Understanding
An hour before…
A small group was where Kabuto was in the festival in a tent. There were tables set up within the tent with cards on them. Kabuto was standing in front of them all with another member of the club that didn't show himself until now. Kabuto smiled seeing him.
"Glad you can join us….Kimimaro" Kabuto said.
"Its a pleasure...I hear things are about to get fun" He replied with a grin.
"Everything is going to plan...Gaara and his group are already out gathering more wins and members"
"And what about the final play involving the other card club?" He asked curious.
"That is in the works but right now we need to focus on the other clubs from other schools" Kabuto replies.
"Why are you afraid to target them?...From what I heard...they aren't that skilled and could easily lose against Gaara's group" Kimimaro states. "We could easily win by taking care of them before they get a chance to shine"
"We can't. It will only cause problems to the current plan" Kabuto said in a serious tone.
"In what ways...I see it benefit our plan and speed up the process" Kimimaro said narrowing his eyes at him.
"You don't know what I know...one action can cause our operation to spiral out of control" Kabuto answers. "Don't try anything to that card club"
"Who says I will" Kimimaro said turning and shrugging his shoulders.
Kimimaro starts walking out the tent with his followers coming behind him. Kabuto watches him leave fearing what he was thinking.
Present
"Who was that?" the blond asked Naruto.
"Ino...something bad must have happened..I need to go-" Naruto said figuring out where the sound was coming from but before he could go, the girl grabbed his arm.
"Do you even know where you're going?" She asked.
"I'll figure it out" Naruto replies.
"Your going to get lost in these woods" she states in a serious tone.
"And why are you here?" Naruto asked.
"I'm here for that reason not for people to get lost….I'm from the chess club and who is part of the test of courage set up...Kira Stellar"
"Kira...she almost looks like Kira from the rogue hero" he thought when he heard her name.
"I'm part of the card club...Naruto Uzumaki" he replies back.
"Naruto...if your friend is in trouble….we're going to work together-" Kira states.
"Wait...your going to help me?" Naruto asked confused since they just met.
"Ya...why wouldn't I...helping someone who can't help themselves-" Kira said.
"Hey!-" Naruto said feeling insulted.
"Its true you know….you mistaken me for your friend" Kira said stepping in the direction of the voice. "I have a feeling its this way...lets go"
Kira starts walking in the direction with no fear in her expression. Naruto tried taking it all in. If he heard him right, she is from their schools chess club. He remembered that one night when he and Ino entered that club and saw those masks. He never guessed he would meet a member of that club and she was a bossy one.
OOO
"Who are you?" Ino said trapped by a pair of arms. The man had a black ski mask. A few guys were around her as well. The main guy had his hair showing with some bones on his mask. She could tell it was the leader of the group.
"Someone who just wanted to meet the leader of the card club" he states.
"Uh meet?...this isn't a proper way to meet someone!" Ino said trying to struggle to break free.
"It isnt? Well...sorry but we can't have you running away until our talk is finished" he exclaims.
"What do you want to talk about?" Ino asked with a glare.
"...pull out from the festival," he said in a low tone.
"What?" Ino said confused.
"It simple….there is only one card club that should be here"
"Kabuto's….your with him- he set this all up- aghh" Ino said feeling the arms tighten around her.
"Its more efficient...for you to pull out now...so no one has to get hurt-" he tells her.
"Too late for that" Said Kira coming out from the bushes.
Everyone turned their heads. Ino eyes widen seeing Naruto with the blond. "Naruto"
"Hey...let go of her!" Naruto shouts in anger put Kira blocked his movements with her arm. "Careful...they have her..and can harm her easily if we move" Kira said softly looking at everyone.
"You should listen to her...we have the upper hand" the mask man said signalling his two goons to capture them.
They came rushing to them. Kira eyes widen stepping back a bit. Naruto quickly moved in front of her without hesitation, raising his fist. He had never been in a fight before so this was going to get ugly.
Suddenly, a flute was playing that stopped the men from running. Everyone were confused hearing the tune come out of nowhere.
"Whats this...whose playing that flute" the leader said annoyed by it. Kira had her head up in the trees already knew who it was.
"Whats going on?" Naruto asked feeling goosebumps.
The flute stopped. A figure came down from the trees, slamming the ground with its shoe causing everyone's attention to move to it. The person had his torso arch forward. It was quiet until he raised his head revealing a fox masked. One side was painted white and the other black with red whiskers. Its slits looked frightening.
Ino could feel the person holding her shake. She also felt scared. The person stepped one foot forward causing everyone to step back fearing what he was going to do.
"Boo" he said in a cold deep tone.
Screams came from the guys wearing ski masks including their leader. They all ran. Ino was about to fall forward but Naruto ran to her and caught her before her knees hit the ground.
"Careful" Naruto said holding her close to his chest.
Ino pressed her head into his chest beginning to tear up from what just happened. Naruto comfort her and stared at the foxed mask man. He had his head facing him. Naruto glared him fearing that he was going to do harm. The mask man made another move forward but soon was grabbed by the back of the collar.
"That's enough out of you...stop scaring them" Kira said dragging him on the ground by the collar and walking to a different direction. "Glad you found your friend..keep a good eye on her next time...see ya"
Both Naruto and Ino watched the two leave into the bushes. That was an odd moment they witnessed.
"Who were they?" Ino asked with a slight sniffle.
"They are members of the chess club" Naruto answers.
"No way...they don't seem like the type of people to play chess" Ino states.
"I don't think they even play chess" Naruto said.
There was a second of silence between the two. Ino started to blush red being so close to him. She quickly bounced out from his arms and turned around. She coughed and got her composure back.
"T-thank you for finding me-" Ino states until feeling Naruto gently karate chopped her head.
"This wouldn't have happened if you didn't go off on your own" Naruto said in a serious tone.
"Well I-" Ino said softly until getting turned around.
"What made you come here in the first place?" Naruto asked curiously looking into her eyes.
Ino felt her heart skip a beat. She stepped back a bit after remembering his confession to Hinata. She started to frown and look at the ground.
"I just wanted to be alone-" Ino answers.
"You didn't want to be these past days….I can see through that lie" Naruto exclaims. "So tell me-"
"Just lets go!" Ino states beginning to walk.
"Not yet!" Naruto responds stopping her. "You've been acting pushy toward me and Hinata...I knew what you were doing."
"And...it work didn't it" Ino said clenching her teeth. "I repaid you! So go to Hinata now!"
Ino felt her heart get squeezed. She had to move. She pushed Naruto aside but he quickly grabbed her hand. She stopped with shock in her expression.
"Your wrong, you know…..Hinata already had someone to begin with" Naruto tells her.
"She did!?" Ino said turning her head back to him. "With who?"
"Sasuke" Naruto said simply.
"HIM! And HER!" Ino said surprised. "But their total opposites"
"Opposites do attract" Naruto states and kept his hold on her. "You have a bad habit to misunderstand a lot"
"Well...ya...but..not my fault! People are just… not clearly saying what they want" Ino states.
"Huh...then listen closely and don't misunderstand!" Naruto said feeling agitated.
"Listen to what-?"
Ino felt a pull forward. Her eyes widen after she felt a pair of lips make contact with her. It lasted only two seconds before Naruto pulled away with a huge blush on his face. Ino was bright red with a surprised expression like she couldn't believe what he did.
"Did you understand that?" Naruto said breathing heavily.
"...I-...can you say it again?" Ino said looking up with puppy dog eyes.
"Uh?" Naruto said feeling his heart speed up.
It took all his courage to do that. Her eyes kept telling him for more. He breathed out and calms his nerves. He leaned in and gave her another kiss which she returned.
OOO
The day was ending. The sky was turning dark and getting covered by stars. Sakura, Sara, Hinata and Sasuke were still waiting for the two to come out from the forest. Choji came with food after hearing what went down.
"Should we call someone?" Sakura asked. "I feel like they are gone for too long"
"They will come out soon," Sasuke states.
"You said that a few hours ago!" Sakura yells.
"Uh look!" Hinata said seeing the two blonds come out hand in hand.
Sara smiled seeing the two finally made up. Ino had a faint blush seeing everyone. Naruto hoped they gave up and left.
"You made it out!" Choji said with a grin.
Sakura came running to Ino, giving her a big hug. She had tears of joy coming out of her eyes.
"You made it back alive!...I thought we lost you!" Sakura shouts.
"Calm down Sakura" Ino said patting her back. "I'm safe...thanks to him"
Ino looks to Naruto with a warm smile. Sara punched Naruto's arm softly.
"Seems like you finally did it" Sara states.
"Hmhm" Naruto said. "If I didn't...I won't get another chance too"
"Finally!" Sakura states putting on her smile even though deep tone, she felt like she is getting stabbed. "You two took awhile"
"Ya" Ino said with a nervous smile.
"Hmph...alright...taking a break from us….there is something serious we need to talk about the festival" Naruto states.
"Like what?" Sara asked curious noticing a change in expression by the two blonds.
"Kabuto is planning something that will turn this festival into a gambling rink…and his crew is growing. I met one of them in the forest...he was trying to force me to drop out from the festival"
"What...how could they" Hinata states.
"There key is to win against us.. Be the most popular club" Naruto said.
"But we won't let them...which is why...we are going to change some things up...Naruto has an idea" Ino said facing him.
"I've been thinking of a way to stop Kabuto's plan" Naruto said pulling out his book. "And there is a game here that can do the trick...but its risky"
"If it can stop Kabuto's plan...lets take the risk" Sasuke states.
"Ya...we can't let him do any harm" Sakura exclaims.
"Right...its almost time...we have to put all our cards in...use every resource possible..it won't be easy" Ino states.
"Lets work together...and win" Naruto said with a smile.
"YAY!"
OOO
"Kabuto" Gaara said handing him a sheet of paper. "There's a request"
"From who?" Kabuto asked taking the sheet.
"The other card club" Temari states with her arms crossed.
"Oh" Kabuto said beginning to read the sheet and grinned. "Oh what's this"
"I guess they are the ones making their move first" Kankuro states.
"Hmph...reply to them...say we accept" Kabuto said staring outside. "This works perfect in our favor"
"This is going to be fun" Temari states getting excited.
OOO
A chess piece lands on a white square. Shikamaru placed it there rubbing his chin. He was told by Ino about what they were planning and asked him to help them. Since he wasn't part of their school, he can't join their club. However, he knew someone that he asked before but was turned down. The person was sitting right in front of him knocking his chess piece and placed his clear red piece.
"So what do you say?" Shikamaru asked looking at him.
"Deal"