Ok, here is the latest Ch. I know I said I would try to cram the whole battle into one chapter, but after I got to the sixth page I realized, there ain't no way in konohell I can fit all that in. So I'm going to split it in two, maybe give myself time to close out this part of the story and move on. Man I never really expected it to be so long. I guess I forgot to take into account how long it would take to set up the actual confrontations. (gets down on knees and claps hands together) Please don't hate me...I'm doing my best. (thinks about that) trying my hardest. (did that sound better)
I don't own Naruto in any way, shape or form, but if I did this is how it would go.
DEAL WITH THE DEMON
Once Naruto finished explaining the situation to Neji and Lee he punched his fist into his open hand and said. "So now we gotta go help out Kakashi and the others and go get Gaara back." Naruto said. He was starting to move forward expecting them to follow when a hand gripped his shoulders. It was Neji.
Neji had his byakugaan turned on and was looking ahead. He could see that Kakashi and the others were engaged in battle with Sasori. "Wait Naruto. You said Gaara was taken by a shinobi on a giant bird. Kakashi and the others aren't fighting him." Naruto looked at Neji not following where he was going with this.
"Wait, are you saying we shouldn't help Kakashi out. What kind of a team mate are you! We gotta help them out and get Gaara back!" Naruto said. He couldn't believe Neji didn't agree with them.
Neji shook his head. "Whoever is fighting Kakashi and the others is buying Gaara's kidnapper time. So if we went to help Kakashi we would be letting him get away faster." Neji realized something else as well. "We should travel around their battle to save time. Let's go...I can explain it on the way." Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing.
He was about to punch Neji's arrogant expression of his face when Lee spoke up. "Neji's right, we aren't strategist, you and I." He said speaking to Naruto. "We should have faith in Neji's plan. He knows our objective and why he plans what he plans. Our mission is to assist you, so that makes your mission our mission as well. I understand how hard it is to leave your team mates behind, but you have to have faith that they can handle it. That is also what being a team mate is about. Faith in each other... right?" Rock Lee said. Thinking of how he just had to leave Gai and the others behind and knowing they made the right choice. Naruto saw the wisdom in this and nodded. "We're your team right now, have some faith in us, we won't fail you." Lee said. He struck the good guy pose and then began to follow Neji who was already running. "C'mon, Naruto let's go we got a mission to complete." All Naruto's reservations melted away, Lee was right. Naruto was glad he had someone like Lee on his team and he began to follow as well catching up to Neji quickly so he could hear the plan.
"So what's the plan Neji!" Naruto asked as he caught up to him.
Neji looked at Naruto and was glad he was willing to listen. He made an observation 'I see you've matured Naruto.' He then proceeded to tell him the plan. "I saw the bird you were talking about hovering behind the battle more than likely observing. It looks like a she, even so she has a good vantage point too see us from a distance so she will likely fly away as soon as we get within striking range. Once she sees us speed is of the essence." Neji said.
Naruto was shaking his head at all the right times and then he asked a crucial question. "Okay, so what does that mean?" Neji's upper face turned blue. He made another observation 'you're still an idiot, Naruto.'
"We'll run at normal speed until she sees us and begins to turn and fly away. Then we will boost to our full speed. Running at normal speed will let us get closer." Neji put up his hand to stop Naruto from asking another stupid question. Neji saw the question written all over Naruto's face "It just will. Now, do you have your communicator on you?" Neji asked.
Naruto nodded his head. "Hai, I got it right here." He began digging into his pockets until he found it and pulled it out. Neji's face was once again blue. 'how do you survive, baka. It goes on your ear not in your pocket.' He held out his hand so Naruto could give it to him. He shook his head in disbelief as he took it.
"Ok, I'm going to adjust it so that we can communicate. Just put it in your ear and once we begin the chase we will be able to strategize and have an advantage." Neji finished adjusting the communication device and handed it back to Naruto who promptly put it in his ear. He was surprised by the clarity of Neji's voice now speaking to him. "How does that sound." Naruto looked at him and gave him a thumbs up. "Good, there is a limit to how far this transmits depending on the terrain, if we loose contact then just slow down or move back to the spot where you lost contact. If you have to re-establish it." Neji saw Naruto suddenly stop and stopped himself. "Why are you stopping." Rock Lee had now joined them to see what was going on, he had been listening to their conversation on his own communications device. He now raised a questioning eyebrow wondering what Naruto was up to.
Naruto was beginning to take of his jacket. He looked at Neji and said. "You said once we got close to her we would have to run at full speed, well I have to take off my weights in order to do that." Rock Lee didn't know Naruto wore weights and was eager to see how he wore them. Neji conceded and waited for him to take off his jacket and take off the weights. However his eyes widened a little bit as he saw the necklace that hung from Naruto's neck under the jacket. He recognized that as one of his clans crafts. He had an idea where it might have come from, but didn't want to waste time asking right now.
Rock Lee also began to roll down his leg warmers in order to take off the weights he wore. He saw that Naruto's were smaller than his and that he wore them right above his elbows. When that was done Lee handed his weights to Neji who performed a jutsu and the weights disappeared. Naruto also handed Neji his weights a little cautiously. "Don't worry Naruto once we're finished I'll summon them back. Are you two ready now?" Neji asked.
Naruto and Rock Lee both nodded at the same time and loudly said. "Hai!"
Neji didn't wait, instead he took off running towards their target. Naruto and Lee caught up with him quickly. Neji had been thinking about the situation and still hadn't come up with a plan, he didn't know how high the enemy could fly and if Naruto and Lee would be able to reach her. He hoped they could come up with something soon. "This is the formation we'll follow, once we begin the chase I'll be behind you two scouting out the area for traps and letting you guys know what is coming up ahead. One of you two will have to remain on the ground in order to catch Gaara if he falls. I'll leave who does what up to you two. Whoever is not on the ground will have to find some way to engage the enemy. If this plan fails we'll come up with something afterwards. Got it?" Both of them nodded their heads. He hoped they were being honest. By this time they had covered a considerable amount of ground and were nearing Deidara's position.
Deidara had been hovering behind the battle being visible on purpose. The plan had been to isolate the jinchurikki and try to capture him or at least gage his skills. She saw them coming towards her however and saw the jinchurikki was not alone. She watched the battle some more as they neared, she was always impressed by Sasori's toys. She waited until they had come closer to her before turning her attention away from Sasori's fight. "It's time to do my part. Hmmm, this should be fun." she said as she finally started to turn her bird around and began the chase. She pulled out clay from the bird as she went making spears and setting them down on the bird for future use.
Neji saw her spot them and begin to turn away. "On my signal we go full speed and try to overtake her." He said. There was no response, but he knew Naruto and Lee were ready.
A little ways ahead of Neji, Lee and Naruto were already arguing. "Let me handle this Lee. I can use chakra and have a better chance. You will be at a disadvantage up in the air without the ability to use ninjutsus." Naruto argued.
Lee saw that Naruto was right, but he didn't just want to give up like that. "We'll decide this in a fair competition." Naruto looked at Lee utterly confused now. Lee made a fist and said. "Rock, paper, scissor."
Naruto being super competitive couldn't resist the challenge. "Oh, you're going down Lee!" Naruto won, he had picked rock. He pumped his fist and exclaimed. "Yeah, that's how it's done." Lee hung his head momentarily and then picked up his pace once again.
Behind them Neji was blue in the face. 'Bakas, focus on the mission.' He looked up to see something falling to the ground. It looked like a spear. A few steps further he recognized it as the same type of spear that Naruto and the others encountered. He quickly relayed this information to Naruto and Lee as other spears began to fall to the ground. "There is a spear ahead of you to the left. Be careful, it's more than likely going to go off when you run by it." Naruto and Lee shifted a little bit to the right. Suddenly there was an explosion, they did not stop as the birds broke off the spear and began to give chase. Neji saw there was no point in holding those two back anymore. "GO! Full speed, get Gaara back!" Neji was following them and would have to handle these exploding birds himself. He wouldn't be able to assist them well in this condition, he hoped they fared well on their own.
There was a huge cloud of sand kicked up as Naruto and Lee took off. Their speed was unbelievable. Naruto began unleashing the kyubi's chakra. First it surrounded him and then he began to release one tail. His fangs grew longer and the whisker marks became more pronounced, his nails grew longer and harder, becoming claws. He then released the second tail. With this his ears became longer, taking the shape of fox ears. His fingers elongated a little bit as well. His adrenaline was pumping as he began releasing the third tail. Lee had been watching this transformation and was almost speechless. He barely whispered. "W-what's happening to you, Naruto?" Naruto however heard this comment with his more acute sense of hearing.
He turned to Lee and grinned baring his fangs in an evil looking grin. "I'm getting ready to fight." Naruto was confident in handling the third tail, he was even confident in handling a fourth tail, but not confident enough to do so in this situation. The third tail was now out and another change had come over Naruto. His feet had elongated, he was now running on his toes and leaning forward. He gained some speed and was running with a lot of power in each step. He was no longer kicking up dirt as with each stride his toes dug into the sand and pushed off with incredible force leaving a hole which was immediately filled by sand. Naruto crouched suddenly and jumped straight up. Rock Lee did not stop running focusing on his task, but he did look up as he saw Naruto disappear in the sky. He was impressed by Naruto's newfound power.
Deidara was scanning the landscape to find her quarries. She saw one was staying behind to deal with the traps she had set while the other two went ahead. Before her eyes found Lee and Naruto who were now nearly underneath her, she sensed an explosion of power she immediately looked down and saw Naruto shooting up directly at her like a bullet. She instantly commanded her bird to move out of the way and reached for a few spears. She barely avoided getting hit as Naruto shot past her. She looked up to see him looking down. She flew away putting some distance between them and launched five spears at the Jinchurikki.
Naruto knew taking this person would be a piece of cake. He had to restrain himself from using all the kyubii's power, because he didn't want to loose control. He saw the spears launch and was about to take them out with the fox's chakra when all of a sudden the chakra stopped flowing. Naruto's eyes widened, he had not expected this. He was about to die, once again he was careless and now was going to pay the ultimate price. He closed his eyes.
When he opened them he was once again in front of the Kyubii's cage. A cold gust of wind greeted him. It stank, Naruto assumed it was the Kyubi's breath, of death. A low booming voice spoke. "Hello, brat." Suddenly from behind the bars appeared the Kyubi's evil face smiling. The Kyubi had waited for an opportunity like this to present itself. He had long sought a way to escape this seal, but it was only the host, in this case Naruto that could do anything about it. In this situation he now finally had a bargaining advantage. He would get something from the boy today.
Naruto was not in the mood to deal with this right now. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING. IF YOU DON'T LET ME OUT OF HERE AND LEND ME YOUR CHAKRA WE'LL DIE YOU STUPID FOX!" Naruto yelled. His yelling was almost instantly cut off by the demon fox's evil booming laughter.
Wind blew out of the cage in gusts as the fox laughed. He stopped rather quickly though and fixed his intense gaze on Naruto. "Wrong boy. I am immortal or as close to it as can get, you will be the only one who will die." Naruto looked at the fox like he was crazy.
Naruto really didn't want to deal with this now. "I thought we had a deal! Aren't you going to back up your word! If you are what you claim you are then why have you allowed me to use your chakra for so long!" Naruto clenched his fist looking at the fox with intense determination.
The fox did not want to waste much time either. "Hmmmm.", but the brat was obviously thick not asking the right questions. "I never made a deal with you. I lent you my powers because you were brave enough to come to me and ask for them. Unlike humans my word never breaks. The question you should be asking is why you are here. You want me to back my word, you want us to have a deal? Then what are the terms?" The fox asked.
Naruto ground his teeth, this guy is insane he thought. "Why the hell would I make a deal with you, you damn fox!" Naruto asked. He had not expected this and didn't know what the fox would want.
The fox's eyes narrowed. "Because without my help right now, you will die." The fox said, barely hiding his contempt for the boy's stupidity. He calmed down a little bit. Either way I will get something Kyubi thought.
Naruto wasn't about to be manipulated. "BULLSHIT! If that were true than I would already be dead!" Naruto tried to reason.
This pissed off the demon fox and his voice thundered. "YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME BRAT! Turn around and see with your own eyes!" A huge clawed finger went trhough the bars pointing behind Naruto. Naruto turned around and looked. The scene behind him was not what he had expected instead of corridors like last time he was at the doorway which had once been blocked off to him. Through the large windows he saw five spears ever so slowly coming towards him. The Kyubi's voice was once again calm and poised as he spoke once again. "Time works differently here, the second you leave here you will die. Use your eyes and look at those spears." Kyubi said.
Naruto had no idea what the fox was talking about. "What the hell are you tal-" he stopped abruptly as there was a tremor in the room. He sensed the demon fox's chakra and looked back out of the window. The scene was still the same but what Naruto saw was different. He saw the spears almost as transparent, within them he saw knots lining up and down the front two spears, within those knots was compressed chakra. Naruto knew by looking at this that that was what caused the explosions and by the amount of compressed chakra he knew the fox was right. No human could survive the force of the incoming explosion. "Why now, what the hell do you want from me!" Naruto yelled at the fox.
Finally the fox thought he asked a good question. "I want to make a deal and I want to see if you are willing to make a deal." The fox said. He saw the cluelessness on Naruto's face. "I will save your life right now, in order to do so you must allow me one minute of freedom. After that you won't be able to access my chakra, AT ALL. I will give you three days, after that time we'll make a deal. You can think of your conditions during that time. In return for saving your life right now you must give me your word that you'll make a deal with me in three days time. You have thirty seconds to decide... or die." The fox's hand reached out and gripped the bar on which the seal was on. With a great effort the fox began pulling the bar down through the ground until the seal was at Naruto's eye level. "All you have to do is touch that seal if you agree." The fox said, knowing he wouldn't have long to wait one way or another.
Naruto didn't feel he had much of a choice, but he didn't know if the fox was being completely truthful. "What happens after that minute and why should I trust you, you damn fox!" Naruto asked.
Naruto looked at the demons eyes and detected no hint of deception as the fox uttered the next few words. "I will return here, the seal won't let me break the terms of the deal, even if I wanted to. Aside from that, I will not break my word because...that too, is my way of the ninja."
Neji had been trying to catch up to his comrades, but was still dealing with the birds. He quickly finished the last ones off and looked forward. He saw Lee on the ground also tangling with the birds. Then he looked up to see Naruto in the sky, Nejis eyes widened Naruto was still as a statue as five spears headed towards him. Neji was about to yell as he realized someone he admired was about to die when suddenly there was a deafening thump. Like a heartbeat, from Naruto there came a silent shockwave of power. Neji stopped running and stood still watching what was unfolding before his eyes.
Deidara felt the thump as well, she also felt the immense shockwave of power go right through her. For the first time in her life she looked up at her target and felt a twinge of fear. She had felt uncertainty many times before, but this time it was different. It felt like an immense power that wanted to swallow her and destroy her. As she looked at Naruto there was an explosion of chakra, at first looking like a fireball, but suddenly taking form. It was a fox, the chakra exploded and for the first time since Naruto was born the nine tails breathed in fresh air. Tried to at least he was not able to take solid form, he realized this and flickered back about a hundred meters from the oncoming spears. His giant chakra body once again disappeared and concentrated around Naruto, but this time all four tails had been released. The Kyubi/Naruto lifted his hand with eye blinding speed and in it was what looked like a rasengan only this one was red. The fox left it in the air where he had been and flickered away once again. The spears were flying past the rasengan when the demon fox closed his open hand into a fist and the red ball of chakra immediately disappeared, the spears were suddenly drawn to where the ball had been and they imploded disappearing from sight. The fox was already cursing the seal. He still could not access his full power he could only release the power that the boys body could handle. That would be enough for him however, because unlike Naruto, Kyubi knew exactly how to use his powers and was not about to let this opportunity to exercise slip away. He focused his eyes on the flying bird which was once again flying away and grinned.
PREVIEW
Will the fox keep it's word? Or will he destroy Naruto?
RSO'S
causeiambetta- yeah, reading your review makes me feel good. hearing somebody digs my work is just so refreshing. Yup, Sakura and the others are being put through their paces. I hope you enjoy the latest development.
dragonman180- lol, man I don't know how I would handle having brains on my fists, poor Sakura. Now it's time to get Gaara back, oh deidara has some surprises left. Muahhahahaha, now you have to read the next chapter. I know the curiosity's gonna get the better of you.
warprince2000- done.
jeefus- Yeah, I'm pretty sure she'll be able to cope with it later, but c'mon their was brains on her fists. Like dragonman said, eww. J/K It wasn't but since you put it like that I guess that saved me the trouble of having to think of a title name. Gyahh! I forgot to describe Naruto with the four tails transformation. Damn gotta remember to do that next chapter. He was using three tails easily so who knows how he will deal with more tails only time will tell. If he survives that is. Sorry, couldn't help myself. Thanx, I don't know, but I'm always nervous when I put out a new chapter, because I feel like I should go back and tweak it and then I have to stop myself or I would never get anything done. lol. I'm glad you enjoyed it, hopefully you'll read this one just as quickly.
acrazygirlofmanynames- hope you enjoyed it now that its here.
akirastridder- thanx for reviewing, hope you like the story so far if you make it this far.
danny- OMG! no review, damn I feel like something's missing, well, I'm putting your name here in your memory. Hopefully you'll start reviewing again soon. Hope everythings alright on your end.