AN: Alas, Naruto is still not for sale, so I cannot buy it... More nargles to my faithful reviewers! tosses generous amounts of nargles to reviewers Unfortunately, you guys were just barely short of the review goal, so nargles must remain undefined. But the same thing goes this week! 74+ reviews on this chapter before next posting definition of nargles. And thanks to Amaya no Hime, for an interesting idea for Ino, which you will all see in this chapter. It stops short of soul-devouring, but is so close, and sets things up so nicely, that I think you all will like it. Enjoy this chapter!
-demonicnargles
"Speech"
thought / talking in mind
"Demon speech"
Demon thought / talking in mind
Summon speech (Good idea, Ghostboy814. Underlining does make it easier to see.)
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Just before the matches were to begin, Jiraiya and Ino returned, forcing the blonde boy to sit up from his prone position. Jiraiya sat on one side of Naruto/Kyuubi, and Ino sat on the other.
The white-haired sannin nursed a black eye, occasionally moaning about cruel women, while Ino smirked and sat quietly.
A voice rang out over the loudspeakers. Yes, they have loudspeakers. At least in my fic, they do. "Welcome to the final round of the chuunin exams! Those who are participating should be ready, as your name could be called at any time. Those who are watching, please be aware that you are not allowed to directly influence any fight in any way. You may cheer, jeer, shout, and otherwise make a fool out of yourself, but you will refrain from throwing, kicking, or in any way moving any object into the arena, and you will also refrain from entering the arena yourself. Anyone seen violating these rules will be hunted down by ANBU and killed immediately."
The crowd gasped. A bit of static sounded as voices in the background seemed to speak rapidly.
"Sorry, anyone violating the rules will be removed from the arena and not allowed to return. You will not be killed. Disregard the earlier statement."
The crowd murmured uneasily.
"The first match will be: Nara Shikamaru against Sabaku no Temari."
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Sarutobi smiled. The announcer had done it brilliantly. Last year, when only the threat of removal had been issued, the last match had been full of people throwing things, since they were about to leave anyway. Some people had even used that as a way of leaving the stadium more quickly. That had seriously compromised security, so this year, they had resolved to make things different. With any luck, they wouldn't have any problems this year.
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Nara Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Just my luck that I'd be chosen to go first. And to fight against a woman, no less. So troublesome. Why don't I ever get to fight any men? The shadow-user dropped into the arena, across from where Temari was already waiting. A chuunin stood off on one side of the dirt stadium, apparently functioning as the examiner.
"Hajime!"
Temari smirked, and swung her fan open. I heard this guy is smart, so I'll finish him quickly, before he can get some plan cooked up in that pineapple-shaped head of his.
The sand-nin swung her fan, sending a cutting gust of wind across the ground. Shikamaru jumped to the side and avoided the attack. He kept running until he reached some trees that grew on one side of the enclosed fighting area.
Temari sighed. His brilliant plan is to run away? Pathetic. I can't see him in there, but I can blast the trees into toothpicks and pick his body out. Shame to waste such a handsome-
Temari shook her head. She did not have time for such thoughts.
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Shikamaru, hidden from the sand kunoichi, dug underground. He began to carve a tunnel through the ground, toward the unsuspecting Temari. So troublesome. But it's the easiest way that has a good chance of succeeding.
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Temari flicked her wrist and sent a strong wind into the trees. "Come out, little leaf! I know you're in there! Don't think you can just hide until I come in for close combat!" Temari knew that everyone knew her weakness at close combat. "I can blast those trees all day!"
No response. Temari frowned. This is supposed to be a fighting match, not a game of hide-and-go-seek. Temari sent a forceful blast of air at a single tree, spraying leaves everywhere. If Shikamaru was in there, he was doing a good job hiding it.
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Meanwhile, Shikamaru stopped digging. Time for a little break. Digging is so troublesome.
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Temari was growing more and more frustrated. She had hit every tree at least once, but apparently that lazy bum was hiding behind the tree trunks. Why do I always end up in situations like this? She wondered if she should go in a little closer.
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Shikamaru finished his tunnel. The dirt over the end of the tunnel was held up only by a few twigs. Once Temari walks over to investigate, she'll fall in here, I can grab her fan and hide it while she's trying to get out, then I can fight her without her annoying wind powers. I saw how effective that fan is during Tenten's match, and I don't need to experience it personally.
Shikamaru sat to wait. She would come eventually.
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Temari stared at the trees she had been blasting for the past half and hour. Maybe I overestimated this guy. Maybe he's too scared to come out, or maybe he's already unconscious or dead and he's just stuck in a tree branch.
Temari sighed. It probably wasn't a good idea, but there was only one thing to do. She walked toward the trees to investigate.
Suddenly, the ground underneath her gave way, and she fell into a pit. She screamed involuntarily as she dropped into the dark underground pit. She saw a dark shape move across the ground of the pit, then found that she could not move her body.
"Shadow Imitation Technique, success."
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Shikamaru looked at the girl pityingly. Too bad it has to end this way for her. He reached down and picked up the fan, which Temari had dropped. The sand-nin imitated his movements, but had nothing to grab. Shikamaru raised the fan over his head. Temari imitated him. Then Shikamaru brought it down onto the kunoichi's head.
It did not knock her out. So troublesome. Shikamaru beat her senseless, then carried her body back to the surface. The examiner rushed over, and seeing that Temari was unconscious, gave a sign to someone in the stands.
The loudspeaker proclaimed, "Winner, Nara Shikamaru!"
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Naruto/Kyuubi sat with amused look on their face. Attacking from underground, hmm?
Seemed to work pretty well.
We should look into that sometime.
The strange pair was interrupted by the loudspeakers. "Next match, Yamanaka Ino vs. Uzamaki Naruto!"
The demon duo rolled their eyes. After the match with Lee, this would be a breeze.
Ino winked at the blonde boy. "Looks like its you and me! Come on, Naruto!"
The mind-walker pranced down into the stadium. Naruto/Kyuubi leaped into the air and landed in the arena, then leaped again to place themselves far on the opposite side from Ino. They turned to face her.
Ino looked at the blonde boy. Why is he always so quiet? I remember when he used to be all hyper, back when I chased Sasuke just to spite Sakura. But then he got all quiet. And what could possibly have motivated him to study? He obviously was paying attention in class; I've heard of how good he is as a ninja, but why didn't he get better grades? How could he improve to quickly?
Ino steeled herself for the coming fight. I have to end this soon, while he still underestimates me. There is no way I can fight against the sort of speed I saw him use in his match against Lee. But if I do it correctly, no one will ever call me weak again, after I beat someone on par with that crazy Rock Lee.
The examiner made a sign to the announcer. The loudspeakers crackled to life again. "Hajime!"
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Naruto/Kyuubi jogged toward Ino at the start of the match. At least, it was jogging for them, thought everyone in the stadium who had not seen his first match thought he was sprinting as fast as he could possibly go. Weight training will do that for you.
The demon duo conferred with one another.
What do you think? Kick her in the stomach and uppercut her face when she doubles over?
Could work. I personally like a flying high kick to send her across the arena, then leap into the air and body slam her. With the weights on, that could end the match right there.
Yes, but don't we want to use this match for practice? Then again, she is a long ways from where we are...
Exactly. Beating up a helpless genin is not going to improve our fighting skills.
Suddenly they put on a burst of speed, blurred over to Ino and leaped in for the flying high kick. Ino sailed across the arena, skidding on the ground several times before coming to a stop a few yards from the wall.
Naruto/Kyuubi jumped high into the air, aiming to land squarely on the blonde girl.
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Ino couldn't believe how fast Naruto had suddenly gotten. He was running so fast, then suddenly he appeared in front of me! Once she came to a stop, she opened her eyes, which she had reflexively closed when skidding across the dirt. He's above me! He's going to land on me with all those weights!
There was not enough time to dodge, as hurt as she was after that kick. But as she saw Naruto fall, one last idea occurred to her. He can't change direction easily in mid-air! So I know where to aim! Ino formed several seals that were so familiar to her, and completed her trademark ninjutsu, Mind-Body Transfer Technique.
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Naruto/Kyuubi smirked to themselves as they fell. The girl would be to stunned from the kick to move out of the way in time, and there was not much that she could do, other than...
Oh crap. Kyuubi! She using that technique! That mind-control thing!
Of course! Why didn't we think of that! We've got to move!
They formed a shadow clone, and tried to use it to get away from the Yamanaka's famous technique, but could not move fast enough in mid-air to evade the blonde girl's aim. All their efforts succeeded only in averting their body from crushing the girl as they had intended. Instead, it landed just beside her, making a small crater in the ground, and sending a cloud of dust into the air.
Wait, Naruto, I have an idea!
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Ino found herself in Naruto's mind. Yes! I did it! She quickly looked around for the metaphysical chair that represented control of the body. She was surprised when she could not see it. Wow, his mind is huge. How could his mind be similar to the sewers? And how could it possibly have so many passages?
Ino wandered aimlessly through the dark corridors of Naruto's mind, until she came upon a small room. Aha! There's the chair! Now all I have to do is formally surrender as Naruto, then return to my own body.
But when she stepped forward, she noticed that Naruto was not in the chair. Nor was there any sign of him any where around the chair. There was only a glowing orange mist that pooled in the chair, and trailed away and around a corner into a larger room. What?! I just saw him in the outside world, and since time moves slowly in people's minds, there is no way he could have done some jutsu in the meantime to cancel my technique. But how could he have vanished?
Ino whirled around when she heard a footstep. There stood Naruto, dressed in all black, looking at her. What?!! How can he be out of the chair?! And looking at me?! No one is supposed to be conscious within their mind!!! How can he be here?!!
Ino was too stunned to even react when Naruto walked over and grabbed her wrist. "Come over here, Ino. There's someone I want you to meet." Naruto's voice was mockingly cheerful, edged with sarcasm. He began pulling her toward the large room.
"What- How can you be here?! No one is conscious within their own mind! No one!!!" Ino tried to get away, but Naruto held her in a vice-like grip, which did not hurt, although she thought that it should have.
Then it hit her. "Wait, you want me to meet someone?! You have someone else in here?!!" Ino began crying hysterically, pulling desperately away from the dark ninja, but to no avail.
As they rounded the corner, Ino saw a gigantic cage with enormous iron bars, and a sign on it, written in kanji. 'Death God Demon Seal'
Ino looked around frantically for anything to help her escape, but the room was empty, except for the ominous cage. As they approached the bars, Ino noticed a vast shape on the other side. A huge, orange fox sat like a statue, looking off into the distance. It glowed softly with a sickly red-orange light. Ino noticed the trail of orange mist led to the fox's tail.
Ino felt a strange calm come over her. Is this what it is like to accept death?
Ino stared at the fox as Naruto led her up to the bars. It looks just like a person does when they are controlling the body normally in their chair. But there is no way that it could possibly control the body from in there, unless... Of course! That mist is its chakra, and it controls the body using the chakra! But, what is it? And why would Naruto let it control his body? This fox looks sort of familiar, like I've seen it in a dream, or a nightmare, or like I saw it in a picture once, long ago.
They stopped in front of the bars of the cage. Naruto shouted, "Hey, Kyuubi! You ready?!"
Ino froze. Did he saw Kyuubi?! As in the demon that terrorized Konoha almost fourteen years ago? It was a giant creature, it was... a fox!!! but how can it be here! The Yondaime gave his life to kill it! How could it suddenly appear in Naruto's mind?!
The fox suddenly jerked its head down to look at the two humans.
You have her? Good. Throw her in here. We couldn't let her control you, and we certainly can't let her leave after seeing me, so there is only one possible solution.
Ino began struggling violently, but Naruto's toned muscles vastly outmatched her small strength. She screamed, "Leave me alone! You don't have to kill me! I won't tell anyone!"
Naruto threw her between the bars, which were spaced narrowly enough to prevent Kyuubi from getting out, but wide enough to allow humans to pass through easily.
Ino screamed as Kyuubi lunged down, mouth open wide.
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Kyuubi lunged down and bit the foolish kunoichi in half. Or, at least he tried to. When he bit into the girl, he felt a slight resistance to his fangs, which shattered easily, releasing a meager bit of chakra, but when he tried to bite off his mouthful to devour her, he felt nothing.
The demon fox looked down to see Ino, curled into the fetal position, still quivering in fear. Kyuubi bent down and attempted to bite her again. He felt nothing.
What? How can you resist my power?
Ino opened her eyes, and saw the giant fox standing overhead, looking at her quizzically. I'm alive. I'm still alive. But how? I saw him come down to bite me.
Ino slowly got onto her feet. She began to walk back toward the bars of the cage, but jumped and shrieked when she saw one of Kyuubi's paws pass through her from behind. His paw went right through me! So, that means...
Ino turned to face the demon lord. "You can't touch me, can you?"
The fox growled and grimaced, but did nothing further. Ino ran out fo the cage and toward the chair leaving a very confused fox and a stunned Naruto behind. She quickly sat in the chair and focused past the mind, as she had been taught to.
She found herself lying next to her own body. She stood up, but when she tried to speak, she suddenly felt herself jerked out of reality.
Naruto threw Ino across the room of his mind. She landed in a heap over in the corner. He watched her while a trail of orange chakra collected in the chair once more. He watched over her while Kyuubi commanded the body, was declared victor, and leapt back into the seating area.
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Naruto walked over to the crying Ino that still sat against the wall in his mind. We have to ensure our safety. We have to ensure our safety. I can do this. Naruto monotoned, "I'm sorry, Ino. We can't let you live."
Ino looked up wildly, her red eyes blazing. "You wouldn't!"
When she saw the neutral expression on his face, she knew that he was really going to kill her. She jumped to her feet.
Naruto smashed her face with a bone-crushing punch, aiming to kill with a single blow.
Ino recoiled from the punch, but felt no pain. She slapped the stunned Naruto across the face as hard as she could, but Naruto felt no pain.
They stared at each other, each realizing from the looks of the other's face that they had not done any damage at all.
Naruto spoke. "Well, I guess we have to let you live. But we won't let you leave."
Ino watched as Naruto walked over to the chair and sat on one side of it, taking only half-control of the body, leaving Kyuubi with the other half. She heard faint, echoed voices speaking, which she had been told only happened in the minds of the insane. But after a moment, she recognized them as Naruto and Kyuubi. Although she could not make out most of what they said, she heard her name mentioned several times.
Ino checked to see how much chakra she had left. She felt nothing. Feeling slightly panicky, she felt for even a shred of chakra. Nothing. Then she remembered the strange feeling she had gotten when Kyuubi bit her. She had lost all of her chakra.
Ino started to cry again. She was stuck in a mind with a cold-hearted boy and a bloodthirsty demon.
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After several minutes, Ino heard Naruto get off the chair, another thing that was supposed to be impossible. She sat slumped in the same corner of Naruto's mind, feeling strangely heavy, since usually her technique made her feel extraordinarily light when she was in another's mind. She looked up to see Naruto staring down at her through the slit in his mask.
Naruto turned away from her, seeming vaguely uncomfortable. "I'm... sorry it ended that way. We didn't expect you to use that technique of yours."
Ino spoke softly. "Naruto, I'm trapped in your mind. I lost all of my chakra when..." she shuddered, "He bit me. I can't leave."
Naruto shifted uneasily. "I'm... sorry. We didn't mean for things to happen like this. I... we... I don't know what to do."
Ino looked at Naruto's profile, difficult to see against the dark background of his mind. Why does he sound so nervous? He was trying to kill me not very long ago. Ino began to cry silently. What did I do to deserve this?
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While Naruto was otherwise occupied, Neji easily defeated Kankurou, whose puppet could not move fast enough to chase the Hyuuga prodigy. The next match was announced.
"Uchiha Sasuke vs. Sabaku no Gaara!"
The two ninja made their way to the arena, facing each other across the wide field. The examiner glanced at them, then signed to the announcer, who shouted, "Hajime!"
Sasuke knew better than to try and try taijutsu. The sand that constantly surrounded the insomniac would simply bat him into a wall as it had done to Kiba. That left ninjutsu, since Sasuke was not particularly skilled at genjutsu.
Sasuke formed several seals, and launched a large fireball at the stoic sand-nin. The sand blocked the fireball. Sasuke shot several smaller fireballs. They too were blocked by the absolute defense of sand.
Sasuke frowned. How can I beat a guy if I cannot penetrate his sand? That's it! Penetrate the sand with the Chidori, then follow up when his defenses will hopefully have crumbled! Sasuke made three quick seals, then began charging his sensei's one original technique. The sound like a flock of small birds filled the arena, rising in pitch and volume as the Chidori acquired more and more energy.
Sasuke charged at Gaara. As expected, the sand rose to defend him, but Sasuke thrust forward with the attack anyway. The Chidori pierced the sand like a hot knife trough butter, letting Sasuke arm reach just far enough to touch the insomniac.
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Gaara looked down at his shoulder. The strange attack had struck him, causing him to bleed. Gaara gasped. "Blood?! MY BLOOD?!!"
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Temari could see the attack pierce the shield of sand, and since she was positioned slightly behind Gaara, she could see the attack hit. She heard her little brother's surprised exclamation. Oh, crap. There goes the plan. Gaara's going to release Shukaku, and that Kabuto guy will have to start early, and that will make those sound people unhappy.
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Gaara's sand fell to the ground around him. Sasuke lunged forward to take advantage of the suddenly crumbling defense, punching his opponent in the face.
Sasuke grimaced in pain and jumped away from the sand-nin, clutching his fist. That was like punching a rock! What is that guy made of? Sasuke looked up, and saw the small cracks that spread from where he had punched Gaara. What the- He is made of rock! Or maybe sand...
Sasuke suddenly focused on the sand, which had begun to move again. The sand rose into the air, slowly at first, then gaining speed as it formed a sphere around the crazed sand-nin. Sasuke saw his chance to attack. He quickly summoned his final Chidori, for it would be th final, Kakashi having warned him to not attempt more than two, and ran towards the sphere of sand.
Just before he reached it, however, a giant, clawed hand shot out of the sand, crushing Sasuke in its clutches.
Sasuke tried to wriggle free, but to no avail. The hand squeezed harder. Sasuke heard bones break, heard organs rupture. The hand suddenly clenched into a fist, splattering Sasuke all over the area with a sickening squish.
The crown screamed, and began to run out of the stadium, only to fall suddenly into sleep as Temari had predicted.
The sand ball around Gaara moved to reveal his transformation into a half-human, half-sand creature. Seeing Konoha jounin moving around the stadium, he leapt into the stands.
"BLOOD! YOU WILL PAY FOR MY BLOOD WITH YOURS!!!"
Temari decided that the plan did not call for her to be anywhere near Gaara, and quickly left the stadium.
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Naruto/Kyuubi looked around, seeing people fall unconscious for no apparent reason. What is this? Some sort of genjutsu?
Then why aren't we affected.
It probably has something to do with me.
We need to stop that Gaara guy. He'll kill everyone if we don't stop him.
Why is that our concern?
A loud crash sounded from across the village. Naruto/Kyuubi looked over the stadium walls to see three giant snakes crushing the village walls into dust.
The village is under attack, and the more Konoha ninja we save, the less likely we are to die.
Right. Let's do this, kit.
But before they could move, a tall, blonde man appeared in front of them. "What did you do to my daughter?!"
Naruto/Kyuubi stared at the man in confusion. "The village is under attack, mortal! Get out of my way!"
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Inoishi frowned. I'll just have to do this the hard way. Since he obviously wouldn't know if Ino is still in his mind, I'll just look.
Inoishi began to make seals for one of the Yamanaka family techniques, which would allow him to see into the boy's mind. Seeing the boy drop into a fighting stance, Inoishi said, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you, yet. I just need to see what happened to my daughter."
Naruto/Kyuubi hesitated.
In that moment, Inoishi completed the technique, and looked into Naruto mind.
He saw Naruto, as expected, but the boy was sitting over on one side of the chair, the other side being filled with an orange mist that led to...
The Kyuubi! The Kyuubi has control over Naruto's body! The rumor I heard was true! Naruto is really influenced by the demon to the point of possession!
Then Inoishi saw Ino, slumped against a wall in the dank corridors of Naruto's mind, crying.
What?! Why is she over there?
Looking closer, Inoishi saw the tell-tale signs of the one condition that could not be fixed. Ino was out of chakra, and trapped in the Kyuubi-brat's mind.
Inoishi pulled back out, since he could not speak to his daughter using that technique.
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In the few moments of the technique, Naruto/Kyuubi had decided that they didn't want the man who seemed to be Ino's father using any technique on them, unaware that Inoishi had already learned too much.
"Yamanaka-san, there are more pressing matters to attend to," Naruto/Kyuubi said in an overly formal fashion, hoping to placate the man for now.
Suddenly they saw the man's eyes bug out. "DEMON! THE DEMON HAS POSSESSED HIM!!!" The blonde man took off at an impressive speed.
The demon and boy were about to continue towards the maddened Gaara, who was currently fighting over a dozen Konoha ninja, when it finally sank in.
He knows! He's going to tell the others!
He knows! He's going to tell the others!
Kill him!!! Quickly!!!
Hurry! He's getting away!
They ran after Ino's father at top speed. An unfortunate sound-nin tried to stop them, only to be struck in the eyes with a pair of kunai. He howled in agony, blind to the black blur that rushed past him.
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Inoishi ran as fast as he could. Not only did he need to outrun the demon, he needed to tell the Hokage at once. Where is the Hokage? He isn't in the box seats, but I can't stop to look. Maybe he's fighting outside the stadium. Inoishi ran out of the stadium, fully aware of the pair of blood-red eyes that glared at him from behind, quickly making up for the blonde man's head start.
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End of chapter. If you didn't notice, things are coming to a close. It kind of surprised me; I expected this to go for a while longer, but all of the sudden I found myself writing what you all see above here. It was like it wasn't even me who was writing it. Strange.
I think that the next chapter will be the last. It will be at least this long, but probably longer. It may not come out by Saturday, but I will try to make it worth the wait. Lots of fighting coming up in the last chapter, lots of death, and lots of demonic brutality, with possibly a small taste of NaruIno before the end.
Thanks to all of you guys who have been reading, and extra thanks to those who reviewed.
Please review.