Author's Note: This chapter's not too eventful; but it does contain a fight between Team Kurenai and the Sound ninja.
And...it also involves some information on Sakura's scroll and the jutsu sealed within it. I guess it's half-eventful and half-not? :\
Keep in mind, I can think of good fight scenes; but once written it's not as epic as was. I'm not the best at writing fight scenes (which is weird considering I watch the show and could easily learn from that) or anything like that. I'm trying with this one; no need to rant about how awful it probably will be. -_-
And with Noriko (the ninja from the Sound), I had a hard time giving her a list of jutsu. Because in the series, there aren't many ninja from there that you see fight. There's no canon jutsu I can use. -_-
But...due to the fact that she also fights with the sword, she'll use a lot of kenjutsu and taijutsu during the fight. When she does use a jutsu, it's most likely made-up. 'Cause like I said...it was extremely difficult.
No need to rant about that ^.
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Crazy Nights Lead To Crazy Situations:
Chapter Fourteen...
"I don't think so!" Noriko replied; her tone was slightly high-pitched and she was obviously over-confident.
The team all rolled their eyes; it wasn't until Noriko crossed her arms and grinned tomboy-ish that they realized she wasn't moving. Suddenly she grabbed the handle of her sword and stomped her right foot.
"Wanna know what will make me leave?" Kiba nodded at Noriko's words.
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"Then you guys will..." Noriko paused briefly and smirked. "...Fight me."
Everybody blinked.
"What? You randomly pop up on the field and plead for a fight? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Kiba shouted.
Noriko's eye twitched.
"I wasn't serious."
Kiba crossed his arms.
"'Ya better not have been..."
Noriko grabbed her sword and pulled it out of it's holder. She then pointed it towards Hinata.
"Actually, I need the girl with the Hyuuga eyes." Noriko declared.
Hinata blinked.
"W-what?" Hinata asked.
Noriko's expression hardened and she put on hand on her hip.
"Actually...it's her Kekkei Genkai I need." Noriko explained.
Kurenai took a step forward and grabbed the sword close to the tip end and pushed it away.
"Why do you need it?" Kurenai asked; her tone getting lower.
Noriko rolled her eyes.
"That's confidential. But I can say this: that Kekkei Genkai transplanted within me combined with my own, will be enough to restore my weak clan's strength. And we'll be powerful once again!" Noriko explained.
Hinata brushed her hair out of her eyes and stared at the kunoichi in shock.
"Your c-clan? But...wasn't the Sound destroyed back in the last war?" Hinata asked.
Noriko's face fell and she twirled her sword absentmindedly.
"It was. But a few members of my clan survived. We were...test subjects back a few years ago when Orochimaru was still 'round. He took many members of my clan's Kekkei Genkai, and mixed it with another; resulting in us getting odd abilities...although a few died during the process."
The team exchanged looks; Hinata was slightly scared by this.
"...If we can get those eyes, we can get power and be restored to our former status! That's my mission; I declared it on myself ever since that day."
Kurenai was still on her guard. She always was. And she had a bad feeling from this kunoichi.
"Well if you really want her, you'll have to go through all us." Kurenai warned.
Noriko immediately smirked and drew her sword back out.
"That is what makes this whole thing interesting. I'll keep that in mind..."
Suddenly out of nowhere, Noriko appeared behind Hinata and raised her sword to slice. Hinata gasped and jumped out of the way just as the blade nearly touched her.
"Wow. Fast, aren't you? Unfortunately for you all, I'm faster!"
Noriko suddenly appeared at the other side of Hinata and went in for an attack, Hinata was able to dodge and she then assumed the Hyuuga fighting stance.
Before either Noriko or Hinata could do anything, Kiba and Akamaru suddenly charged in for an attack.
"Clawing Swift Wolf Fang!"
Suddenly, Kiba and Akamaru surrounded Noriko and were bolting around here in a rapid speed. Noriko's eyes widened at the speed and she raised her sword to try and block off the attacks. The boy and beast then charged at her with claws ready to attack; from behind, they scratched her up and she yelped and dodged out the rest of the attacks.
"Ah!"
Noriko growled under her breath and rubbed over her back; now some tears in the back of her shirt and bleeding scratches.
"Too fast...I have to somehow fade 'em out!"
Before Noriko could even get a grip on her sword, a swarm of bugs was now making it's way to her. She sensed them and gasped. As they just reached her, she did a flip and dodged out of the way; landing on her feet she scowled and made some hand signs.
Everybody was now on their guard as she made the signs; they were very fast and complicated.
"Storm of Blades!"
Everybody gasped; a bunch of extremely sharp blades suddenly appeared from thin air sparking with lightning chakra.
The blades then flew over to the team at a rapid speed; they came one after the other, endlessly.
"AAH!"
The team dodged out of the way; and kept it up. Going in all different directions to dodge the endless blades.
"That's right: dodge them! But you won't be able to keep it up!" Noriko called out as she clasped her hands together and interlocked her index fingers. "Storm of Blades: ADVANCED!"
The blades then came at a speed unable to even be possible! Seemingly coming from thin air, millions of swords continued to be thrown with great accuracy!
"This is too much! We can't dodge forever, Sensei!" Kiba shouted.
Kurenai yelped and jumped to the side.
"I know!"
Meanwhile, Noriko snickered and kept up the jutsu; not even beginning to look fazed by anything.
"Ready to hand over the girl? Or should I...take it to the NEXT level?" Noriko taunted.
Hinata gasped.
"(NEXT LEVEL? Th-this is too much already!)" Hinata thought.
She then furrowed her eyebrows together and continued to dodge easily; but all the jumping around was kind of tiring.
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"Hey Hinata..."
Hinata blinked and looked over at Naruto who was sitting in her window watching her pack for the mission.
"What, N-Naruto?"
Naruto smiled and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Whatever happens on that mission, stay strong and don't give up in any rough situation."
Hinata smiled giggled.
"Of course. I-I wouldn't give up no matter what." Hinata replied. "...Nothing c-could make me."
Naruto nodded and glanced away.
"Of course. But still...you don't really know what kinda rogue ninja you could encounter! I just...want you to be okay and come home safely..."
Hinata blushed slightly and walked over to her dresser with her hands clenched into fists.
"I will, N-Naruto."
Naruto suddenly appeared behind her and Hinata gasped slightly as he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around gently.
"Let's just hope so."
Suddenly he leaned in and kissed her cheek. He gave her a grin and jumped out the window to the ground and walked away.
Hinata stood there in surprise and then smiled to herself; her face now bright pink.
"...Yes."
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"(Well I'm not giving up! That is no option!)"
Hinata did a flip backwards and got out of the way of the many blades. She activated her byakugan and stared at Noriko.
"(Oh my gosh! Her chakra is...is way too strong! This doesn't look too good for us...)"
Noriko eventually stopped the jutsu and then quickly ran in for an attack. She took her sword and attempted to slash Hinata; Kurenai quickly came in and punched the Sound nin in the back.
Noriko coughed and turned around to glare at Kurenai. Her eyes narrowing dangerously and an evil scowl on her pale face.
"Sneak attacks huh? Well, they won't affect me!"
Noriko then smirked and quickly ran to Kurenai's side and slashed her sword right through her. Kiba and Shino gasped at that.
"Kurenai-Sensei!" Kiba shouted.
Suddenly "Kurenai" turned into a log with moss growing around it. Noriko noticed that right away and growled loudly in frustration.
"Damn substitutions!" Noriko growled.
She then turned around and the real Kurenai suddenly flew out of a random direction and kicked Noriko right in the face. Noriko yelped and flew to the ground and slid slightly. She grunted and bent over slightly while rubbing her left cheek.
"(So that's how this old woman wants it to go down, huh? Well fine! Have it YOUR WAY! But two can play at this game!)"
Kurenai gasped as Noriko grinned evilly and made more complicated hand signs. This time, blue chakra literally radiated off of her. A sharp breeze now picking up in the area from it's power.
All around the area, the gusty breeze nearly knocked the team off their feet; but this wasn't the jutsu.
The real jutsu, was starting up as her chakra suddenly starting to enter her sword and the left over chakra radiated off of that.
"This one of my most liked jutsu in my technique list! Prepare to be DESTROYED!"
Kiba looked annoyed and he rolled his eyes as Noriko finished that out.
"Okay, you're getting to into your own abilities here. You are way too confident!" Kiba ranted.
Shino sighed and grabbed Kiba's shoulder, pulling him back.
"Kiba, that's just the way she is. You can't change that." Shino commented.
Kiba glared at him.
Meanwhile, Noriko cried out and ran into the middle of the battlegrounds they were standing in. Blue chakra radiating off her and her sword. She smirked confidently and started spinning around rapidly.
"HIDDEN LIGHTNING TECHNIQUE: LIGHTNING WHIRLWIND!"
The chakra from Noriko suddenly expanded and started sparking as if it was electricity! It spread bigger and bigger until it was starting to go for the team.
Kiba gasped and got atop Akamaru; they ran and dodged out of the way. Shino helped Hinata jump out of the way. And Kurenai jumped out of the way as well.
But Noriko wasn't done there; she just kept up the jutsu. Although she knew that she couldn't do it forever since her chakra control was very off, and once she used a really advanced jutsu like that she couldn't keep it up.
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Meanwhile...
"I knew it. Listen, I'm the one you two should give this scroll too." The man announced.
Neji and Sakura exchanged looks.
"Why?" Neji asked.
The man furrowed his eyebrows together again, and hesitantly leaned over the counter. He then opened his mouth to reply.
"...Because you should give this back to my father. He's responsible for this scroll and the jutsu within it." The man replied.
Neji and Sakura exchanged looks again.
"Your...your father? Is he that man who I encountered?" Sakura asked.
The man nodded and sighed.
"Yes he is."
Neji then blinked and thought for a minute. He noted that the man just told them about a jutsu sealed within the scroll. Due to him being curious, he asked about that.
"Wait. You mentioned something about a jutsu within the scroll, didn't you?" Neji inquired.
The man and Sakura blinked and looked at the Hyuuga.
"Hey...you did mention something like that! There is a jutsu sealed within the scroll?" Sakura asked as she looked back over at the man.
The man looked worried and glanced away again.
"Actually, there is." The man replied. "But...it's not something I should tell you both about. This jutsu after all...has two purposes."
Sakura furrowed her eyebrows together and placed one hand on her hip.
"Well I see that you won't tell us. But still...what does your father have to do with this scroll and the jutsu within it?"
The man looked annoyed and crossed his arms.
"I just told you that it's not something I should tell you; not many should even know about it unless it's absolutely necessary!"
Neji sighed and placed his hand on Sakura's shoulder. He had to do something before she lost her temper.
"Sakura, he isn't going to tell you anything. Just let it go." Neji mentioned.
Sakura scowled and then her face softened as she looked back at Neji. She sighed deeply and folded her arms.
"You're right, Neji." Sakura said. "But I need to know the connection here. If this scroll contains a jutsu, this is something I feel should be reported to the hokage!"
The man perked up after hearing that and then rested his head and his hand.
"I'm afraid that would be useless even giving the hokage this information; she already knows about it, being a medic nin and all."
Sakura and Neji looked over at the man curiously. Really interested in what he just said.
So...Tsunade knows about the scroll and it's jutsu within it? Maybe...maybe that could actually be useful. The man just gave them a very useful piece of information.
Sakura smiled and tapped her chin; Neji sighed to himself, as he knew that gesture from what Naruto told him in the past.
"Lady Tsunade knows about this? Well, thanks for your valuable piece of information, sir." Sakura said. "I'm going to get her to give me some details and I'm going to find your father and figure this all out."
The man rose an eyebrow and Neji smirked at what Sakura said.
"Where is your father anyway?" Neji asked the man.
The man thought for a minute and looked annoyed right afterwards. He sighed and stared at his fingernails.
"I don't actually know; I haven't seen him in weeks since he took over my place here briefly."
Neji and Sakura both looked puzzled by that reply. Then Sakura sighed.
"We'll just have to find him then. And figure this out." Sakura mentioned.
The man smirked and then placed the scroll back over on the edge of the counter. Sakura blinked and picked it up.
"Sir, what's-"
"You are so determined to figure this out; I like that, Miss Haruno. And you'll need this scroll for that."
Sakura's eyes widened and then she glanced down at the scroll in her hands. Looking back at Neji while smirking she nodded.
"Thank you."
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"Darn it! Missed her again!"
Kiba growled under his breath as he stood there by Akamaru; both panting and standing there with marks on them. They had just used Fang Over Fang on Noriko; but it hardly scratched her after she spun around poorly mimicking them and blocking the attacks.
The fight had been going on for probably forty-six minutes. Everybody was getting tired slightly; even Noriko herself. But Team Kurenai refused to give up and hand over Hinata. There was no way they would allow Hinata to be used like that!
Kurenai stood by Hinata; panting and awaiting Norkio's next attack, Hinata was in the Hyuuga stance with her byakugan activated, Kiba was stand by Akamaru towards the far right, and Shino stood on the far left with his bugs swarming around him.
Noriko meanwhile, stood in the middle while thinking over her next moves. Using her more advanced jutsu would only drain her chakra more and more until none was left. But using the ordinary moves...the team would easily be able to block or dodge. She was conflicted briefly, but smirked as she reached behind her back and grabbed the giant shuriken out of it's holder.
"Well team, see if y'all can keep up with...THIS."
Noriko threw the shuriken through the air and quickly made a hand sign as she gripped her sword.
Hinata gasped quietly as she did all that. The Hyuuga girl a gut feeling that Noriko was planning something big, and trusting her instincts she charged at her ready to strike with her Gentle Fist.
Kiba noticed Hinata going in for the attack, everyone else but Noriko did too, but he was the only one to respond.
"Hinata! Watch out!"
Hinata cried out and hit a chakra point with her Gentle Fist; Noriko gasped as she noticed this and her jutsu was dropped abruptly. Now in Hinata's range, Hinata began to use the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms on her. Now tapping Noriko repeatedly and quite rapidly; she had in total sixteen strikes and going for the rest.
Meanwhile, Noriko was shocked and couldn't escape. All she could do was just stand there and yelp as the strikes continued rapidly. She felt her chakra being stopped as each strike landed, and she wasn't liking it!
Meanwhile, the forgotten shuriken had already flew in a random direction since the jutsu was dropped. It landed by Kurenai and she quickly got an idea! Quickly disappearing and then reappeared atop a lone rock formation.
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Meanwhile...
Neji and Sakura walked to the hokage tower to go see Tsunade about the scroll. Sakura had a good feeling that if she asked the hokage about the scroll, she would be a step closer to finding out about this jutsu sealed within it! Maybe this jutsu could actually help her!
However, Sakura took notice that Neji was slowing down as he walked. She stopped walking and he did as well.
"Neji, what's wrong?" Sakura asked.
Neji mumbled something that she couldn't hear and then blinked and looked up at her.
"Huh? Oh, it's...nothing. I just feel like somewhere, something bad is about to happen..." Neji replied.
Sakura blinked and then her face fell. She sighed and glanced up at the sky.
"...Wherever you're getting this feeling, I think I feel it as well..." Sakura mentioned.
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Back With Team Kurenai...
"Thirty-two!"
Noriko gasped and jumped backwards away from Hinata after she landed the last strike. Her chakra felt cut off, and her insides didn't feel too hot either.
Hinata meanwhile stood there panting slightly and wiping her mouth with her sleeve. At least she cut off the kunoichi's chakra; now there wasn't a way she could perform those weird jutsu she's been using!
...But that still didn't mean that she couldn't use her taijutsu. Noriko is still a threat. And since Hinata can't fight as long because of the pregnancy, this meant the rest of the team would have to come in now and help.
"You twerp!" Noriko hissed at Hinata as she steadied herself up.
Noriko then growled and shakily reached for her sword and charged at Hinata; going in for a powerful strike. Hinata saw it coming and jumped out of the way, Noriko just got infuriated and proceeded to strike her again.
"Hey Noriko, take this! Piercing Fang!"
Noriko looked through the hair in her eyes and her eyes widened as she saw Kiba charge at her while spinning around ferocious speed! His body wasn't even seen, he was spinning so fast he looked like a giant white, swirling form of energy. The Inuzuka then attacked her and ferociously bit, scratched, and did many attacks as if he was a wild dog.
And unfortunately for the girl, he was too fast to dodge. So he slashed her up, and made bleeding marks all over her back, arms, and face.
"AAAAAH! STOP!"
Hinata, Shino, and Kurenai watched from afar. And they tensed up slightly; during the time he slashed and bit her, Noriko appeared to be less and less trying to dodge the barrage of attacks. Finally, Kiba ended the attacks and jumped and slid across the rocky surface; trying examining Noriko through the cloud of dust.
Kurenai, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, even Akamaru, walked together to see if Noriko was still going or if she was defeated.
The dust cloud faded away, and there was Noriko on her knees. She looked like a mess; her hair was tousled, she was glaring, her sword was by her side, and her clothes had holes and torn spots; revealing scratches and bites that were bleeding.
"(No...she's still going on. This really isn't too good; because there's no way we can all continue to let this fight drag on when we're using up all our chakra...)" Hinata thought.
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Hinata cried out and hit a chakra point with her Gentle Fist; Noriko gasped as she noticed this and her jutsu was dropped abruptly.
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"(I cut off her chakra...but that doesn't mean this fight is over. Oh...this isn't good at all! But I can't give up; I'm not going to give up and I will stay strong for Naruto and the baby!)"
Hinata gasped slightly as Noriko smirked evilly and got up shakily. She grabbed her sword and teasingly twirled it.
"I'm not through with you all just yet. You can't get me that easily!" Noriko announced.
Kurenai sighed, Kiba sighed, Hinata clenched her hands into fists, and Shino stealthily sent some kind of insect over onto her arm inconspicuously.
"Team, be careful. I sense there's something different about her now." Kurenai warned.
The three couldn't agree with their sensei more. After all, as a dramatic breeze blew over the area as a pregnant pause took over, suspense over what Noriko was about to do next killed them.
She licked her lips with an abnormally long tongue and then took one step back; preparing for her next taijutsu attack.
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With Sakura And Neji...
"Ah...so that's it. That is what you've been doing all this time, Sakura?"
Sakura nodded at Tsunade. Both her and Neji arrived at her office to inform her about what they've learned before they went to find the old man.
Tsunade walked over to her window and stared out it; scanning the streets where random villagers walked to their destinations.
"And you want some information about the jutsu sealed within that scroll?" Tsunade inquired.
Sakura and Neji glanced at each other. Neji crossed his arms and spoke up.
"So you know all about it?"
Tsunade sighed and turned around to face the two.
"Of course I do; most medics have done research on the jutsu within it. Though none have ever had the guts to attempt to learn the jutsu." Tsunade replied.
Sakura leaned against the desk and stared at her teacher.
"Milady, can you tell us this straight from the beginning? I don't fully see what you're talking about." Sakura asked as she inconspicuously rubbed over her stomach.
Neji however, noticed the movement and inwardly sighed. Tsunade then smirked and crossed her arms.
"Well, that scroll, as you know, talks about the mind in accurate details. It provides great information; and it was written out a long time ago by a medical ninja who did intense research on the mind because he wanted to learn about everything in the world."
Sakura glanced at the floor as Tsunade continued with a serious look.
"...He did make a copy of his work; but it got lost during war and nobody knows what happened to it. However this old man and his son have come across it; they should consider themselves lucky." Tsunade finished.
"...I think I know how they might have acquired that scroll, milady."
Sakura, Neji, and Tsunade blinked and then looked over at the door; they saw Shizune standing in front of the closed door with her arms crossed and looking in deep thought.
Tsunade rose an eyebrow and looked over at the woman.
"Shizune..."
Shizune sighed and brushed her hair back.
"I used to have that scroll in my possession a long time ago. When we came back to the Leaf a few years ago, I misplaced the scroll at the library and never saw it again...that could be how those two men have it." Shizune explained.
"Well I understand that scroll now, but what about the jutsu? Could this jutsu help me undercover this key information that's still in the woods?"
Everybody looked over at Sakura as she said that. Her expression showed hope. Tsunade smiled slightly as realization struck her.
"Hmm...yes Sakura, this jutsu sealed within the scroll could be of use. I don't know all the details of the jutsu though; but seeing from what the man told you, his father might be able to tell you the details." Tsunade replied.
Sakura gasped and then smiled as she looked over at Neji.
"Neji, we have to find that man!" Sakura declared.
Neji nodded.
"Yes. He seems like...the missing piece of information we'll need."
Shizune pointed.
"Exactly, Neji." Shizune commented.
Sakura clasped her hands together and looked back over at Tsunade.
"Milady, me and Neji will go track down the man! Once we find out about the jutsu from him, I'll report back here for you; since you should be in the know of this whole crazy situation!" Sakura mentioned.
The pink-haired kunoichi and the Hyuuga then ran out of the office and back outside. They had to track down this old man; and find out his side of the story with the scroll! As the seconds ticked by, Sakura felt as if information was slowly being revealed; it was her chance to be of use to Naruto and Hinata and she wasn't going to blow it for anything.
Currently they were walking through the village and Neji had his byakugan activated to see around. As they walked, Sakura was in deep thought.
"(I wonder if we'll find the man...this is so exciting! I'm finally going to be of use to my friends...and this is also my chance to find out why the heck the man called me 'Talim'! That still puzzles me...)"
Continued.
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...And there! The fourteenth chapter finally done! I'm sorry it took so long to update; writer's block IS EVIL! -.-' So I'm sorry if the chapter is short...
Well, don't freak out with the fact that the fight isn't over yet; it will be continued in the next chapter. And it will end there as well (the fight). The fight might not be as long in the next chapter because it's the end.
Soon the other cliffhangers will be settled too; just not this soon. But they will. ^^
The next update? I'm not sure honestly. -_- I'll try to update when I have the time.
Next Chapter: The fight between Team Kurenai and the Sound ninja (Noriko) drags on. However, something appears to be different about the girl. She can't use her chakra, but is resorting to dangerous taijutsu attacks; Kurenai herself might have to end it! And meanwhile, Sakura and Neji confront the man and get information about his side of the story. And what will Sakura do when she learns about this 'Talim', and the fact that she can perform the jutsu if she practices? Between this, Naruto informs Sasuke about his plan to stop the Fox from showing the images to him.
Read and review~