Chapter Eleven: Kunoichi in Action
Ino and Tenten tumbled back into their world and found themselves on a hill overlooking a small town. They could hear many of the townspeople cheering as they all took part in a grand festival. Despite feeling sore, they quickly got on their feet.
"Where are we?"
"Not sure. Let me see if I can read the mental chakra of some of those people down there," Ino said.
"Wouldn't it be easier just to go check?" Tenten said.
Ino signed.
"Really, Tenten?" she said, "You really want to just walk into something we're totally unprepared for again?"
"Okay, fine, fine, do your thing," Tenten sat on the ground as Ino closed her eyes to concentrate. Ino mumbled to herself as she put two fingers to each of her temples to focus.
After Tenten transported her message from her scroll to Sai's, Tenten realized how much she missed the Hidden Leaf. As she readied herself to move further into the Land of Water, she thought of her teammates. To celebrate her improvements during the early days of the kunoichi training program, Rock Lee and Guy sensei had walked on their hands around the village for several hours. They would loudly congratulate Tenten every time they would pass her, and even though she had been embarrassed by their antics, she was happy that her progress had made them proud.
Then she thought of Neji and remembered the charm he had given her before she left on the mission to rescue Hinata. She touched the charm which she wore around her wrist and smiled as she looked at the Hyuga symbol on it.
"This place is called Yasuragi," Ino said, "They call it that because it's supposed to be peaceful here."
"Wow, you really got that from their minds?" Tenten said, "You have really improved, huh?"
"Don't sound so surprised," Ino grumbled, "Anyway, now that we're back in our own world, I'm hungry again. Let's just get something to eat and head out to look for Sakura."
"What, you don't want to check into an inn or something? We should probably rest up before we go after her. Saku's Kakashi sai-"
"Saku's Kakashi isn't here with us right now. I'm grateful for all that we learned from him, but he didn't tell us to use our best judgment? I think it's best that we get closer to Sakura as soon as possible."
Tenten sighed.
"Look, I know you're trying to prove that you're committed to finding our friend, but we have to think about what's best in the long run. You may feel bold right now, but you might not feel that way when we actually catch up to her."
Ino gave Tenten a harsh look. Tenten's eyes widened.
"What do you mean by that?"Ino said.
"I-I mean, you don't always stay committed to your plans. You change your mind quickly sometimes. At least after a good night's rest you can be more certain about how to stop Sakura."
"My indecisiveness may be a problem sometimes, but don't act like your impulsiveness is any better!"
"C'mon, don't be like that Ino," Tenten said. Ino stormed down the side of the hill toward the festive town and Tenten followed close behind her.
Despite their argument, the two were still in a better mood than Sakura. The journey to the Lifted Islands was long and painful to say the least. A few kunoichi collapsed along the way and other kunoichi grabbed and dragged their bodies forward as people do with dead animals.
When they were close to Orochimaru's hideout, another young kunoichi passed out near the back of the band. Without looking back, Kichiro gave an order.
"Sakura, dispose of her," he said, "I don't want to see her body just lying there on our journey back from our visit with our ally. When you're done, catch up quickly. And be sure to bring a souvenir."
"I will do as you have instructed, my Lord," Sakura said. She stopped and watched Kichiro and the others continue on into the fog. Sakura knew he wanted her to kill the girl, and she didn't want to think about the type of "souvenir" he was expecting.
The invisible Tashiro walked closer to Sakura to observe her work. What Sakura would do next would show Tashiro what side of herself she was willing to listen to.
Sakura took the young girl in her arms and sighed. For a moment, the chaotic chakra within Sakura made her think about how she could snap the girl's neck so easily and present her head as a souvenir to Kichiro. Sakura quickly shook the disgusting idea out of her head.
Remember who the real enemy is, Sakura thought.
She then removed a scroll from under her robe and wrapped it around the girl's thigh. The characters on the scroll began to change as Sakura began performing her medical ninjutsu.
"I see," Sakura mumbled to herself, "So that's the length of the bone...and then..."
Tashiro got even closer to get a better look as the scroll that was giving Sakura the measurements of the girl's leg. That jutsu was a less complicated version of a technique that some medical nin used to make a temporary, emergency prosthetic and it took a great deal of chakra control to get it right.
Once Sakura had the measurements of the bone in the girl's thigh, she removed the scroll from the leg and placed a lump of clay inside of it. While infusing chakra, she created a replica of the girl's bone and made it look as though it was fresh from the body.
"This should make him think I'm cruel enough to rip out her femur," Sakura said to herself, "Who knows, I might even get a promotion."
Sakura put the fake bone down and thought about how she would get the girl to a place where she would be safe.
"Wow, you really are different after all," Sakura heard Tashiro say.
Sakura reached into her back pouch for a weapon.
"W-who's there?" she said as she gripped the unconscious girl with one hand and held her kunai with the other.
"No one's here, well except me." Tashiro said, "I guess I'm someone, huh?"
"Look, I don't have time for any games or any trouble," Sakura said, "I just want to get this girl out of here and return to my lord."
"Well, you could kill her and dump the body somewhere," he said, "People do it all the time."
"I'm not someone who does things like that," Sakura said.
"But aren't you supporting a man who has done far worse? Sure, maybe you're not like that now. But eventually..."
The words of the invisible man scared Sakura, but she soon turned that fear into anger. She gritted her teeth and could feel her temperature increasing rapidly.
"I don't believe in senseless killing, but if you keep messing with me, I'll end you."
Tashiro didn't respond. He smiled to himself as he watched her from a short distance away. Sakura's resistance of Kichiro's will impressed him, but there was still more he wanted to see.
"Okay, fine," Tashiro said, "If you really are not that bad of a person, I suggest you take her to a village not too far from here. They're very hospitable, and they don't ask a lot of questions."
Sakura considered the idea for a moment.
"How do I know I can trust you if you don't even show your face?"
"That, my friend, is a risk you must be willing to take. The longer you wait to make a decision about what to do with her, the more likely it is that she'll end up dead somehow."
Sakura decided to listen to Tashiro's mysterious voice. He guided her to the nearest village where everything appeared as he said it would. Sakura instructed the medical staff to keep the girl in the village and have her adjust to a new life there. She also insisted that they not allow anyone from outside of that village to see her, not even someone who appears to be Sakura, just to ensure the girl's safety. Tashiro watched this all from a distance.
"There, are you happy now?" Sakura said to the blowing wind once she had left the girl in the village.
Tashiro didn't respond. Like Kichiro, Tashiro was testing Sakura to see who she really was. He decided to just watch and wait as she made her next move before he spoke to her again.
In truth, Sakura would continue to surprise Tashiro. But she wouldn't be the only one to do so.
The next day, Ino and Tenten flew to the Shipwreck Islands using one of Sai's super beast scroll birds which Tenten had sealed in her own scroll before they left the Hidden Leaf.
They stopped on an island called Echo, which was where people from all over came to trade.
"It's a good thing it's not raining right now," Ino said, "Otherwise, this bird would've been destroyed."
As they dismounted, Tenten looked up at the sky. Through the many clouds came a faint ray of sunlight which streamed down on a nearby island.
"That's the place, huh?" Tenten said.
Ino turned to look up and she frowned. They both knew that the light, though dim, was shining down on that other island because of a mysterious power source that lived there. They could feel the energy of the Goddess of Fire from that distance.
"Do you think we should check it out? It's basically calling our name," Tenten said.
"No, our job is to get Sakura and head back as soon as we can," Ino said, "We're early so we'll just swoop in and get her when they finally get here, nothing flashy, just a grab and go."
"Aw, that's no fun. Is this because you're still mad at me about what I said earlier?"
"That's not it, we just can't afford to take certain risks right now, not without backup," Ino said. The truth was that Ino was still bothered by Tenten implying that she was indecisive. But that wasn't important, they had a mission they had to complete, and Ino didn't want to revisit the issue.
They visited the shopping area and Tenten bought them dumplings from a dumpling shop owned by an elderly couple. They walked around for a while and eventually decided to eat near a quiet dock to avoid getting mixed up with some of Echo island's unfriendly travelers.
Ino kept glancing up at the light. She was curious about it, but wanted to stick to her decision to not get into something they might not be able to handle.
Unfortunately, things would not go as Ino would hope. As they ate, Tenten saw Ino grab her head suddenly and cry out in pain.
"What? What is it?" Tenten said. Tenten put her hand on Ino's shoulder to comfort her, but was shocked when Ino began to laugh hysterically. Tenten was horrified when she saw that Ino's eyes had turned black.
Suddenly, the world around Tenten disappeared and she found herself chained up in a dark place. She could hear the growling of several unknown beasts in the distance.
Tenten had been caught in Yasu's genjutsu which Yasu had cast after Yasu saw Tenten and Ino sitting near the dock. After the genjutsu was activated, Yasu and part of Kichiro's band tied up Tenten and Ino's body and hung them from a cliff above the sea. Yasu intended for the two Leaf kunoichi to struggle in the genjutsu realm which would cause them to squirm in the real world and break the rope. They were supposed to die on impact after the rope was broken and their bodies hit the water, but Yasu greatly underestimated her opponents.
The issue with Yasu's plan was that she could not control Ino's mind. As Yasu and the other rogue kunoichi looked down at the cliff at their squirming captives, Yasu did not know that Ino had evaded her jutsu entirely.
Yasu had been instructed by Kichiro to use her own summoning bird to travel to the Shipwreck Islands and eliminate any enemies that would stand in the way between them and the Goddess of Fire's treasure. Unfortunately for Yasu, she didn't know that Ino had not only avoided the genjutsu, but had also swapped consciousnesses with one of Kichiro's other kunoichi.
Soon after, Yasu commanded a giant bird to take her and the other rogue kunoichi from Echo to the island that had been kissed by the dim skylight. There lied the legendary Hellfire Blade.
From inside of the possessed kunoichi's body, Ino looked back at her own body and at Tenten as the bird departed from Echo Island. She telepathically communicated a plan to Tenten who was struggling under Yasu's genjutsu. Once Tenten had communicated with Ino, she stopped moving around and let the ocean breeze gently sway her body as she reviewed the plan in her head.
When Yasu and the other kunoichi landed in the heart of the island where Hellfire lived, they dismounted from the large bird and found themselves surrounded by green and blue flowers. Ino began to feel dizzy.
"Remember, these will kill you if you take in their scent for too long. You must hold your breath from here to the tower," Yasu said. As soon as the kunoichi started running toward the tower, Ino made sure she was close to the front. Yasu knew that the kunoichi Ino possessed was typically not that fast. Luckily for Ino, Yasu assumed the newfound speed was proof that the possessed kunoichi was desperate to avoid death.
As Ino ran in her disguise, she wondered why she wasn't sensing Sakura. She had sensed Sakura heading toward the Shipwreach Islands earlier in the day, but all traces of Sakura had since vanished.
When they arrived at the tower, Yasu instructed the disguised Ino to open the first door.
"It is time for you to demonstrate your commitment to the mission of Lord Kichiro," Yasu said, "Step forth!"
Ino was extraordinarily nervous, but she did not show it. She marched to the large stone door and took a deep breath.
I didn't go through all of those rebirths just to die here, Ino thought. She lifted her hand slowly and tapped into the Goddess chakra inside of her.
The great stone door shook in response to the chakra connected to Ino's consciousness. It flew up with a bang and so did the four other massive doors behind it. Some of the kunoichi cheered, but when Ino turned to look at Yasu, Yasu just stared at her blankly. The other kunoichi's voices died down when they realized that Yasu hadn't responded to what had just happened. Ino didn't know that only Yasu was supposed to be able to open the others.
Yasu entered the long, dark corridor and the others followed behind her. As they moved forward, candles on the walls lit themselves and revealed ancient depictions of the Goddess of Fire. For the first time, Ino caught a glimpse of the hilt of the sword on Yasu's back which poked up slightly from underneath Yasu's hood.
A sword-wielding genjutsu user, huh? Ino thought, If this does come down to a fight, Tenten and I are definitely going to have to adjust a few of our formations. I gotta tell her about all of this.
"You've gotten better, I see," Yasu said to Ino, "Keep it up, and you might move up a rank."
Ino struggled to find a fitting voice for the kunoichi whose body she was controlling. Was her voice raspy, deep, or light as a feather?
"Oh...uh. Uh-huh," Ino responded in a painful, but flat tone. Yasu moved forward without noticing any awkwardness.
Yikes, maybe I should just be the strong-and-silent type.
Ino felt something tugging at her consciousness as they walked. When they reached the center of the tower, her chakra was responding to a powerful presence. Ino shook in her host body.
"Don't tell me you're cold?" Yasu said as she turned to face the kunoichi.
At the center of the tower was an extremely tall, white pillar with steps that spiraled around it. At the top of the pillar was something that could be glorious or dreadful, depending on who interacted with it.
"Well, if you'd prefer to stay outside while we retrieve the treasure, feel free to do so" Yasu said.
"No, I am fine. Thank you," Ino replied.
Ino knew then that she had to keep whatever was at the top of the white pillar out of the hands of Kichiro. Her mission to rescue Sakura was growing more complicated by the moment. A million ideas rushed through her head.
First things first, I need Tenten to get here. She sent Tenten a short, telepathic message about what she was seeing as Yasu and the others proceeded toward the staircase.
This thing is massive, couldn't the bird just fly us up? Ino thought, This is going to take at least an hour even if we run.
To Ino's surprise, Kichiro's kunoichi had been practicing for that moment. They used a technique that allowed them to jump up about fifty steps at once. Ino stood wide-eyed as they all moved up the staircase quickly.
I don't think I could even use the Mind Targeting jutsu right now, I could lose hold of this body.
Suddenly, Ino sensed several people approaching the island on some kind of flying beast. The hairs on her body stood up when she realized that one of the people heading toward them was Sakura. The chakra Ino sensed in Sakura was darker than any chakra Ino had felt in a long time.
W-what is this? Ino thought. Immediately, she infused a small amount of Goddess chakra to help her speed after Yasu and the other kunoichi.
Yasu had also sensed the presence of Lord Kichiro, which she announced once Ino's host body caught up with them. It was the first time Ino had seen Yasu look frightened. Yasu quickly resumed her normal expression and ordered everyone to increase their climbing speed.
Tenten, are you ready? Ino spoke telepathically to her friend.
I just need a few more minutes, Tenten responded.
We don't have much time, Sakura is here and she's very different.
I don't like the way you said 'different'. So we're definitely going to have an all-out fight?
No, not a fight. A battle.
Ino's jutsu were limited by the host body's abilities, and if she released more of the Goddess's chakra, the host kunoichi would likely disintegrate.
"Tenten please get my body here as soon as you can," Ino said to herself, which sounded more like a prayer than a statement.
At the top of the pillar the kunoichi formed a circle around a grand sword which was encased in what appeared to be an orange-tinted crystal. The kunoichi that formed the circle sat down and began reciting the words of a forbidden jutsu. Ino joined them and muttered nonsense to herself, hoping no one would notice. Yasu stood facing the sword.
"Oh, Great Goddess, please here my request," Yasu began, "I know I am a lowly mortal. A mortal that is dedicated to serving a man that has wonderful dreams for this world. Oh, Great Goddess, my master is your humble servant. He requests your power to save mankind from itself. He requests your blessing to purify this wretched world."
Ino noticed that there was a glow coming from beneath Yasu's cloak. Yasu then opened her cloak to reveal one of the Goddess of Fire's shields.
Oh great, just when I thought this couldn't get any worse, Ino thought as she tried to resist the urge to shake her head.
Moments later Tenten flew right above the top of the tower on another one of Sai's super beast birds she had stored. Ino sensed her and communicated a countdown.
"10...9...8..."
Yasu moved toward the sword slowly.
"7...6...5...4..."
She then reached out her hand.
"3...2...1..."
Her fingers barely touched the glass...
...
There was an explosion and the roof of the tower was no more. Ino moved to climb up the falling debris until she could see Tenten holding her unconscious body.
Ino released the body she had possessed and returned to her own as Tenten prepared to aim Ino's body downward for the attack they had planned telepathically. Without hesitation, Ino used a jutsu she knew would defeat Yasu and the others in an instant.
"Art of the Goddess: Divine Fire Bomb Jutsu!"
In a split second, a massive shockwave traveled through the island, uprooting the earth and destroying the trees all around the tower. The sea around the island churned and waves crashed against the shore. The impact of the jutsu even startled people on other nearby islands, including the travelers on Echo.
In the distance, a changed Sakura stood next to Kichiro and watched as the top of the tower crumbled.
So that's how it's gonna be, huh, Ino, she thought.
Sakura cracked her fists. Far down on the water below, Tashiro dodged the massive waves as he sprinted toward the shore to assess the situation.
What is this? he thought to himself, All of this chakra...It's beyond human.
...
Back in the Hidden Leaf, Shikamaru and Neji played cards on a recreation table outside of a noodle shop. Sensing damage to the charm he gave Tenten, Neji sat back abruptly.
"What's wrong?" Shikamaru said.
"Something's happened to the girls," Neji responded.
Shikamaru jumped up.
"What are you saying?" Shikamaru said, "Is the squad that was sent out not going to get to them in time?"
They turned to look at Sai who was drawing at a table behind them.
"Sai, what do you know about this? Has anything else come through your scroll about our comrades?" Neji asked.
Sai looked up at them and gave an emotionless smile.
"No, I haven't heard anything else," Sai said, "Should we assume the worst?"
Neji and Shikamaru immediately ran to the Hokage's office. Before they could even get inside the building, they were stopped by jonin guards.
"I'm sorry, but Lady Hokage is not available at the moment. She will not be taking any visitors for a few days."
Under any other circumstances, the guard's ominous words would bother them, but they didn't dwell on why Lady Hokage was inaccessible.
Neji turned to Shikamaru.
"I guess this is up to us," Neji said. Shikamaru nodded.
They turned and ran to the village's gate. They rushed past Yumi on the way and she watched them run off with a frown on her face.
"Where do you think they're going?" Hinata said as she approached Yumi.
"Nowhere good,"
The wind began to pick up and the leaves danced around as if celebrating the last good day any of the shinobi would ever have.
