Hey Ninja Dudes XD ! Just finished the latest chapter here, hope it's keeping with the standard that attracted a lot of visitors the past two months! BTW Thanks to Cursed99 who pointed out Katsuyu's telepathic abilities. For an eagle-eyed reader, I've cleaned up all the previous chapters (spelling, grammar, spacing etc) - and made it more evident that all Katsuyu's are of one mind, so the plot doesn't suffer, but it's good to keep that note in mind!
Anyway, I don't own blah, blah, blah...you know all this, right?
"Hanabi!" Konohamaru cried, seeing her writhe in pain, clutching the back of her head.
"You! What've you done to Hanabi?" He hissed.
His opponent merely chuckled at this.
"Y'know, screaming the name of a comrade is quite unbecoming of a ninja, kid, but since you're dead now anyway, it doesn't matter so much."
Deidara lunged at his target with deadly speed. Konohamaru didn't see his opponent flank him and swipe at his torso with another kunai. He did react to the impact efficiently enough, leaping backwards and taking a brief note of the wound to his chest, his pain told him enough, it was only a flesh wound.
Hanabi continued to roll in anguish as Deidara leapt over her towards her partner. Why was she in so much pain? The blade hadn't made any contact with her. A series of clinging travelled through her ears, telling her that Konohamaru and Deidara were locked in combat.
Despite his reputation – or lack of – Konohamaru was nimble enough to counter his opponent's movements with his kunai. From what he already learnt, this guy would move fast, yet had to sacrifice a degree of accuracy and power. As such, he wouldn't be likely to come at him with the same move he started with, unless he was sure it'll make impact this time.
Because of this, Konohamaru lured him into a game of target practice. Fleeing into the woods, Konohamaru removed his weapons pouch whilst still running; zigzagging through the trees with no real destination – he just needed to draw him away from Hanabi.
He stared into his pouch; ten kunai, sixteen shuriken, a roll of mock paper bombs (he'd had that since he was eight; it was always fun to scare Naruto senseless by putting these on or around his person). He groaned at his own inability to come fully prepared, and to preserve what little ammunition he already had.
At the clearing, Hanabi's pain began to subside; because of the pain, she had ignored the fact that her limbs were harder to control. Was this a side effect of the pain? Simply trying to rise up was difficult enough, how was she meant to fight? With great strain she turned her head and decided she would utilise the only function she could with this body, her eyes.
It took her moments for her to see both her partner and her foe. Some distance to the west, Konohamaru was crouched behind an uprooted tree trunk, Deidara was above a tree to his left, he'd discarded his straw hat. Her initial response was to alert her friend, but the thought collided with another. No. If she spoke up, Deidara would be just as alerted to Konohamaru's location – from what she could tell, both had concealed themselves.
Come on Konohamaru, you moron, look up! Look up! She groaned internally.
Konohamaru slid one kunai from his pouch, and launched it at a rock to his right.
Distract him, he'll launch at the noise in response, reveal his location, and then it's over. Never did it occur that doing this would also give away his location.
The blade clanged against the rock. Silence fell. It fell. He drew in his breath. His eyes darted around the scenery.
Why aren't you moving? He cursed his own stupidity. The guy was just waiting for Konohamaru to follow up on his first distraction.
Hairs began to unwind and stand to attention on the back of his neck. His palms became moist. He found that he'd clutched the pouch rather tightly, and the grip wrapped around the blade of a kunai. Dark patches of red dotted the pouch, soaked in his blood.
Great! Now I've bleeding hands too! As if I could give this guy more ways to track me!
If he were to touch anything with his hands whilst he moved, he'd leave a very visible trail to follow. Launching two shuriken at separate trees, Konohamaru darted at the sound of the first impact; hoping, praying that the noise of the second impact would be enough to cover his movement. His prayers were unanswered.
Hanabi winced at the sight. She again strained to stand up, but her body was not compliant. She continued to watch Konohamaru struggle to rise. The kunai that pierced him had hit his left calf. She saw the pain contort his face, as he managed to rise and dash for cover behind the rock he'd initially hit.
She glanced up to see Deidara dart from tree branches to gain another vantage point. Something was wrong.
Why isn't he attacking him up front? Why the cat and mouse chase? If this guy was Akatsuki or not, he was certainly skilled enough to take both kids on without resorting to stealth. Konohamaru's position was going to be compromised again unless she could do something.
Konohamaru's first thought was to remove the blade, but enough training at the academy warned him not to do so. Firstly, it could induce more bleeding than he was already suffering from, and seconding – the blade cut clean through his flesh, and hadn't changed its angle of trajectory since it had been launched. Biting back from screaming, he lifted his leg to see the extent of the damage.
His leg was a bloodied mess, but he seemed to have missed any veins, he'd be able to walk on it, if he weren't afraid that he'd bite through his tongue due to the pain.
Okay, okay, come on! You're a Sarutobi, for god's sake! Suck it up! He managed to steel himself when he heard leaves begin to fall around where he was positioned, mere seconds since he'd hidden behind the rock. Glancing back at his leg, it suddenly hit him.
Yes Konohamaru, you've figured it out! Hanabi felt a ping of pride for her friend, as she saw him begin to survey the trees above him. He'd obviously figured out that Deidara was targeting from the branches.
Reaching in to his stained pouch, Konohamaru had a stroke of genius; Hanabi saw him attach a paper bomb to one of his kunai, and launch it above his head. Leaves above him began to fall, and he heard one foot step onto a tree to his left. He quickly thrust a shuriken at the tagged kunai, making certain it missed the paper, but make it ripple.
No, moron, no! it'll blow! Hanabi's distress flooded her mind again. What was this loser doing!
Even if the explosion was meant to be a distraction, his body was in no condition to dodge that falling tree.
Luckily, the bomb didn't activate, and a tree several feet away began to rustle.
Hanabi saw Deidara turn to the tree that rustled after spotting the paper bomb. He launched several kunai into the tree into the distance, only to hear one of them hit the shuriken Konohamaru had launched.
There you are! Konohamaru had to compose himself, lift one of his bloodied kunai and angle it at the tree where his foe was hidden.
Hanabi's eyes darted between her friend, her foe and that bomb above his head.
"Clever little ruse, boy, but D'you think you can hit me inside these leaves?" Came Deidara's ominous taunts, it appeared he realised his foe was beneath the paper bomb.
Hanabi felt helpless, she'd have to bear witness to her comrade's death, on her first mission; her first mission, her first friend, and they would both end here. Even if she did call out to him, she'd never manage to guide Konohamaru's aim. She saw with horror that Deidara turned to the paper bomb.
You sadistic bastard! She felt repulsed by him. Of course, he was toying with them, for his own little amusement. That's why he didn't finish her right away, why he'd chase Konohamaru like this; hit his leg rather than his head.
He was going to bring down that tree on him. With a twisted smile, he raised his kunai and struck true. The next thing Hanabi saw, was his shoulder and both legs become pierced by a kunai and two shuriken.
Turning to her friend, she saw him dash in agony to the tree he had first hidden in, before running up the side into the branches.
Sighing with relief, Hanabi didn't even question what force of nature stopped that bomb from exploding, she was just thankful he was still alive.
"Arrrgh, little bastard!" Deidara cursed, pulling out the blades. Coated in his blood, Hanabi saw the man thrust the blades into the ground before him. It was only a second, but she saw the figure fade and blur.
His appearance is fading; Konohamaru must have hit a few chakra points. This was good news. Firstly, the opponent was losing a lot of chakra, and secondly, he seemed intent on keeping up that disguise of his regardless, thus meaning he has practically no chakra to attack with.
That's why he's using stealth, Kono said he took a few blows from his associate earlier – perhaps this guy isn't as tough as most ninja, that's why he's hiding. But if that was the case, then why can't I move? What did he do to me?
Konohamaru had little time to rest. Frantically pulling out more paper bombs, he stuck two or three onto each branch he leapt from, knowing the noise would draw Deidara to him. Turning, he caught a glimpse of his foe reaching one of these trees and lose balance upon seeing the bombs.
Konohamaru threw two more Kunai at Deidara, but both missed their mark. Leaping to the ground to avoid both bombs and the two Kunai, Deidara began to dart from tree to tree, still in Konohamaru's sights. Resorting to more Shuriken, Konohamaru was desperate to get a kill-shot and threw five more; three were badly aimed, and two were countered by launched Kunai.
Hanabi felt despair. Her partner was a descent shot, but he has no patience, he isn't choosing his shots. He panics and wastes his weapons. If he didn't compose himself, this duel would be over, quickly.
Deidara continued to weave his way through the forest, passing by one more tree until he fully lost Konohamaru. Glancing up at the branches, he saw the paper bombs, and thought to avoid them. The kid would be somewhere near them, as to avoid him coming too close.
Hanabi could see where he was hidden; right in plain view. The Cloak of Invisibility Jutsu. Well, Konohamaru, if the basics work, then do it! She thought.
The problem was one movement on Deidara's part may break the illusion, also Konohamaru can't move while he has the cloak held up, how's he going to attack?
No, trust in your teammate, that is what being a ninja is all about! Just like how he's trusting me to pick myself up and actually lend a hand. Hanabi attempted another rise, this time with more gusto than before, and, much to her relief, she actually could move with a fair amount of control and speed.
However, she hadn't the strongest barrier for pain, and her groans picked up the ears of Deidara, turning to her direction.
This was Konohamaru's chance, lunging one more Kunai at the back of Deidara's head, Konohamaru gasped as the enemy parried once more, and had a clear shot at his target.
Narrowly missing the oncoming shot, Konohamaru felt the edge of the kunai slice at his face. To anyone who would come across him at this moment, he'd have looked like the living dead, given the amount of wounds he had.
Both Genin, at opposite sides of training, style, personality, sex and status agreed on one thing here; neither one alone could win this fight. Hanabi's eyesight would effectively destroy Deidara's stealth capabilities, whilst Konohamaru was the one who was armed, and not suffering from any paralysis. If he could get back to her, the two could scope him out far more efficiently. But how?
Hanabi questioned this, when Konohamaru spent the last of his three Kunai by throwing them in various directions. Hanabi noted that her friend had taken the three blades, coated red from his palms, and then rubbed them either on his chest or his leg, fully covered in blood.
The trick had worked. Deidara couldn't identify which Kunai blade covered his footsteps, and following any trail of blood left behind wouldn't be efficient; all three were drenched in the stuff.
Hanabi felt it best to meet her partner half-way – he had done all the hard-work here afterall, and the clearing was no place to hide from Deidara.
Collapsing beneath another rock, Hanabi found her weakened friend.
"G-good work…" she panted. Her heart was pounding away in her rib-cage. Excitement and adrenaline no doubt, or perhaps a dose of fear at her morality. Yet something inside her felt it had a lot to do with seeing Konohamaru in this state. It…upset her.
"I've lost a lot of blood… I can't see that good right now…double-vision…" He groaned, still holding the pouch.
Hanabi noted that her weapons were still at the clearing. Damn it! Can I do nothing right here! She panicked at the chances of her being able to slip out of the forest and back to her supplies – those weren't good odds.
Peering inside Konohamaru's she saw the six remaining shuriken, and the paper bombs.
"I take it they're-" she began.
"-yeah, they're fakes, and they won't fool him for much longer, the whole 'don't cry wolf' thing…" he chuckled grimly. Hanabi didn't like his condition. The tension, the lack of energy left in him, and those wounds were taking their toll on him. Grasping his shoulders, Hanabi stared deep into his eyes.
"Konohamaru, heir to the Legendary Sarutobi clan, with the dream of becoming Hokage! I need you to focus!" She ordered.
Something about her face, her eyes, her voice brought back some clarity to his fading conscious. Nodding, he didn't struggle when Hanabi turned him around, placed a shuriken in his hand, gripped his arm and placed her head on his shoulder.
"W-what are you doing?" He asked, revealing that not all of his blood had left yet; some still found their way to his cheeks.
"I can't move too well, and you haven't the eyesight for this fight. Let me be your eyes. Let me guide you. We've got six of these left. If you keep your head, that'll be more than enough to win."
Konohamaru gulped, and then agreed.
Deidara hadn't heard the contents of the conversation, but he was aware that Hanabi had joined the fray. What he hadn't anticipated was that the two were working as one body. Assuming they'd adopt the regular sniper strategy and work as a pair – separated by a decent bit of land – he took cover behind the tree of paper bombs, that he believed would work.
Hanabi spoke in the faintest of tones.
"He's dead ahead. Behind the tree you laced with the bombs. He's breathing pretty fast…he didn't expect it to last this long…so he's a bully, a weakling and a coward, pretty ugly picture from where I'm standing…" Hanabi mused.
"A weakling?" Konohamaru asked, also a whisper.
"Yeah, why else would he do all this? If that was an S-Class, you'd have the skill to be Hokage already. Plus when you hit him, his transformation began to fade."
Hanabi's eyes widened.
"He's moved to the west…no clear shot…damn, he is fast…"
"He is a ninja." Konohamaru retorted.
"No, surely you must have noticed. This guy, he hasn't much accuracy and velocity as a ninja, when he moves, but his leg muscles…it's as if they're being propelled."
Konohamaru had heard of something like this before. But where?
"Just tilt your arm to the left slightly…there you go…" Hanabi's delicate hands clutched at his arm. Had this not been a life-or-death situation, Konohamaru would have found this a little too comforting.
"There isn't much wind, but still…launching it from this angle…it'll curve…" Hanabi explained, her voice so low a mouse would struggle to hear.
"That'll get him?" Konohamaru asked.
"…no…it'll get the tree he's hiding behind…if he's compromised he'll move…the guy's agitated…he may come out directly…we're flushing him out…"
The two counted from three. The blade ripped through the air, landing exactly where Hanabi predicted. However, her estimate of the enemy's agitation wasn't as accurate. He weaved to another tree to their left.
"He's spotted us! Run!" She stated harshly.
The two hauled themselves away from the rock, when several more Kunai clanged against it. Within seconds, Deidara was at their previous spot, before growling and returning to the sanctuary of the trees – his speed still putting Hanabi off.
The two resumed a similar stance as before, Hanabi guiding Konohamaru's arm.
"Did you see him run? Tell my you don't think that's weird…" she asked.
"…yeah…and I know why…" he answered, "…Soldier pills…"
"…I don't know…they're for brawlers…" Hanabi retorted.
"…no, specific types will boost specific attributes, strength, endurance, chakra, speed… but they all have the same drawback…paranoia after frequent use…"
Hanabi was impressed by the lesson, but felt the moral gave no solution, she knew he was fast, and edgy, she wanted to know how to stop him.
"I say we use the shuriken, lure him out like we did before…he'll launch more kunai, but they'll miss-"
"Konohamaru…" Hanabi felt a surge of fear.
"-he's freaking out over there, that's got to affect his aim…you retreat…I'll hide in wait with my Cloak of Invisibility Jutsu…he'll come to confirm a kill…and I'll pounce-"
"No…You are not doing that…" Hanabi spat.
"-you've a prolonged shot at him…you're calm…you won't miss…" Konohamaru stared glazed into the forest. He felt as though this had changed him. Whether it was the loss of vital bodily fluid, the pain finally breaking down his rational thought, the need to impress his partner at least once on this stupid mission, or finally developing the courage of his family tree, Konohamaru was resolute, they would do his plan.
Biting her lip, Hanabi thought this was lunacy. However, she had little other options. If she retreated fast enough, she could probably do this. But what if she failed. Konohamaru would die. Because of her.
No, I won't allow that to happen! She steeled herself, gritted her teeth and nodded.
"Okay…but if you survive…I'm gonna kick your ass for this…you reckless little punk…"
The two positioned themselves again. After a minute, Hanabi angled her friend's arm to Deidara's location. The shot was true.
Dropping his arm, Hanabi bolted for a nearby tree. Her blood chilled the second she let go of her friend, knowing this could be the last time she ever saw him alive. The wave of Kunai responded.
Konohamaru's guess…was wrong.
Two of the five kunai made contact; one on his bicep, the other lodged in the same leg as his previous injury, damn near close to that one too. To his credit, he didn't make a sound, the cloak was undamaged. Deidara didn't detect him.
Upon arriving at the spot. Deidara noted two kunai were missing, when Konohamaru flung himself upon him, wielding the Kunai lodged in his arm. Deidara's shock outweighed his reaction time; paranoia was at an all time high.
It was Hanabi's turn to follow the plan. Picking up one more shuriken, Hanabi's aim began to shake. What if she hit Konohamaru?
Before her, the two were struggling on the floor, both with a Kunai aimed at the other's throat. Between the tossing and turning, Hanabi couldn't trust her shot. Her blood froze further. She'd have to watch him die. The first person beyond her family who acknowledged her, helped her, befriended her. She'd spent years training, proving her worth. And now, when it really mattered, she couldn't do it. She failed.
"Hinata-Neesan, you're much braver now, than you used to be." Hanabi was scarcely eight years of age, when she walked with her sister to the scroll shop.
Hinata giggled and blushed slightly.
"How did you get to be so tough? You used to be a scaredy-cat." Hanabi continued, wide-eyed and curious.
"…well, it's not like I'm not afraid anymore. Ninja missions are dangerous, and my friends' lives can be in danger…"
Hanabi stared into her sister's eyes, as Hinata searched for the right words.
"…b-but I vowed that I-I'd protect those important to me…I am a ninja, a-and no matter the opponent I will never back down, that is my Nindo…"
"To protect those important to you?" Hanabi repeated.
"Yes, l-losing them outweighs everything else…that's what makes me tough…" Hanabi finished with an uncharacteristic thumb up, clearly from watching Naruto and Lee too much.
Hanabi knew now how much it weighed, the thought of losing a friend, she would not allow it.
Steeling herself, her aim was true, catching Deidara in the stomach. Embedded deep within him, Deidara let out a shriek that shook the forest. Pushing Konohamaru off of him, his intention was no longer to kill, he had to flee.
Hanabi panicked and sent the last three Shuriken at his back, but none made contact.
Vanishing into the woods, Hanabi could see his outline truly leave the area. Sighing, she could feel the rushes of adrenaline still course through her body, her hand was shaking. Did she really manage to pull a shot off with a hand this unstable?
Dashing to her comrade, she saw him finally begin to lose consciousness. Collapsing beside him, she begged him to stay awake.
She briefly noticed figures in the distance, but didn't care anymore.
"H-hey…I-I…told…you…it would…work…" Konohamaru grinned weakly.
"Hey! Snap out of it!" She cried, anger in her face, and tears in her eyes. She had found true strength, she wasn't going to lose it like this.
But what could she do? They were still a ways away from the town, and she hadn't the strength to carry him now. If she went for help, who was to say Deidara wouldn't return?
She heard voices, coming from the direction of the town.
"The scream came from over there!" She heard a woman call.
Footsteps approached.
Konohamaru closed his eyes, as Hanabi rested his head on her thigh, unable to move anymore.
"There's someone there!" She heard a man call.
Apathetically, she raised her head, and gasped.
"Honourable Grandson!" Asked one of the two men who appeared before her.
She didn't really notice him, it was his associate she focused on. This man turned and called out.
"Sakura-Chan! Get Here Now!" He cried, racing forwards and lifting Konohamaru from her. Looking down at the young boy's face.
"Don't you worry Konohamaru!" He cried, "help's coming, Dattebayo!"
Well? The Main Hero had to show up at some time or another, right? Next time: Team Kakashi and KonoHina swap info, and Tsunade's Police Force snoop a little too close to Danzo: Still reading, then you may as well review :D