Chuunin Exam Preparation
Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto, Alice in Wonderland, Jigoku Shoujo, or the ideas taken from LJane Smith's Night World Series (can't wait for Strange Fate).
Ryuujin no Hikari is my character creation.
Please R&R – be kind this is my first fan fiction.
The next month went by relatively un-eventful. Naruto, Sasuke and Hikari trained daily to make sure their team operated like a well oiled machine.
Not much information had come back about the two Atatuski members headed towards Konoha. With the description that Fury and Blaze had provided about the two, Sasuke determined that it was Itachi and Kisame. Tsunade had been told of their expected arrival, to ensure that the town was ready for what seemed to be an imminent attack.
The week prior to the exams Tsunade called Sasuke in to her office. "I'm going to do something that is against the protocol of our deal. I'm going to give you back your full chakra usage" Tsunade started "With Itachi likely to arrive here we will need every able bodied ninja at the ready."
"I appreciate it" Sasuke said "My team and I will make sure he doesn't get what he wants, and that he doesn't harm the citizens of Konoha." (A/N holy cheesy line I know)
"If you do anything to make me regret this" Tsunade started "so help you"
"I give you my word that you won't" Sasuke replied.
Tsunade preformed the necessary seals and unlocked Sasuke's chakra system so it could operate at full capacity. "You have a week till the exams; that should give you enough time to prepare."
"More than enough" Sasuke replied glad to have his full strength back.
Returning to her desk, Tsunade added "Your ANBU escort will continue until the end of your probation."
"Only to be expected" Sasuke replied and then left the office.
"That boy certainly has changed" Tsunade remarked once he had left.
When he exited the Hokage tower, he found Naruto and Hikari waiting for him.
"How'd it go?" Naruto asked.
"Good" Sasuke replied "I know Kakashi gave us the week off to rest up for the exams, but I want to get in some more practice."
"Fine with me" Naruto replied "I think I'd get pretty bored if I just sat around all week anyways."
"Hikari you in?" Sasuke asked
"I'll pass for now" Hikari replied "I'm hungry and want to get in a good meal before the exams, and a hell of a good nap too"
"Still not sleeping huh?" Sasuke asked
"No not so much" Hikari replied "but not to worry"
"Not that we ever do" Naruto said turning to head out to the training grounds, and directed to Sasuke "shall we start now?"
"No time like the present" Sasuke smirked "See you later Hikari"
Hikari headed in the opposite direction of the training grounds. She hadn't shifted in two months, it was beginning to driving her insane. She headed towards an area that usually had tasty morsels wondering about. Sitting in a tree not far from clearing she watched and listened for any sign of life. She hadn't been there for long when she sensed something coming. It was human and approaching fast. Just then Blaze popped up next to her.
"They are early my lady" Blaze stated "Fury has information as to why they are here as well. She should be here shortly"
"Good" Hikari replied
"What are you doing out here?" Blaze asked "I figured that I would find you training with the others"
"I'm hungry, and needed to shift" Hikari answered
Fury popped up then on the other side of Hikari.
"They stopped on the other side" Hikari remarked "Why? Do you think they sense me?"
"No" Blaze said
"It's where they plan to set up camp" Fury finished.
"Hmm" Hikari frowned at this "They are ruining a perfectly good hunting spot. One of you go let Tsunade know they are here"
"I will take care of that" Blaze said "Fury you let her know what they want"
Fury nodded as Blaze disappeared in a whirl of light. "They of course come here for Kyuubi, however that is secondary to them. They have heard about you and some of your abilities, and wish to have an audience with you"
"And how, pray tell, do they know about me" Hikari questioned not liking where his was going.
"Blaze and I used our human forms to spread rumors of your existence and of your search for the tailed demons" Fury responded "It was a most efficient way to gather intel"
"Hmm" Hikari thought this over for the moment "So they know nothing of Naruto's fusion with the Kyuubi"
"No" Fury said "That is a secret best kept. Have you told him how it will completely affect him yet?"
"Not yet. I decided it best to wait until after the exams." Hikari replied noticing three rather plump deer slowly make their way out into the clearing. "Well if they want an audience, now is as good a time as any, and then maybe I can discover how to access the mechanism that is currently holding the other tailed demons."
"Before you go" Fury said placing a dark paw on Hikari's leg "How did Apollyon take the news of it"
"He said it couldn't be avoided" Hikari replied "the Fates told him long ago that he probably wouldn't regain every familiar"
With that Hikari launched her self off the branch she was perched on pushing her transformation and was on the deer faster than you could say 'deer'. Grasping two in her clutches and one in her powerful jaws, she looked towards the two missing nin before throwing her head back, snarling she snapped her jaws devouring the defenseless creature. Not caring to keep the rendezvous with Itachi and Kisame quiet, Hikari let out a bellowing roar before consuming the remaining two animals. When she was finished Hikari made her way towards the two intruders, stopping a good distance away and lay down to bask in the sun, acting as if the two men were not there at all.
"Very fascinating" Itachi commented moving towards the great beast "It is larger than I anticipated"
"Konoha's guard dog" Kisame mocked following Itachi.
Once they had moved in quite close to where Hikari was lounging she opened her eyes and glared at them.
"Well if anything the beast could kill with a look" Kisame laughed.
"Silence mortal." Hikari's dragon voice, which was much deeper than in human form, resounded deeply through out the small clearing, causing birds to take flight. "I have heard you wish an audience with me"
"In a sense" Itachi replied bemused with the dragon's choice in words. "How did you hear?"
"The same way you heard about me" Hikari vaguely answered sounding mildly bored. "I am only here to get the information I require, and to give you a warning."
"Are you attempting to threaten me?" Itachi asked amused with the lack of fear the creature showed for Itachi.
"Don't get the wrong idea here mortal, there are very few things that cause me to feel fear and a pwny human is certainly not one of them, even with your abilities." Hikari said picking up on the thoughts he was unknowingly projecting. "It's a warning not a threat. Leave the Kyuubi container alone. It is impossible for you to remove the demon now anyways. If you try it won't end promisingly for you."
"I doubt that" Itachi replied distrustfully.
"Doubt if you want mortal" Hikari said standing to her full height "But mark my words you will regret it"
Itachi only scoffed at this.
"Over sized mongrel" Kisame barked "you have no idea who you're dealing with"
Hikari turned her attention to the blue skinned man "You smell of rotting fish" and flicked him into the trees. Turning her attention back to Itachi "The relic that holds the rest of the tailed demons, how do I access it?"
"Do you really think I would tell you" Itachi chucked a little.
"It would be beneficial for you"
Itachi turned to see Sasuke and Naruto standing behind him.
"And why is that little brother?" Itachi inquired
Sasuke just smirked.
Kisame came running out of the trees wielding his gigantic sword "Aaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrr!! You'll pay for that!!" He swung the sword at Hikari, who reached a giant talons towards the in coming weapon.
"No!" Sasuke yelled running forward "Don't touch that!"
There was a distinct 'clink' as talon met steal, holding the sword in place. Kisame smirked "You should have listened to your little friend"
Itachi stepped into Sasuke's path kunai in hand, engaging him in battle, and preventing him from reaching Hikari.
"This sword eats chakra" Hikari mused "Too bad for you my body doesn't work like yours" Her free paw shot out to pin Kisame to the ground as she tore the blade from his hands. Placing her weight over the appendage pinning Kisame to the ground, his cries of pain rang out. Growling she drew her face close to his "You know what I need, you'll do"
"He knows how to retrieve the others?" Naruto asked.
"Yes" Hikari answered "Want to learn to extract information?"
"Kyuubi just suggested the same thing" Naruto smirked. Then he was engulfed in a swirl of fiery red chakra, which grew larger than Hikari. When the chakra dissipated, standing in its place was Kyuubi, each tail swinging wilding behind him. Growling he brought forth a tail, touching the tip to Kisame's forehead. More of Kisame's screams followed.
As Itachi and Sasuke fought, each throwing powerful genjutsus and ninjutsus at each other. Each trying to out do the other. With each passing moment their chakra waning. Itachi sent a grand fireball at Sasuke who dodged with out difficulty.
"Well, well little brother" Itachi said "You have indeed grown strong"
"Hn, you haven't seen the half of it" Sasuke seethed.
"This has been a most educational meeting" Itachi said "But this must continue another day. Kisame lets go." Itachi disappeared.
"Get it all?" Hikari asked
"Heh, and then some" Naruto / Kyuubi answered.
Hikari let him up. Kisame recovered enough to stand, and execute a vanishing act of his own, leaving his sword behind. Both Naruto and Hikari returned to their human forms.
"Look a souvenir" Hikari chirped motioning to Kisame's forgotten blade.
"You actually gonna keep that?" Naruto questioned
Hikari laughed "No, I prefer little souvenirs, like this" She held up an Atatuski ring, that belonged to Kisame in one hand and one that belonged to Itachi in the other.
"How did you get Itachi's?" Naruto asked.
"Shadow pilfers" Hikari replied
Sasuke made his way over to his two team mates "Shit, I let them get away"
"Don't worry, with these we can track them" Hikari said placing the rings in a jacket pocket.
"How?" Sasuke asked, still not pleased with himself that he was unable to kill his brother.
"Scrying" Naruto piped up.
"Exactly" Hikari said "You are learning much from Kyuubi"
Sasuke just looked at the two as if they had lost it. Hikari noticed this and explained "Scrying is a technique that uses a crystal hanging on a length of chain to pinpoint a person's location on a map"
"Hn" Sasuke replied, then he smirked "It seems as though the ANBU escort has finally caught up with us"
"Ha ha" Naruto laughed "It would seem so"
The two ANBU guards assigned to Sasuke during his probation entered the clearing. One wearing a wolf mask spoke first "What has happened here? Is that not the Mist missing nin Kisame's sword?"
"It is" Sasuke replied "We were about to deliver it to the Hokage"
"That still doesn't explain what happened." The second ANBU guard wearing a cat mask said "How did it get here?"
"Did Tsunade not explain that those two were on their way here?" Hikari asked
"She did" The first guard replied
"Well then obviously they are here" Naruto said as he finished wrapping the sword and slung it over his back "Lets go"
Sasuke and Hikari nodded and the three took off towards the Hokage's office, the ANBU guards close behind them.