EDITED: Jan 31st 2008
Uhmm, not much to say.
Five more chaps to edit!? WHAT!?
Wootness.
Happy Readings! (:
-
Not so Weak Anymore
Chapter Twenty-Four
Like father, like son.
-
"Alright, so what's the plan?"
The gang of girls and the Uchiha duo were on the boarders of Earth country, and were about to enter the village of rock. The Tsuchikage was said to be a feared man. He was usually grumpy and he once led earth country into war against Konoha. (In the Kakashi Gaiden arc. Read your manga folks!) They would have to put the past behind them, in order to secure prosperity.
"Hm, get a place to stay, and then talk to the kage?" Sakura said, more or less asking the question herself. Ino grinned, "Sounds good to me!"
The gang continued making their way to the village of Rock. the boarders of earth country were blocked with mountains and caves, making it extra difficult. But with Sakura and her inhuman strength, she broke through any kind of rocks or problems that came their way.
From then on, they finally made it onto a clear road on top of a mountain. Akira looked over the cliff.
"Hey is that the village?" she asked pointing down. They all looked. Dust was spreading around, as well as some smoke. Noises of people fighting could be heard.
"Sounds like a fight broke out or something." Ami said. They all nodded, "Alright, we should hurry up and get down there then to see what's going on."
-
Once down by the village…
The crew came up to the entrance of the village. The doors were closed, and no one was around to let them in. they all shrugged.
"Well there's only one thing to do." Sakura said. Chakra built up in her feet, and she started walking up the wall. Everyone else followed her lead.
Once to the top, Sakura looked over. She was stunned by what she saw. Everyone else reached the top and looked over.
Daisuke raised an eyebrow, "What the hell…?"
The village looked deserted, but a big flag was in the middle of the village with a mountain on it. There was another flag on the ground, burning. It had a lake on it.
"Come on; let's see what's going on."
-
In the Village…
The group quietly got into the town. As they got in, villagers came out and started cleaning up the messes in front of their houses. Food carts were rolled over, stands were destroyed, and blood was smeared on walls. Sakura walked up to one of the villagers.
"Excuse me, but what happened here?" she asked in a hushed tone. The lady looked at her.
"You don't know?" she said in an old fragile voice. Sakura shook her head.
"Alright, I'll tell you, but keep it quiet." She said motioning the group to come in closer.
"In this town awhile back, things were fine–everyone was at peace, but that was until the Aqua and Pine gangs started fighting. Both gangs have ninja around 16-26 years of age. They both think they are the strongest shinobi in the land. Sadly, the Tsuchikage won't go against them. His son is in the Pine gang, and he doesn't want to go after him." The lady explained.
"So they have these battle royals out here, and they destroy things, and the Tsuchikage won't do anything cause his sons in the Pine gang?" Ami asked. The lady nodded, "His son is the leader, and he's only seventeen. The kage lets them run around the village fighting and destroying things. He doesn't even care for us villagers anymore."
The gang looked at each other. This will be harder then they thought.
"HIDE YOURSELVES! THEY HAVE RETURNED!" a male villager yelled running through the streets. People started screaming and ran into their homes.
"Come on! You don't want to be caught!" the lady said signaling the gang to follow her. Sakura shook her head.
"No, we're not letting these idiots run around this village." Sakura said looking down the street. The other girls got ready. Daisuke and Akira weren't sure about this…
A group of men were walking through the streets, wearing brown vest with a mountain on the back. The said group of men stopped a few feet in front of the girls, eyeing them. One man, who looked rather 'big' stepped out. He looked big, as in muscular, and fat. He had brown messy hair.
"What's a group of young woman and a little boy doing in a deserted street?" he asked smirking. They stared at him with disgust.
"I should be asking you the same thing. Why are you terrorizing this village?" Sakura retorted back. The man snorted.
"Who are you and what authority do you have to talk to us like that?" he said leaning in towards the group, hoping they would be intimidated. They didn't budge.
"None of your business, and I can do as I wish." Sakura fought back. He growled and raised his hand.
"Why you!" he went to punch her, but she evaded his punch easily. She then jumped on his arm, and kicked him in the face, sending him flying back. She landed on the ground safely. The man was sent into a pack of garbage laying against the wall of a building. The rest of the gang was in aw, while the girls and Daisuke looked as if it was nothing new.
The man scrambled to his feet after getting kicked in the face. He looked at Sakura and growled. "Oh now your gunna get it." He stood up and took three steps.
"Daichi, don't move." A man from the back of the gang said. Daichi stopped moving, recognizing the voice. The rest of the Pine gang moved aside so he could walk in. Daichi bowed.
"I'm sorry Isuma-sama." He said bowing. The girls looked at the man walking through the crowd. He had short green hair and brown eyes. He had a light green shirt on, with a dark green jacket on top with the collar up. He also wore blue jeans.(Pic Under profile. I have also added pics of Ami, Kenji, Aoi and Hiroshi, the two twins and other people. Damnn I have a lot of OC's -.-) He walked right up to Sakura and eyed her. She glared back.
"Who are you?" he asked looming in on her. She didn't flinch.
"That's for me to know, and for you to find out." He glared at her, but then smirked.
"You got some spunk. I'll give you that. What business do you have here?"
"We wish to speak to the Tsuchikage."
"Oh, so you want to talk to my father?" the girls and Daisuke gawked. So this guy was the gang leader and the son of the Tsuchikage who's been causing this up roar?
"Yes, is that problem?" Sakura asked with a bit of venom in his voice. He smirked.
"Not a problem at all," he put his arm out for Sakura to grab, "In fact, I'll escort you myself."
Sakura rolled her eyes, "Keep dreaming." She then walked past him and through the Pine gang, followed by the girls and Daisuke. The gang was in awe as she rejected him. He just smirked at her back.
"Maybe she'll be the one to crack my father."
-
the gang reached the main office to the Tsuchikage's office. She gulped, "We ready for this?"
They shrugged as she sighed, "Alright then." She knocked on the door. A cranky voice yelled back.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" they all seemed a little startled by the rude reply.
"U-Uh we would like to ask for your assistance in an upcoming feud." There was a silence for a few seconds. The door opened violently, revealing a stressed out looking man. He looked to be in his 50's. he had green hair, just like Isuma, and blue eyes. They could really tell the resemblance between the two.
The Kage moved aside to let them in, "Come in."
They all proceeded inside with caution. The inside of the office was very messy and unkept. Papers were scattered everywhere. The Kage went and sat in his seat, locking his hands together, looking peaceful.
"State your case."
Sakura sighed, "Alright, well…" she began explaining the story. The girls took of their wigs as the story went on. The Tsuchikage listened inventively, nodding every once and while.
"…and so you see, we would ask for your countries aid, so we can take down Kenji once and for all." Sakura said proudly.
The Kage looked at them seriously. "No."
They all blinked, "Excuse me?!" Sakura asked surprised. He kept the same stoic expression on his face as before, "I said no."
"B-B-But why!?"
"My country is in its own crisis with these gangs fooling around, and I don't want to sacrifice my own men for the sake of saving Konoha. Our history is not one to be shared." He said still calm, but you could see he was getting angrier at the second.
"But sir, if you needed help, Konoha would-"
"–I don't care what Konoha would do! All I care about is my own men's wellbeing. Konoha is nothing but a village full of cheap and dirty ninja who don't follow the ninja way."
The girls were startled by his words. Sakura had gotten angry.
"What!?" she said slamming her hand down on the desk, "Konoha is a noble village who would help any village in need of assistance! We take pride into our missions and complete them fairly. I am the apprentice of the Hokage, and I see her busting her ass off to help the lives of others! You on the other hand, are nothing more then an angry man, who cares about no one's wellbeing! Your village is a mess, and villagers are getting attacked because of this gang problem! Kenji is a strong force, out to kill many! If we don't stop him, then who knows what he'll do! We need to stop him, and you're afraid of maybe losing one or two men? We have every other strong shinobi country on our side, WILLINGLY. They choose to join up with us for the same purpose, that being to save us all!" Sakura said, making a big speech. "Loosing a few shinobi-"
"a few? This is all out war your talking about here! I've already lost my wife and my two daughters to enemy ninja!"
Everyone's eyes widened. They could see the pain the kage was feeling, "I don't want to loose anyone else. All I have left is my son, and he is turning into a rebel! I can't take any of this anymore." He said angry. He got up from his seat and was making his way to the door.
"Wait." Sakura called to him. He turned around.
"What?"
"I…" she couldn't think of what to say.
He looked at her and then turned around, "That's what I thought." And with that, he left the office. The rest of the gang turned to Sakura.
"So what do we do now?"
-
Sakura stared out the window of the hotel room they rented. It was pouring buckets and the rain droplets were hitting the window pane like it was nothing. She sighed. Ever since today's episode with the Tsuchikage, she hadn't talked much at all. Everyone else was a little worried.
"Saaaaakkkkkkuuuuu! Come eat! We made your favorite!" Ino said happily. Sakura didn't reply for ten seconds, "I'm fine thanks."
The rain let up. Sakura got up and headed for the door.
"I'm going for a walk. I'll be back later."
Everyone just stared at the door with a gloomy expression.
"She's t-taking this rather bad." Hinata said. They all nodded.
Ino started eating the food she made, "It's because of what the Tsuchikage said. It reminds her to much of Naruto and Sasuke."
They all looked at Ino, "What?" Tenten said. Ino gulped.
"When she joined team 7, she really was the only one with a family. Naruto never knew his parents, and Sasuke's died during the Uchiha massacre." Akira and Daisuke looked down once Ino mentioned the massacre. Ino continued talking, "Sakura on the other hand has a family. Though saying this, she felt for Naruto and Sasuke, and now that the Tsuchikage said what he did about his family, she feels bad."
Everyone looked away. Ino continued eating and speaking, "she also feels bad because she didn't get the Tsuchikage to agree. She takes her missions seriously, and now that he didn't agree, she feels like she's failed."
"But we all feel that way." Tenten said. Ino shrugged, "well it's Sakura. She takes everything seriously these days. She's changed a lot. She's taken charge and she's not her old self." Everyone nodded.
"She'll come around, I hope."
-
Sakura walked through the wet streets, seeing as the rain had just subsided. She kept walking through the dark streets, keeping her gaze low. She then sneezed.
Someone's talking about me.
She figured it was the rest of the gang. She shrugged it off and continued walking.
After going around one more block, she stopped, "You can stop following me now."
For awhile, she felt like she was being followed. The person was around the corner. The said person came around the corner and smirked.
"And what are you doing out this late?"
"What do you want Isuma?" Sakura said rudely to the leader of the Pine gang. He just kept smirking.
"Nothing really." He put his hands behind his head and started walking to Sakura, "You look odd. Did something my father said make you this way?"
He stopped in front of her. She didn't know if she should start talking to this guy, but she did anyway, "Yes."
"Oh, what did he say?"
"Why are you in this gang and being such a nuisance?" she asked changing the subject. Isuma sighed. He started walking and passing Sakura.
"You changed the subject, and you didn't get your facts straight." He said still walking.
"Follow me." He commanded her. Sakura raised an eyebrow, "And why should I?"
He stopped and turned around. "Because maybe you'll change your mind about me."
Sakura followed her gut instinct and followed Isuma. They headed through the back streets of the village. It was making Sakura suspicious. The backstreets were pretty much the "Ghetto" of the village. It was very run down and poverty stricken.
Isuma stopped in front of a small house, "We're here."
He opened the door and went in. Sakura stood there. After not going in, Isuma came back out.
"Are you coming?"
"How do I know you won't attack or rape me or something?"
"Psh, do I look like someone who'd do something like that?"
"I hardly know you."
"Whatever just take a look for yourself." He said going in. Sakura thought for a second, but then went inside. Once inside she looked around and was quite surprised by what she saw. It looked to be a foster home, for young children. Little kids flawed the Isuma when they entered.
"So…what's the deal here?"
"We don't fight with the other gang just for the sake of fighting. We fight for this land. This land is a poverty ridden area. These kids," He said pointing out to all the kids in the room, "live here. The Aqua team is trying to take over this land, and wipe them out. We won't stand for it. Everyone thinks were out to fight for the sake of it, yet were just fighting for these kids rights." Isuma said picking up a little girl. The little girl had an adorable face, but she looked very thin from the lack of malnourishment. she hugged Isuma tightly.
"Isuma! You came!" she said happily. Sakura was surprised by all of this. They seemed like a pack of wild gang members, but truly, they were fighting for a good cause.
"Yes, I came." He said smiling at the girl. The little girl looked at Sakura.
"Who's that?" she asked rather out of the blue. Isuma looked at Sakura.
"She is…" he didn't know her name. He looked at her, "Rin. My name is Rin, but you can call me Sakura if you want." She said smiling at the little girl. The little girl looked at Sakura more closely.
"She's pretty, but not as pretty as Renee-chan was!" she said. Sakura didn't know if she should take it as an insult or not. Isuma laughed, "Ha ha very funny. Why don't you go play with your brothers and sisters?" He said putting her down. She waved goodbye and ran away. Sakura wondered who this Renee person was.
"Renee was my mother. She used to look after these kids." Isuma said as he was digging down in his jacket. He pulled out a picture of his family. Sakura looked. She had to agree with the little girl, Renee was very beautiful. Same goes for the two daughters. In the picture, they looked like a happy family. It looked like it was taken not too long ago. Sakura looked down.
"Your father said your mother and sisters died." She said in a low voice. Isuma nodded slowly.
"How long ago was that?"
Isuma looked at the picture, "Not too long ago. About a month ago. The three of them cared a lot about these kids. They were killed by someone who we believe was in the Aqua gang." Isuma clutched his fist with the picture in his hands.
"After their death, my father wasn't his old self. He doesn't even care what happens anymore. He doesn't listen to me when I tell him the Pine gang isn't fighting for the reason for just fighting. I try to tell him I'm doing this for these kids, but he just ignores it. He's afraid of losing more people now. As much as he tells me to stop being in this gang, I don't listen. I know he means well, but I'm doing it for the kids. My mom cared a lot for these kids, and I'm following in her footsteps. My father is to busy mourning their deaths still to care what goes on in this village."
Sakura's eyes widened. Everything made sense now! He was afraid of loosing more people because of this incident.
"So now I have the whole village hating us, even though they don't know our real reason for our fights." He said looking out a window. Sakura felt for him. Originally, the vibe she got from this guy wasn't so great, but then again, you can't judge a book by its cover. He was really a softy on the inside. She looked at him.
"I'm sorry." She said. He looked at her, "I don't need your pity."
"I know, but I'm still sorry."
"Don't be. But I'm sorry for whatever my father said. What did you ask him anyway?" Sakura cringed.
"Uh…" before she could really say her excuse for not telling him what she asked his father, someone came flying through the door.
"ISUMA-SAMA!" someone yelled running in. Sakura recognized him as the guy from earlier, Daichi. Daichi started panting, putting his hands on his knees. He then looked up and saw Sakura. He raised an eyebrow, but pushed it aside to focus on Isuma.
"Aqua –breath- they have –breath- your father."
-
"What do you mean they have my father?!" Isuma said as Sakura, Daichi and himself ran through the streets of rock. Isuma was beyond mad right now.
"We don't really know. Probably to get to you." Daichi said as he followed after Isuma. Isuma growled and continued running. They were heading to town square. Daichi said the Aqua gang was to meet him there, to 'negotiate'. Something puzzled Sakura.
"Hey, isn't it weird that your father, the Tsuchikage, being the strongest man in all of Earth country be taken in so easily? He should have been able to take those guys out easily!" Sakura said. Isuma looked at her, and then looked ahead as they continued running.
"Ever since my mother and sisters died, he won't fight anymore. He refuses to." Sakura nodded and continued running.
After running for sometime, they came to the main town square. There, were a few men with Aqua blue vest on, with a lake on the back. Sakura realized it was the Aqua gang. The main leader, had Aqua blue hair and amber eyes. He looked roughly the same age as Isuma. Isuma stopped running, until he was a few feet in front of the leader. Sakura and Daichi came behind Isuma. The blue hair man looked at all three of them.
"What do you want ? Why did you take my father?!" Isuma asked angrily. Seito chuckled and looked at Sakura.
"Getting girls now to join your pathetic little gang? She's quiet the babe if I must say." Seito said looking seductively at Sakura. Sakura stared at him in disgust. She raised a fist, ready to retort back, but Isuma stopped her. He stood in front of her, with his right hand out in a defensive manor.
"She's got nothing to do with this Seito. Now, where is my father?!" Isuma yelled. Seito chuckled. He made a hand motion that moved his gang aside. He moved to the side as well.
"Right there." He said pointing to the flag pole in the middle of the square. Sakura, Isuma and Daichi gasped. The Tsuchikage looked very hopeless and defeated. Isuma growled
"Let him go or else." He said pulling out a few kunai. The whole aqua gang chuckled.
"What? You, the beast?" Seito said referring to Daichi who growled, "And the girl think you can-" he couldn't finish his sentence. A kunai just whistled past him, cutting his cheek open. He didn't even see it coming. He had a petrified look on his face. He looked at Sakura, who had a triumphant smile on her face. She stepped forward cracking her knuckles.
"This Girl is going to show you what pain truly feels like."
She then ran right at the Aqua gang, with her eight kunai's ready. Once close enough she threw all eight kunai's at them–six of the eight kunai hit their targets. Then she jumped in the air, aiming a flying kick at one of the aqua members. She kicked him in the face. She then landed in the middle of the group of Aqua gang members. All the members close to her, pounced on her.
POOF!
It was a clone. Isuma looked impressed.
'a clone eh? Why didn't I think of that earlier? Maybe I'll use it later.'
"Looking for me?" she said behind the gang of men, right next to the Tsuchikage, who looked stunned. Sakura punched the ground, making a big creator, causing many gang members to fall in. everyone looked stunned. Daichi, looked at Sakura with a big grin on his face. He walked up to the gang in the front. He chuckled.
"That girl is no pushover, and neither am I!" he ran into the crowd of Aqua gang members roaring. Isuma stood there, until he heard the roars of a group of people. He then turned around and saw the rest of his gang. They looked at him happily.
"Lets finish this once and for all." One of them said. Isuma nodded. They all ran into the Aqua gang, attacking them. Isuma went after Seito. Sakura, noticed the arrival of the rest of the gang, so she went to the Tsuchikage and started untying him.
"No, leave me." He said to her. She raised an eyebrow.
"Uh why?"
"I am not needed in this life no more. I cant live with myself any longer." He said hopelessly. Sakura fumed.
"What? Are you crazy? Do you not see the life you have in front of you?! Sure, you've lost loved ones, but we all do. Even though they died, their deaths shouldn't make us mournful; they should make us strong, and more determined to accomplish more. Sir, you are the Tsuchikage, a powerful and noble leader! Many people depend on you and ask for your guidance. I know you still mourn your wife and daughters deaths, but they would not like to see you like this, quitting and giving up! They would want you to continue being the noble person you are! You have an amazing son left, and you are all he has left. He's fighting for a good cause, but your to stuck on what happened in the past, to care for what he's doing, or to even support it! The village is against him and I don't think its right, and I'm sure your wife and daughters wouldn't like it either. Stop living in the past, full of loss and hopelessness, and look to the future, which could turn out to be bright. So I'm asking you, is it worth dying for?"
Sakura stared at the Kage after her long speech. He hadn't moved since she said what she did.
"Free me."
Sakura smirked. What she said got to him. He cut the ropes that held him against the pole. Once cut, he slowly rose up and rubbed his wrist. He then looked out at the fight. He started muttering some jutsu that Sakura couldn't make out. He did a few hand signs. He looked back at Sakura with a smirk on his face.
"This is a special trick of mine."
Roots came out from the ground, capturing all Aqua ninja. The bind was tight on the Aqua members, as they started crying out for help. The Pine gang members started cheering. Sakura and the kage looked out for Isuma, but he was no where to be seen.
"Where's-"
"He's right here, ready to die." A voice said from a rooftop. They all looked up, and there was Seito, with a kunai to Isuma's neck. Everyone gasped.
"LET HIM GO!" the kage yelled. Seito chuckled, "No, you took my family members lives during war, and now then I shall take the lives of everyone important to you."
The Kage growled, "You were the one to kill my wife and daughters?"
Seito grinned, "Yes, it was me, and now I shall take your sons life too!"
the kage was livid. He looked ready to attack, but Sakura stopped him.
"No, don't." she said putting her arm out in front of him to stop him. The kage looked at her like she was crazy.
"What are you-"
"Lets just reason with him." Sakura said winking. The kage looked dumbfounded at first, but then understood. They both turned up to the roof of the building.
"Alright, what do you want in return, for Isuma?" Sakura asked. Seito smirked, "Nothing. I just want to make the kage feel pain! The pain he made me feel for the past twenty years of my life!" he said as lifted his hand, ready to dig the kunai into Isuma's neck.
"WAIT! You have to move on! We all make mistakes-"
"His mistake was messing with me! Now his son shall die!" his hand lowered at a fast rate. He drove the kunai into Isuma's body.
POOF!
"What?! A clone?" Seito said annoyed.
"You should really stop thinking about revenge; it will get you no where." The real Isuma said from behind, with a katana in hand. Seito quivered. He shrunk to the ground.
"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" he pleaded. Isuma sighed, "I won't kill you." Seito breathed a sigh of relief, "but I don't know if Daichi wont."
Seito cringed. He heard the sound of cracking knuckles behind him. He turned around, and there was Daichi, cracking his knuckles with a smile on his face.
"No one calls me a beast and gets away with it."
-
"So, we'll see you in a few months or so?"
She nodded and then bowed, "Yes, thank you for agreeing to help us defeat Kenji."
At the gates, was the newly revitalized Tsuchikage, Isuma and the rest of the pine gang, as well as some little children. The girls were making their leave.
The kage smiled, "It's the least I can do, after all you did. I really owe you a lot."
Sakura shook her head, "No, its okay. truly, it was all your son's doing."
Isuma put his hand behind his head and scratched his back, "Ah, you're to kind."
Sakura chuckled, "Like father, like son." She said with a big smile on her face. The kage put an arm around his son.
Hinata jumped into the conversation, "S-So what's going t-to happen to all t-these kids?"
"We're going to start rebuilding homes for them, and let them have the lives they deserve."
"W-what happened to the rest of the A-Aqua gang?"
"We disposed of them. Daichi finished off Seito as well."
Sakura smiled, "That's good to hear. Well, we'll be off. Goodbye!" she said bidding farewell as they left the town. They all waved goodbye and started on their way. The kage watched as they walked away, smiling.
"The future looks bright in the hands of those girls."
-
"So we're off to the village of light?" Ami asked, Hinata nodded, "Y-yeah. I wonder what's going to h-h-happen there." Tenten raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, this is where we're originally from, I mean this is all going by so fast. Yesterday, it felt like we just started training, and today, we got the last leader of the great five shinobi nations to join us. It's too surreal."
They all nodded in agreement, "Yeah, you got a point there." Ino said. She then put a finger on her bottom lip.
"But think about it, do you think we'll get the royal treatment or something? Like will the villagers know who we are? What happens if they attack us? What happens if-" she was cut off by a small rock flying at her which came from Daisuke. She turned to him.
"HEY WHATS THE DEAL!?"
"You talk too much and think too hard."
Everyone else laughed at Ino fumed, "Why you little-"
"AHH!" Daisuke ran for his life, while Ino chased after him. Everyone started laughing at the two. Sakura stopped laughing and looked over the horizon.
"We did it."
-
Noises of chairs shuffling were loud and evident in a secluded room. It was a small dark room, but an array of sunlight came through the small little window. A table was set in the middle of the room, with three chairs.
"Are they ready Yugi?" an old woman's voice asked. Yugi chuckled.
"It's now or never. They're all a little rough around the edges, but they haven't had much time to train."
There was a silence, "Do you think they're strong enough to beat Kenji?" an older male's voice asked. Yugi was silent for a moment.
"Yes."
"How can we be sure?" the woman's voice asked again. Yugi leaned back in his chair, "Shall we put them to a test?"
The two figures, one a man and one a woman, leaned in closer, "The test being?"
"You know the problem this village has right now. Let them end the terror they have ensued on this village. Let them win the affection of the people. Let them raise to the occasion."
Both the male and female looked at each other.
"Alright, but they only have one chance to win it, or to lose it. They better be ready."
Yugi chuckled, "Oh, they will be ready."
-
Dave Chappelle is a monster,
A BOOGYMONSTER!
Of great comedy. Check him out.
Onto this fic… I liked this chapter. x) t'was cute.
Review, yeah?
Shellzonfire!