheering. "Yeah! Sure shot!"
'FWISH' "A-ah!" Ino screamed, as suddenly vines began springing up all around them. In a split second, they had wrapped the two girls tightly, rendering them immobile. Sakura grunted, trying to break free, as 'Dorchet' was tossed to the side. The creature let out a low laugh.
"MY FOOD…CAN'T ESCAPE-CANNOT DEFEAT ME! CAN ONLY…BE FOOD!" It licked its lips with a long, slimy purple tongue. Ino shivered, as it focused its gaze on her. "MMM…SEER…SEERS TASTY…"
"No!" The pinkette began to thrash wildly. "Kakashi-goddamn it, you cowardly prick!" The silver-haired man was nowhere to be found. "Damn-damn it, keep your roots off of her!" In return, the monster sent up a thorny vine in her direction. "SHUT UP! YOU NEXT…" Ino wailed helplessly, as it collided with Sakura from the side. She grunted, and fell silent.
"N-no…" The blonde was shivering, desperately forcing back her tears. "S-Sakura! Sakura! C-come on, billboard-brow-wake up! Please!" Her cries echoed through the brush, as the being drew her closer with its many roots. She gagged again-the smell was awful! And it was even worse up close! She could feel herself losing consciousness. The monster chuckled, opening its jaws wide.
'CRKL' 'CRASH' "Yeek!"
Ino felt herself falling. She was too frightened to open her eyes; she didn't want to have any images flash through her mind during these last moments of her life. She just wanted to die quickly.
'WMP' But instead of being chewed and consumed, Ino found that she had been caught-caught in a pair of arms. Startled, she looked up-to come face to face with Kakashi! He was sweating, and his bandana was lifted.
W-whoa…is that-is this really Kakashi?
A/N: Annnd...ta-da! Yeah, I know-another cliffie. ^^; Please don't be mad. Thankfully, I've managed to get my shit together, and now, I'm on a schedule that works quite well. :) So, next's week's update will not be delayed. Yay!
Okay. Hopefully, this was action-packed enough for those of you who have grown fond of the demon hunting, as well as humorous and satisfying. More SakuxIno moments! 'cries happy tears of happy joy' Redundancy alert! But yeah-Ino is starting to grow fond of her pink-haired knucklehead. And Sakura is still determined to bring Ino out of her shell. So, progress for both parties! :D
Oh, yeah! How are you guys liking Kakashi's role so far in the story? I'm having fun writing him out-he's one of my fave characters, so it just wouldn't be complete without him around. But let me know if he's starting to sound off, or horribly mutilated at all. I did my best to transfer what I knew of his personality to a romantic/comedic setting, but...I could've messed up. ^^;
Next chapter: The battle continues! Sakura refuses to back down, Kakashi shows what's up his sleeves, and Ino...blows everybody away, including herself. And what's this? A shower scene?
Reviews and critique are always welcomed and appreciated! Take care, everyone!
=^.^=