Before starting this one I'd like to thank everyone for the encouraging reviews on the last chapter. I'm really glad you liked it (Yari's story is my favorite among the five, if I have to be honest). And I also hope that you'll enjoy this chapter at least just as much.
Well, after reading this one when I finished, I got scared that some of you might see it as a filler-up… but some important things will take place in it… plus some of the romances will develop a bit too, so I hope you'll be satisfied. Oh, and about the jutsu Naraku teaches Naruto, then I'll admit already that I'm not hundred procent sure if what I wrote about Rasengan and Chidori in it is completely true.
ANNOUNCEMENT: my exams are getting closer and this time around they'll be rather difficult (plus I also have other duties) so it's hard for me to say when I'll be able to update again… I'll try to keep the 'one chapter per month' haste, but I really can't promise I'll manage. Sorry in advance.
Now, without further to do:
Chapter #8: Falling Stars
Title Page: Naruto, Gaara and Naraku are dressed like gang members: Naruto is spraying the kanji for 'fire' on the wall, Gaara is keeping a radio near his right ear and Naraku is putting a cigarette in his mouth
Naruto ate his breakfast at an incredible speed, making everyone gathered at the table looking amazed. Well, everyone except Shikamaru, who didn't really cared as long as the blonde wouldn't choke on the food and Gaara, who shown no emotions… as usual.
"N-Naruto-kun, you should slow down…" Hinata, who was sitting next to the whisker-marks kid finally announced. "Otherwise you might poke or worse…"
"Sorry, Hinata-chan, but I have to eat a lot and then go training…" replied the blonde with his mouth almost full. "I'm gonna master that damn jutsu today!" and with that he glared at Naraku, who had a tiny smirk on his face.
"Yeah, right…" Hinako laughed. "You're going to master the jutsu that's one of the most difficult to learn in a day? For someone of your chakra control level it's a big thing to say… but I guess I'll wish you luck anyways…"
"Thanks, but I won't need it!" assured Naruto as he placed his bowl on the table, bowed to Temari and Tamao who made breakfast that day and left the room.
Naraku's smile widen slightly at the sight as the memory of last evening echoed in his head…
---Last evening---
"Wow!" yelled Naruto as he stared at the tree blown into bits and Naraku standing right next to it with his right hand extend. "How did you do that? And what was that strange, white thingy around your hand?"
"Mitsukai Hokori…" replied Naraku. "That is the jutsu I'll try to teach you… in the entire history there were only three people who were able to perform it… I'm one of them, of course… when it comes to that 'white thingy' as you called it, it's a result of executing the jutsu properly… but before anything I have to warn you: this technique is more powerful then your Rasengan, however, at the same time, it's much more chakra draining and requires much better chakra control… also, in this cases you won't be able to help yourself with your other hand which I see you did once when the Rasengan got out of your control a bit…"
"Blah, blah, blah, just tell me what I have to do!" demanded the blonde, making the former leaf-nin sweat drop before he continued:
"Okay… first I'll tell you the secret behind its strength, which in a way will explain why the chakra I released was white… then I'll try to tell you what you should do to master it, so your little brain will understand it… first you have to understand that the chakra you're releasing while performing any form of ninjutsu is a little different, dependable on what effect you want to achieve… for example to release your chakra in the form of fire, except for the right seals, you also have to release your chakra in a specific way… the way you release your chakra to make it take the form of electricity is different from the one you release as fire… the difference isn't big and to most shinobi it comes natural, so they don't even realize that with different types of ninjutsu they release chakra a bit differently… take you for instance: have you even noticed that to execute the earth jutsu you have to release your chakra in a different way then to perform Kage Bushin?"
"Hmm… not really…" admitted Naruto.
"My point exactly… realizing the difference between chakra released in case of a fire jutsu and in other forms of ninjutsu is somewhat the key to master Angel Dust… to put it as simple as I can, in order to perform that technique, you'll have to release all 'types' of chakra at once… you might say that you'll have to act like you wanted to perform a fire, thunder, water, wind and earth jutsu, all in the same time…"
"But that's impossible!" announced the blonde. "Nobody can do that!"
"It's not easy…" nodded Naraku. "However it can be done… you see, types of ninjutsu are usually compared to the rainbow… chakra itself doesn't really have a color, but when you release it, it takes a color, dependable on the form you release it in… like when you use Kyuubi, your chakra becomes red in stead of typical blue… by combining all the colors in Angel Dust, chakra becomes colorless… to put it simply, when you perform Angel Dust, you use chakra in its original form…"
"Cool! Teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me…" but then he realized something: "Wait a minute, you mean that chakra release while performing Chidori or Rasengan isn't in its original form?"
"Not exactly…" came a response. "In those two cases you release your chakra in a certain way too… kinda like the medic-nins who use their chakra to heal wounds… in Angel Dust's case you'll be trying to release chakra in any way that's possible… lets try it this way: your goal will be to release the same chakra you use for Rasengan, Kage Bushin and the sort at once…"
"Oh, I see… in that case: teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me…"
"Hold on a minute…" the former leaf-nin tried to calm his friend down. "There's something else that you must know before you even start training… although Mitsukai Hokori is most likely one of the most powerful techniques in the world, it's also the most dangerous one even to its user…"
"What?"
"Let me explain… now, when you perform any, ninjutsu technique, you usually can control your chakra with the help of hand seals or in Rasengan's case, as you did it, with the help of your other hand… Angel Dust is a different story however… when one releases chakra in its original form, the energy instantly tries to escape… in its pure form, chakra that's released from its… 'container'… destroys everything it touches… that's also the reason why hand seals are required… to put it simply, lose control of the chakra you released and you might end up dead… not just that, your entire surrounding might get wiped out… that's why, if you want to train, do it somewhere out of town…"
"Boy, this is discouraging… can't you say something like 'mastering this jutsu is a piece of cake'? That'd be much more helpful… and since this technique is so powerful, why didn't you used it against Resshin?"
"That's quite simple really…" replied Naraku. "Even though Angel Dust would most likely get through Resshin's Stone Skin, the problem is that… I didn't master it completely myself…" at hearing that Naruto's eyes widen:
"What? Then what the hell were you bursting about for being 'one of the three that mastered it'? You suck! And why the hell did you showed it to me now? Since you didn't mastered it, we both could've end up dead!"
"I didn't said I mastered it…" corrected the former leaf-nin. "I said I was able to perform it… if I were to use it against Resshin, I might have lost control and kill him, myself and all of you guys… that's the risk I couldn't take, even at the cost of losing my own life and not fulfilling the promise… as for the presentation you just saw, I used a very small among of chakra… in worst case scenario, we would get injured, but there was no threat to our lives…"
"I see…" announced Naruto, lowering his head. "Okay then, what do I have to do to learn it?"
"First I'll tell you the basics, so you'll be able to train by yourself… I have to train as well and above that, even with me around, if the jutsu would get out of your hands, I wouldn't be able to do anything anyway…"
---End of Flashback---
"Well, seems like that guy took his training seriously…" noticed Naraku as he stood up as well and bowed towards the Sand kunoichi: "Thank you for the meal, Temari-san…" and with that he turned to his little companion and bowed as well: "Tamao-chan… now, please excuse me while I go train myself…" and so he left the room too.
"Guess we might get going as well…" announced Hinako as she wrapped her hands around Hinata and Tamao. "Hey, Kasumi, wanna join us?" and with that she looked at the former mist-nin who just headed to the door.
"No, thanks…" she replied simply and left the room.
"Life of a party…" the green-haired girl sweat dropped and turned to Yari: "How about you?"
"Sorry, but…" replied the spear user as she looked at Gaara. "I have things to do as well…"
"Guess it'll be just you and me today…" announced Hinako cheerfully as she dragged both shy girls outside: "We'll come back before evening…"
"Yeah, we might as well get going too…" said Temari as she stared at Shikamaru. "Today we're doing something of my choice…" and with that she grabbed the lazy shinobi by the collar and headed to the door: "See you later…"
"Why do all women have to be so troublesome?" asked the shadow user, yet he didn't seem to put a struggle in any way.
"Everybody's leaving…" noticed Kankuro. "And who's gonna help me wash the dishes, eh? Temari, it was your turn, dammit!" but the moment he said so Gaara stood up and started to gather all the plates, saying:
"I'll help…"
The next moment Yari also stood up and began gathering glasses: "Yeah, I can help too…"
"Those two…" thought the puppeteer as he gave a worried look to his brother and the spear user. "Can things ever return to the way they used to be?"
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"S-so… what are we gonna do first, Hinako-san?" asked Hinata shyly as she walked along with the two missing-nins through the streets of Suna.
"That's simple…" announced the green-haired girl with a widen smile: "First we have to get you guys a new look… something cuter and more… sexy…" she added with an evil smirk. Suddenly she stopped and her smile widen even more: "This place will do…" and with that she looked at a big building with a sign-board: 'Cloth Land'.
As they walked inside, both shy girls looked around to see all sorts of clothes: from night dresses, through casual wear and even something to wear on the beach. Instantly spotting those last mentioned, both blushed, imagining themselves wearing something like that.
"Good, I see you're already looking for the right stuff…" joked Hinako and she leaned on their shoulders. "But since this is your first time doing this, I believe she should start with something more… casual. Okay, so were do they have kimonos?"
"H-Hinako, I… I really… I really don't…" began Tamao quietly, but she was instantly interrupted by the green-haired girl:
"Of course you don't… this is just the start… once we're done here, we're off to buy ourselves some perfume… and then a special lesson of dating tips from yours truly… me…"
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Gaara handed Yari another plate in order for her to dry it up. The girl took the dish from him and began to move her clout around it. Neither of them said anything since the moment they entered the kitchen. The blue-haired girl was the first one to break the silence:
"Gaara-kun…" she began without rising her eyes from the plate she have been cleaning. "About what happened all those years ago…" but at this point she was interrupted by the redhead:
"Please, don't… I do not know what were your reasons for doing so back then and finding out now would be pointless… it is in the past… I however should thank you… back then, when you attacked me with your spear… at that point I didn't truly realized what happened… but I do now…"
"I shouldn't raise that spear at you in the first place…" announced the girl and lowered her head.
"What's done is done…" Gaara interrupted her again. Silence once more felt between them and this time the Kazekage was the one to break it after a little while: "You once accepted me when no-one else dared to do so… I'm grateful for that… and now I can repay you in the same way…"
Yari smiled to him warmly and then took another plate that he handed her. She took it and the moment she began cleaning it, she declared:
When stars visit the sky and the moon is shining bright,
Everything falls asleep and day becomes night.
When darkness and light co-exist at the same time,
I stay awake, thinking what I have and what is truly mine…
Illusion or reality, who can really tell?
Everything disappears with the sound of morning bell.
But with it always comes new hope, another day,
And for it to be peaceful and happy, that is for what I pray.
The redhead boy looked at her with his eyes a bit widen and then announced after a short silence: "Back then… you skipped the last, two lines…"
"Back then…" she replied, still smiling warmly to him: "I did believed in them…"
Gaara stared at her for a moment and then, after nodding slightly, gave her a small smile. He then returned to washing dishes just to see a lump of soap landing in the kitchen sink before him, spraying him with water.
He turned to the blue-haired girl, who was now laughing widely, and after returning the smile he picked up a bowl from the sink, just to release the water that was still in it onto the former sand-nin.
"So, you want a piece of me?" asked Yari, putting on her tuff face and reaching for the bowl she just cleaned.
Kankuro was walking next to the kitchen when he suddenly heard laughs coming from inside. He took a quick pick and smiled slightly, seeing his brother standing over Yari, who was laying on the floor, and pouring out water from the sink right onto the kunoichi.
The blue-haired girl acted like she was struggling on the floor and yelled between her laughs: "No fair, you used that stupid sand of yours again!"
---That evening---
Naraku settled down next to Naruto on the floor and began drinking some juice from the glass. The blonde was also drinking, only he had water in the bottle. The former leaf-nin instantly noticed sweat drops coming down his face and smiling to himself, he asked: "So, how's your training going? Made any progress since last night?"
"Not really…" admitted whisker-marks. "But you can be sure I'll master that crappy technique! Just you wait!" and with that he took the bottle to his mouth again. Naraku soon followed.
Just then Hinako appeared in the frame of the door and seeing the two boys, she grinned, saying: "Good, you're both here. Naraku-sama, Naruto, lend me your eyes for a moment and allow me to introduce someone to you…" and with that she disappeared from the sight.
The two boys just exchanged glances quick, still drinking their liquids and the moment the green-haired girl appeared in the frame of the door again, they both choked on their drinks.
Naraku was quick to recover, but Naruto seemed to have some problems, so the former leaf-nin gave him few pats on the back, without turning away from the frame of the door.
What made them choked on their drinks was the sight of Tamao and Hinata appearing in between the frames, however none of them was wearing her casual clothes. In stead they both had kimonos on.
Hinata was dressed in a yellow kimono, decorated with palms all over. She had a small, dark blue ribbon used as a belt and a big, yellow one tying her hair (A/N: how Hinako manage that, considering Hinata had short hair, is something even I don't know). Tamao on the other hand was wearing a black one with a golden crane on the left shoulder and red flowers on the bottom right. She too used a ribbon as some sort of a belt, only her was big and red.
Both girls were blushing deeply as they stood in front of the two, shocked boys. After a longer moment of staring, Naraku finally broke the, a little uncomfortable, silence: "Wow, Tamao-chan, Hinata-chan, you look… really beautiful…" and with that he stopped his eyes on the former stone-nin: "But I thought you didn't like that sort of dress, Tamao-chan…"
"Yeah, Hinata-chan, this outfit rocks!" yelled Naruto as he got to his feet.
"I… I…" began the girl, blushing even more. Hinako instantly noticed that her friend was unable to say anything, so she decided to take action:
"Well, we just wanted to know your opinion, since we'll be going to that festival tomorrow, and we stopped by to wish you a good night sleep…" she announced, pushing the two, blushing girls towards their room: "See you in the morning…" and with that she leaned over to the two boys and whispered: "This is just phase one… they're not aware, but I bought them even better dresses…" and as she said so both Naraku and Naruto blushed as well, becoming just as red as the girls were.
As the three kunoichi disappeared in the hallway, Naraku sighed to himself: "Hinako is playing matchmaker again… if this'll turn out the way it did in the Mountain Country, I'm gonna hang myself…" and with that he looked at the blonde and handed his a hanky: "Here, wipe your nose…"
The whisker-marks took it and did as the former leaf-nin asked him to do. Naraku smiled under his nose as he slowly walked back to the place they were sitting before the 'kimono incident': "Maybe it's for the best anyway? Hinata's too shy to ask and Naruto's too stupid to figure out… but why did she involved Tamao-chan as well?"
Meanwhile the three kunoichi walked towards their room. Hinata, who was walking in the middle, slowed down a bit so that Hinako could reach her and the moment she did so, the white-eyed girl said: "Hinako-san… I…" but then the green-haired girl interrupted her:
"Don't… it's not needed. You know, about that festival tomorrow that Kankuro talked about… how about we go there to have fun? I could convince that blonde dope to tag along too…"
"T-Thank you…" Hinata slightly bowed to the girl.
"Bah, I can't do that much really…" replied Hinako as she hid her hands in her pockets. "Making a wish would be way more effective, if you ask me…" and with that she pointed her head at the sky.
As the white-eyed girl looked in the direction the green-haired girl pointed, she noticed a star falling from the sky. With a tiny smile and a slight blush on her face, she made her wish and couldn't wait for tomorrow.
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A hooded figure ran through the desert, leaving as few trances as it was only possible. He wished for a sandstorm to cover the foot steps he was leaving behind. The sun was halfway hidden behind the horizon, so soon it'd be a little easier for him to keep going.
"If the information I got in that town was true, then most likely they headed there…" he thought to himself. "But what was that about a group of shinobi? Did they found any survivals? At any point, I have to warn them…" but at that moment he bended over, thus avoiding a kunai that flew just above his head.
As he slowly turned around, he saw four sound-nins standing in front of him: "So, you finally decided to show yourselves? I saw you tailing me a while back, but I was hoping to shake you off in the night..."
"We were ordered to wait for the leader in case of finding any, Konoha survivals…" replied one of the Oto shinobi. "But that's not really important… we'll just kill you ourselves… there's no need for the leader to take action…"
Hearing that the hooded man smirked: "You say you'll dispose of me? Well then, let me tell you that you'd require at least four more men to take me down…" and with that he went into his fighting stance.
And that' it for this time. Hope you liked it and that you'll leave a review once you're done.
Not much to write in the jutsu encyclopedia this time, but here it comes anyway:
Mitsukai Hokori (Angel Dust) – well, what can I say? I believe that the jutsu itself was pretty well described by Naraku, so there really isn't much to write about in this case… the only thing that comes to my mind is the fact that in this case the user concentrates the chakra in hand and the attack is used pretty much in the same way as Rasengan or Chidori.
And that's really it. Thanks for reading and until next time, hopefully.