Disclaimer: Hmm, well considering these strange men dressed in black keep showing up at my house with offers to join their secret organization if i just tell you that i dont own Naruto, i obviously don't own Naruto! (plus if i did own naruto, no one would know until suddenly one day, yaoi started appearing in the episodes...just saying)
A/N- sorry it took me so long to update! I got sidetracked with school, a novella i wrote for english class (six page essay or 106 page novella- i chose the easy one) and everything else that was going on...plus extreme writers block everytime i looked at the chapter. But, here it is! FINALLY! so i hope you enjoy! (i need to go take a long, long nap now.)
It was gone. The gnawing, sharp presence in his mind- gone. Cautiously, he lifted his arm, staring in wonder, as he was able to move his hand by himself. No longer was he a prisoner of his own mind, trapped and unable to do anything as he was forced to hurt those he cared about. He was free!
"Shino?" Naruto stepped towards him, as Sakura finished freeing Gaara. He could turn his head, could look at them without knowing he was about to hurt them. His eyes widened as he focused on his captor, lying still across the room. But what if he woke up? Would he just regain his control over him?
"Leave him to me." Sakura instructed, following his line of sight. The pink haired girl picked up one of the collars that he had blocked Naruto and Gaara's chakra with, sliding it onto Jira and sealing it. "We'll leave him here. A little present for Moon."
He looked up to where Kiba was still seated, straddling his waist, watching him intently. Shino reached out, threading his fingers with Kiba's holding tight with the reassurance that he could.
"We need to find the others." Sakura announced quietly, as though not wanting to interrupt.
"The others?" Naruto repeated. "What do you mean the others? Sakura," Naruto paused, thinking hard. "How did you get here?"
None of them had questioned her presence, even though she had not been travelling with them originally. How had she come to join them? Had she not been out on a mission when they had left?
"Sakura showed up with the second group." Kiba grinned wolfishly, but even still, it appeared strained. "Konoha sent us reinforcements." Reinforcements?
"We should find the others." Sakura repeated, ignoring Naruto's questions about who else was there. Shino nodded, slowly sitting up, until Kiba was resting in his lap. The younger ninja leaned forwards suddenly, tugging him into a tight hug. He had a feeling that this was something that would take them both a long time to recover from.
He returned the hug, barely noticing as Naruto, Gaara and Sakura stepped further away, giving them space. His fingers tightened, holding onto the cool material of Kiba's clothing like a lifeline.
"Shino." Warm breath was puffed against his neck, followed by a sharp bite. He started slightly as Kiba's canines sank into his pale flesh, before he soothed the mark with his mouth. "You're mine." The Inuzuka explained softly so the others could not hear.
He nodded, regretfully letting Kiba pull away, so they could both stand. The other three emerged from a small side room that had gone unnoticed in the excitement, Gaara with his gourd safely strapped to his back and Naruto hiding various weapons in his armour.
"By the way," Kiba leaned over to whisper as they headed for the stairs. "When this is all over, we need to talk about getting a place together." He smirked at Shino's confused look. "I'm going to need to keep an eye on you." The humour was taken out of his voice by the serious look in his eyes.
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It had been a trap. A series of ninja lying in wait with the advantage of knowing their surroundings on their side. Kakashi-sensei had been the first to sense them, giving them enough time to prepare before the attack came. Now they were fighting tooth and nail to gain any ground.
A group of enemy nin blocked the hall, blocked their paths. Kakashi-sensei had pulled ahead slightly, taking out the stronger ninja and leaving the rest to herself and Shikamaru.
Ino took out her frustration on the nearest enemy, kunai slicing through uniform and flesh, they were outnumbered by far, but the numbers were rapidly decreasing. The blonde woman jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding an attack and in return, taking out the ninja that had just attacked her.
Something bumped into her from behind, but she didn't react to it, recognizing the presence right away as Shikamaru. They fought back to back, clearing a circle around them. At the last moment, Ino flipped herself over Shikamaru's shoulders, taking on the enemy nin in front of him while he spun around and took down four more of the nin she had been fighting.
"Kakashi-sensei!" She called out, trying to find out what the plan was, if there was one. The silver haired Jounin didn't reply, knocking down another wave of attackers in a burst of chakra.
She was so fed up with these people, at this point her only wish was to get at least one chance to fight Moon. She tended to take personal offence when someone went after her friends; this was no different.
A kunai sliced her arm, but she countered quickly, sinking her own kunai into the enemy's chest even as she was reaching for another one. Where were all these ninja coming from? It was like they were in endless supply. Something crossed her mind suddenly, causing her to falter. They were trying to delay them in reaching their friends; and Moon.
"Ino!" The blonde ninja raised her defence too late. Something grabbed her around the waist, pulling her out of the way just in time as the attack nearly hit her. Shikamaru landed behind the crowd of ninja, hands wrapped snugly around her waist, her head pressed into his neck as he scanned the small clearing he had made for any sign of immediate attack. Luckily or unluckily, it appeared that with the disappearance of those two, they had turned their attention towards Kakashi-sensei.
"Thanks Shika." She murmured, pulling back slightly. Brown eyes locked on hers, concern and worry shining through them, along with something else; it took her a moment to identify it. Ino's eyes widened as she realized what the emotion was, opening her mouth to say something, anything before the battle around them could catch up to them and break the moment.
"Shika- I…" She began, hoping he could tell what she was trying to say, as she pulled away suddenly, kunai out, blocking the attack of the enemy nin that had finally taken notice of them.
The blonde woman allowed herself to glance back over at her friend, fighting a few feet away, only to catch his eye. A small smile snuck across his lips that she could already feel herself mimicking as he nodded then went back to the fight at hand.
Ino grinned, the grin turning into a smirk as she channelled this new energy she could feel flowing through her towards the enemy.
Kakashi cast her a surprised glance as she made her way through the crowd, knocking enemy nin down as she went. She felt revitalized, like the scratches that littered her body and the weariness was no longer in her muscles. She had the ultimate weapon on her side; the knowledge that she had Shika.
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He had never fought a ninja such as Moon before; it proved to be a wondrous workout. She managed to block his every punch, kick, everything. It was beginning to tire him, loathe that he was to admit it. It was time for a new strategy.
Iruka-sensei, Hinata and Sasuke had their hands tied, held back by the wall of enemy nin loyal to the woman he now fought. But he would prevail- for Konoha and for Gaara! He dodged as something whistled by his ear, hitting the wall behind. That had been close; he could not allow himself to fail.
"You're weaker than the rest of them." She informed him coolly.
"I believe I will be enough of a challenge for you." Lee smirked, tugging lightly on the wrappings on his arms. He lunged, feeling her shift to avoid the attack, lunged again, and feeling her side step. To defeat an enemy, you need to know them. Time to speed it up a little.
Her eyes widened as Lee's speed suddenly increased, fists flying faster and faster until she became focused on his fists, then he crouched suddenly, leg swiping out to knock her down in a move she only barely missed.
"Hmm, faster than I had thought." Lee inclined his head slightly, using the distraction to secure the weapon in his hand. Moon attacked, pushing him backwards as he raised his hands to block her. Each punch he met, each kick he gave equal back. Still, he could not shake the feeling that he was being tested; taunted.
Lee dropped his hands, allowing one of her punches to get through and feeling the air rush out of his lungs. She faltered, apparently not expecting that. Lee took the opportunity, sliding the shuriken into his palm and throwing it.
She stared at him in surprise, raising slender fingers to feel the blood dripping from the shallow cut on her cheek. On instincts alone, she had managed to dodge the worst of it. Then her eyes narrowed in anger, the previous amusement gone.
"I will not allow you to do that again." Moon's hands flashed through a series of hand signs even as Lee darted forwards to stop her.
The ground underneath him shook, enough to cause him to stumble slightly as he searched for the cause. Thick rock walls rose up around him, his eyes widening as he searched for an exit.
Lee leaped backwards, pushing off of one of the walls to push himself higher to the top of the rock and off. He came crashing back down to the earth as something wrapped around his leg, hard, bringing with it suffocating memories of a coffin of sand.
He kicked out, breaking off the rock on his leg, as the light was block out and the rock walls closed in on him, pressing closer and closer, intent on crushing him.
Then they stopped. Lee cautiously opened his closed eyes to stare at the rock wall inches from his face. What was she doing when she had the chance to finish him? Taunting him further with his inability to escape?
Hesitantly, he reached out, testing to see if he could break through the wall on his own and pulled his hand back immediately, startled. The rock felt wrong, it felt- grainy…like…sand.
The rock walls imprisoning him crumbled suddenly in a cloud of dust that had him holding his breath as he scrambled away, to safety. Through the dust, the sound of whistling grew louder, until he could see thousands of little daggers made of rock, hurtling his way. The barrier made of sand that rose up to cover him didn't even surprise him this time as he sent a warm smile to the ninja standing next to him.
"Gaara." Teal eyes glanced briefly down to him, silently asking if he was alright. "I am fine, thanks to you." The red haired ninja nodded, offering him a hand to his feet. Lee accepted, clasping their hands together and not quite letting go once they were standing.
"I'm glad you are unharmed." Gaara offered silently, pulling his hand back in an almost regretful manor and letting the sand in front of them drop.
Moon glowered at them, stalking forwards, the earth around her forming two swords in her hands.
"Now, now, I was planning on selling you to the highest bidder; however now I believe I will have to kill you just like your friends." Lee smirked, feet spread, one hand held in front of him, as a similar smirk was spread across Gaara's face.
They wouldn't be that easy to get rid of.
Gaara struck out with his sand, giving Lee the distraction he needed to get close, fighting with everything he had, punching and kicking. Moon lunged out to fight back but was instantly blocked by a wall of sand.
And then suddenly, there was another set of hands next to his.
Sakura's fist connected with the woman's face, sending her tumbling backwards and to the ground. The pink haired ninja spared him a grin, before going in for round two. Moon was no longer on the ground. Lee whipped around at the cry of warning from across the room.
His fist was caught in Moon's hand, held in a crushing grip. He grunted, trying to free his hand, while continuing his assault on the woman with the other. Sakura appeared behind Moon, only for the woman to lash out with her remaining hand, hitting Sakura and sending her tumbling across the room, where she lay still on the ground.
"Sakura!" He called out, fear for his friend spurring him on as he renewed his attack. Moon snarled, releasing his fist suddenly and moving herself a safe distance away. Lee glanced after her in confusion, eyes widening as he spotted the sand trailing after her and falling from her clothes.
He turned, sending a grin to Gaara, the grin fading as the earth seemed to rise up around the other ninja, concealing him from sight.
"There, I do believe that should keep him for now." Moon brushed her hands off, turning and paying no attention to Lee. He felt his blood boil, with worry for Gaara and sheer rage at the woman.
"Lee," A hand on his shoulder stopped him from going after her. "Help Gaara, I'll deal with her." The blonde shot him a reassuring smirk, turning to watch Moon as she made her way through the battle without a care. There was something murderous in the blue eyes he realized.
Lee nodded, turning and hurrying over to the stone coffin, leaving Naruto to try.
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Their eyes met across the room and suddenly they were twelve again, side by side, ready to take on whatever challenges arose. He smirked at the images, seeing Sasuke mimic the movement. God, he had missed it. He had his friend back, he had his Sasuke back. Then Sasuke was pushed back by a wave of enemy nin, disappearing from his line of sight.
Blue eyes travelled over to the woman in the center of the room- this bitch wasn't going to take anyone away from him.
Naruto lunged forwards, seeing an opening and taking it. Blurred movement to his left had him dodging an attack, knocking the person out with ease and continuing on.
Moon looked up, at the last moment sensing him and knocking Hinata away. The kunai felt hot in his hand, a fistful of shuriken concealed behind his back. She dodged the first swipe of his kunai, bringing her arm up to knock it out of his hand. Naruto pushed himself backwards out of her reach, throwing the shuriken.
Moon brushed them off without a second thought, but it was what he had been waiting for; his clone disappeared in a burst of smoke as he kicked out, connecting solidly with the woman's back. She grunted from the impact, but otherwise did not move.
Naruto cursed as the ground shifted underneath him suddenly, the floor moving, changing and rising up. He tried to move, to get back to a safe distance but the earth had already covered his foot.
"I'll concede that you're more difficult to get rid of than others." Moon reached out tapping him lightly on the shoulder, leaving him paralyzed and the rock reaching his waist. "Now, call out to him." She leaned forwards to whisper in his ear like they were sharing a secret. "I want him to watch while I kill you."
"Naruto!" She smirked, training her attention to where the Uchiha was attempting to get to them, the closest thing to panic on his face that Naruto had ever seen. However, Moon had made a mistake.
Naruto pulled his head back, slamming it forwards to connect with the woman's skull. She stumbled backwards and away from him, clutching her head.
"Never underestimate me!" Naruto growled, regaining the ability to move his limbs. He focused his chakra to his legs, kicking out and shattering the rock. She thought she could use him against Sasuke? Naruto saw red, reaching into his pouch for a kunai. They weren't twelve anymore- he was stronger.
Moon barely had time to block the attack, a sword of stone forming in her hands. The two blades met, clashing as both tried to use their strength to gain the upper hand. Naruto smirked, pushing harder, feeling the stone begin to chip away under his own blade. Moon pulled back one of her hands, another blade forming in it as she swung, attempting to catch Naruto off guard.
The blonde ninja jumped back, feeling the stone blade nip his armour as he did so. He smirked, hands coming together to form the hand signs and suddenly the room was filled with hundreds of Naruto's.
"That's your plan?" Moon hissed, blades cutting through his clones as though they weren't even there. "Cheap tricks and running away? I can tell which one you are."
"Has anyone ever told you, you talk too much?" One of the Naruto's snarled, appearing from the crowd. His kunai met her sword, the blades clashing once again.
"The same could be said for you." Another Naruto appeared and Moon had just enough time to raise her other sword before the kunai was swept down.
"Two of you?" She glared at the pair of blondes in front of her.
"Not quite." The first one grinned, showing off a set of sharp fang like teeth. The images dropped revealing Kiba and Shino instead of Naruto.
"So the puppet returns." Moon smirked at Shino, gaining the upper hand and tossing the two of them across the room. "So, where's the real one then?"
"Right here." This time his fist connected with her stomach, as she doubled over slightly with an 'oof' and then disappeared in a cloud of smoke. "A clone?" Naruto backed up, wary as he searched the area for the real one.
"Naruto, behind you!" Naruto spun around at Sasuke's yell, eyes widening at the wall of thin stone senbon's headed straight for him. "Naruto!"
His eyes squeezed shut as he braced himself. The pain never came. He opened his eyes cautiously, then in horror as he realized what had happened.
"Iruka-sensei?" He asked quietly, disbelievingly as his former teacher stood in front of him, pained gaze on his face, before offering a slight smile. Naruto forced his limbs to move as the tanned chunnin collapsed, catching him before he could hit the floor. This wasn't happening, not again. "Iruka!"
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The sense of dread was creeping over him, even as his puppets finished off the remaining nin in the hall. They needed to be somewhere fast. Kankuro glanced first to where his sister was still clutching her fan as though they were about to be attacked, and then to Gai who for once didn't wear one of his demented grins or smirks. In all honesty, the frown on the green giants face worried him more than anything else.
"Come on." Kankuro said urgently, collecting his puppets and moving swiftly down the hallway. He knew Temari and Gai would be right behind him; they had the same feeling twisting inside of them.
If he hadn't been on edge so much, he probably would have missed his sisters whispered 'we're not going to make it'. As it were, he did and the horrible thing was he couldn't shake the feeling that she was right.
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Iruka winced, trying not to let the pain show to the person leaning over him. He couldn't let Naruto see. Each of the senbon in him sent shocks of pain every time he tried to move; tried to breathe. It had been a split second decision to step in front of Naruto when he noticed that the blonde wasn't moving. He would do it all over again if given the chance.
"Iruka-sensei?" There was something wet on his face, he realized sluggishly. Coming from the blue eyes above him; Naruto was crying- he hadn't wanted that.
"You don't…need to cry, Nar…to…" Iruka tried to raise a hand to wipe away the tears, only to discover that he could only lift his hands slightly. It frustrated him. Naruto reached out, gripping one of his hands tightly.
"Why, why did you do that?" Naruto's voice broke as he shifted Iruka in his lap.
"Because…," Iruka winced as another bolt of pain shot through him. His body felt so heavy and everything was slowly fading away. He probably should have been worried, but at the moment, he couldn't find the energy to be. "You are my…friend and…my…family."
"And that makes it alright?" Naruto choked back a sob above him. "Just hold on, we'll get you patched up!" His eyes slipped closed as Naruto turned his attention to someone near by. "Wake Sakura up- where the hell is Ino? Shino, is there anything you can do?"
There was something he needed to say, something important. Iruka forced his eyes open, finding it rather difficult to focus on the person above him.
"Naruto," He tried to squeeze on the hand to catch the blonde's attention. Instantly, blue eyes were trained on him again. "I need…I need to tell…"
"You'll be fine." Naruto squeezed his hand reassuringly, voice dropped in a comforting manor. Iruka shook his head, raising his voice slightly.
"Tell Kakashi- I…I didn't mean to…leave him…alone…I didn't mean…to…leave either of you…alone…"
"Tell him yourself." Naruto insisted, desperate. Iruka twisted his head slightly, taking in how they had not been attacked in their prone position. Around them, a circle stood; Sasuke, Lee, Gaara, Shino, Kiba and Hinata, keeping them safe, standing guard. A rush of pride surged through him as he tilted his head to smile lightly at Naruto. He wanted to tell him how proud he was of him, of them all. Instead his eyes slipped closed, too exhausted to say anything. Even as Naruto yelled and shouted, and shook him. He would tell him when he woke up. He would see Kakashi.
"Ruka?"
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