Chapter 13:
Neji and Konohamaru looked at each other for a second, both nervous, before replying: "Iruka-sensei."
There was a long silence, one that was ultimately broken by Naruto. "You're kidding, right? The last time I saw him fight, he got a giant shuriken in his back and I had to go bail him out."
"Exactly!" Konohamaru replied. "Normally one of those should tear you in half; sensei is an indestructible shield."
"Well… I don't know… I don't think Iruka-sensei will be happy as a living shield…"
"Wait!" Came a shout from an unknown location.
At first there wasn't anything other noise, but then there came the sound of a stampede, and then came Iruka – bursting through the front door.
"This 'living shield' job you speak of… it'd get me some face time, right?"
"'Face time'? What does he think this is? A TV show or something?" Kyuubi asked.
"Uh… yeah, sure… face time… lots of it. Are you sure you don't-"
At the simple mention of face time, Iruka went off on a series of cheers about being noticed.
"Hinata-sama, you have a guest." Aiyoru announced, leading Kiba into her room.
"Kiba-kun? Why are-"
"I heard about your break-up with Naruto, so I figured you…"
"… would be on the rebound."
"… would want some company."
"Really? Arigato… though we haven't really 'broken up' it's just… my father hired Aiyoru-san to keep him away."
"Well, nothing can be done about that. You know, Hinata-chan, I've always lo-"
"Hinata-sama, you have another guest." Aiyoru announced, opening the door for another visitor.
As this person stepped in, Kiba's face became ashen. He picked up Akamaru and made a dash for the window. Leaping, he slammed headfirst into the glass, only to fall to the room's floor, clutching his head in pain.
"Ah! Shit! What the hell? Does your dad you reinforced glass?" Kiba shouted as Kumi walked over and began moving a charka-filled finger along his forehead until the seal was finished.
"Is there anything charka can't reinforce?" Aiyoru wondered, dispelling the charka from the window.
"Arigato, Aiyoru-san; here's the other half of the money." Kumi chirped, handing him a hundred ryou. "Come now, Inu-kun; I want to teach you some 'tricks'."
Kiba, seemingly having forgotten about his damaged skull, got to his feet and began following her out of the room with Akamaru at his heels; who bore a matching seal.
Now alone with Aiyoru, she looked up at him and noticed his eyes were showing that he wore a friendly smile. "He was going to keep you and Naruto apart as well."
"Arigato… but couldn't you stop as well?"
"Not as long as your father is paying me. I may do some wretched things in my trade, but I'll do it honestly. I can't betray my employer unless he betrays be first."
Naruto looked at his team and a foxy grin spread over his face. "Alright, everyone get a good night's rest, we attack first thing tomorrow morning."
"Really?" Shino asked, raising an eyebrow. "I would have expected you to demand we attack immediately."
"I'd like to, I really would, but I learned from Jiraiya that I can't rush things quite so much. We'll attack tomorrow when we're all at our best."
The following morning, just as the sun was rising, the four gathered in front of the house's gates.
"No sign of Aiyoru… I wonder how far in we'll be able to get before he shows up."
Stepping across the threshold, a kunai shot down into Iruka's foot. The first one to notice it, however, was Kankuro.
"It looks like we've been discovered." He muttered pulling three scrolls of his back and unrolling them on the grass. Performing several seals, the writing on the scrolls disappeared and atop each stood a puppet.
"Fetishist…" Shino muttered.
"So everything ends today." A stern voice commented, gradually getting louder and clearer. "Although it doesn't need to end like this; just walk away now and forget about my daughter."
The group of four (and three puppets) stared at their opposing four man group.
"I'm not backing down. You will lose and I'll get Hinata-chan back." Naruto growled, making an effort not to release Kyuubi.
"Very well." Hiashi sighed. "Sasuke, you handle Naruto. Aiyoru, you take care of Kankuro and his constructs. Neji, you take care of Shino. I'll worry about Iruka."
"Neji? But… I thought you-"
"The he'd what?" Hiashi laughed. "Support your relationship? Help you defy me? As you know, on his forehead he bears the branch family seal. Even if he does side with you, he'll have to fight for me, or else he faces death."
"Hiashi-dono, if I may, allow me to handle the bug user." Aiyoru said.
"Very well, but you'd better not waste too much charka."
Shino stepped to the front of the group and let bugs flow from his body until his arms were engulfed in insects. "Do not look down on the Aburame clan; the greater your charka, the greater the feast."
Reaching into his pouch, Aiyoru drew a small metal container and threw it at Shino's feet. "I have no intention of using any charka in this battle, whatsoever, Hiashi-dono."
At first Shino tensed up, but relaxed upon noticing that it wasn't a shinobi tool. "What sort of device is this?"
"It is something I obtained in a convenience when traveling through Grass country. They're available to the public at a fairly cheep price. I won't bore you with the details because, you see, I've already stalled long enough."
As the last syllable was pronounced, a cloud of noxious air poured out of the canister and the poor shinobi dropped to the ground, twitching involuntarily.
"Such a wonderful invention: roach bombs. They work on your insects too."
"We are at an advantage, I'd say. "Hiashi grinned. "Neji, your turn; defeat the puppet master." The sound and feel of wind gave him sufficient warning to lean back, narrowly avoiding a critical blow to the temple. "Y-you impertinent child!"
"Uncle," Neji shouted, "how ironic that I'll do just as you say, and defeat the one pulling the strings!"
Shino and Kiba - already out of the battle. And... I've got nothing important to write.
Time for reviews:
TimeShifter: Good thing you don't care; now Kiba and Akamaru can live happily ever after as the submissive 'pets' of Kumi.
thief-uchia: actually, guy you pointed out in the qutoe is Aiyoru Asagin.
Donut-Nin: Yes he is, and yes they do.
