Dynamic Updatto! Yeah, my grandma is feeling way better now and I just had this great deal of inspiration and so I'm updating ALL my fics this time around! Those of you guys, who read more then one of my fics, after reading this chapter, can go to the other fic they're reading to see 'what happened next'… and those who're reading only one are welcomed to check out my other fics, of course!
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. It really means a lot to me. Most of your questions (and some requests) will be answer/granted in this chapter, so I'll allow myself to just get on with the show:
Chapter #10: Coming of an Age
Title Page: Naruto is riding on the dog sledge pulled by six foxes, with Hinata sitting on it
"Lets start off with getting rid of this annoying mist…" began Resshin as he threw a quick glare at the one wearing the violet cloak. As the man noticed the oldest Monodane llok, he instantly performed a single hand seal and the mist started to fade away, revealing the faces of everyone gathered in the cavern. "That's better…" announced Resshin, yet he kept looking at the hooded man: "Henkou, I believe I told you that I do not wish or this during our meetings… did I not?"
"You did, Resshin-sama…" replied the former mountain-nin, bowing slightly. "I just thought that it'd be easier to lose possibly tail, if there was a need to, this way…"
"Then don't think next time, coz it seems you're not too good in that…" a huge man cut it. He had long, black hair, green eyes and an armor was covering his torso (A/N: this one I really don't know how to describe well… it's similar to the one Chouji wears now). He was wearing a brown t-shirt and a little baggy pants in the same color. His arms were bigger from his elbows to his fingers and he had a slashed Iwa hitae-ate on his forehead.
Henkou ignored the former stone-nin's comment and limited himself to throwing a quick glare at the large man. The oldest Monodane kept quiet and when he noticed the quarrel was over, he continued: "The reason why Juusan Akuma was formed… our goal… is finally at hand. We've already managed to get the Dragon symbol and with the all-out war that Orochimaru has caused, getting the other eleven became much easier… "
"Indeed…" nodded the man with spiky, blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a grey t-shirt and little baggy, white pants. Both his arms were covered in bandages and he was carrying three, wooden umbrellas on his back. He also had a headband with a slashed, rain symbol on his forehead. "Hakkotsu and I manage to get the Rat symbol with no trouble at all… the Ame leader was pretty helpful in that matter… it'd seem life treating situations encourages people to talk more… freely…" and saying so he chuckled.
"You sure talk all big for someone who required that much time in getting his symbol…" announced a woman with long, black hair and red eyes, wearing a black cloak that covered the rest of her body. She was the one hanging from the ceiling. "Saikyou and I gotten the Cow ages ago…" and with that she smiled evilly.
"This is not a contest, Aki…" announced a man with spiky, brown hair and green eyes, wearing a green t-shirt and baggy, brown pants. He had a gray vest and there was a golden bracelet with spikes on the outside on his left arm. He wore a hitae-ate with the slashed, Grass symbol on his forehead. "We are only doing this for our own sake…"
"Perhaps…" replied the black-haired woman. "But it's still more fun this way…"
"Are you saying…" came a cold voice, which belonged to a man with long, white hair and teal eyes, wearing a grey robe with white sleeves. You could spot a headband with the slashed Sound symbol used as a belt. "That working under Resshin-sama's command is not enough for you to get the job done?"
"Chill, Hakkotsu…" the woman, Aki, shoot back. "I got the symbol, didn't I?"
"I just doubt your trustworthiness…" announced the white-haired man coldly.
"That makes three symbols already…" stated Resshin calmly as he walked between the two, making Hakkotsu bow slightly and Aki turn around to look at the wall. "That leaves only your report, Hishigu…" and with that he turned to the tall man full of muscles.
The man, surprisingly, had four arms and was wearing a red, sleeveless shirt. He had long, black hair, clipped in a ponytail and blue eyes. He wore baggy, black pants and had a hitae-ate with the slashed Tree symbol on his forehead.
"The Pig symbol is secured…" he announced shortly with both pairs of his hands crossed.
"Eight left then…" noticed Hanone with a smirk. "Sounds simple enough to get…"
"It may seem that way…" began a big man, sitting on the rock in a meditation pose, who was wearing a green shirt with thorn sleeves and grey pants. He was bold and his eyes were closed, however you could also spot a big ring attached to his back with several, metal balls on it. His hitae-ate was nowhere in sight "However you must remember that everything can become a challenge if you won't prepare yourself for it properly…"
"Thanks, mister Smarty Pants…" replied the former rain-nin. "You know, Busshari, you can really piss a guy with that 'man and the mountain' talk… you choose the wrong carrier, if you'd become a philosopher, you'd earn millions by now…" he joked.
"Shisou, enough!" Resshin raised his voice slightly, making the umbrella user quiet down in an instant. "You all know your parts and our plans have not changed…" the oldest Monodane continued calmly after a short silence. "We know the location of the seven symbol, but we still don't posses any knowledge of the last one's whereabouts…"
"I recall that was your job, Henkou…" announced Hinato with a smirk as she turned to the hooded man. The former mountain-nin just threw her a quick glare and bowed slightly towards Resshin, saying:
"It's hard to trace… the one carrying it keeps on moving and sometimes it's hard to catch up… However I assure you, Resshin-sama, that we will find her and when that happens, the Rooster symbol will get in our hands…"
"But prepared…" was all the former leaf-nin replied. "After all, the one carrying it is not to be taken lightly… leave the symbols you collected here and you may go… soon our victory will become a fact…" and the moment he said so, all the figures disappeared into the darkness. "Hasaki and Tsumeko didn't make it in time after all… oh well, doesn't matter… out of everyone these two are the last ones to fail…" and with that he walked deeper into the cavern.
---Back in the Suna---
Hinako was drinking soda through a straw as she walked though the streets of Hidden Sand and looked at the stands with different things. Then, suddenly, she turned her head so quickly Naraku was surprised she didn't broke her neck. He came closer to see what drew her attention and noticed a stand selling jewelry.
"This is bad…" the young Monodane thought with horror. "The last time she went into a jewelry shop, I ended buying her those stupid earrings… if I won't get her away from here, we'll all end up broke…" and with that last thought he sweat dropped. He then turned back to where the other should be to tell them about, only to noticed two people where missing. "Where are Hinata and Naruto?" he asked Tamao surprised.
"T-they said that… t-there was a s-stand they wanted t-to visit…" replied the former stone-nin, putting her fingers together. "They said they'll be right back…" she added quietly.
"Naraku-sama…" the green-haired girl called him with a melody voice. "Could you come over here for a moment?" the former leaf-nin sweat dropped even more before lowering his head and heading in the direction the voice came.
"If I'm not back in ten minutes…" he said to Tamao before leaving. "Call for an ANBU squad…" and so he joined Hinako at the stand, leaving the blonde kunoichi giggling.
"Looks like luck is on our side, yeah…" announced the hooded figure, dressed in the black cloak with red cloud on it, standing on top of a nearby building and observing the trio. "Not just Shukaku, but the Kyuubi is here too… we can get quite a bunch just tonight, yeah…"
"Don't push it, Deidara…" replied another figure, dressed in the same cloak, only this one seemed to be kneeling and had a weird, scorpion's tail coming from under his robe. "Three at a time can be a problem even for us…"
"Whatever…" came a response. "One thing is for sure: it's gonna be fun tonight, yeah..."
---That time, elsewhere---
Naruto gave Hinata the cotton candy he just bought and began to eat his own. The Hyuuga heiress's face turned red as she took the offered candy and took a bite herself. The two slowly began walking down the street in silence. After a short walk the Kyuubi vessel looked to the sky that was now black. Night has wrapped the Hidden Sand in darkness.
"It's quite amazing really…" he stated, still staring at the sky. "With the current situation, where every, shinobi village fights all the other, for Suna to remain so calm… almost as if the war didn't reach this desert…"
"M-maybe it's just their way… of escaping from it all?" noticed Hinata shyly, hiding her face behind the candy when the blonde looked at her.
"Peace is not something a shinobi can exist with…" Naruto declared. "One of the basic rules of ninjutsu… for some reason that was the only one of them all I manage to memorize…" he gave a weak smile for a split second, before his face turned grim. "Maybe that's because I myself was never able to find that peace?"
"It's hard to find… having a demon sealed inside of you…" noticed the white-eyed girl even quieter then before, while taking a bite on her candy, which made it even harder to understand, yet the blonde knew exactly was she said.
"You don't carry one and it's hard to call your life a fairytale too, Hinata-chan…" he reminded her. "The way I see it, we're not so different… we were both cursed at birth: me with the Kyuubi… and you with your bloodline limit. The only thing we could've done was… to accept that fact…" he let out a sigh and then smiled to her: "In a way, I felt that you were the only one in Konoha, who could understand me…"
The Hyuuga heiress's face redden even more as she heard that. The girl tried to hide it behind her cotton candy, feeling that her skin had completely changed color. The blonde didn't seem to noticed that and went on like nothing happened: "But we both found people who accepted us the way we were and not for what we had… I was really happy when that happened… and I really wish that all of them have made it safely out of Konoha when the Sound attacked… but I guess I should come clean…" and with that his face became serious as it got closer and closer to the white-eyed girl's face, which was now completely red: "I never admitted it, Hinata-chan, but…"
At this point the kunoichi felt that she started sweating. Her face couldn't get redder then it already was. She froze, thinking that she knew what was coming. The blonde hesitated for a second himself, but then finished what he wanted to say: "But I'm really glad that out of everyone I know, it's you I ended up running away with…"
Now Hinata was close to fainting. "D-did Naruto-kun just said… what I think he did?"
"We should get back…" he announced after a short silence. "Naraku and the others might start to get worried…" and so the two headed to where their companions should be, but the blush on Hinata's face didn't seemed to fade at all.
---Meanwhile---
Kasumi threw her kunai at the hooded man's back only to see a chakra sphere get emitted from his body, stopping the knife before it reach its target. In the next instant the man started spinning and a tiny smirk appeared on the former mist-nin's smirk. "I knew those eyes of yours looked familiar… and now that you used Kaiten I'm sure… what's your connection with Hinata, ugly?"
The man turned to face her, revealing that he had long, black hair, clipped in a ponytail (A/N: sorry, but his new looks sucks in my opinion) and completely white eyes. He had a hitae-ate with the Leaf symbol on his forehead and as he got to his fighting stance, Kasumi noticed his right hand was wrapped in bandages. "What does a missing-nin from the Kiri can look in the Suna?" the boy replied coldly with a question as if he didn't hear what the kunoichi asked him.
"It's not nice to ask something before you ask the question you was asked…" announced the former mist-nin as she reached for her katana. "You seem to be related to Hinata, so if possible I'd prefer not to kill you, but you don't seem like one who wishes to talk…"
"You… know Hinata-sama?" the boy's eyes widen slightly at what he heard. "Where is she?"
"Another question and you still haven't answered mine…" reminded Kasumi. "Let's start with something easy, like what's your name?"
"Hyuuga Neji…" replied the boy as he dropped his fighting stance.
---That time, somewhere else---
"Come on, Gaara-kun, move it!" Yari called after the Kazekage, trying to look angry. "I really want that pink panda, you know…" she joked, making a tiny smile appear on the redhead boy's face.
"But why does it have to be pink?" he asked, still smiling.
"You're really clueless sometimes, Gaara-kun…" announced the blue-haired girl, turning around to him so that their faces were just inches from one another, making a tiny blush appear on the Shukaku vessel's face. "Of course it has to be pink, coz…" be before she could finish, the redhead boy pulled her closer to himself.
In the next moment a wall of sand appeared around them. Yari turned around surprised and as the sand barrier got dispelled, she saw some strange spikes dropping to the ground and a weird-looking man standing at the end of the street. His entire body was covered in bandages, giving the impression he was a mummy. From beneath the bandages two, bloody red eyes glared at them, which send shivers down her spine, though she couldn't really understand why. The man's right hand had a metal glove with claws in stead of fingers on it. The former Sand kunoichi also spotted a halberd on his back and a hitae-ate with the slashed, sunglass symbol on the man's left arm. "A missing-nin?" blue-haired girl's eyes widen slightly at the sight of the headband.
"Great reflex, Gaara-san…" announced the man with an echoing and emotionless voice. "But that is to be expected, I suppose… after all, you were the only target I never really managed to kill…"
"So the time has come…" said the redhead boy. "You came for the Dog symbol, didn't you… Tsumeko?" the mummy only nodded. "I have no choice then… but to do what should be done ten years ago…" and the moment he said so sand in his gourd popped the cork out and began circling around its master and Yari.
---Back to Naruto---
"Where were you guys?" Naruto gave Naraku an accusing glare. "We looked for you everywhere!" and just then noticed Hinako, who stared with shining eyes at a strange necklace that the blonde was sure wasn't there the last time he saw the green-haired girl. The medallion had a big ruby in it, surrounded with gold and few, tiny diamonds. "What's that thing around your neck?" the loud mouth asked the ring user.
The former cloud-nin looked at him almost as if she just got out of the trance and held out her new decoration, so it was only an inch in front of Naruto's face, with a wide smile on her face: "Cool, isn't it? Naraku-sama just bought it!"
"And now I'm pretty much broke…" added the former leaf-nin quietly to Hinata and Tamao, who were standing right beside him: "Then again, it was either that or some lame looking, golden rings that cost about twice as much as that necklace… the last time I agreed to carry all our money, coz Hinako surely can take advantage of that…" and so he turned to the former stone-nin, trying to look disappointed: "I asked you to call for ANBU after ten minutes, Tamao-chan…" and thus the two, shy girls giggled.
Just then both Naraku and Naruto felt a strange sensation and acted instantly: the blonde grabbed Hinako by her waist and moved aside as a strange-looking blade cut the air where they were standing just a fracture of a second before. The young Monodane of the other hand pushed both Hinata and Tamao away while he himself jumped into the air, thus making a weird blade go under his feet. In the next moment the former leaf-nin landed on the stretched, making it struck into the ground.
As Naraku raised his head to look at the one who attacked them, all he saw where shuriken coming right at him. Acting on instinct, he moved his hands, deflecting all the shinobi stars with his metal protectors.
The former leaf-nin then looked out front and saw a man with spiky, black hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a black outfit with white armor (A/N: a little similar to what ANBU wear) and a hitae-ate with the slashed, Mist symbol on his forehead.
The blade that he attacked with was a sword with a really large blade, which seemed to be able to stretch thanks to the fact that several parts of it were connected with one another by chains and Naraku was just standing on one of those sections (A/N: I really suck at describing that sort of swords… imagine Renji's from "Bleach" soul cutter).
"That headband…" began the former leaf-nin calmly, not taking his eyes off the swordsman. "You're from Juusan Akuma, ain't ya?" the missing-nin only nodded. "The next question then should be what are you doing here, but you're not gonna answer, are you?"
"So you're Monodane Naraku…" stated the swordsman, ignoring the last question. "I must say that I've expected someone more… impressive… oh well, you'll do for a challenge for now… let me just tell you that I'm nothing like Hinato and Hanone… and I don't intend to go easy on you…"
"Bring it on then!" yelled the Kyuubi vessel as he prepared for battle, but then Naraku's voice stopped him: "No, Naruto! Take the girls and get away from here… I'll handle this guy…"
"I can help!" announced the blonde angry.
"I'm not saying that you can't…" replied the young Monodane. "But except my brother, Juusan Akuma always work in pairs… I see only one guy and that means his partner is somewhere in the village as well… I don't know what their goal is, but they have to be stopped… you look for the other one I'll hold him off your back until the ANBU will show up…"
The whisker-marks seemed like he wanted to argue for a moment, but the turned around and began running down the street with the three girls following him. Hinako however stopped after few meters and turned around. "Naraku-sama…" she thought to herself. "Will you really manage?"
"We need to inform Gaara about this and…" began Naruto and only then did he noticed someone was missing. He came to a stop with Tamao and Hinata doing the same a little confused. "Where's Hinako?" he asked.
The two girls turned around and noticed that the former cloud-nin really was gone. "M-maybe she went back t-to help Naraku-san?" wondered the white-eyed girl quietly.
"Destiny has funny ways of acting…" they all heard a voice coming from above and as the looked up they saw a certain, Sound shinobi standing on the wall and glancing down at them. "Wouldn't you agree, dope?"
Naruto just stared at him with his eyes widen, as he body started shaking from both excitement and anger: "Sasuke…"
And so this chapter ends here. Hope you enjoyed it and that you'll leave a review once you're done. It'd really mean a lot.
Quite a lot of action in the coming chapters, but after that you'll get to see more romance (not just GaaraxYari and NaruHina), so be patient.
No jutsu encyclopedia this time around, so the only thing left for me to say is 'see ya'.
Best wishes and have a great day. Until next time, hopefully.