D1: Alright next chapter (biggest one yet!). Parts of this chapter were inspired by call015's review. Helm, full ahead to chapter 6.
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Chapter 6 – Ghosts in the past and present
The Konoha twelve with their Senseis and the sand trio stood before Tsunade and Shizune in the HQ tent.
"The sound four's reappearance has throw an unexpected wrench into our works. Each member on their own is a force to be reckoned with. We must remove them before they can cause more damage. Naruto has already taken care of Kidomaru. That only leaves Tayuya, Jirobo and Sakon and Ukon to be dealt with."
Lee raised his hand, "lady Tsunade. If I may."
Tsunade nodded her approval for Lee to speak.
"There was another member of the sound four. The one with the ability to manipulate his bones. Kimimaro."
"Well noted my youthful student," Gai said proudly.
"Yes, well noted." Tsunade agreed, "Since there are ninja here who have fought the sound four before, they will be charged with assembling teams to take out the enemy have fought previously. You may choose anyone who is best suited to deal with their selected enemy's skills."
Shikamaru groaned, Choji gulped and Kiba shuddered.
"As we don't know if Kimimaro has been revived, Lee will also assemble a team," Tsunade continued, "Shikamaru, Kiba, Choji, Lee; I will expect a report as to your choice of team-mates before you are deployed. Remember that the sound four said they have been enhanced by Orochimaru, so be on your guard. Dismissed."
The Shinobi and Kunoichi filled out of the tent and dispersed, going back to their various duties.
"Your first command my youthful student," Gai bellowed as he and lee walked away, "this is a momentous day!"
"I will not disappoint you Gai-Sensei!" Lee yelled back.
Naruto groaned as he and Sasuke went looking for food.
"I hope I'm not on his team," Sasuke muttered as the pair reached the mess tent.
"Same here," Naruto agreed.
After Sasuke and Naruto had gotten food they found an out of the way spot to eat.
"Hey Sasuke," Naruto said around a mouthful of food, "what actually happened in the valley of the end during our second fight?"
Sasuke stopped eating, "you don't remember?"
Naruto shook his head, "the fox took control so I don't know what happened."
"The simple version is you went three tails and beat the hell out of me."
They fell silent again, Naruto's guilt stopping him eating. Sasuke noted his expression.
"In hindsight, I think I needed some sense beaten into me," he gave Naruto a small smile.
Naruto's face brightened slightly and he started eating again. Sasuke looked up into the pale sky as he finished his meagre rations.
"Once I'd healed, Tsunade tossed me in a cell and threatened me with punishments beyond imagination." Sasuke continued, "Many involving letting the villagers loose on me, as you can understand after my desertion I wasn't best popular. But she eventually decided just to let the Konoha twelve minus you at me."
Sasuke shuddered.
"I've never known Sakura to yell so loud. But Lee was by far the worst, if I heard 'youth' on more time I would have screamed."
Sasuke stopped talking and looked back down as he heard someone walking towards them. Shikamaru was standing before them.
"I've started to assemble my team," he told Sasuke and Naruto, "and you're with me Sasuke."
Sasuke nodded in reply, Shikamaru turned to Naruto.
"Just a friendly warning, Lee is thinking about putting you on his team."
Naruto groaned, "Well, at least you escaped Sasuke."
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Hiashi entered the council room of the Hyuuga compound and shut the door behind him. He saw the council had already assembled as he sat in front of them.
"Hiashi," the elderly head of the council wheezed, "it has come to our attention that your eldest is perusing a relationship not of your choosing."
"That is true," Hiashi answered.
"We have also heard that the relationship is with the nine-tails. Is that also true?" the woman next to the elderly Hyuuga asked.
"Yes it is."
"How could you allow the Hyuuga name to be connected with that monster?!" another member of the council demanded.
"Hinata's actions are beyond my control. She has threatened that if she is not allowed to peruse her relationship then the Hyuuga main branch ends with her."
"But you have another daughter; she could carry on the bloodline," the female council member voiced.
"And break with almost three hundred years of tradition," the eldest choked, "only the eldest may carry on the family line."
"What about the branch child? Neji," the last member asked.
"Are you determined to undermine the traditions of this house?!" the old man yelled.
Hiashi remained silent as the council continued to argue.
"Enough!" the leader silenced the rest of the council before turning to Hiashi, "what is the state of the connection between your daughter and the demon."
"They are close," Hiashi answered curtly, "and he has stated that he will protect Hinata with his life."
"We cannot allow the relationship to continue. We will not allow an outsider, let alone that monster, into the main branch. And if the pairing produces any offspring are born, we have no idea what effect the demon will have on them. The last thing we want is demons with the Byakugan," the female member of the council muttered.
"I believe there is only one course of action open to us," the council leader said in a grim voice, "we must bind her Byakugan and sever all ties with her. Then Hanabi will be your only daughter and rightful heir to the main branch."
Hiashi was shocked, true Hinata was in love with a monster in his eyes but she was still his daughter, but he was powerless against the Hyuuga council.
"You may leave Hiashi," the council leader said, breaking Hiashi's trance.
Hiashi stood, bowed and left the council rooms. He walked away down the corridor, unaware that Hinata was hidden in an alcove nearby. And she had heard every word.
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Tsunade put down Kiba's report on his team. He'd wasted on time on deciding who he would choose. Kankuro, Tenten and Ino. She had to admit it was an unusual combination but it made sense. Her thoughts were interrupted but Choji entering the tent.
"I have my team ready," he said as he handed her a sheet of paper.
"Good," Tsunade said, reading the report. She raised an eyebrow, "you've also got an odd combination."
"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune called as she appeared in the doorway, "Tayuya has been sighted. Shikamaru's team is already en route."
"Good. Have medical ninja on standby for their return."
At that exact moment Shikamaru, with Neji and Temari behind him, landed in a clearing to find the redheaded member of the sound four waiting for them.
"I've been wanting a rematch with you," she growled at Shikamaru.
The leaf Shinobi and sand Kunoichi fanned out, moving into their classic attack stances. Temari brandished her fan and Neji moved into the gentle fist stance. Tayuya planted her hand on the ground and in a puff of smoke her demon summons appeared. Shikamaru studied the demons as the smoke cleared.
Still three of them. Each still looks like the last time but they could have more hidden abilities.
Tayuya raised her flute to her lips as the pattern of her curse mark spread and the demons advanced. Temari looked at the nearest demon and swung her fan it. The monster howled as it was battered by the wind. Its howls continued after the wind died. Temari launched himself backwards as the demon lunged at her. Neji fired off a chakra blast into the demon that was bearing down on him. The monster shrugged off the chakra and raised both its hands over its head. Neji dodged the massive fists and backed away.
"What are these things?" he demanded.
"These are the demons the she controls with her flute," Shikamaru replied, "don't let them get too close."
"You don't need to gat close anymore!" Tayuya yelled and her tune changed.
A new combination. Shikamaru realised, "be ready for anything!"
The demons launched themselves to the edges of the clearing and air around them rippled as the new tune filled the air.
Tayuya paused for breath, "pyramidal wall of darkness!"
Shadows spread between the demons creating a barrier around the Konoha team. The wall spread upwards, forming a pyramid that shut out the sunlight. Shikamaru was caught off guard by something slamming into him and knocking him off his feet. Temari's fan was grabbed by hands made of the shadows and they tried to pull it from her, but she refused to let go.
"Is this genjutsu?" Temari asked.
"No, as far as I can tell, this is real," Neji replied.
The shadows parted to reveal Tayuya.
"Inside this pyramid, the shadows obey my every whim," the redhead said, then the darkness hid her again, "can you learn to see in the dark?"
"Neji, can you see her?"
"Barely, I'm having to rely on what I can't see to find her," Neji ducked as a shadow lunged at him, "there's a void in the darkness where she is but she keeps moving."
Neji felt the shadow's trying to swamp him; he pivoted, going into a rotation but the shadow hands grabbed him and tied him down. He smirked.
"There's a finite amount of material in here," Neji called to Tayuya, "and to attack you must use the shadows hiding you. Shikamaru, she's thirty feet dead ahead!"
"Sasuke now!" Shikamaru yelled.
A barrage of fireballs erupted from the underneath Tayuya, forcing her to duck out of the way. Sasuke burst out of the shadows and his fist slammed into Tayuya's stomach, sending her crashing into the middle of the clearing.
"Nice try morons, but you wasted your energy," Tayuya growled as she got to her feet.
"Did I?" Sasuke asked, in mock puzzlement.
Tayuya realised the pyramid barrier and her demons were gone; she looked wildly around and saw Shikamaru kneeling in front of an unrolled scroll.
"Since you came back, I decided your demons would be the perfect test subjects for this new sealing jutsu. The only problem is I haven't figured out how to unseal anything yet."
Tayuya screamed and her skin turned grey and horns appeared on her head. She raised her flute again and let fly one long note that echoed around the ninja, making their ears and heads ache. Shikamaru covered his ears in a desperate attempt to shut out the noise. Sasuke lunged, feet first at Tayuya but she warped and vanished. He dodged back to the rest of the team.
"Clever, using that note to hide your attack," Shikamaru noted.
"Stop admiring the enemy!" Temari yelled.
The ground under Shikamaru collapsed and he fell into an endless tunnel as Temari was wrapped in trees that grew around her, one branch around her neck. Neji was up to his knees in marsh before he knew what was happening as thorny vines ensnared Sasuke, the thorns burying themselves in his skin. Sasuke yelled as the vines tightened, pulling his arms in a direction they weren't supposed to go. His Sharingan pierced the illusion, allowing him to see the vague outline of Tayuya. Sasuke glared at Tayuya through the illusion's haze. She stared as Sasuke fought against the vines binding him. The Uchiha managed to get his feet onto the ground and fought against the vines grip harder. The shape that was Tayuya rushed at him, probably with a kunai drawn. At the last second before she could slit his throat, Sasuke lashed out with his knee, slamming his foot into Tayuya's jaw. She staggered backwards as Sasuke stood, oblivious to the thorns.
"You call this genjutsu?" Sasuke called to her, and the illusion shattered.
Shikamaru, Temari and Neji got unsteadily to their feet. Tayuya snarled and lunged at Sasuke, kunai raised.
"Your last mistake," Sasuke growled, he blinked and his Sharingan changed to its Mangekyou form again. Tayuya's world's colours inverted and she found she couldn't move. Sasuke appeared before her, he slowly advanced and three more figures appeared behind him. Tayuya recognised them as her own summons. Sasuke stopped; each of the demons passed him and closed around Tayuya.
"For the next three days you're at their mercy," Sasuke smirked.
All Tayuya could do was scream as the demons attacked.
In the real world, Tayuya choked, eyes growing dull and crashed to the ground. Her momentum still carried her forward; her form coming to rest at Sasuke's feet.
"One down," Sasuke muttered.
"Probably three to go," Neji finished.
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Naruto ducked through the doorway of the medical tent and looked around. He saw Hinata and crossed the tent to her. The latest casualties were stretched out on the folding cots with medical ninja were tending to them. Naruto filled through the tent until he found an empty bed and sat on it. Hinata left the casualty she'd healed, she turned to the next bed and jumped as she realised it was Naruto.
"Naruto, why are you here?"
Naruto clutched at his heart, gasped for breath and collapsed backwards into the cot.
"I need the kiss of life, or better still just a kiss," he chuckled.
"Naruto, this is no time to be messing around," Hinata scolded.
Naruto's sharp eyes noted the redness in Hinata's normally pale eyes.
"Hinata? Something wrong?" he asked as he stood up.
She shook her head, bustling around the tent, trying to look busy. Naruto grabbed her wrist and pulled her gently but firmly away from the other medical ninja.
"What's wrong," Naruto demanded.
"Nothing," Hinata replied, trying to pull away.
"Hinata, something is bothering you. You're not doing yourself any favours by denying it."
"I'm fine Naruto," Hinata tried to sound normal but Naruto still wouldn't believe her.
The blonde caught Hinata off guard by grabbing and hugging her close to him.
"I'm not letting go until you tell me what's bugging you."
Hinata felt her eye filling with tears again and buried her face in Naruto's shoulder. Naruto waited patiently, holding Hinata's shaking form as she continued to sob. Eventually Hinata ran out of tears and looked up at Naruto. Naruto loosened his grip on her and wiped the last tear off Hinata's face with his thumb.
"Now, what's the matter?"
Hinata's voice was almost inaudible as she spoke.
"The Hyuuga council called a meeting with my father. Somehow they found out about us," Hinata teared up again, "they're saying that if we stay together, they'll bind my Byakugan and disown me."
Hinata expected an outburst from Naruto but he went quite, she looked up into his face and gasped. Sakura chose that moment to look up from her patient and she saw Naruto. Even from the other side of the tent, Naruto's feelings were abundantly clear. The anger in his eyes and his lips curled into a snarl made Sakura think he was going to go four tails. She was about to go over to the pair when Naruto controlled his anger and looked at Hinata again.
"How can they do that to you?"
"It's tradition. If a female member of the main branch marries outside the family, they seal her Byakugan."
"And your father is just going to let them disown you?!"
"He only sees you as the fox and Hanabi's always been his favourite."
"If I didn't think it'd hurt you, I'd go and beat some sense into the Hyuuga council and your father."
"That wouldn't do any good," Hinata muttered, burying her face in Naruto's shoulder again.
An idea occurred to Naruto, "Hinata what if you and I just vanished. They can't seal your Byakugan if they can't find you."
Hinata looked up again.
"But if I leave, I'll be a missing-nin and where would we go?"
"If we talk to Granny Tsunade, she'll understand. We just vanish, here one day then gone before anyone knows what happened."
"Where would we go?"
"Suna. Gaara, Temari and Kankuro are practically family, they won't turn you away. I doubt the council will let me hang around after Orochimaru's gone anyway."
Hinata didn't get a chance to think Naruto's plan over as Naruto took hold of her wrist and dragged her out of the tent.
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D1: I was watching the highlights of the Chunin exams while I was writing this chapter. Maybe it was that or maybe my muse is making up for my writers block earlier in this story but I had another writing frenzy and voila!
And now a word to my readers and reviewers.
Hieiashke – I know the chapters are short compared to some other authors but I'm at my limit with four pages per chapter. Another thing is I'm slightly dyslexic so please excuse some typos.
Kingkakashi – thanks for all the feedback. It's much appreciated.
And to all my loyal readers who are two numerous to mention but rest assured, you are noticed. Keep on Reading & reviewing. See ya next time.
