Forgotten

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Naruto (Shippuden). This is a story inspired by the original made up for entertainment purposes only. - Krystal

Chapter 51: Exceeding Expectations

For the next few days, Yuki avoided Neji whenever she could just like how Shikamaru avoided everyone during the same time. She spent her time visiting Hinata and Kiba in the hospital with Shino or visiting Kurenai in her home with Shino. The rest of the time, she spent it in the library trying to learn more about Kakuzu as she still couldn't understand the extent of his abilities. She didn't want to feel helpless once again when she fought him the next time. She was planning that next time. For the first time, she understood Sasuke and his desire for revenge. However, she wanted to seek revenge in a different manner. She wanted to do it with her own strength. She also looked up all the information she could about the Sharingan. As much as she disliked it, she knew that it would provide her with the extra power to defeat strong enemies like Kakuzu and Hidan. She was planning on gathering all the information she could before visiting Shikamaru. She knew he wanted revenge as well. However, he knew that he lacked in the ability to do so himself. It was perhaps the reason why he had isolated himself at home.

A few more days passed by without much more information found that Yuki didn't already know. There was obviously a blank period in Kakuzu's life that no one knew about. Something made him stronger than he used to be despite his age. He disappeared off the surface of the Earth for a while and reappeared with more power than he used to have. Nonetheless, Yuki felt like it was time. If she waited any longer, they would have left the Land of Fire and neither her or Shikamaru would get the chance again to exact their revenge. With her mind set on this idea, she packed up her things and headed over to Shikamaru's place.

She jumped over the gate of the Nara family's backyard. She knew the layout of the place well enough to be able to wander around late at night without much light. She approached the sliding door that led to Shikamaru's bedroom. She was about to open it, but she heard the cries of someone who was in agony. She stopped herself and looked down onto the floor. Perhaps it was too soon. She was about to turn around and leave, but the crying stopped and Shikamaru's voice said:

"I told you to use the door the next time you came here."

"I'm sorry." She replied.

He opened the sliding door and stepped out from the pitched black room. He wiped his eyes.

"I started smoking, you see, but the smoke still stings. I don't know why Asuma liked it so much. It's so troublesome to smoke. You always have to go outside to do so if not the smell gets into your clothes and the smoke gets trapped inside the house and your eyes just water even more from all of it." He said as he pulled out Asuma's lighter and started playing with it. "I've been thinking a lot these past few days."

"So have I."

"So have we." Two more voices added.

Yuki turned around to see that Ino and Choji had also entered Shikamaru's backyard by jumping the fence. Shikamaru sighed, but then smiled. He walked over to them as Choji gave him a light tap on the arm.

"We knew you wouldn't sit around doing anything. I can't believe all of our timing is so perfect." Ino said as she looked at Yuki with a smile before turning her head to Shikamaru. "What's the plan?"

"I knew you guys would come eventually." He replied as put on his shoes. "I'll tell you guys on the way. We probably should get going before they leave the Land of Fire."

"They probably haven't. Knowing Kakuzu's personality, he wouldn't let a bounty head go. He'll stay until he gets his hand on Asuma's body. Therefore, they shouldn't be too far. Hidan also swore to get you next, Shikamaru. He means it." Yuki told them. "However, if we get to them first, we would have the element of surprise... so I don't disagree on leaving now. That is if everyone is ready."

Choji and Ino nodded. Shikamaru looked at Yuki before asking her one thing:

"Promise me one thing, Yuki. Don't exchange your life for any of ours. I can't guarantee we'll all make it alive, but I don't want you to use that jutsu of yours to save any of us. You always tell me that you think all lives are equally important, but you don't treat your life as preciously as others. So please, promise me that one thing before we head out. I know you always keep your word."

"I promise." She quickly responded. "I promise that we will all make it back to the village."

"That's not... Ugh, fine." He said despite not being pleased with her response entirely.

They were now at the village's gate. They glanced back altogether one last time at the village as they weren't sure they would return, except Yuki. She intended to keep that promise she had made. Before they could leave, they were stopped by Tsunade. She angrily walked over and asked:

"What are you all thinking of doing in the middle of the night?"

"Tsunade-sama, we... We are going after Hidan and Kakuzu. We just can't sit still knowing that the murderer of Asuma-sensei is still roaming around freely." Ino said.

"I think that you all forgot who you all are." Tsunade replied. "Especially you, Yuki. I guess the freedom of going anywhere you want at whatever time you want has still not left your body."

"I didn't forget. The mission you gave us previously wasn't over yet. Therefore, with the same people, with me as the new team leader, I thought..."

"Don't try to talk your way out of this. Asuma just died. I can't let you guys go and risk your life like this. The mission has been aborted."

"What if I went with them, Tsunade-sama?" A familiar voice said. "I don't think anything you say right now is going to change their minds. However, you would feel comforted if I went with them, right?"

"Kakashi-sensei!" Choji said, relieved.

"Senpai, you are early for once." Yuki said as she walked over to him with a smile.

"Kakashi, Yuki... you seemed to have planned this." Tsunade said as she bit her lip.

"Not that I didn't believe in our abilities, but I thought it would be safer to have another team as our backup. I didn't expect Kakashi-senpai to join us now though since I assumed he would still be training Naruto." Yuki explained. "I only sent him a note saying we were heading off to complete the mission we were initially assigned."

Tsunade sighed again and again. She knew nothing she said would change their minds at this point. Kakashi was right about that. She bit her lip before turning her back to them and saying:

"Just, all of you, please, come back alive."

She walked away as they exchanged looks of reassurance to each other before heading out as well. The sun was now rising after many rainy days as if it was wishing them luck.

On their way, Shikamaru explained every detail of his plan to Kakashi, including parts that involved Kakashi despite his recent addition to the team. Yuki couldn't help but be impressed at his clever mind. She knew he was smart as Asuma often praised Shikamaru in front of her and the others, but she didn't realize how far ahead he thought and how flexible he was able to be in planning. Kakashi was also seemingly impressed. He fought alongside many intelligent individual, but Shikamaru, at his age, was far more impressive than many.

"Yuki." Shikamaru started. "That Kakuzu... Did you find out some more about his abilities?"

"I went through everything that we had in the village about him, but everything about him is dated. Since he defected from Takigakure, there was nothing on paper about him. He used to be an Earth chakra type only from what I know, even during his prime in the village. Somehow, within a few years, he can use all elements. Further more, he uses them with such prowess. Another thing I found out, however, is that he stole many forbidden scrolls from his former village. If only we knew the content of those scrolls, then we would be able to understand him better. Based on his data, he should be an old man right now. He probably has some kind of jutsu that allowed him to remain as young as he is right now." She told everyone.

"I think we are about to find out more about him." Ino said. "I found them."

They proceeded with their plan. As Kakashi succeeded in striking Kakuzu in the heart with his lightning cutter, they thought that half the battle was already won. As Shikamaru turned towards Hidan to fight him next, to everybody's horror, Kakuzu started moving. He kicked Kakashi back to which Yuki responded by leaving her hiding spot to catch him before he would hit the rock behind him. It was indeed a horror scene as Kakuzu's back split open and four masked monsters came out of him. His back reattached itself with the strings that he used similarly to reattach Hidan's head to his body. Yuki bit her lip as she had began healing Kakashi. Shikamaru headed over as Kakashi handed him a vial secretly.

"You were right Yuki. He is full of secrets." Shikamaru said.

As the scene unfolded right in front of them where the masked monsters flew around, ready to wreck terror, one of them cracked and melted onto the ground. Hidan's jaw dropped and started yelling at Kakuzu:

"OI! What the hell is wrong with that one?"

On their side, Shikamaru and Yuki figured it was probably what Kakashi struck at the beginning of the fight. It also meant that they had to defeat Kakuzu four more times before they could claim victory.

"Worry about yourself, Hidan. You got trapped again in that kid's shadow." Kakuzu replied to Hidan's remark.

"He sneaked up on me."

"Same."

Shikamaru started losing control of Hidan at that moment. He was running out of chakra. It wasn't surprising as he had already been holding him still for a long time. Hidan could sense that the grip was loosening. He looked at Shikamaru, ready to attack him. As the shadow that held him finally disconnected, Hidan quickly charged towards them. Kakashi jumped forward and started fighting Hidan. As usual, Hidan's movements were wide, lacking in precision, but knowing his powers, had to be avoided at all cost. Meanwhile, Ino and Choji had started going forward towards Kakuzu as he was still recovering from the loss of one of his "lives". His monsters, however, came forth and fought them instead. They did a fair job until a huge gust of wind pushed them all back as Kakuzu added lightning to the mix. Shikamaru caught Ino in her flight as Choji managed to stand on his two feet thanks to his strength. However, the bolts of lightning were also heading towards them in such manner that if struck, they would surely be closer to death than life. Yuki came forth and used her own lightning jutsu to redirect the lightning towards the sky allowing Shikamaru and Choji enough time to move Ino away to a safe spot. As she knew she was cleared to move now, she flashed herself to where Shikamaru was. The moment she arrived, she saw that Kakashi was now attacked by both Kakuzu and Hidan.

"We need to separate them." Shikamaru told her. "I'll take Hidan."

"By yourself?"

"Don't underestimate me."

"I'm not." Yuki replied as she healed Ino's external wounds. "I just thought you would bring Choji with you or something."

"Choji needs to stay here and watch over Ino. He's also exhausted from the fight. He won't be able to assist Kakashi properly. Only you can do that." He answered as he looked at Choji who was about to say that he wanted to join Shikamaru.

"Fine. I'm guessing you'll need a distraction to hold down Hidan with your shadow."

"Bingo."

Yuki flashed herself to Kakashi. As she appeared, she pushed both Hidan and Kakuzu back with a water jutsu before whispering the plan to Kakashi. She pulled out her katana and started tempting Hidan who followed her to where she wanted him to be. As soon as he stepped foot in that area, he was once again restrained by Shikamaru's shadow.

"DAMN IT!" Hidan yelled out of anger.

Shikamaru made him drop his scythe as he rushed off elsewhere with him. Kakuzu was now standing by himself, backed up by his remaining three monsters, right in front of Yuki. He looked at Hidan and Shikamaru leaving the scene. He chuckled.

"Are you sure he's going to be fine by himself? Hidan is not as weak as he seems."

"He's just as dumb as he seems though." Yuki replied. "No one can defeat Shikamaru's brain."

"I think you have too much confidence in that kid." He told her.

"And you have too much confidence in yourself."

"Watch what you are saying, kiddo. I used to fight your first Hokage. I have the rights to believe in my abilities."

"However, the next generation will always surpass us." Kakashi said as he approached the two of them. "Perhaps you've lived too long and forgot to believe in the future."

Kakuzu grinned and proceeded in attacking both Kakashi and Yuki. The fight kept going on. Eventually both parties were seemingly tired. However, the monsters that had emerged from Kakuzu were unaffected by the long drawn out battle. During the one second that Kakashi was distracted, Kakuzu grabbed a hold of him and immobilized him with his weird grey strings. Yuki tried to rush over, but the monsters were now attacking Choji and Ino as they were defenseless. In that instance, she closed her eyes and flashed herself to Choji and Ino instead of Kakashi while apologizing to her senior in her head and begging for time to slow down so that she could make it in time to save everyone. The fireballs from one of the monsters kept coming. Yuki decided to create a thick ice wall that could delay the attack for a bit longer. She grabbed onto the two of them and flashed them to a safer area, far away from the battle. She returned next to Kakashi only to find out that Kakuzu was now clenching his chest in pain asking what had happened. This meant that Shikamaru had succeeded in tricking Hidan.

"I told you that he couldn't be defeated." Yuki told Kakuzu before taking Kakashi away.

"Don't call it a victory yet, kid." Kakuzu warned her. "But you were right. He'll have a hefty bounty on his head eventually."

"I don't call it a victory until I finished everything cleanly." Yuki replied. "And we are not things to be given a price on."

As she said those words, she blinked and her sharingan revealed itself. She managed to dodge every attack that was sent her way. Kakuzu was taken aback as he was unaware she had those eyes. He went all out as he tried to strike her.

"I said that kid would be worth a hefty amount of money, but you would be worth a lot more with those eyes." Kakuzu said. "You keep surprising me, kid."

She smirked and she attacked one of the monster with both her speed and her water jutsu to strike the monster that seemingly was of fire elemental chakra. She tried heading off towards the one that kept blasting wind at them with her strongest fire jutsu, but she was ultimately kicked away strongly by Kakuzu who recovered from his injury. He had used the lightning monster as his heart this time, replacing his original one. Yuki went flying and hit a tree so hard that the tree itself snapped in half. She spat out blood as she tried to get up. She wiped the blood away as she managed to stand up.

"You are being careless now. It's unlike you to be so." He said. "There are still two more hearts for you to fight and yet you wasted it all on one."

"That's because I know I won't be fighting alone much longer. Someone even more reckless is coming."

As she said those words, a large amount of chakra infused with wind nature went flying past her and caused a large explosion that Kakuzu barely managed to dodge.

"So, he managed to master it after all." Kakashi said to Yamato who had arrived on scene.

"Yes. There are still a few hiccups, but for the most part, he's got it." Yamato said. "Where are Shikamaru, Ino and Choji?"

"Ino and Choji are about 100 feet away recovering from their injuries, at two o'clock. Shikamaru went into the forest with Hidan." Yuki explained as she summoned her trusted tracking rabbit and walked over.

"Sai, Sakura. Go along with... eh..."

"This friend of mine is called Kiku. She'll lead you to them."

"You need to be healed too." Sakura said as she noticed Yuki was still coughing up blood.

Yuki smiled and said:

"I will heal myself and enjoy the show here. I think Naruto can take care of this. Yamato-senpai is also here. I can definitely take a rest."

Sakura nodded and headed off with Sai who looked at her, still worried about her well-being. He didn't say anything though as he knew she wouldn't take no or any negotiation for an answer.

"You are too easy-going." Yamato said. "Like I said, there are still a few hiccups..."

"There are still a few hiccups with these eyes, yet I've managed, haven't I?" Yuki said as she blinked again, allowing for her sharingan to go dormant.

Kakashi made his way over as Naruto was eager to show him what he could do now. He asked to fight Kakuzu on his own. Kakashi didn't refuse. He, too, was exhausted from the fight. As Naruto, once again, formed what he called a Rasenshurinken, Kakashi murmured inaudibly:

"Minato-sensei..."

Yuki sat there in awe of what Naruto had managed to achieve within the last few days. As he threw it at Kakuzu, it was blocked by the remaining masked monster. However, as it cut through, it went for Kakuzu. He had the time to jump away from it. Yuki threw her kunai towards the Rasenshurinken, flashed herself right behind Kakuzu who was marked during their fight and grabbed onto him. Yuki then flashed herself to her kunai allowing the Rasenshurinken to hit Kakuzu directly as she teleported herself back to where the remaining people were to avoid damage.

"That was dangerous, Yuki." Yamato scolded her.

"Unharmed, though."

"Yuki! That was awesome! I thought I had missed him, but you made it happen!"

"I should compliment you on that Rasenshurinken. That was impressive."

Naruto scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed by the compliment. Kakashi walked over to Kakuzu. He pulled out his kunai and told him before stabbing him in the heart:

"I've told you. You've lived for too long. You are no match for the new generation now."

Kakuzu was now dead. He was now a relic of the past as he should have been a long time ago. Shikamaru, Sakura and Sai joined up with them as they were done on their side as well. Shikamaru looked at Yuki and smiled. He was relieved that they were all alive and well for the most part. Sakura quickly rushed over to Yuki and began healing her. Yuki stopped her, urging her to go over to Ino instead as she seemed badly hurt from the gust of wind that Kakuzu had sent towards them initially. She and Sai rushed off first in direction of the remaining two. The others followed at a slower pace. As Yuki was injured and was walking slower, Shikamaru reduced his pace to keep her company. He then bent down and told her:

"This is going to be a drag if you walk this slowly. Just jump onto my back."

"It's going to be a drag for you to carry me." She replied.

"Just get on."

She knew her limit. She didn't want to slow the team down either. She did as she was asked. As they walked, Shikamaru said:

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For making sure everybody would live through this."

End of Chapter 51

Thank you for reading this chapter!

xox

Krystal