Hey Guys..sorry it took an extra week….it's been a week from hell. It's musical season…so I'm dying of stress. No offense to any actors who read this…but I despise the cast sometimes…they don't pull their own weight when they aren't on stage. Or at least here they don't.
And thanks to my AMAZING reviewers: TrenchcoatMan, Saiai Angel Alchemist, Bwahahaha, and mangamaniacgurl
It had been just over a week since Shino had come clean to Lexi, and in that time, so much had changed, and yet it had been in a way no one had noticed, excluding the other shinobi of course. On one hand, Lexi trusted him so much more, because he knew and hadn't tried to kill her or changed in the slightest towards her. On the other hand, she distrusted him because of his secrets. For a month he'd suspected but had told her nothing, she was afraid of any other secrets he still had.
Oddly enough, the three shinobi hadn't kept to many secrets. She didn't have a clue about the Kikai, or about the Kyuubi. But she knew about chakra, that it gave them special abilities. Sasuke had worked against any stubbornness the Kyuubi-and therefore, Naruto held against Lexi, until he'd convinced them to show her a demonstration.
It had been small, just a few fireballs, and a small chidori. Sasuke had been the only one to show anything, Shino was wary about revealing the Kikai, and the Kyuubi had flat out refused to agree on showing any jutsu, and the headache that came from fighting with the Kyuubi had Naruto refusing, though he had enjoyed himself hanging from the ceiling while Sasuke showed off.
While the three shinobi adjusted slowly to the fourth person in their little group, and the girl adjusted to people who could share a part of her world, life around the castle stayed the same. The schedule that had been set hadn't been interrupted in the slightest by their personal changes, and the wizarding world remained blissfully ignorant. That was the way the shinobi wanted them: clueless.
Shino slipped silently down the stairs to the Great Hall, a half step behind Lexi. The girl's chakra was stronger than it had been just a day ago; once a week she meditated, and the demon accessed her chakra, and that day had been last night. But this time, Shino took no chances, he watched and waited, leaving her side only after she'd finished her meditation, and the chance of the Nundu surfacing was nearly gone.
They made it to the Great Hall with little incident, taking their usual seats, with Lexi next to Luna, and Shino on Lexi's other side. He didn't so much as blink in surprise as the food appeared, and it was equally easy to ignore the look from the brunette who he'd identified as Lexi's cousin that Sasuke had mentioned during the interrogation. As far as he could tell, she'd kept Lexi well isolated for years, and wasn't at all happy that Shino seemed to enjoy spending time with her, and that with him, came Sasuke and Naruto. They were all aware the brunette was just another time bomb waiting to happen.
But for now, they were content to hold up an act, to pretend they were ignorant and unobservant. After all, there were more important things to do, like continue Sasuke's training to get his chakra levels to what they once were while attempting to get him back into shape to run kilometers at a time, without so much as considering stopping.
That thought made Shino smirk, it was a Sunday again, meaning the Uchiha would suffer another beating at the blond's hands. Admittedly he'd gotten better over the past month or so, but the size of the jutsu he'd shown Lexi, and the how exhausted he'd been after the mini-chidori still meant he had a long way to go.
Shaking his head at the thought of just how much fun Naruto was probably having as he planned the Uchiha's newest tests. The last had involved an intricate obstacle course, that Sasuke need to go through, hands tied behind his back, wandless and with weights that rivaled Lee's attached to his legs. And to make it worse for Sasuke, the course had been followed shortly by a Ninjutsu only spar. By the time the session had finished, Sasuke had been physically drained beyond belief, but no one could deny the improvements he'd shown from earlier in the week.
He frowned as Lexi motioned over to the blond in question, who sat at the Gryffindor table, having finished his breakfast at record speeds like usual, and now appeared incredibly impatient. Of course.
By now he knew Lexi expected him gone after breakfast, and for him to return only for meals, if they decided to stop for food, that is. And yet, despite the revealing of secrets, she hadn't questioned anything yet. And considering the knowledge-craving of many Ravenclaws, Shino doubted that would last long.
But for now, that didn't matter, because he was content to enjoy the food that the House Elves made, and to further irritate the blond by finishing the remnants of his meal slowly. Years of dealing with Kiba made it easy to handle Naruto, because while Kiba didn't have a demon, he had a horse sized dog that just loved to torment Shino. In that whole, "I just really love you" kind of way. And just because Akamaru had once been small enough to be carried, that merely meant he'd been small enough to get into things that no animal ever should, and get out of situations no dog should ever be in.
Five minutes later, Shino decided Naruto had waited long enough and bid Lexi a quiet goodbye, slipping quietly away from the Ravenclaw table and to the other boys, who were waiting near the door. Naruto gave him a look, half exasperated, half playful as he approached.
"Took you long enough…" He muttered, shaking his head, "Can we go now? I've got something fun for us to do…" He smirked at that point, flashing Sasuke a devious look.
Shino just sighed, "Something fun meaning torture for Sasuke?" He clarified.
Naruto nodded and Sasuke seemed to slump in defeat, "Let's just get it over with…." He muttered, "Will you ever get over tormenting me…?"
"Nope." Naruto replied, grinning, "I just love to torment the people I love."
"Then stop loving me…" Sasuke said, "You're driving me insane."
"So?" Naruto inquired, "No one else seems to care, and I have a bad habit of kidnapping Kakashi-senpai's[1] porn, stealing Sakura-chan's umeboshi and dumplings, and dying her flowers back….and it's hysterical to steal Sai's drawing supplies. It's only natural to torment you too. And I've got years of torture to make up for."
"Fine, fine…I get it. But can you tone it down a bit?"
"Now why the hell would I do that?" Naruto asked, "After all….you're so much fun to torture."
Sasuke just sighed as they arrived at the Room of Requirement. Naruto quickly paced back and forth a few times, and once more, the door appeared. The boy grinned as he held it open for Sasuke and Shino, and both boys looked completely shocked at the sight of the Forty Fourth Training Grounds, more commonly known as the forest of death. Naruto looked ridiculously pleased with himself.
"This, my lovely companions, is quite literally an exact replica of the Forest…complete with giant man eating snakes and tigers, poison plants, massive leeches and so much more. My beloved Sasuke-kun….today your task is simple. I have a heaven scroll…..Shino will have the earth scroll…and we'll be hiding with them. All you've got to do, is find us, and fight us for them. You win…you get the scrolls. You win them both….and you get a prize of your choice. Of course, if say….you get one scroll and not the other…the the owner of the scroll you get…well…get's a prize." He flashed a quick smiled, "But of course….you've got to avoid the animals who'd rather have you as the meal of choice. That's all."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "That's all?" He asked, "What….I don't have to jump through rings of fire or something ridiculous like that too?"
"Why would I do that? You work with fire. You've got to be used to being burned."
Sasuke sighed, "And how long do I get?"
Naruto hummed, "Until you win….or lunch time…whichever comes first. Just well….don't be standing on a tree at noon. That might hurt." He chuckled, "This test begins….in five minutes. Now c'mon Shino."
Shino just shook his head, quietly wishing Sasuke good luck as he followed Naruto through the trees. Less than a minute of running later, Naruto lurched to a stop, Shino following a moment later.
The blond smirked, pulling a scroll out of his robes and passing it to the Aburame. "Alrighty here….our job today…is simple. We're testing his tracking skills, and his fighting skills. His observancy too….because he's got to avoid the animals. And his common sense, because the room adapts to the users….all of them, not just me. So it'll be a mental battle and a physical one. If he can get you down you may as well just give him the damn scroll though….or we'll be here for years. Think you can handle it?" His last question was teasing.
Shino just nodded, pocketing the scroll, "He'd better find you first….I'd rather not have to drain him completely without even giving him a chance."
"Are you saying he'd have a chance of beating me if he finds me first?" Naruto demanded
"Not at all….but it's more likely the forest will be destroyed and you'll be caught in the rubble."
Naruto laughed, "True……wonder if the forest would repair itself…" He mused, chuckling, "Guess we'll find out….I'll head east, you head west?" He suggested
Shino nodded, and in a moment the two boys took off, parting ways in preparation for the Uchiha that would try to find them.
Sasuke sighed to himself, Sharingan activated and senses fully aware as he searched the forest for his two temporary opponents. He'd been lucky so far, having avoided crossing any animals that were lurking in the forest.
He was, admittedly, just a bit nervous about the sparring part of the test. Sure he had four hours, and he was pretty positive he could use the room to his advantage, but that didn't mean he wasn't aware of Shino's ability to drain him of chakra in mere minutes, and of the fact Naruto could still easily out class him at his current skill level.
He hummed to himself, briefly mulling over the fact that there were snakes in the forest, and wondering if he could use them to his advantage. After all, he had worked with snakes at one point, and if his could talk to these snakes, if they could make his life a little easier, it'd be worth it.
But that was a plan for when the time came, and for now, he settled on focusing on the faintest hint of chakra that he'd picked up with the Sharingan. It was Shino, he knew, there wasn't a hint of demon chakra in his chakra, but that wouldn't make his job any easier.
With a sigh, he bit his thumb, drawing blood as he formed a quick series of hand seals. A moment later, the summoning jutsu was complete, his chakra dropped quickly, unused to the strength of the drain and a large snake, roughly a quarter the size of Manda had appeared beneath him. Like the other snakes, Sasuke had never once treated them with respect, they'd been little more than tools for him, in the same way they had been for Orochimaru. It was time to change that.
"Sune…" He began, hesitant, "I need a favor from you…"
If possible, the snake would have snorted, as Sasuke jumped down from it's body. "Look who's back…" It hissed, "For the first time in three years you've summoned a snake…a year after our master's death. To think we all thought you dead….What do you want, boy?"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "Orochimaru was not my master." He retorted, sighing, "But that's neither here nor there. I need to know if you can communicate with average snakes…"
The snake looked offended, "Foolish human. Why couldn't I?"
"Just checking…" The Uchiha explained, "Would you be willing to try to convince the other snakes in this forest to well….not attack me? And maybe go after the other two people in the forest….non-fatally of course."
"And exactly what would I get out of this arrangement?"
Sasuke hummed in thought for a minute, "There's a forest full of animals you can chase down and eat…as long as you avoid centaurs you'd be fine…And I'll actually summon you guys again…and not treat you like average animals."
For a moment the snake seemed to consider it, and finally, it bobbed it's head in a nod, slithering off. "I shall help you for now…" it agreed, as it left.
Left to himself, Sasuke took a quick breath. He'd be being helped by snakes, and he had the most experience in manipulating the room. It'd be hard as hell, but he could do it.
Quickly, the Uchiha raced towards where he sensed Shino's chakra from, and soon enough, he was forced to slow, preparing for the spar. A moment of concentration later, a replica of Kusanagi was in his hand the blade's weight reassuring to him. A moment later, he took off once more, soon finding Shino within his range of sight.
The Aburame's back was to him, but Sasuke knew that meant nothing. But that still meant he couldn't waste time. He focused on the Aburame's vitals, where he knew a blow would cause severe damage, took aim for just next to all of them, and launched a series of Chidori Senbon[2] at the other man.
He swore violently as Shino seemed to explode, insects flying everywhere. An instant later he felt them on him, and the drain of chakra that came with their presence. Swearing again, he focused lightning chakra through him in a Chidori Current, the paralyzing electricity killing the insects as they landed on him.
He had to find Shino, and the sooner the better. He couldn't just keep killing the bugs, he'd run out of chakra to fast, but if he didn't kill them, he'd run out anyways.
He caught the other's chakra once more, and without bothering to check if it was really the Aburame, sent a fireball in that direction. The tree burst into flames, and the flames spread rapidly. For a moment, Sasuke hoped he'd gotten the other, until more insects burst from the smoke.
Sharingan eyes scanned the trees quickly, searching for any sign of life or movement. In a moment of either sheer genius, or stupidity, he launched himself toward the fire he'd created, hoping the Aburame would be hiding in there.
The flames facing the area where Sasuke had just been were fierce, and smoke clouded the area, but he could see through it, to a clear in the fire where Shino still stood. The insects had been a diversion, Shino had masked his chakra completely, lying in wait for the Uchiha to miss him completely, or have enough luck to find him here, in the calm of the blaze.
The Aburame raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lip twitching in a slight smirk. "Well? Looking for this?" He inquired, pulling a scroll from his pocket, "You'll have to work for it"
Sasuke said nothing, merely launching himself at Shino, another Chidori Current rippling across his body. He'd intended to paralyze the other, take the scroll, and leave to find Naruto. But Shino was to fast and hi plan was nowhere close to working as Shino feinted and was behind him in an instant, perched lightly on the branch of a tree, uncaring of the fire around them.
Taking a whim, Sasuke concentrated on shuriken appearing, in Shino's shoulder this time. The room responded, and shuriken appeared, but they weren't in Shino's shoulder, they seemed to hover an inch away before clattering to the ground.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, shocked. What the hell had the Aburame done to avoid the shuriken? They should have done precisely what he had to room do to them.
The fight carried on in this manner for another ten minutes, every attack Sasuke threw at Shino was dodged, everything the room should have done properly was deflected, and every movement of Shino's was perfectly calculated and not offensive in the slightest while the fire raged around them.
Sasuke was bordering on exhausted, his already lower than normal chakra reserves were being used up rapidly, even though he'd resorted to using the weakest of jutsus.
Shino was still going strong, it would take hours of fighting like this to come close to beating Shino, and Sasuke simply didn't have the chakra for that, or the time for that matter.
At that instant, Sasuke sensed the slightest hint of chakra, a snake, Sune and one other. There was the slightest of noises, and then Sune was flying through the air from one of the trees, Shino was in the air to avoid the strike, and the other snake struck then. Shino twisted in mid air, the wild snake didn't hit, but it gave the Uchiha the opportunity he needed, and he launched himself at Shino, a weakened Chidori current rolling through him. He made contact with the Aburame finally and they hit the ground together. It took an struggle, Sasuke working insistently to keep Shino down, despite the mildly paralyzing jutsu, but Sasuke finally managed to pin Shino firmly to the ground. He succeeded for several long moments, until Shino threw him off, as if he was nothing more than a rag doll, sending Sasuke flying against a tree.
The Aburame walked over to him, calm and collected, pulling the scroll once more from his pocket and tossing it to Sasuke. "You've done well enough, for today. Have fun with Naruto." And with that, the Aburame vanished, as did the fire around them, leaving Sasuke alone, slightly bruised and panting for breath.
The wild snake was harmless, apparently slithering off for it's next meal as Sane's head swung towards him. "The other snakes have agreed not to harm you, temporarily, and they've found your blond friend. They will strike when you get closer."
Sasuke nodded, forcing himself up, "Take me to him?" He requested of the snake.
"I suppose…." The snake murmured, "But you owe me, brat."
The Uchiha nodded, "All the live deer you can eat….got'cha."
Naruto stood, pacing slightly as he waited for the Uchiha. It was far more than a little tempting to go find the Uchiha, and promptly beat him to a bloodly pulp, and see just how good he'd gotten.
He'd seen the smoke earlier, and known fully well that Sasuke must have found Shino. He trusted Shino to take care of Sasuke fully well, or at the very least give him the test of his lifetime before giving him the scroll.
Of course, the fight he was planning with Sasuke would make that seem like child's play. Sure, he'd give Sasuke the scroll if he worked hard enough for it, but that would require his opponent to use every skill he had, and plenty he didn't have.
His head shot up at the familiar feeling of Sasuke's chakra. His eyes bled red, and he felt the Kyuubi's eagerness to have another shot to test the Uchiha.
Sasuke appeared, perched on the back of a snake.
It was on.
Naruto looked more than ready for a fight, and Sasuke felt Sane tense beneath him, both in nervousness from the Kyuubi's chakra and anticipation of the fight.
The urge to fight sent adrenaline rushing through him, and with it came more energy, more chakra. He could do this.
Inhaling slowly, the Uchiha braced himself for anything, and launched himself at Naruto. The blond was nothing like Shino, he took the blow, locking his hands with Sasuke's, and pushing against him.
Sasuke could feel the weakness in his body, Naruto was holding back, not putting in all of his strength. The blond flashed a smirk, showing sharp canines pushing him back, forcing his back to a tree. Sane lunged at the blond, who twisted quickly out of the way, and then there were snakes everywhere, hanging from trees, on the ground.
Sane worked fast, and apparently, she'd made friends. Naruto swore quietly, snarling and dancing out of the way of snapping jaws. "Fucking snakes," he growled, "You're not eating me alive again." And with that, hundreds, maybe thousands of shadow clones appeared, and the snakes attacked them, each as unsure of the real Naruto as Sasuke. A group of clones surrounded Sasuke, forcing him away from the snakes, and another Chidori Current danced along his skin as they moved out of sight. The clones sent him flying backwards as the poofed away, and Naruto dropped from the trees above him
Naruto bared his teeth lightly, smirking. "C'mon Sasu-chan. Just you and me, no snakes, no clones. Time to see which one of us can fight. I won't even ask the Kyuubi for help, all you've got to do is pin me down."
Sasuke growled lightly in response, and he launched himself at Naruto once more. The weakened current of electricity that raced along his skin wasn't nearly enough to fully paralyze Naruto, and though he hissed in pain, and probably frustration, he was obviously nowhere near done.
A kunai appeared in Sasuke's hand, he brought it down against Naruto's head with all the speed he could muster, but it still wasn't enough, Naruto ducked out of the way quickly. "You need to be faster than that Sasu-chan…" He teased.
Sasuke growled as Naruto slipped by the kunai that appeared in his hands and Sasuke sent hurtling towards him, pinning Sasuke to a tree. The Uchiha hissed in pain as his head hit the tree with a sharp crack, his vision blurring for a moment. Naruto pulled away once more, his laugh taunting him.
"That's not all you've got, is it Sasuke? Don't be that disappointing."
Sasuke could do nothing more than pant, struggling for air. He was still too tired, to low on chakra, and had nowhere near enough chakra left to fight.
Naruto could see it, the knowledge was obvious in his gaze.
"Fine then….one last move….let's see just what you've got."
Sasuke understood fully well what Naruto wanted. A final clash, and he knew instinctively that it would be Chidori versus the Rasengan. It was only natural, and the thought of it felt pure, it felt right.
With a deep breath, Sasuke focused the remnants of his chakra to the palm of his hand. He could feel Sane vanish as his chakra depleted, as everything he had focused into one last jutsu.
The two launched themselves at each other, the sound of birdsong filling the air with the Chidori's creation.
Naruto was moving fast, only the Sharingan allowed the Uchiha to keep up with his opponent, and he saw in slow motion, unable to stop it, as Naruto's hand ducked, catching the wrist of the hand that held the Chidori, illuminating both of their faces with lightning, as an incomplete Rasengan connected with Sasuke's gut.
The Uchiha was sent flying, and moments later, Naruto appeared, crouched over the wounded and winded Uchiha.
"Glad to see you're okay, Sasu-chan." The blond said when Sasuke finally focused on him, "It'd be a shame if you couldn't carry out whatever I feel like making you do."
[1] My reasoning for this…is that Kakshi is most definitely not Naruto's sensei at age 18. But…just calling him Kakshi from Naruto's point of view sounds weird….and I'm sure they still work together plenty…so that works….
[2] Sasuke reshapes the Chidori in his hand into the form of countless senbon. It has more specialized speed than the normal Chidori and can cause damage throughout multiple places on the body. Chidori Senbon can become even more effective by using it together with the Sharingan, allowing one to precisely shoot for the enemy's vital points.
So….does the extra thousand words make up for the week of not updating? I hope son….sorry bout that though…..and see ya soon!
Reviewers get chocolate!!!
~CP