YES! I know I haven't updated... in a long long long LOOONG time. The longest time ever.
Exams. Lots of them. End of Year Exams. Hard Exams. Things you need to study for and not turn on the computer.
Yeah... That basically sums it up. Sorry ofr the long wait. Anyhow, story stuff. I know, this chapter automatcialy plunges the whole story genre into drama. I really shouldn't have... Because it was meant to be more lighthearted then this. But hey, the humor's coming back... one day. I so far has one person as a back up beta... Yep anyway up for being my beta for this story?
Thank you very much for everything who reviewed last time too. Like a month ago... But your reviews ARE appreciated! nn
What else... Nothing. Here ya go! Chapter 12. Sorry about the chapter title. couldn't think of a better title.
Shipwreck Chapter 12:
Insanity Beckons
"Unknown grey lumps in unknown grey sauce. Wonderful. You guys really treat your guests like dynasty lords don't you?" muttered Inuzuka Kiba sarcastically as he poked at the food, if it could be called food, on the floor in front of him.
Beside him, Shino elbowed him sharply in the shoulder but the person dishing out the meal had already heard. He was probably a few years older then all of them, a fore head protector strapped to his arm and a ladle in his right hand.
Dropping his ladle and hauling the Chuunin by one shoulder, the other shinobi spat at Kiba, "You're lucky enough to HAVE food. Looking at you we might as well bury you alive in a grave now, for all the life's that's left in you."
"Go ahead!" retorted Kiba, using the last of his strength, the frank threat of death not in the least alarming him, "It's unfortunate that you, unlike the rest of your so friendly village, don't have a sufficient brain to say anything meaningful? Is that the best you can do to demoralize me!? Why you don't at least tell me you're chucking me in a pot of boiling oil?"
The browned haired shinobi of Konoha glared, seething, at the other eighteen year old. Surprise briefly flickered across the teen's face, the expected submission far from coming and the heated defiance and scorn enough for him to end the dispute with a forceful punch. Kiba fell backwards into the wall and gazed around, disorientated. In blurred images he saw Shino, Chouji, Shikamaru and Kankuro. But even then, as he felt the second punch, he knew they could not help but stare with glazed eyes at him. Kankuro was practically in a coma, Shikamaru in his own little depressed world and Chouji and Shino too weak to move.
After the third punch Kiba grinned and pointed his finger back up at his assailant.
"Hah. Is that the best you can do? No bones broken yet!" Kiba glanced up the other shinobi, grinning after seeing the anger on the older teen's face, "What else are you going to do to me, Jungle Boy? You can't do anything worse, that's for sure. You already messed up my whole entire freaking life! Hinata's got a freaking broken arm, Akamaru's freaking not with me, Shino's freaking nearly dead and I'm going freaking, freaking crazy! Tell me! What else are you going to do? Kill me?"
The so called 'Jungle Boy' delivered a kick at Kiba, picked up his fallen ladle and left the cell quickly, the rattle of the wheels on the food cart echoing softly. Kiba laughed again… and again glancing around at the others. Chouji tried to ignore him, the ninja trying in vain to get some food down Kankuro's mouth. Shino kept repeating, "Kiba's lost it… Kiba's lost it…" but Kiba didn't care- he already knew that. Akamaru was probably dead, they were never going to get out of this place so why not spend the last days of his freaking life insane or not feel any freaking emotional stress of pain?
"Hey Shikamaru! Did you see that guy? He's nothing much compared to Tsundae-sama or even that Jiro-sama person! Wooooooot! Oh yeah!" cried Kiba, "I am so insane!"
Something in that sentence triggered Shikamaru back to life, but even so Kiba didn't really notice, the Chuunin spending too much focus on laughing.
"He's rash. He didn't scare anybody. He's not like the other two we met. He nearly lost face." Said the Nara suddenly, his head snapping upward, "He's human."
The statement cut off Kiba's laughter and the Inuzuka scrambled towards the fellow ninja, excited to see Shikamaru actually talking, "Of course he's freaking human Shikamaru! Of course he didn't scare anybody! What are you on about!?!"
But Shikamaru dipped his head downwards again, his right index finger drawing patterns on the floor, a sign of his return to 'his own little world'.
"Stupid Shikamaru… Chouji! You're the only one here who hasn't gone insane yet!" Kiba clambered over the big sized fifteen year old, "Gwahahahahahahahahahaaaaa! I must be scaring you huh? Why don't go all crazy like me instead of forcing yourself to become all depressed? I mean look at me! I'm going to die anyway, who cares what state I'm in when I do it? I have one mood Chouji! And that's hypo happy- uncaring, unfeeling un-everythiiiiiiiiiiiiing!"
But Chouji seemed to ignore him, a spooked look in his eyes as he continued to tend to Kankuro.
"Ugh. Fine. Don't talk to me, I'll go talk to Shino."
Very much like an overgrown, humanized puppy dog, Kiba clambered back to Shino, and didn't notice the scared look his friend gave him- a look caused by the Inuzuka's antics. What Kiba also didn't notice were the insects crawling around the Aburame's body- for once, they seemed to be lethargic and most of them simply didn't do anything but lay there, looking very much dead. Suddenly realizing that the insects could fit easily through the prison''s bars which served as a wall, Kiba immediately tugged on Shino's shirt.
"We can get out of here! Look! Just give your bug things the word and they'll can infiltrate the whole village and kill everyone! Then we can get out of his hell hole! Or maybe I should say hell island!" the fifteen year old threw back his head and laughed madly, somehow finding his joke hilarious.
Shino shook his head and whispered, "Stop laughing Kiba… please…"
But the other Chuunin of Team 8 didn't hear him, the laughter carrying on, the sound echoing and growing. And thus it was, that as Kiba laughed hysterically and loudly, he forgot about the escape plan and didn't even hear when Shino muttered,
"It wouldn't work… damn it. Half of them are dead already and it's because I don't have any more chakra to feed them."
The laughter finally stopped after another fifteen to twenty seconds and Kiba looked around the damp, stony prison cell, for once not having that grotesque smile on his face. Chouji and Shino looked at him, hope showing up on their face, wondering if Kiba had finally snapped out of insanity.
"Hah… Funny isn't it. If I was the old me I might have been stressed and morbid like the rest of you guys and run around trying to keep everyone alive… If I was the old me I would have been stupid like you guys. Stupid because I'd still think that I could save someone who's already dead! Stupid because you're enduring all this pain just so you can tortured by those freaks out that!"
Chouji and Shino both looked away, their hope shattering painfully like a glass cup when dropped on the floor. The freakish smile returned to the brown haired shinobi.
"But I was smart in a roundabout way. I decided to run away from everything so I'm running around and I can't feel pain! I can't wait till I get to the stage while I see flying fishes and purple dogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
With that, Kiba erupted into another gale of laughter, his fists banging wildly against the prison walls.
He had always been told that the real insane people in life never classified themselves as insane. And at the other end of the scale, he had also been told that so many normal, weird but other sane in mind people ran around, proclaiming to be insane.
But here he was… running about, absolutely crazy and totally insane- and the almost disturbing fact was that in the far, deepest depths of his mind, Inuzuka Kiba knew perfectly well that he was insane.
He was so damned messed up!
At that point, Kiba's laughter reached a fever pitch, and the shinobi realized with mad joy-
He could see purple frogs dancing in midair.
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From the other side of the wall, Temari winced as she tried to block out the laughter. Kiba's laughter. Hinata was looking like she might have a mental break down soon and the Sand Nin herself was very much disturbed. Fortunately, if there was anything to be happy about, it was to know that at least none of the female captives have gone insane yet. Temari caught herself- considering what Kiba already was, if Ino was under something examination or something she'd probably go berserk. She almost chuckled, seeing with some anxiety that she was almost close to showing weakness herself. But ninja of Hidden Sand were taught not to crack under pressure- even if it was like being a grape under a stone press. Her tough barrier and skin was beginning to come off, something the eighteen year old was secretly terrified of. From the laughter she'd heard from the Inuzuka, she knew that once she cracked, she'd go insane. That, wasn't what she wanted. She had to stay strong.
She knew Hinata and the rest of the girls in the cell were looking up as some sort of protector nin. She so far was the strongest out of them yet (though Sakura was starting to prove otherwise) and the one who had shown the least weakness. Afterall, Tenten HAD lost to her in the Chuunin Exams (though he did have the advantage) and Hinata always had the demaonor of a little sister or a frail person who needed much protection-
The barred door of the cell swung upon and a trolley was rolled into view.
"Right. Takada Akira to serve you bunch of useless sluts. Huh." The newcomer, who was probably the same age as her, spat out blood from his mouth, "Well at least you're better then those madcap boys in the other cell."
The guy was tall and lean with a foreign hitai-ate on his arm and his ragged dark brown hair was cut quite short. Akira glanced around, his silver blue eyes glimmering in the darkness. Temari gazed at him rebelliously, fervently keeping up her tough attitude up. They were not cracking her. They were not cracking her. Their 'inspecter', the pleasant Jiroi-sama was a lewd, perverted man- who the hell did he think he was, forcing them to strip down to the barest of clothing before practically feeling them up and calling them whores?
"If we are meant to be sold in a slave auction… this food isn't going to get us looking healthy and fit, you know." Sakura's tired green eyes surveyed the food that was being slopped into bowls.
Temari followed the other girl's gaze, mentally agreeing. Even the pigs at home weren't fed THIS badly!
"It's basically some sort of water with meat… If you want us to look in our prime… give us something real- you know, stuff with actual carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals? Even normal water would a miracle."
Takada Akira smirked down as he slammed a bowl of broth and wooden spoon for Sakura.
"You sluts are already pretty, that's why you're not dead. But this is specially made so you won't die but so you can't regain your chakra- or at least, you'll regain it, but very, very limitedly. We're not idiots, you know."
Akira ladled out another bowl and dropped it down in front of Tenten, the bowl and spoon clattering to the floor with grey liquid splattering everywhere. The kunoichi looked up tiredly and was about to deliver a comment when she grimaced in pain. Temari swallowed as she looked at the teen's arm. Torn bits of clothing dyed red from blood adorned Tenten's wounded arm but she was sure as heck that the thing was infected. And this bastard here, this sick, sick freak, only had a sick smile on his face.
"Dearie me. It's the panda look-a-like freak who tries to act like she can actually fight… but she oh so unfortunately gets scared by a tiny snake and now her poor liddle arm is all infected. Huh. I bet you'll one of the ones we'll have to decapitate since no one at the auction would ever pick you, the ugliest out of the lot.."
Anger giving her strength, Tenten grabbed the spoon in front of her and threw it forcefully back at the other shinobi. This feat took less then a second to take place, Temari watching half blurred movement as the wooden utensil hit Takada Akira square in the face. Heh. At least she could always be depended on to hit things, no matter what.
"Dearie me." Mocked Tenten, struggling to raise her voice, "It's the guy who's not good enough to be a proper shinobi like us so he gets to deliver the food. He tries to act cool but he oh so unfortunately gets hit by a little sick kunoichi. Is that a big nasty bruise I see on your face? I hope you it gives you brain damage and you'll be mentally retarded for life."
Tenten's eyes narrowed and Temari quickly met her eyes, giving the Konoha-nin a grim smile of support. Perhaps she was another who wouldn't crack. Hinata was on the verge of running around screaming and Sakura, with the mental stress she'd been in (with Kankuro, Tenten and the rest being in some sort of disease) would be in the same category. Unfortunately, being rebellious had it's consequences and Tenten would have to face some more mental tortue or the easier one, getting beaten up. At least this guy didn't seem nearly as threatening as the first two benevolent natives they'd met.
"O-nii-san!!! O-nii-san!!" a high pitched squeal echoed through the dark halls.
A young girl followed after the squeal, her arms holding a stuffed doll of some sort to her chest. Even with the dim light, Temari could already see the large similarities between Akira and her. The same silver-grey eyes and same coloured hair. The sharp nose was portrayed in both faces except while Akira had some sort of weariness on his face, the younger girl had innocence and naivety reflected in hers.
"Chihiro! What are you doing here!?!" Akira spun around, fixing a steely gaze on his younger sister, "I told you to stay at home! You know when I have shinobi work!"
"But I was bored… And- omiomiomiomikamisama look at them!" And without another word, the little girl, a frame of skin and bones, slid through the bars.
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"You know what? I've had enough of THIS!" Uzamaki Naruto suddenly stood up from where he once sat, his old bleak face turning into anger and emotion.
"Yeah… We all have had enough of this- but what are we going to do? Through a tantrum and get beaten senseless?" Tired and none too tolerant, Uchiha Sasuke retorted a reply from the other end of the cell.
Naruto gazed around- his anger feeling energy that could not be put out by a mere Uchiha. Neji glared at him critically, obviously wondering if he had gone off the top and Gaara looked away. Naruto swept his eyes away, undaunted by the other reactions- after all, Gaara and Neji were practically emotionless… or at least on the outside. From the other sides of the cells he could hear voices, though he couldn't tell exactly what. Suddenly, a brainwave came through the Uzamaki's mind. Like, hello, byakugen?
"Neji! Your byakugen! We can use it to find out what's happening-"
"I'm not that dumb Naruto." Interrupted Neji giving the blonde another critical look.
"Geez, so you're somehow powerful enough to drag me out of Orochimaru's lair… but somehow don't have the intelligence to work that out?!?" Sasuke rolled his eyes, "If Neji were able to use the Byakugen, he would've… idiot."
"B-but it doesn't require chakra!" Naruto defended himself, somewhat proud of his 'brainwave'.
"No it doesn't…" Neji sighed, "But I would be able to keep it up for very long. It needs energy… like everything else. Energy I don't have. If the Byakugen didn't require anything, don't you think I would just keep it on all the time?"
"…" Naruto looked like a deflated balloon, unfortunately or fortunately, depending on point of view, his balloon hadn't popped yet.
"Why don't you use your other form of chakra… You know, the Kyuubi's one?" Sasuke stated this blatantly.
Naruto opened his mouth to grin. How the hell did he forget about THAT?!?!?
Sasuke stared at him. Naruto looked away, not wanting to see the all too infamous Sasuke smirk. Closing his eyes, the shinobi dove into his depths of his mind, walking along that familiar hall to the lair of the Kyuubi. He bowed his head and made the customary plea…
I need some chakra…
"Again? And you're using it to damned get out of here!?! Listen kid. It's your own fault. Besides that, you and I are in no urgent life-threatening danger."
They're going to freaking kill us and that's not life-threatening?!?
"Not yet."
Just a little bit will do… Please!
"Fine- I'll give you some of my power… Remember.
After this you're on your own, cub. I'm not your damned guardian. I'm only saving you if it's saving me. Get out of here!"
Naruto's eyes snapped open and he grinned, feeling the fresh energy surge through him. His three cell mates looked at him curiously.
"YES!" The demon-container punched the cell wall victoriously beside him.
But Naruto had forgotton something. Even a tiny trickle of Kyuubi power… was extremely strong. The orange clad shinobi crashed through the wall and into the next cell. But it didn't stop there. Naruto yelled out warning to the kunoichi from Konoha and raked his feet into the stone floor, urging every inch of his body to stop moving. His fist, covered by a red stream of chakra did not stop and crashed through the second wall. What the hell!??! Kyuubi! This time using all of his body, Naruto slammed his fist down into the ground, hoping that would stop his flight. It did, he was practically vertical, his fist being the only support he had. Around him, he faintly heard Kiba whooping and yelling in a deranged manner. Good Gods… No. He better not think about what happened to HIM. Righting himself up, Naruto glanced at his fist. Not a single mark on it and the traces of charka had disappeared.
He glanced back in horror at the holes he's made- the two holes looking like doorways from the three cells that held the shinobi of Konoha. Damn it! He didn't mean to waste it like that! How was he meant to know that just punching like that would have so much damned power?
Kyuubi!
"What? I told you NOT to come back here! You arrogant-"
How was I supposed to know that was going happen!?! Normally I control the chakra.
"Human. Think about it with your pathethic little mind. You did control the chakra. You just forgot the damned basic rule of decreasing the power when you hit that wall!"
One more chance! I can get out of here! You know I can!
"There's no point. I said, your own your own now."
But, what about the other times?
"They were on the scale of threatening my existence as your existence was being threatened…Unlike this time.
After all. It'd be fun to watch you suffer."
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The dilated pupils on Kankuro's eyes rolled back into focus and the grey world followed suit. What…
The Hell?
Yeah. It did seem like hell. After all, wasn't he pretty out of it when-
When was he last conscious…? The sixteen year old racked his memory, the images and thoughts he wanted just not there. Finally, he remembered. They were…
He struggled… The whole group of them, they were finding… the blonde… Ino… and they had to pass through a swamp. Then… he ended here. Somehow.
He looked around him weakly. Where those… prison bars?
Then… His mind struggled to function. Why were there holes in the walls? Maybe… Maybe he wasn't thinking right.
"Chihiro! Out! Out! Don't you ever come back here! Yes I know they are freakin' holes that a damned prisoner made. The main thing is that you get out of here before someone kills you! Now! Chihiro!"
Who… was that?
"Chihiro! Don't you disobey me! I promised mom… Yes! I'm dragging you! We're going home. NOW."
A door slammed shut and as the sounds of a cart being wheeled away was heard, Kankuro stiffened as he heard the crying of a little girl. Just like Temari… when she found their mother was dead. Temari. Was she here! Damn it! He couldn't… get up.
"Temari… Here's Kankuro. He's been unconscious-"
"Kankuro! Kankuro!"
He faintly felt his body being brought up and his sister hugging him. He tried to open his eyes but the eyelids seemed to have glued themselves shut. He tried to reach out one hand, try to tell his sister that he was all right, that he would be okay… but the vocal chords in his throat wouldn't work. He wanted to move, he wanted to cry, to show some emotion to tell his sister he was alive… but they wouldn't come.
"We'd need Sakura-chan to tell if he's… able to live." Chouji's voice came softly from seemingly nowhere in the darkness.
"Chouji… He's alive! Dammnit! He's my brother and he's alive!"
"Hahahahahahahahaah… Fawning over Kankuro, the lot of you. We might as well all go to hell and- look over there… there's the gate to it."
"Sakura! You're here! Finally here! My brother… He's all right… Right? Tell me he's all right!"
"Temari… Your brother is in critical condition and we're far away from Konoha medical hospital…"
"You're a medic nin!"
"I know…"
"Where's Kankuro."
"Gaara…"
"Where is he?
"Over there but-"
"Gaara…"
"Sakura can heal him. He's not dying."
"Gaara… Gaara's right."
"Please… There's a time when… you… have to let go. You know?"
"We're not letting go."
"Those holes… Chouji! Ask Naruto if he can get us-"
"He can't... I already asked. The... thing inside of him won't provide any more chakra."
"Kankuro's not dying."
"I know-"
"He's not dying. He's my brother. He's the kazekage's brother."
"He's mine.. too… Kankuro… wake up! I've had to nearly lose you once… Remember… You got poisoned and Gaara just about got kidnapped… But they didn't get far because the village wouldn't let them… And…"
"He… Can't Hear You…"
"He damn well can! He's alive."
"Come on Sakura… Kiba… Give them some room."
"Remember Kankuro? And I really… really thought both of you were about to die. Then… it's happening again. But you're not going to… Remember when you built that puppet… Your first one? How Gaara broke it and you got so, so mad and angry? Please… Kankuro! Just say something! I don't ever… want to lose you again…"
"Temari. Kankuro will be all right."
"How can you… say that? He's on the verge of death."
"I'm going to get the people who captured us to heal him."
"You saw them! You saw those… monsters. They won't listen to reason…!"
"I am the Kage of Hidden Sand Village Temari. I will do what I have to do."
Yes. I'm fully aware that this chapter...
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My writing skills need a bit of a brush up. This story is teetering on 'discontinued'. Sniff. All the plot bunnies running around in my head are REALLY tempting not to resist, abandon this and write. Ah well...
Well, hopefully, you'll be able to bear with moi and the update... should be something. I'm not making ANYMORE promises.
-StarDragon