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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the Naruto characters. Masashi Kishimoto does.
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Chapter/Episode 54
Ninja Cats
"That's terrible," Naruto exclaimed as Nekobaa concluded a summary of the events that had taken place the past few days. "Why did the ninja cats suddenly go rampant like that?"
"I'm not sure," Nekobaa replied. "That's why I asked for your assistance."
"So they've caused severe damage to the neighboring villages," Kakashi asked.
"Yes," Nekobaa answered. "So far they've been destroying homes, ruining farms and even attacking some of the farm animals."
"Sounds more like a nuisance if you ask me," Sasuke retorted. "I still don't see the point in us coming here. I could handle this mission myself."
"My god you are so full of yourself," Kyoko mumbled under her breath which earned her another glare from Sasuke.
Nekobaa's face darkened. "Hey I just noticed something," Sakura realized. "Where is Tamaki?"
Nekobaa stayed quiet so Denka spoke up, "She was terribly injured by some of the ninja cats when she tried to stop them from destroying a town. She is still there now, receiving medical treatment."
"That's terrible," Sakura exclaimed. "Where is she? I'm sure I could help."
"She's already recovering," Nekobaa interrupted. "There wouldn't be much you could do now."
"Oh," Sakura replied, concerned. "Alright, then what would you like us to do?"
"You will have to go into the ninja cat underworld again and confront Nekomata himself," Nekobaa explained. "Which means you will need these again."
She held out cat ear headbands toward all of them. "I am not wearing that again," Sasuke insisted.
He turned away and folded his arms. "Aw," Hina complained. "But we made them to fit you this time."
Kyoko watched as Nekobaa gave Sakura a pink-furred headband. "Oh, I get it," Kyoko piped up. "You designed them to go with the person's hair."
"Yep," Nekobaa replied, giving Naruto a yellow-furred headband. "There is even one with black fur for Sasuke."
"I said I'm not wearing it," Sasuke repeated. "This is child's play. We can just break in."
"I'm afraid it's not that easy," Nekobaa explained. "Security there has tightened a lot since the last time you were there. It's practically impossible to break in, and even if you did, there are thousands of cats ready to shred you to pieces in an instant."
"Hm," Sasuke replied. "I've already made myself clear. I am not wearing that."
Kakashi sighed, putting on a pair of silver ears, "I'm afraid that if you don't wear the ears so we can infiltrate quietly, then you can't come. Causing unneeded chaos will make the mission that much harder to get to Nekomata."
Sasuke glared at his former sensei, making a tsk sound before snatching the ears away from Nekobaa and putting them on.
"Oh my gosh, Sasuke is so adorable," Sakura thought. "Just like last time, though I shouldn't say anything, he'll get pissed if I-."
"SOOOOO CUTE," Kyoko interrupted as she admired Sasuke's new look. "You look adorable Sasuke! You look less hostile…if that's possible…"
Sasuke frowned at her, "Shut up. Why are you so happy anyway? This means you can't come with us."
"My apologies," Nekobaa broke in. "I didn't realize you would be coming, so we didn't make any for you…"
"She was a last minute addition to the team," Kakashi explained. "So we didn't get a chance to notify you…"
"Wow," Kyoko replied sarcastically. "Thanks for making me feel wanted."
Sasuke snickered which made her glare at him. "I wouldn't be laughing mister cat," she teased, making him frown. "And I don't need the ears..."
"Huh," Sakura replied. "But you need them to come with us…"
Sakura trailed off as Kyoko 'transformed', which earned a shock gasp from the ninja around her.
"What," Kakashi exclaimed. "You have cat ears…and a tail?"
"Ya," Kyoko responded with her tail lashing back and forth. "I thought all ninjas could transform…"
"Not like that," Sakura exclaimed.
"It looks like you partially transformed," Kakashi replied with a thoughtful expression. "Incredible."
"Well," Kyoko said, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment. "It's nothing really…shouldn't we get going?"
"Yes," Kakashi replied with authority in his voice. "We will be seeing you later Nekobaa."
"Be careful," she called as the five of them left.
-About 10 Minutes Later-
"Wow," Kyoko awed as they neared the ninja cat underworld. "So that's the underworld place?"
"Yes," Sasuke replied. "Try not to get distracted and remember that they think you're a cat."
"Right," Kyoko nodded.
"And try not to get your cat ears knocked off this time Naruto," Sakura scolded.
"R-Right," Naruto sweat dropped.
As they got closer none of them spoke and their silence hung thick in the air. Curious, Sakura turned around.
"Hey," she exclaimed. "Where did Kakashi-sensei go?"
"That jerk ditched us again," Naruto exclaimed.
"It's too late," Sasuke muttered under his breath. "We're here now."
As the four approached, Kyoko noticed the four cats that were standing guard in front of the entrance. They were all a brown-tan colour and were wearing armour, including carrying a pointy object that looked like a spear.
"There so cute," Kyoko breathed. "Adorable!"
"Please try and refrain yourself," Sasuke hissed at her as they approach.
"Halt," a cat near the front on the left ordered. "I haven't seen you around before and we don't let just anyone in-nya."
"Here," Sasuke replied, handing the cat who spoke a bottle of catnip. "This is for you."
"You sure know how things are normally done around here-nya," the second cat spoke up. "But I'm afraid that presents won't work this time. However we'll keep it as an offering-nya."
Sasuke frowned, "How are we meant to get in?"
"Why won't you let us in-," Sakura started before a third cat shoved a spear near her face.
"You're not allowed in, got it-nya," he told her.
"Right, so-sorry," Sakura apologized.
Naruto gritted his and slowly got a kunai out of his pouch until he was interrupted by Kyoko, "What a shame-nya~. To think we walked all the way here from the land of wind…"
She pretended to lick her hand and swipe at her ear as her tail flicked back and forth. "And I wanted to see the famed ninja cat underworld to find out if it's as amazing as it sounds-nya~," she continued in a playful tone. "Aw well, I guess I'll find love in another part of the land of fire..."
As Kyoko slowly turned away with the best pouting face she could manage, she allowed her tail it sway back and forth in a hypnotizing manner.
The four guard cats now had hearts in their eyes as the fourth one spoke up, or the third one (Kyoko wasn't sure), since they all looked incredibly similar. "W-Wait," he stopped her. "I guess Nekomata wouldn't mind if we let a few travellers in, especially if it were just you and some friends-nya."
"Really," Kyoko smiled, slowly walking up to them and leaning toward their faces just a bit. "That would mean soooo much-nya~."
"Y-Yes," one of them saluted, stepping aside with the others doing the same. "Please come in and rest your paws. If you need anything just ask-nya."
"Thank you," Kyoko replied as the four of them walked through the gates and into the ninja cat underworld.
"What was that," Sasuke asked when they were out of earshot.
"Ha," Kyoko laughed. "You're just jealous that I found a way to get inside without fighting or breaking in."
"Hm," was the only reply Kyoko got back.
"Um this has been bugging me for a while now…," Sakura spoke up. "But how exactly can you understand what the ninja cats are saying? I mean, I thought you could only understand them when you wear these headbands."
Kyoko shrugged, "Who knows?"
"What," Naruto exclaimed looking around from left to right at the surroundings. "Everything's different!"
Kyoko looked around, "What do you mean?"
"He means that the layout of the ninja cat underworld has changed since the last time we were here," Sasuke explained. "That probably means that Nekomata is in a different location too."
"So our next mission is locating Nekomata…," Kyoko replied looking around at the giant place around her. "Should we split up?"
"Yes," Sasuke nodded. "The faster we find him, the better."
"Right," Naruto, Sakura and Kyoko chimed as they all went in their separate directions.
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Kyoko: Well, that's chapter 54…hope you all like it! :3 I promise it will get more interesting next chapter with a fight scene and all. :D I'm just happy it didn't take two weeks to update… :P Thanks for reading! XD
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