Author's Notes: Thank you all for sticking with this story as long as you have! I really wasn't planning on making it this long when I first started but I'm glad it's still going. We're getting so close to the climax I can almost taste it and I'm getting super excited! (I'm a sucker for big battles, what can I say.) As for how long I'm going to continue after this arc is over I'm not entirely sure. I've got a couple ideas swirling in my head for continuations/sequels to this for multiple ships but I'm still up in the air about it. I am still very open to the idea though. Anyway, enjoy this slightly more action packed chapter!
*#*
Sakura was awaken by a strong shaking sensation and the sound of her name. "Sakura! Get up! They're almost here!" Sasuke hissed dragging her to her feet. The medic was immediately on high alert and looked around noting the other ninja around her jumping to their feet and shifting their weaponry to easy to reach places.
"How close are they?" Gaara demanded.
Onchou closed her eyes her ears glowing slightly as she tapped into her power. "Less than a mile away." She replied.
"Hinata. Can you see them?" Shikamaru barked.
The blue haired woman activated her eye power and nodded. "Yes! All five of them are coming together and it looks like they've got Dolls with them."
"Exactly as I anticipated." The shadow shinobi muttered. "It's a good thing we came up with six teams."
"We need to separate them as soon as possible." Onchou said as she adjusted her weapons pouch on her leg. "They're most powerful as a team. Wraith and Heart Taker in particular are devastating when they combine their genjutsu."
"Right." Shikamaru said as he handed out radios to all of the team members. "We'll head out and intercept them. As usual when you finish off your opponent, head to the team that needs the most help. Sai, your team is going to be in charge of taking care of those Dolls and running air surveillance." He smirked at the pale faced shinobi. "Don't worry. I won't ask you to hold back at all."
"Thank you." Sai replied. "We'll leave last then."
"Alright. Then if we're ready, let's head out." The shadow wielder said.
The group of seventeen shinobi walked out of the building and Onchou closed her eyes once more to get a clear read on the approaching enemy. "They're still coming from the east." She said opening her eyes and glancing towards the rising sun.
"Very well." Shikimaru said. "Let's go Temari."
She nodded and the pair of ninja took off across the roof tops.
"Don't you dare die on me." The shadow shinobi said as they ran.
"Same goes for you shadow boy." She replied with a smirk.
"I found the first of them!" a voice called out.
"Huh?" Shikamaru muttered. He glanced up and his eyes widened as a man with leathery wings flew towards them. "Temari! Above you!" he called out.
The sand shinobi gasped and flipped out of the way of an incoming attack landing next to her partner in a clear space between buildings. The man swopped down and landed in front of them and grinned at them exposing his pointed teeth.
"Who are they?" a smooth voice said.
"A sand kunoichi and a leaf ninja." Nightmare replied.
"A pair of lovers?" Heart Taker said as he and the rest of The Fatal Five materialized next to the flying man.
"Who knows." The beastly looking man replied. "I want the girl though. You know how much I love blondes." He said licking his lips.
Heart Taker sighed. "Very well. Since Princess isn't with them, they're of no use to me anyway." He said tossing his blonde hair. "Finish them off quickly and rejoin us."
"As you wish." Nightmare said with a bow. "You aren't going to ask them where their companions are?"
"No. It would be a waste of time." Blood Rain replied. "Leaf Shinobi never betray their comrades and recently the Sand Shinobi have been signing the same tune. It's more fun to hunt them down anyway."
"Let's go." Heart Taker said and in an instant they were gone.
"We've made contact." Shikimaru said into his radio. "We're about to engage Nightmare in combat. The rest are headed your way."
"So you know my name already?" the man said crossing his arms over his chest. "How rude, you must tell me yours in exchange."
"Temari." The blonde replied.
"Why did you tell him?" Shikamaru asked.
"I thought he'd like to know the name of the woman that's going destroy him." She replied with a smirk.
"Feisty! I like it." Nightmare said with a grin.
"You're ridiculous." The shadow shinobi muttered.
"Yeah, but you love me anyway." She replied with a wink. "Now let's take care of this guy Shikamaru."
"Right." He said forming hand signs.
Nightmare grinned. "This will be fun." He said. "Let's get started!" he said taking off into the sky.
"Freak!" Temari hissed as she threw a kunai after him.
The man cackled and then swooped through the air a glint of metal briefly catching the shadow shinobi's attention. Shikamaru hissed as he felt something slice through his arm and warm blood seep through his sleeve.
Nightmare landed in front of him and chuckled as he licked the blood from his hand. "You don't taste half bad Leaf ninja." He murmured. "Maybe I'll tear you apart first."
"Are you alright?" Temari asked noting the blood.
"I'll be fine." He replied gritting his teeth. "Worry about yourself." 'Onchou wasn't kidding.' He thought to himself as he worked to roughly bandage his wound. 'This guy is crazy fast. I didn't even see him when he hit me.' he frowned as he studied his opponent. "Temari! We need to clip this guy's wings."
"I'm on it!" she replied opening her fan and sending a barrage of wind blades at the man. He smirked and vanished. "What!?" she exclaimed. She cried out as claws slashed across her back and she fell to the ground.
"Temari!" Shikamaru cried out rushing to her side. His eyes widened at the sight of her bloodied back.
"Sorry. You were supposed to be the one with scars on your back." She rasped offering him a pained smile.
His hands balled into fists. "Damn him!" he growled. "He's going to pay for this." He stood and his hands began to form signs.
"Are you getting serious now?" Nightmare asked grinning at him as he licked Temari's blood from his claws.
"Yes I am, and when I'm done with you, you're going to wish you'd never came out of that lab you freak show." He hissed as his eyes blazed as she shadows around him twitched in anticipation.
%*%
Naruto, Hinata and Shino nodded as they listened to Shikamaru's message.
"We were the second group to leave so it will only be a matter of time before we run into the rest of The Fatal Five." Shino said as he ran. "We will have to approach this enemy with caution because we do not yet know who our opponent will be."
Naruto's eye twitched. Even after being friends with the insect user for years, the guy's way of speaking grated on his nerves. "We know Shino." He replied. "Can you see them Hinata?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes! They're nearly on top of us!" she exclaimed.
The three leaf ninja dropped to the ground as the four remaining members of the original five materialized in front of them.
"More Leaf ninja." Blood Rain said as he looked them over. "This blue haired chick is pretty hot too." He said licking his lips. "I bet she'd look even hotter in pieces."
Naruto's eyes narrowed as he shifted to stand protectively in front of his girlfriend.
"Down Blood Rain." Heart Taker said softly. "We're looking for Master Takuma's precious Princess."
"Yeah but like I said before these Leaf Ninja aren't going to just come out and tell us where she is." The man in red replied in a whiney tone.
Heart Taker nodded and then his eyes narrowed as he looked over the group of three. "Those marks on the face." He murmured studying the blonde ninja. "I think this one is Naruto Uzamaki."
"Is he really?" Soul Stealer replied. "Interesting." He turned to the blade wearing man. "Sorry Blood, this guy is out of your league."
The crimson eyed man sighed. "True enough. Lame!" he muttered.
Wraith stepped forward raising his katana as the desert wind whipped the wispy grey clothing he wore around him.
"You're going to take care of them then?" Heart Taker said glancing at his companion.
The ghostly looking man nodded and pulled his ball and chain free from where it rested on his hip.
"Very well then. Be careful. Don't underestimate that blonde kid." Heart Taker said glancing at Naruto again.
Wraith nodded and the three remaining members vanished in a puff of smoke.
"We've made contact." Shino said into his radio. "We're about to engage Wraith in battle."
"So, you're going to be our opponent?" Naruto asked staring down the man. When he said nothing he glared at him. "Why are you so dead set on getting Onchou back anyway? She's happy with us." He said.
The ghostly looking man again said nothing but tilted his head to the side a little smirk barely visible under the bandages covering his face.
"What's that smirk for?" The Uzamaki demanded balling his hand into a fist. "Do you think it's funny that Takuma has tortured her for so long? Or are you surprised Onchou actually has people who care about her?" Wraith simply swung the ball attached to his chain around as the blond haired ninja glared at him. "Answer me damn it!" he yelled.
"Naruto." Hinata whispered. "Remember what Onchou said? He doesn't talk."
The Uzamaki blinked and then sighed. "Right. How annoying." He muttered. "Well, let's take care of this quickly." He said slamming his fist against the palm of his bandaged hand.
Shino nodded and a flurry of insects flowed from his sleeves and swarmed the man. In seconds however, there were several copies of Shino, Hinata and Naruto strewn about and Wraith was nowhere to be seen.
"Aw man!" Naruto exclaimed. "This is the guy who does the shadow clone and camouflage thing too huh?"
Hinata nodded clutching at his arm.
"Ok. You two take care of things while I get into sage mode. I'll be able to see right through this annoying jutsu of his after that." He said.
"Right!" Hinata said focusing her advanced eyesight.
"You can count on us because we are your friends. We will not allow the enemy to take you." Shino replied.
Naruto nodded and closed his eyes as he focused on the nature chakra around him frowning when he realized it would take longer than expected with the lack of life in the desert.
Beside him Hinata shrieked. "Shino! It's me!" she exclaimed. "Get them off me!"
"How can I be sure that it is you?" The bug user replied. "How can you be sure that I am me or that the Naruto you're clinging to is the real one?"
"You're falling right into his trap Shino!" the blue haired girl replied. "Focus!"
"It is Naruto that needs to focus so that he can quickly activate his sage mode." The bug user replied.
Hinata sighed and then grunted as she blocked a blow from one of Naruto's clones. "Hurry Naruto!"
"I'm almost there!" he assured her. "Just a little more time."
She nodded and then gasped as a chain wrapped around her dragging her from the Uzamaki's side. "Shino! Help me!" she exclaimed.
"Are you the real Hinata?" he replied.
"Shino please!" she begged.
The bug user sighed and then unleashed another wave of beetles that quickly began to eat away at the metal of Wraith's chain. The ghostly man snapped the chain back freeing the girl but knocking her to the ground in the process. She yelped as a rock bit into her skin and stood up again a gasp of surprise escaping her lips as she found herself surrounded by clones of Naruto.
"Hinata! I'm so glad you're safe." One of them said extending a hand to her.
"No! You're not Naruto!" she exclaimed slapping his hand away. The clone vanished in a puff of smoke and another quickly took its place moving towards her.
"Hinata!" they called out. "Hinata! It's me! Trust me Hinata!"
"Stop it!" she snapped gritting her teeth. "You won't trick me that easily!" She focused her vision and systematically began to work through the clones tuning out their voices and their faces as she focused on her attack. 'If I let myself listen to them or look at their faces I'll get distracted.' She said to herself. 'The real Naruto will be in sage mode soon'. She felt a hand on her shoulder and whirled around. Her mouth turned into a little o of horror as she found Wraith glaring down at her with his katana raised above his head ready to strike. Shino quickly moved towards her and blocked the blow with a kunai before insects swarmed the man.
"Thanks Shino." Naruto said putting a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "I owe you one."
The blue eyed girl jumped her hand raised ready to strike when she noticed the Orange rings around his eyes. Her own eyes focused and she saw his chakra network pulsing and a sigh of relief flowed through her. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. "It's really you. I'm sorry for doubting you."
He chuckled. "It's alright. You did what you had to." He said before he kicked a shadow clone in Shino's form. His gaze traveled over her body and settled on her knee where the flesh was torn. "How did that happen?" he asked.
"Oh. I fell when Wraith attacked me but it's not a big deal." She said quickly.
The Uzamaki's eyes narrowed. "Wraith!" he hissed. "He'll pay for that." He turned to the bug user next to him. "Shino. The real Hinata has a cut on her left knee. Remember that. It's how we'll be able to tell her apart from the others. As for me, I'm in sage mode and that can't easily be replicated."
"Very well." Shino said. "Shall we take care of this annoying foe of ours? He's really starting to get on my nerves with these mind games of his."
"Gladly." Naruto replied as air began to swirl in his palm. "I've had enough of his stupid games too."
TenTen, Lee, and Kankuro listened to Shino's message and nodded. "So it sounds like Nightmare and Wraith are being taken care of." TenTen said as she ran.
Lee nodded. "We are next in line so we will likely encounter the enemy next."
"If anything happens to Temari, I'll kill that shadow punk." Kankuro muttered as he ran.
"Don't worry about that." TenTen replied. "If something happens to Temari that Shikimaru will take care of him just like he did those creeps that killed Asuma Sensei."
The puppeteer nodded and then frowned. "Drop!" he called out.
Heart Taker, Blood Rain, and Soul Stealer landed in front of them and the leader looked them over.
"Two Leaves and a handful of Sand." Heart Taker said with a sigh. "Still no the Princess. What a troublesome matter."
"You leave Onchou alone." Kankuro growled.
"Yeah! She's been through enough!" TenTen exclaimed.
"Oh? What are you going to about it then?" Blood Rain asked clicking his blade tipped fingers together.
"We will stop you. Onchou is our friend and we will protect her." Lee replied shifting into a defensive position.
"Your friend?" Soul Stealer replied cocking a brow. "Why would she be friends with Leaf and Sand ninja?"
"Does it matter?" Blood Rain asked. "They're not going to tell us where she is. Go on ahead I can take these guys. I'll catch up."
"Right. Make it quick and try not to make too big of a mess." Heart Taker said with a long suffering sigh.
"Don't waste your breath." Soul Stealer replied. "He'll make an even bigger one now that you've told him not to."
The blonde shinobi nodded and in a flash he and Soul Stealer were gone.
"I guess this means that Blood Rain is our opponent." Kankuro said attaching his chakra strings to his puppet.
TenTen touched her radio. "We've made contact. We're about to engage Blood Rain in combat."
The bladed shinobi glanced at her as she spoke and his eyes darkened. "You're quite the pretty thing. You'll be even prettier covered in blood." He murmured.
"You will not harm TenTen!" Lee growled.
"Are you going to stop me then lover boy?" Blood Rain replied with a smirk.
"We both will." Kankuro said maneuvering his puppet forward. The puppet lunged at the dark haired shinobi with a sword in hand. The man blocked the blow with the blade on his forearm.
"You're going to have to do better than that." Blood Rain chuckled.
"Do not underestimate us!" Lee cried as he appeared from behind the man and slammed his foot into the back of his head sending the shinobi tumbling forward.
TenTen leapt into the air as Lee and Kankuro retreated and unleashed a flurry of kunai on the man.
When the dust settled he straightened and lifted his hand wiping the blood from where a kunai had sliced through his cheek his eyes narrowing. "This is the first time someone has every drawn blood from me first." He said softly. The air suddenly changed as wind chakra swirled around him. "I am not happy… I'll rip you apart!" he yelled as wind blades burst from his body.
The three shinobi scattered to avoid the attack and landed safely on roof tops above. "I think that we made him angry." Lee commented.
"You think!?" TenTen hissed sarcastically.
"Guys! Pay attention!" Kankuro barked as another series of wind blades whipped through the air.
"Blood! I need to see your blood!" Blood Rain screamed as he leapt into the air his arm blades aimed at TenTen.
She blocked the blow with a pair of kunai and then leapt forward slamming both of her feet into his stomach and knocking him to the ground.
"Sorry to disappoint you buddy, but it's not going to spill that easily." She replied.
He chuckled and she gasped as her shirt was stained red and she felt and saw the cuts on her sides for the first time.
"TenTen!" Lee called out running to her side.
"Damn him!" she muttered as she knelt clutching at her wounded sides as she noticed blood dripping from the blades attached to his fingers. "I didn't feel or see a thing!"
"The mark of a true blade master is that you don't notice you've been wounded until he's walked away." Blood Rain said standing up. He licked the blood from his claws and smirked. "Lovely. Maybe I'll save some for Nightmare. He likes the blood of women too. I bet he's torn that pretty blonde sand kunoichi to shreds by now."
"You sick bastard!" Kankuro yelled sending his puppet after the man.
"Ooh! Touchy!" Blood Rain said leaping out of the way. "Do you know that girl? You are both sand shinobi but Heart Taker said that the two were lovers, so what would that make you?"
Kankuro gritted his teeth and urged his puppet forward again it's multiple blades crossing with Blood Rain's.
"Hmm… Even under that paint I can tell you're far too young to be her father yet you're very protective…" he replied. His eyes suddenly widened and laughter tumbled from his lips. "I get it! You're her brother aren't you?"
The Sand Shinobi said nothing but gritted his teeth urging his puppet faster smirking as he landed a blow slicing Blood Rain across the chest. "I am her brother, which means disrespecting her in front of me was a fatal mistake."
#!#
Saskuke, Sakura, Kiba and Akamaru glided across the village and Sasuke quickly activated his eye power as TenTen's message came across the radio.
"Prepare yourselves." He instructed. "The last two are close by."
"Right." Sakura replied.
"Yeah." Kiba said his grip on Akamaru's fur tightening. The animal suddenly yelped and whimpered. "What is it boy?" he asked. The dog whined a response and the trainer's eyes narrowed. "Drop!" he called out.
The two shinobi ahead of him obeyed as Heart Taker and Soul Stealer appeared before them. Amakaru growled at them the fur on the back of his neck standing on end.
"Is Akamaru alright?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah. He can just tell that these guys are bad news." Kiba replied.
"What do we have here?" Heart Taker said stepping forward. "A mutual and unrequited love in the same place." He shivered and grinned. "Oh what fun." He murmured walking forward. "I can understand why. I've never seen hair that color before. So exotic." He said reaching toward Sakura.
Sasuke and Kiba both moved the Uchiha drawing his katana as the dog trainer lifted a kunai. Akamaru stood behind the dog trainer shifting to crouch defensively in front of the medical ninja.
"Don't touch her!" the two ninja growled in unison.
Heart Taker chuckled and took a step back. "So violent." He said glancing at the two.
Sasuke's mismatched red and purple eyes flashed dangerously and the blond man smirked. "You're the last Uchiha aren't you? Sasuke Uchiha."
Soul Stealer glanced at the raven haired shinobi. "Is he really?"
Heart Taker nodded and then glanced at Sakura his eye drifting to the indigo diamond on her forehead. "That mark. You must me the new Slug Queen." He turned to Soul Stealer. "This group looks like it's actually going to be a challenge." He remarked. "Soul Stealer, go ahead and search for the Princess. I'll take care of these three."
"As you wish." Soul Stealer replied vanishing with a soft pop.
"We've made contact with the enemy." Sakura said into the mic of her radio. "We're about to take on Heart Taker."
"Please be careful." Onchou replied. "He's a devastating opponent."
"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine." Sakura assured her.
"You know who I am yet you still challenge me?" Sasuke said stepping closer to man.
Heart Taker chuckled. "Of course. I've always been curious to see if that Uchiha name lives up to its reputation."
Sasuke smirked. "The last person who said that to me ended up regretting that." He replied thinking of Rock Lee.
"That might be true, but I know exactly what your weakness is, or rather who it is. Your heart isn't as black as people say." Heart Taker said as he snapped his fingers and lighting burst from his fingertip and struck Sakura in the chest. She cried out in pain and dropped to her knees clutching at the wound.
"You bastard!" Kiba roared leaping at the man his fist shooting forward.
Heart Taker caught it and then threw the dog trainer across the open space where he slammed into a wall. "Come now, it wouldn't be any fun for me if I killed her right away." He remarked. "I just gave her a little taste of pain is all." Sasuke moved back slightly as Sakura got to her feet and the blond man frowned. "Not even a flicker of concern or fear for your loved one? Maybe your heart is black after all."
"You're wrong." Sakura said moving her hand away from where the wound had been. The skin was completely healed and all that remained was the singed spot in her clothes. "He just knows that it'll take a hell of a lot more than a measly lightning bolt to take me down." She pulled on her leather gloves and glared at her opponent. "I am not his weakness." She said as she leapt into the air. "I am his strength!" she focused her chakra into her fist. "Cha!" she yelled as she slammed her fist into the ground missing Heart Taker by mere inches. The ground cracked at the impact and sent the blonde man flying. He managed to flip and land on a building behind him that quickly crumbled.
He stood up and brushed the dust from his clothes. "It seems I've underestimated you." He said moving forward his hand balled into a fist. "Since it's like that, I guess I'll get serious."
"Scatter!" Sasuke yelled. The ninja including Kiba who had returned to the group obeyed just as he opened his palm and white dust flowed from his hand. "Don't breathe it in!"
Kiba and Akamaru weren't fast enough and immediately dropped to the ground as they became caught in Heart Taker's genjutsu.
Sakura also dropped to the ground and the Uchiha cursed. He used a blast of wind chakra to blow the toxic dust out of the air and dropped down next to Sakura.
"Sakura! Are you alright!?" he demanded kneeling beside her. She moaned in response and turned towards him.
"Go." She mouthed silently knowing he could read her lips with his sharringan. "I'm fine. This kind of stuff doesn't affect me. We'll just let him think otherwise."
He resisted the urge to smirk as he gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before he rose. She screamed and writhed in the sand in the same way Kiba was and the Uchiha silently applauded her acting skills as he funneled lightning chakra into his katana.
"You're going to pay for that." He murmured as he faced down the blond man. "If you want to play mind games, that's fine with me." He said as the tomoes in his eyes began to shift. "You'll lose."
Gaara, Onchou and Tamiki ran through the abandoned streets of Heiwa moving towards their comrades engaged in battle.
"Damn it!" the violet haired girl hissed.
"What's wrong?" Tamiki asked.
"Nightmare." She hissed. "He got Temari."
Gaara glanced back at her. "How bad?"
"She'll be fine as long as she doesn't take another hit like that but it's slowed her down considerably." She replied her hand twitching.
"Shikamaru will take care of her." Tamiki assured his daughter.
She nodded and her brow furrowed in concentration. "Naruto's team is holding their own against Wraith now that he's in sage mode." She frowned. "TenTen's been injured by Blood Rain. Kankuro is fighting him now. On Sasuke's team, Kiba is out of commission but Sakura and Sasuke are fine."
"Very well." Gaara said. "Sai, TenTen and Temari are injured. Take Ino to them as quickly as possible." He said into his radio.
"Understood." The artist replied.
"We should head that way too." Tamiki said.
Onchou's eyes widened. "Drop!" she called out.
The ninja reacted on instinct and landed on the street below.
"What is it?" Gaara asked.
"I found you Princess." Came a low voice. Soul Sealer rose from the ground his green eyes piercing her. "Won't you be a good girl and come with me? I promise that the others will leave your friends alone if you do." He said extending his hand towards her.
Tamiki placed a hand on her shoulder keeping her from taking a step forward while Gaara shifted to stand in front of her.
"Don't worry. I won't go with him." She said softly. "I know that he's lying."
"You're just as perceptive as ever." Soul Stealer said with a smirk as he leaned against his scythe. "I always hated that about you. Even so, I'm taking you back with me. I'll take you by force if I have to."
"She won't be going anywhere with you." Tamiki replied lifting his hand to rest on the hilt of his sword.
Soul Stealer blinked and then laughed. "Do you really think a couple of sand shinobi like you can stop me?" he lifted his scythe and slashed it through the air fire exploding from the blade as he went. Onchou's hands weaved signs as she prepared to counter with a water attack but Gaara stilled her hands with one of his own. Her brow furrowed in confusion and then widened as sand swept out of the large gourd strapped to his back and hardened blocking the fire attack.
"You do not need to fight this battle alone." Gaara said glancing back at her.
Tamiki nodded and moved forward. "Please rely on us." He said smiling down at her. "We'll do this as a team."
She blushed and then nodded. "Ok. I'll do my best."
"What the Hell was that?!" Soul Stealer demanded.
"The Sand's Ultimate Defense." Gaara replied. "As we said before, Onchou isn't going anywhere with you."
Soul Stealer's eyes widened. "No way! You're him! Gaara of the Desert. The Kazekage! Why are you here?! Chimera and his team were supposed to kill you!"
"They failed." The sand wielder replied. "Only because Onchou saved me."
The green eyed man glared at the girl behind the Kazekage. "You saved him!?" he demanded.
She nodded and his eyes blazed. "You spoiled brat!" he growled. "How dare you betray Lord Takuma like that!? After all of the power and strength he gave you!"
The violet haired girl sighed. "I never asked for it." She replied.
"You arrogant bitch!" he screamed lifting his scythe. "I've always hated you!" he lunged at her and she drew her sword and launched at him crossing blades with the man.
"That isn't true." She replied looking into his eyes. "I can hear your soul. You desire me don't you?"
"Shut up!" he growled knocking her back on to the ground. "Don't you dare look down on me!" he slammed his scythe forward intent on hitting her but was blocked by twin blades as Tamiki defended her. Gaara's sand swirled around her lightly helping her to her feet and she stepped towards him.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
She nodded. "I'm fine. He's just angry because I know his weak spot."
"Damn you!" Soul Stealer growled as he crossed blades with Tamiki who met him blow for blow. "How is it you can keep up with me?" he demanded.
"I'm Tamiki of the Buki clan." He replied as he kept advancing forcing the scythe wielder back. "We're masters of weaponry."
Soul Stealer grunted and leapt backwards. "That explains why she was able to master every weapon I threw at her." He muttered. "She still chose to use that curved sword of hers instead." He formed hand signs and blew a fireball at the amethyst eyed ninja. Tamiki's brow furrowed and he slashed his swords through the air slicing through the fire and sending the blasts away from his body.
Tamiki snickered. "A true Buki through and through." He replied.
"What are you talking about?" Soul Stealer demanded.
"Nothing that concerns you." Tamiki replied.
"Let's finish this quickly." Gaara said "Our friends need us."
Onchou nodded and shifted into a defensive position. "How do you want to do this?" she asked.
"We'll each trade off until he's defeated." He replied.
"Very well. Who do you want to go first?" she asked.
"I will. Be on guard." He replied.
She nodded and the sand wielder swiped his hands across the air. The sand around him responded and whipped around the man as it slowly built up around his feet immobilizing him.
Soul Stealer hissed in irritation and swiped his scythe through the air sending fire into the swirling wind.
"Gaara! Look out!" she exclaimed as she read the scythe master's intentions.
He reflected the flames back at the sand wielder but Onchou arrived first and sliced through the flames before throwing herself at the scythe wielder knocking him to the ground. He swiped the weapon at her but she leapt and landed on the flat part of the blade and lunched forward with her own sword stabbing him in the shoulder before she flipped away from him.
Soul Stealer cried out in pain and glared at her. "You protected him! Why?"
"My body moved on its own." She replied. "I couldn't help myself."
His eyes widened and then blazed as fire erupted around him. "I see how it is." He murmured. "I'll kill him. I'll kill him!" he roared. "I should be me!"
"That's not your choice to make." Tamiki replied crossing his swords.
"Damn you all!" Soul Sealer screeched as the flames began to take the shape of a dragon.
"Oh no." Onchou whimpered. "This isn't good. We can't fight him like this! He'll burn the whole place down!"
"Not so." Gaara said his chakra flaring as sand poured from his gourd and mixed with the sand around him.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"It's true that throwing water on a fire is the best way to put out the flame. However in the desert where water is a precious resource we've found another method that's just as effective." He replied.
"What do you mean?" Onchou asked.
Tamiki smirked. "Smother it with sand."
Sai, Ino and Chouji swept through the air towards TenTen and her group. "We need to help TenTen quickly and then go to Temari's aid." The painter said.
"Right!" Ino said as she watched the different battles raging from her ink bird. She sighed as she watched Onchou protecting Gaara from Dolls trying to interfere as the sand wielder continued to bury Soul Stealer in sand.
"Is something wrong?" Sai asked as they descended to where TenTen and Lee were holding off Dolls as Kankuro dueled with Blood Rain.
"I'll tell you later." She replied as she leapt from the bird and landed next to TenTen. "TenTen! Here! Let me help you!" she exclaimed reaching for the injured kunoichi.
The brown haired girl smiled and gave a sigh of relief as she fell into her comrade's arms. Chouji dropped down beside them and glared at the Dolls. "Hurry and take care of her. I've got your backs." He said as he formed hand signs. "Expansion Jutus!" he exclaimed. "Human Boulder!" he yelled as he bowled through the Doll in front of them.
"Here! Let me see!" Ino demanded. She frowned at the cuts and quickly went to work healing the injuries. After a few minutes TenTen pushed her hands away.
"That's enough for now." She said. "Just bandage me up. There are others that need you too." The weapon master smiled at her. "Thank you Ino."
The blonde nodded as she quickly bandaged her friend up and then stood. "Chouji! TenTen's good now! Let's get going!"
"You got it!" he responded as he knocked out another Doll with his massive hand and then used that same hand to toss her up to where Sai was waiting on an ink bird and followed himself.
Ino turned as she watched TenTen trade out Kankuro launching a series of paper bomb attacks at the man. She felt a swelling of both pride and jealously at her friend's combat skills as they flew towards where Shikamaru and Temari were fighting Nightmare. She frowned as she looked at the blonde sand shinobi who was clearly struggling as Shikamaru tried to fend off both the flying demon of a man and the Dolls with him. She dropped to the ground beside him with Sai and Chouji and immediately went to the fan wielder's side.
"Here let me help you." She said reaching for her.
"I'm fine. Go help the others." The sand shinobi replied.
"Stop being so stubborn!" Shimaru growled. "Let her treat you!"
The green eyed woman blinked in surprise at his sharp tone and then nodded. "Ok." She muttered.
The long haired blonde went to work healing the deep gashes on her ally's back and winced as she saw how deep they were.
"You've been fighting like this?" she asked her eyes wide.
Temari chuckled. "Of course. It's not like I had a choice. I wasn't about to let myself become a burden."
"I see." Ino replied as she focused her chakra. She frowned a little as she felt her chakra level dip.
The fan wielder noticed and put a hand on Ino's hand to still her. "That's enough." She said as she pulled bandages out for her.
"Are you sure? I can keep going." Ino assured her.
"Of course." Temari replied glancing at where Shikimaru stood his brow creased in concentration as he froze nightmare in midflight. Sai quickly took advantage of the situation and leapt onto his back and used his shot sword to slice the wings from Nightmare's back. "That boyfriend of yours is really good." The fan wielder noted.
"Yeah… yeah he is." Ino replied.
Sai grunted as Nightmare screamed and flailed in pain slashing the painter's leg. He landed lithely on the ground and hissed in pain as blood seeped from the wound.
"Sai!" Ino cried out sprinting to his side. "Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine." He muttered sweat beading on his forehead.
"Thank for the save you two." Shikimaru said as he kept Nightmare paralyzed. "Would you mind leaving Chouji here? We could use the back up."
"That's fine." Sai said drawing an ink bird. "We'll keep helping the other teams.
"I owe you." The shadow shinobi said with a nod. His eyes met Ino's. "Thank you for helping Temari."
She nodded and hopped on the bird with Sai and immediately went to work healing the gash in his leg feeling another pang of jealousy as she watched Temari attack Nightmare.
"What's wrong?" Sai asked as the bird glided across the sky over where Sakura was tending to Kiba and Akamaru as Sasuke battled Heart Taker.
"I just feel a bit… Inferior." She admitted. "All of the girls here are powerful and strong. They're able to fight alongside their male partners instead of just being protected by them." She said watching as Hinata's fists glowing with blue lions around them flew at blinding speed destroying Wraith's clones. "All I can do are little things. I mean, I remember when Sakura and I were equals and now look at her go." She muttered.
Sai sat up and wrapped bandages around his now healed leg and chuckled. "You sound just like her." He replied.
"Like Sakura?" she clarified.
He nodded. "She said the same thing after Naruto battle Orochimaru. She felt bad that all she could for him was little things. Then Captain Yamato told her something that helped her. I think it'll help you too." He said looking at his girlfriend. "He said. 'It doesn't matter whether the things you do for him are great or small. What matters is how much you care, really care about Naruto.'" He said grabbing her hand. "As long as you care and do the best you can, you're making a difference."
Ino blinked and then smiled. "Thanks Sai. I needed that." She then frowned. "Just don't tell Sakura!"
"Ok. I won't." he replied raising his hands. "Let's see who else needs our help shall we?"
"Yeah." She said with a smile. "Let's do that."
P.S. This chapter was a little shorter but that only because if I'd continued it, I wouldn't have found a good stopping point for a while and it would've been super long. Anyway, thanks for the continued support!