samuelm2: Spirit? Pardon me while I go whistle innocently about nothing. Hehe, thanks for the compliment.
MASQUERADEstree: When the rarity of Fuuton was mentioned, it was in relevance to primary element and Konoha. I find it interesting that after stating how rare Fuuton is in Fire, no less than three new Fuuton users are introduced in a filler arc. Anyway, Neji and Sasame use Fuuton as a secondary, not primary.
systemman: Ah, a Gai/Lee fan... Yeah, I was wondering when one would pipe up... At least I proclaimed my dislike for Gai/Lee in School Daze. Nevertheless, it was only to introduce strong, backstory ties between Kanaeru and Konoha.
TimeShifter: Hiashi admitted things didn't go according to plan, and Kurenai was supposed to be a crutch to protect Hinata from him. That's why he apologized for tormenting her and accepts Kurenai's hatred (and his daughters if they so desire). I really need to work on transparency a wee bit... Also, I seriously hope that doesn't come out in manga... It's far too convoluted and stinks of Uchiha. The restaurant was only important for temporal perspective. The pictures (and restaurant) might come up in a sub-story...they were meant to be kinda vague (depends on reader outcry and/or the ideas just bubbling out of control, whichever comes first). The rest of the questions get an evil chuckle and yet more innocent whistling.
Chapter 5:
Angst
Neji calmly looked at the kunoichi leaning into him. Her large, brown eyes blinked as she stared at him. He calmly reached for the kunai at his throat and coaxed it, and subsequently her hand, down and away. "Tenten, it's impolite to gape." He smirked at the growing blush on her cheeks.
Flustered, she released him and took several steps back. She looked around to see who they had almost caught in their trap, and she tapped her chest in relief that nobody was hurt. After a moment, she sent Neji an angry glare. "What's the big idea? This is my mission. Doesn't Hokage-sama trust me?"
He shook his head. "We are not here for the Housekiyama mission." He sighed when he saw the questioning look. "I'm sorry, but I don't have time to explain. I'll leave it at this. Kumorigachi paid for four shinobi on a B-rank mission, no more and no less. We are on a special mission funded by Hokage-sama herself."
He turned to his subordinates for the mission. Naruto and Kanaeru were both looking off in the same direction. The former shook in anger, and the latter looked mildly confused. He cleared his throat to get everybody's attention. "Now that I know what to look for, we can continue our mission. We are in an area threatened by bandits, but they are not our mission. Avoid combat if you can, and we'll succeed."
They were about to take off when Lee approached Kanaeru. Ino and Tenten watched with mild shock as he politely bowed. Though Shino didn't seem to respond, he did raise a brow. Naruto, Neji, and Kiba were more interested in returning to the mission.
Lee raised his head to look Kanaeru in the eyes. In his usual, boisterous tone, he spoke. "I am sorry if I offended you somehow in our first meeting. No, perhaps I should apologize for something I did before. Did I forget some offense?"
She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "We don't have time for this." Shaking her head, she decided the short, sweet version was enough for the moment. "You remind me of somebody I have a bad history with. I thought you were Gai's kid, so I thought to smoke him out with you. Feel lucky kid, I went easy on you." She turned to join her own group.
"Wait!" Lee stood straighter. "Gai-sensei helped teach me my nindo! Though I would be honored to have him as a father, I did not have him for inspiration until after I managed to succeed on my own strength. He taught me…"
Sensing a youthful speech, she cut him off. "I don't want to hear some stupid speech about youth. We have a mission. I said my peace to Gai, and I won't hurt anybody as long as a headache-inducing 'spring time of youth' speech isn't made." She didn't even wait for a reply as she leapt away, sure the team would follow.
Ino turned to Tenten. "What was that about?" She watched the brunette shake her head before turning to Lee. "Care to explain, Lee?" She didn't like being left in the dark.
He watched the direction they disappeared in for a moment longer before answering. "I do not know. She confronted me the other day. It seems my resemblance to Gai-sensei is offensive to her. It makes me wonder what 'bad history' she has with Gai-sensei." He was extremely curious, but even he realized he'd have to wait until later to find out.
Tenten sighed. "Well, at least we know one thing. If our traps surprised Neji, those bandits are in for a world of hurt. Now, let's reset the traps they set off." Ino groaned, but neither really complained as they set back to work.
Before she set off to work, Ino had one final thought to voice. "I hope Chouji's okay on his own."
Before they split up, the all decided on duties. Tenten was good with weapons and traps, and she trusted Lee. Ino was experienced with the human psyche, so Tenten figured she would be good for setting traps. Having experience with both Ino and Shikamaru, she decided Chouji was a good choice to search for clues where Kumorigachi and his brothers were attacked.
He wasn't having much luck. The area still reeked of blood, and it was easy to find the crude burial of the bandits. It was an open, mass grave with the bodies and weapons shoved in. Daikichi was already prepared for his funeral pyre, and his weapon was back in the Kumorigachi family vault.
With a sigh, he wondered if it would be rude to ask to inspect the body of the fallen samurai. His inspection of the area done, he made his way back into town. Maybe he would talk to Suichi.
Not sensing anyone in the room, Hinata slowly opened her eyes. She lost track of the minutes waiting for the shadowy woman and disgusting man to leave. Taking in a deep breath, she summoned her kekkei genkai. As her vision filled with the odd hues of the Byakugan, she suddenly felt immense pain sweep over her entire body.
As she worked to get the convulsions under control, she sensed a presence enter the room. She knew who it was from the chortle. She woman hidden in shadows smirked down on her. "My Hinata-hime, are you trying to use that doujutsu of yours?" She took a step forward, so Hinata could see the widening smirk. "Just so you know; there's no point pretending to be unconscious."
She chortled again when Hinata gasped. "I'm Yumiko." She stepped forward to earn another gasp from Hinata. "Hyuuga Yumiko, and I've placed a special seal on a bracelet you're wearing which…blocks the Byakugan." Her pearl-white eyes shined as she sent a glower to the young heir to the Hyuuga clan.
"Wh-What do you want?" Hinata shook her head. She felt like she was swimming, and the pain from the seal left her lightheaded. When she blinked for what felt like the hundredth time, she noticed her vision was swimming in unfamiliar colors.
Yumiko widely smiled. "I suppose there's no harm telling you. It's not like you can do anything about it, and your village will never find us way out here." She decided not to talk about the group in Housekiyama. It might give her victim hope. "I suppose it's a sort of revenge."
Hinata gasped, and Yumiko giggled. "Oh, stop that Hinata-hime. It's so…melodramatic." She gave a smile the young heir might have thought compassionate if not for the shadowy woman's disposition. "Konoha's so rotten, and the Hyuuga are a cancer. Don't you agree, Hinata-hime? They treat their own citizens like trash or just ignore the problem."
In one of her rare acts of defiance, Hinata sat up and stared Yumiko down. "The village is not rotten! Whatever's wrong, Naruto-kun will fix!" In her moment of rage, she ignored saying her crush's name and relying on him as a sort of crutch. "There are kind people, and I'll change the Hyuuga because I love them!"
"Naruto, huh?" Yumiko thought on the name for a second. "I've heard that name. He's the child charged with holding Kyuubi." She enjoyed watching Hinata's eyes widen, but she didn't see the fright she was expecting. "He's proof the village is rotten, and, further, he's proof the Hyuuga are a cancer."
Hinata opened her mouth to protest again, but Yumiko interrupted to continue. "The village could have honored the Fourth's wishes. The Hyuuga could have ensured his safety and placated the village. It's a big cycle of hatred which was passed to your generation." She paused. "Though, I can see you don't share those same mistaken ideals."
Hinata looked down and closed her eyes. "Naruto-kun's always been so strong. He wrestled with the village's hatred while trying to find his place in it. He fights everything he thinks is wrong with his whole strength, and he never backs down." She opened her eyes to send Yumiko a glower. "My family, the whole Hyuuga clan, are just…are just trapped."
Yumiko smirked. "Yes. They're trapped by tradition. It tends to do that. That tradition became a disease which was all that was needed to make the Hyuuga a cancer." She stood up and lit another lamp. Enough light shone to reveal her forehead. Again, Hinata gasped. "What did I say about that, Hinata-hime? Yes, I was branch. As you can see, the seal is odd, different."
Hinata stared at the seal in stunned confusion. Where the seal normally glowed very lightly green, Yumiko's was a sickly grey. "Wh-What did you do to it?" She shook her head. "Who exactly are you? I've never heard of a Hyuuga Yumiko." She figured she would have heard a Hyuuga turned traitor, especially as Yumiko appeared to be younger than her father.
She was about to respond when she looked distracted and stared off to some distant object Hinata knew neither could see. After a moment, she shook her head and turned to the door. "Go back to sleep, Hinata-hime. I have some things to take care of." She paused before exiting through the portal. "Oh, and don't try to mold chakra. Another bracelet makes that a painful endeavor."
Hinata found herself alone in the room once the door closed. She wondered about Yumiko's sudden departure. She still felt lightheaded, but she fought that feeling to look at her wrists. She sighed. "She wasn't lying about these. I can see the seals, but I don't really know enough to do anything about them."
She stood and walked to the door. She frowned. "I thought so. If I can't mold chakra, I can't break this door down." She looked around the room and her frown deepened. It was small and bare. The only décor, if it could be called that, was a bed and changing screen. The room didn't even have a window.
She squinted her eyes. She was still seeing odd colors. As her headache disappeared, the new hues were fading. She wondered about it because of how much she was reminded of watching Gayt fight. With another sigh, she shook her head and walked back to the bed. She wanted to think, and sitting there seemed as good a spot as any.
Outside the room, Yumiko walked down the hall until she entered an open area obviously designed as an entertainment room. She eyed her son under the arch to the foyer. He wore an eager expression as he watched the trees sway in the wind. Besides Saiga, two other men occupied the room. She sent a sweet smile to a man whose back was too her while he sat and strung a bow. "Daikichi-dannachan, I thought you said your brother wouldn't act hastily."
Kumorigachi Daikichi looked up from stringing his bow. "I don't think he hired two teams of shinobi, Yumiko-okamisama." He continued to masterfully string and test his bow even as he spoke. "My death was masterfully orchestrated, and only Konoha's Fifth could unravel the jutsu used to make that bandit the likeness of me."
She leaned her head back to snub him as she retorted. "Are you saying they followed me after Saiga-kun took Hinata-hime?" She was a proud woman, and she did not enjoy the thought of her plan being called into question. "There's no way those peaceful leaf nin know how to follow that cloud nin jutsu."
A string caught and sang as it slid across Daikichi's finger. He suppressed a pained cry as he gave his wife a confused look. "I doubt Konoha has the skills to follow you as easily or quickly as this. The jutsu was pulled off perfectly, and you were back here with Saiga and the others far more quickly than any other shinobi could travel the distance." He tightly gripped his bleeding forefinger to stem the flow.
She was about to respond when Saiga interjected. "Okaa-sama's plan worked great, as otou-san said. Rikka-oneesama showed me." He paused. "I'm sure she showed you too, okaa-sama. Those were the weaklings who saw me take imouto-chan." He licked his lips, and his eyes danced in anticipation of a fight.
Yumiko rubbed her chin in contemplation before walking to a darkened corner with curtains drawn around a cylinder. She slowly drew them back to reveal a girl who appeared no older than seven or eight suspended and naked in a thick liquid. A birthmark covering a large portion of the left side of her face resembled a tall, thin star with ten points. Her body curled in response to the light which revealed her skin to be white as freshly fallen snow.
She gently caressed the tube where she could see her daughter's cheek. "Rikka-chan, can you show me the Konoha filth?" The girl's body shook, and Yumiko's expression became distanced. After a moment, she shook her head. "Thank you, Rikka-chan." She turned to Saiga, Daikichi, and a short, hunched man looking older than them all. She addressed the eldest man first. "How's your chakra?"
He gently looked to Yumiko with eyes similar to Saiga's except in color. His were ashen red. He was bald revealing a wrinkled scalp, and he had to support his aging bones with a cane. "I've got enough to keep the bandits in line, okaa-sama. Daikichi and Saiga-kun can handle fighting the rest."
Rikka shook in her tube again, and the rest of the family looked distanced for a moment. When she stopped convulsing, Yumiko's face contorted into visible anxiety. "Rikka-chan can't tell us anything about that armored hulk, and the kunoichi is unfamiliar. Daikichi-dannachan, handle the kunoichi. Basuto-kun, keep as many of them busy with the bandits as you can."
She heard Saiga groan and turned to him with a sweet smile. "Don't worry, my Saiga-kun. You can handle anybody strong enough to slip through their grasp." She rubbed her chin as she considered who was coming. The blond boy was certainly familiar. She wasn't anywhere near Konoha when the Fourth sacrificed himself to seal the Kyuubi no Kitsune inside the boy, but he was no doubt that child. "This might work out better than I planned."
The eldest man looked at Rikka as he addressed Yumiko. "Not to be rude okaa-sama, but what threats can these leaf nin possibly pose?" He had his doubts of what such disease-infested shinobi were even capable of.
She smirked. "Why Basuto-kun, what did I tell you about underestimating your enemies?" He nodded, content with the answer. She waved her hand somewhat dismissively. "Go prepare our pawns. We should minimize how much we dirty ourselves with such filth."
Basuto chuckled as he walked outside. Yumiko knew the bandits would be prepared. Turning back to Daikichi and Saiga, she saw the look on her husband's face. "Saiga-kun, be a dear and tell Masato-sanban to prepare his specialty." Saiga groaned, but he acquiesced with a stern look from his mother. With his departure, she turned to Daikichi. "Well?"
He sighed. "You were always disappointed by me. You thought you could combine the Byakugan with what the Kumorigachi clan forsook long ago." Her glare told him he was right on the money, and she was very angry. "I wanted the power you offered, but I ended up disappointing you. Rikka and Basuto are the same way." His expression turned from soft to serious. "I'm going to be called Daikichi-yonban soon; aren't I?"
Her expression softened. "I made that offer not only for what your blood offered but that I did fall in love with you." She drew the curtains to hide Rikka, and she felt the thanks the small girl expressed. "None of my children are disappointments. None have the Byakugan, but their individual kekkei genkai all the stronger for it."
He finished stringing his bow and stood up. After mounting it on his back, he made his way across the room to her. "The timing is interesting is all." He smiled and shook his head. "I can guess a few things about the girl, and I'm sure you want us to kill as many of the Konoha filth coming our way as we can. My question is rather simple. Who is it?"
Her gentle expression was twisted with a wicked smirk. "You just stick to the plan. I'm sure my Saiga-kun will get to…test the one who caught my attention." He nodded but sadly dropped his face. She caressed his cheeks and leaned her forehead against his. "Let's seal Konoha's fate."
Neji held up his hand to bring his team to a halt. Because he couldn't sense Gayt, he looked over his shoulder just to confirm what his Byakugan saw. Shino recognized the action as strange and spoke up. "What's wrong?"
Neji shook his head. "Something strange is going on. We're not far outside Housekiyama territory, yet it seems the bandits are brazen enough to set up their base here." He pointed in towards what he was talking about. Everybody carefully and stealthily took a look.
Unlike the usual brutish bandits, the small huts and tents were hidden and camouflaged among the trees and foothills. Their trained eyes were able to pick them out, and they quickly traced the formation the huts and tents seemed to be in. They were centered around and protecting a cave.
At the cave entrance stood a tall, dark-haired man. His eyes were ashen green; though, Neji and his team could only tell because of how the late-day sun was shining on his face. Behind the team, Kanaeru spoke up. "He's the odd presence I sensed…" Her eyes shifted to look at movement behind him, and she was certain nobody else noticed.
Neji looked at her then the man again. With an active Byakugan, he saw the man was capable of molding chakra. Judging from his body size and chakra system, he was likely in his mid to late twenties. To his eyes, there was nothing 'odd' about him. "Could you explain yourself, Kanaeru?"
"Well…" She was about to explain when arrows and kunai rained down on them. They jumped away and landed in the middle of the bandit encampment. As they landed, they looked around the nearly desolate camp. She smirked, closed her eyes, and…giggled. After a moment and a few dumbfounded stares, she opened her eyes and rubbed her thumb across her lower lip. "Let's party!"
A cloud of kunai and arrows descended on the group again. A flurry of sound and motion was the only warning the few bandits got that the shinobi were on the move. The air was filled with sounds of bugs and a dog's growl. When the dust settled, the spot Kanaeru stood was surrounded by chains.
After a moment, the chains separated enough to reveal the wide smirk on her face. "Ninpo: Ichiban no Kyuubi! Let's rumble!" She almost seemed to disappear as she rushed the hidden leader. Her eyes widened in surprise for only a moment before drawing her right arm back, coiling her chain around it, and creating a makeshift blade.
The samurai bowman jumped back to avoid the first strike, but he was soon forced onto the defensive. He spun his bow masterfully to block strikes, and eruptions of sparks were the telltale sign to where they were engaging. The red-headed kunoichi whom he had assumed would be slowed by the chains wrapping her right arm now seemed to have more chains, and she was moving with extreme speed and accuracy.
Not to be outdone, the leaf nin jumped into action. Neji, Kiba, and Akamaru were quickly surrounded by bandits, so they were stuck dealing with them. Naruto made a mad dash for the cave where his gut was telling him Hinata was. Gayt held his arm out as sniggering bandits surrounded him, and he clenched his fist which was encased in light.
The ashen green eyed man at the cave entrance spoke into the shadows even as he continued facing forward. His lips twisted into a cruel smirk as he watched a blond-haired shinobi rush towards him. "Can I take him, okaa-sama?" He clenched his knuckles so tightly they could be heard cracking.
Hidden in the shadows, Yumiko answered her son. "Don't hurt him too badly, my Saiga-kun." He almost looked at her, but he knew better and restrained himself. She smirked at his unasked question. "The boy interests me; that's all. You might be calling him otou-sama."
Saiga grinned widely enough to show his teeth. "This is gonna be fun! Thank you, okaa-sama!" He pushed chakra into his feet and flung himself towards Naruto. When he cleared the cave entrance, he put his arm out and concentrated chakra there. It bulged by fifty percent, and he clotheslined Naruto.
Not expecting that kind of speed, he flew backward from the tremendous blow. He wiped blood from the corner of his lips and tasted iron from the cut inside his mouth. He was growing frustrated and angry, and he already felt the Kyuubi's chakra boiling to the surface. He forced it down with a grunt and charged his assailant.
Saiga took a moment to appraise his adversary. He didn't look like much, but Yumiko stated an interest in him. "What okaa-sama wants, okaa-sama always gets." The blond genin stood and crossed his fingers in front of his face. Saiga whistled as shadow clones circled around him.
They all looked exactly the same. His sleeves were a very dark, forest green, easily blending into the canopy. His torso and pants were the same dark blue. His sandals, more like open-toed shoes, were a deep maroon. They were probably stylized tabi. Though Saiga didn't know it, the battle dress was relatively new to Naruto. It blended into foliage, shadows, and dead leaves far better than the bright orange used to.
Neji glanced over his shoulder as he sent another bandit a bone-jarring blow. Though the juuken wasn't a highly physical fighting style, the sudden thrusts, which could stop a body cold and send chakra into vital organs, hurt all the same. He already felled two bandits. He was surrounded by four more, making it hard to concentrate on one to bring him down. With his Byakugan active, he could watch the entire battlefield.
Kiba and Akamaru resembled one another. They were attacking in a unison only their lifetime of training and dedication to one another could ever hope to pull off. They were surrounded by broken weapons, but they had only managed to fell a single opponent. The bandits were much more used to physical blows than what Neji was capable of delivering.
Gayt was easily fending for himself. He utilized Star to pull off whatever strange techniques he knew. Perhaps because of how his armor made him look, he was surrounded by the largest group of bandits. He bobbed and weaved through careless strikes and thrusts. He parried and smashed weapons. Unlike with his spars with Naruto, Gayt looked bored.
Kanaeru was moving at unbelievable speeds, but her opponent was no slouch either. He managed to block or parry most of her strikes, but he only had a bow and was unable to retaliate. She almost seemed to be dancing around him, drawing him into some sort of trap. Like Hinata, she was able to use her natural dexterity to twist and shuffle her legs to circle her opponent and keep him off guard.
Neji took another bandit down and turned his attention to Naruto. The blond genin was having trouble with his opponent. Saiga read movements well, and he was sending his chakra into the air around him. Neji couldn't see it, but their breath was crystallizing into a light fog as if the air were frigid.
Naruto noticed and decided to send in clones with the Rasengan. Saiga turned, clenched his fist, and opened it in a clean, thrusting motion. The clones behind him were pierced, and Rasengan dispersed. Not being able to see anything gleaming to indicate a weapon, he immediately protested. "Hey, how'd you do that?!"
Saiga responded by holding his hand out, palm up and fingers erect. Above each finger, ice kunai formed. Naruto took a step back. "He uses ice!? I thought Haku was the last survivor from Kiri with that kekkei genkai. Including that guy from Greens, this makes three people I've fought using ice. What's going on?!" He quickly pulled out a kunai to defend against the incoming ice kunai.
Suichi looked at his guests. They returned to his home at practically the same time. Chouji was a few minutes ahead, but Tenten arrived with Ino and Lee not long after. Chouji was the first to ask for a word with him, but Tenten also insisted on needing to talk with him. They sat sipping tea. Ino wasn't present because she went to interrogate the one bandit he managed to capture alive almost a week prior.
He had a certain respect for his guest. As a samurai of a proper clan, he held fast to tradition, and they were doing well to uphold it. He set his tea cup down and looked at the three teens before him. It was hard to believe they were as accomplished as they were at such a young age. "I'll let the team leader speak first."
Chouji and Tenten nodded, and she carefully spoke. "Suichi-san, we ran into another group from Konoha while we were setting our traps for the bandits." Chouji managed not to act too surprised, but his expression was obvious. Suichi simply nodded. "They are not here to interfere with our mission or your duties. They were in a hurry for a mission assigned by Hokage-sama herself, and I felt it only proper to inform you."
The head of the Kumorigachi and, therefore, Housekiyama nodded his appreciation. As he turned to Chouji, Ino burst through the doors nearly out of breath. "I got the bandit to talk!" She held her hands over her mouth when she realized how rude she was acting.
Instead of being mad, Suichi beckoned her on. "Well, tell us what you learned." Obviously, it was important for her to rush in from the holding cell like she did.
She looked to Tenten first and received a nod before continuing. "He said these lands would soon belong to his mistress, supposedly a Fuuin master. I used every trick I know, and was able to learn they planned a raiding attack for…" She looked at the position of the sun in the sky. "…well, soon!"
Suichi rose and called his servants to start putting on his armor. He knew the Konoha shinobi weren't ones to call a false alarm. The blond kunoichi was also a Yamanaka, so he had no reason to doubt what information she dredged from the captive bandit. As he strapped his daishou to his waist, he noted the shinobi were already ready. He nodded. "Let's greet those whom threaten Housekiyama."
Tenten nodded and turned to Ino. "I take it you know where they're coming from?" Ino frantically agreed. Tenten repressed a smirk. She was going to get her chance to prove to herself and the village her skills as a kunoichi. She looked Ino straight in the eyes. "Lead the way."
Despite her calm exterior, she was anxious. As Ino lead the way to the point the bandit described, she was unconsciously checking her weapons. She was skilled enough that Ino, Chouji, and Suichi never noticed. Lee, however, did and came up along side her to speak silently with her. "You will do fine, Tenten. Neji and I believe in you, and, though Neji may not be here, he is rooting for your youthful display."
She gave him a soft smile. He may be annoying more often than not, but his heart was in the right place. Now if only they could fix his boisterousness and fashion sense… Inwardly, she knew the reason they never tried was because they hated fighting hopeless battles. "Thanks Lee. Let's just get this mission over with and put an end to the bandit menace here." She winked to punctuate her statement.
He pumped his fist in the air, and his voice was no longer silently between them. "Yosh! The fires of our youth cannot be doused by a weak threat! Our flames will consume them, and they will learn the errors of their evil ways!" He was so excited he didn't notice the disturbed looks he was getting from Suichi and Ino. Chouji managed to keep facing forward; though, he shook his head.
Tenten nervously chuckled. "Yeah… Anyway…" She was interrupted by the sound of a heavy object cutting through the air. She flipped backwards to avoid a rather hefty throwing axe. Lee timed his punch to shatter the head from the shaft, and the former when flying into the canopy. Tenten threw a kunai. "There!"
The target lurched backward as the kunai dug itself into his shoulder. He managed to hurl another throwing axe as Tenten withdrew her first weapons scroll. His eyes widened as the brunette kunoichi threw various implements of doom. One bandit down, the rest rushed from their hiding places among the flora.
They were stopped by a green blur which rounded them into a large group. As it started getting too cramped, those along the edge arched their weapons as they charged the 'wall' which held them in. They stumbled back with broken weapons and bruised bodies.
The second charge was even less successful. The ones to reach the edge first suddenly turned on their comrades and started attacking. Stunned, the bandits were fighting amongst themselves as they tried to figure out what was going on.
Suichi still had his hands on his daishou. He watched in stunned silence as Tenten, Lee, and then Ino easily handled the first wave of bandits. Chouji was standing next to him with a bag of potato chips, stuffing his face. He looked at the obese shinobi and decided to ask. "Aren't you going to help your friends?"
Mouth full, he answered. "I am." He saw the confused look on the samurai's face and decided to continue. "I don't know how much you know about the various clans from Konoha or mine in particular, but I'm getting ready for my Baika no Jutsu." He looked to his side and raised a fist in the air. The bandit who attempted to sneak up on him fell to the ground in a daze.
Suichi shook his head and drew his daishou. Being left handed, he equipped his katana and wakizashi opposite from how others might. He confidently danced into the second wave of bandits. He paid careful attention to how the shinobi he hired acted. Chouji fought by his side while Ino and Lee handled the first wave. Tenten divided her attention between the first and second wave.
Suichi lost track of how many bandits came to attack. He concentrated on his clan's dancing blade style and location of his allies. To him, the attack seemed too well orchestrated to be a wasted raid. Previous incursions always had a clear objective. He thought this one no exception, and one possibility was to wear them down for a stronger attack.
Basuto stepped out of the shadows next to Yumiko. They were hidden from the battlefield outside by the cave entrance and a special trap set up earlier. She looked to the elder man who seemed too old to refer to her as his mother. "I presume Masato-yonban is fully prepared?"
He nodded. "Musouka is ready, okaa-sama." He turned to watch the various fights. The technique was to be used on Yumiko's orders. He found the Konoha filth interesting to watch in their fleeting, last moments. Of course, he knew his mother had an interest in one of them. He knew from Rikka that it was the one Saiga was fighting. He smirked. "That fight is impressive."
Naruto surrounded Saiga with his clones once more. He had plenty of energy, and he hadn't even broken a sweat. The energetic blond utilized his clone army to attack with Kazeken and Rasengan primarily. Saiga used his Hyouton to create kunai and throw them at the clones. Though he managed to disperse most of the clones with the ninjutsu, Naruto's taijutsu was sharp enough to land a few, harsh blows.
As Naruto was about to juggle Saiga in the air with more punches and kicks, he noticed cracks forming along his opponents body. He stopped his attack and watched as 'Saiga' crumbled apart and fell to the ground. He was quickly on guard. He formed a circle with his five remaining clones. "A Hyou Bushin… This guy's good."
He was rocketed backward as a heavy kick landed across his forehead. He flew threw his remaining clones, dispersing them immediately. Saiga was pleased with himself. "All right, I guessed the right one!" He was back to business quickly.
Naruto looked up just in time to see ice kunai hurtling towards him. He spun along the ground to avoid the initial barrage before tucking in and kicking out to get to his feet. He charged in with his right arm trailing. Saiga watched as another tight ball of energy formed. Naruto plunged his hand into his opponent's chest. "Tch!" He jumped back as another volley of kunai dug themselves into the loam around him.
Neji wasn't impressed by the bandits. They weren't strong, but they had numbers. Five lay around him in boneless heaps. The three who remained as his opponents were finally taking it cautiously. They were still within his range, but they were spread out. He couldn't waste too much chakra taking them all out one at a time with his strongest techniques. He had to be conservative.
He knew Naruto was having trouble. The man with ashen green eyes was skilled with his Hyouton. Though, he could have sworn Kiri 'purged' their land of the 'impure taint' of 'arrogant' Hyouton users. There was the foreigner Hinata talked about after the mission to Greens, but something was unsettling about the situation.
Not far away, Kiba had four of his opponents down. Of course, he had four remaining. He was up against probably the burliest of the bandits left in the encampment. He and Akamaru were breathing a little harder, but they had plenty of fight left. There were more broken weapons surrounding him than Neji was sure Tenten carried…which was saying a lot.
Gayt already had over half his opponents down. Neji couldn't count how many bandits surrounded the armored man. It wasn't for lack of ability; rather he was too concentrated on his own battle and trying to keep his eyes on the other goings on. Gayt was using a heavy lance. It was the warrior's way of creating a handicap to give the bandits a chance. It wasn't helping. The armored warrior was, by far, the superior fighter.
Kanaeru's battle was interesting. The bowman couldn't mold chakra like a shinobi, but his training as a samurai paid off rather well. He hadn't gotten a single shot off, but he was defending himself well. The battle seemed more a dance than anything else. Then Kanaeru pulled back into a stance remarkably like a juuken stance. She looked up to her opponent with a wicked grin.
Daikichi knew not to miss the chance. He notched two arrows and let them fly. He groaned when the chains rapidly wrapped around her into a loose dome. He knew he had to get her out of there. He circled around the dome and kept firing arrows. They were easily reflected by the metallic links. However, the air was growing progressively colder as he circled the dome.
Within the dome, Kanaeru was going through hand seals. She felt the air growing heavier with the drop of temperature. It wasn't much, but she confirmed another suspicion of hers. She came to the last hand seal and stopped abruptly. She threw her right arm out, and the chain separated to snake out from her arm. She watched her opponent duck under the chain to avoid a nasty whiplash strike.
He looked at the broken tree that could have been him. In a nervous sweat, he looked at her and notched another arrow. He blinked when the ground beneath him glowed a light teal, and he stared at her in dumbfounded confusion as she spoke. "You're cornered. Welcome to my Otaki. Ninpo: Niban no Kyuubi!" Gabbing her chain, she spun it before whipping it towards him.
He lost sight of her when she called out her Niban no Kyuubi. He didn't know what she did, but his vision was highly irregular. He barely managed to duck under her attack because he was able to follow its sound. His eyes widened when he heard her rushing towards him. He managed a block and quickly noticed something. "Her attacks are weaker now, but she also seems faster…" He wondered if it was his imagination.
Yumiko's eyes widened and she barely contained a gasp. She turned to Basuto. "She can use Fuuin!" Her surprise gave way to anger. She sharply looked to Kanaeru. Daikichi was at a disadvantage, and it seemed as good a time as any to activate her plan. Saiga might be mad that he didn't get to finish his fight, but it wasn't his call anyway. "Activate Musouka, Masato-sanban."
Basuto opened his mouth as a low frequency noise filled the area. The remaining bandits swayed for a moment before passing out. Neji turned to face the cave entrance where an elderly was standing. Kiba held his ears, and Akamaru convulsed on the ground looking like the white-furred dog he was. Gayt was holding Star who was violently prismatic.
Neji fell to his knees. "How did I not notice him earlier?" His vision was blackening, and his Byakugan was becoming painful. He fell unconscious to the ground just after hearing Kiba fall.
Yumiko watched as the red-headed kunoichi slowed. She somehow managed to keep attacking Daikichi even as the effects of Musouka started. Her chain slowly retracted and seemed to lose flexibility. She came to a stop and fell to her knees. She looked right at Naruto and fell to the soft soil.
Daikichi stood, sweating and panting. He fell back to lean against a tree and looked to Yumiko. "That woman was tough!" He eyed his bow. There were new nicks he'd have to buff out, and all his work stringing turned to be for naught. The strings were strained and frayed. "Looks like we won't be able to attack Housekiyama on schedule. How's Basuto doing?"
Yumiko looked to Basuto. He closed his mouth and looked around the once battlefield. "Suichi and the shinobi he hired are very skilled. They are only just starting to weaken from exhaustion, and I can tell they have plenty of stamina left." He paused. "Though, you can thank Rikka for that."
Saiga walked up to Yumiko and Basuto with Naruto draped over his shoulder. "Aw, you coulda let me have more fun, okaa-sama." He indicated the unconscious blond. "He was real powerful, and it was getting to the best part." He was obviously complaining childishly.
Yumiko took the final few steps towards him and patted him on the cheeks like a doting parent. "My Saiga-kun, you can't go hurting your new otou-sama like that." She saw the sulking face Daikichi was making as he slung his bow over his back and approached them. "Don't worry Daikichi-dannachan; the boy still needs a few years to grow."
He sighed, but his smile was soft and genuine. "That's good to hear, Yumiko-okamisama. I'd like to be your danna-chan at least until we throw out the garbage." Looking over his shoulder, he snarled at Neji, Kiba, and Akamaru. Kanaeru and Gayt were unknowns, and they were obviously not from Konoha. "What kind of fate have you left them?"
Neji awoke holding his head. As he stood up, he saw nothing. He looked around. He knew his eyes were open, and he knew there was light. His eye muscles were working, and he felt the warmth. However, there was a stinging pain across his forehead and temples.
He reached his hands up to see if he could feel what was wrong. When he touched his forehead, he felt something unnerving. There were seals carved over the Hyuuga curse seal, and they extended down past his forehead. He could feel them, but he couldn't recognize them. As much as he hated admitting it, he didn't know much about seals and their implementation.
The thoughts entered his mind. Was he blind? Was he alone? He called out. "Kiba? Akamaru? Naruto? Kanaeru? Gayt?" He spoke their names with increasing panic. He blinked. Did he really feel panic? He swallowed his pride. He had to admit that. "Is anybody there?"
Kiba awoke to the heavy smell of blood. The stench was rank, but he couldn't get over the familiarity of it. He tried to open his eyes, but something thick caked them shut. He rubbed his eyes, and clumps of what his nose identified as blood flaked off. It wasn't just any blood. It was Akamaru's!
He shot to a seated position and looked around, but he felt a weight fall from his chest to his lap. He looked down, and it felt like cold death clutched his heart. Akamaru's head lay in his lap. A nasty gash split his maw, and it looked like some blunt force caved the side of his skull in. He openly wept as he embraced his fallen friend; he didn't care who might be watching or if he might be next.
Akamaru whined as he shook his head and tried to shake the clumps of dried blood from his fur and ears. For the first time he could remember, he couldn't hear the steady breathing or excitable heartbeat of his human companion. The worrisome thing was Kiba's scent was very close by.
He followed the scent to a grey heap not too far away. It smelled heavily of Kiba, and there were no signs of anybody moving from that spot. Akamaru looked around. The signs of a struggle were everywhere, and it looked like whoever was fighting was led here… He nudged his companion to try to wake him, and he howled to the cloudy skies in dismay.
Gayt growled in open defiance to the demon standing before him. The creature was his most hated foe. It was a giant, red ogre, and it was tapping its massive club across its shoulder. Gayt didn't know or care if the creature had a gender, let along what it was. He stood before it without his armor.
The creature laughed at his pitiful state. He was in rags. His dark hair was long and covered his forehead and eyes, and a thick beard and mustache prevented any other details of his face from being seen. He was unkempt, and his clothes were little more than rags barely covering his scrawny body. He looked like a starving man in his mid-twenties.
He reached his arm out and gripped his hand in a fist. He knew it wouldn't work, but he still felt like pulling a weapon from seeming ether and disemboweling and beheading the ogre. "This isn't real. A creature of Jigoku has no power." The ogre sneered at him, and he sneered right back.
Kanaeru stood in the middle of a village engulfed in flames. She watched as a massive beast with nine tails attacked. It looked distinctly like a fox. She was rather calm for the death and destruction happening around her. She turned to watch a familiar, pasty-skinned traitor run by. He was scared. He should be.
She walked in the direction he ran from. "Orochimaru was a coward. He relied on becoming a fake immortal, and he even used Akatsuki to do it." She paused in her walk to look around. The forest was in flames, and shinobi were running around trying to contain the carnage. "Two years after I left Konoha for Whirlpool… I hadn't seen Konoha since."
Looking down, she pushed some dead foliage and leaves out of the way. Through it, she saw lightly glowing lines and words. "I can't say this was in bad taste, but Fuuin against a sumitsuki?" She paused to laugh. "They really don't know who they're messing with." She knelt down and inspected what she could see of the seal.
After a few moments, she sighed. "It was masterfully done. Whoever they are, they are well accomplished. If this weren't a genjutsu, it might be a whole lot easier." She shook her head. As much as she hated to admit it, genjutsu were just a big weakness. "However, this is a genjutsu amplified and controlled by Fuuin."
She bit her thumb and squeezed it to get just the right amount of blood before running through a string of hand seals. She didn't call anything out as she slammed her hand into the ground and let her blood soak into the enemy's seal. As she stood up, the vision induced by Musouka faded.
She knew she didn't have much time, so she got to work. She summoned up Tsuchi Bushin and rushed to Neji, Kiba, Akamaru, and Gayt's sides. She sent several for Naruto, but they dispensed with her clones quickly in spite of being surprised. Gayt was the first to recover, so he was able to walk on his own and take Kiba and Akamaru.
Leaving her clones behind as a distraction, Kanaeru carried Neji and leapt away with Gayt close behind. Star was flashing between blue and white as she communicated her concerns. She was obviously distressed, but they needed to get away for the time being. It was best to withdraw and regroup.
Gayt kept his eyes straight ahead even as he relayed his own concerns along with Star's. "What about Naruto-dono, Kanaeru-sama?" He didn't know what technique was used, and that only increased his concern.
Her jaw trembled as she answered. She was furious. "The kit's going to be okay. I was able to sense some of their motives, and they were interested in capturing him!" She kept her gaze ahead, but she fixated her attention on Naruto's location. "Whatever they did to us, he isn't experiencing it."
It was weird. Naruto had to admit it. He always tried to get Sakura to go on dates with him, but now he was on a date with Hinata. As enjoyable as it was turning out to be, there was a problem.
He knew it was fake. He didn't want it to be fake, but the training with Ero-sennin told him otherwise. He tried releasing himself from the genjutsu several times, but nothing worked. It seemed too real, and he was really enjoying it.
He was enjoying the attention. He was enjoying giving attention. He liked the food. Scratch that, he really liked the food. Hinata was a great cook, and he knew it. She had a knack for that sort of thing, and it even extended to making interesting concoctions for treating wounds or ailments.
Another problem popped into his head. Why was he experiencing this in a genjutsu? Was the enemy purposely targeting him in such a way? Did they know about him? Worse, did they know about what was inside of him? "Why did this genjutsu have to be so nice?!" He was frustrated, and he pulled at his hair.
The date was over far too quickly, and they were sitting on a bench outside the Hyuuga estates. The genjutsu was just more than just obvious. Even he could recognize it without it biting him in the nose as hard as it was. Still, he couldn't help but enjoy it.
Then a woman he'd never met before seemed to melt out of the wall in front of them. Hinata didn't mind the sight, and she even curled tighter up to him in anticipation of…something. The woman looked like a Hyuuga with her eyes, and she appeared to be branch…except her seal was weird.
I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate Uchiha! Seriously, you die Sasuke! Argh! Still, I didn't like Killerbee either... Raikage's reaction was awesome, though. That said; I am still planning on using Sasuke as a plot device in this story. Based on a reader or readers figuring out a few questions (like Naruto's legacy or what Sasuke's personal agenda might be), I may introduce him to this story a little earlier than I currently have planned (which is approximately third story arc at the moment).
I have a certain soft spot for Rikka (fatherly, I assure you). Saiga and Basuto are interesting, and the whole family is just fun. Unlike the other villainous original characters I've introduced up to now, they have some interesting backstory which will actually come out in future chapters. Hope you enjoy 'cause I know I'm going to surpirse some readers (good or bad?) when things come further into the light.
This chapter is a little later than normal because my boss worked me to the bone this past week. I swear; my vacation is coming up, so he works me harder! However, I only said it would be out on Sunday. That means, using MST, between 12:01am Sunday and 12:01am Monday.
As always, reviews are appreciated, and flames outright ignored.
Story Word Count: 8,029
Story Page Count: 16.5
Terms and Jutsu:
danna: husband
okami: wife
Ninpo: Ichiban no Kyuubi - Ninja Art: First of the Nine Tails: An offensive and deffensive art, Ichiban no Kyuubi is a powerful fighting technique utilizing a long whip or chain. It relies on speed and seals, and the user focuses chakra through the chain or whip to allow it free movement.
Baika no Jutsu - Double Size Technique: A general term I'm using for the Akimichi clan's body-expanding techniques.
Musouka - The Dreamer: Musouka is a powerful Fuuin-enhanced genjutsu. It is capable of completely sealing a target or targets into a dreamlike state. It either requires a high level of training or specialized chakra. The seal required for the technique must be drawn around the victim or target area. If set up in advance, the proper amount of charka simply must be provided. It is a high level genjutsu.
Hyouton - Ice Release: Hyouton is a kekkei genkai which combines wind and water based chakra. More will be revealed later on how Saiga has it.
Hyou Bushin - Ice Clone: A mid-level technique, Hyou Bushin creates a solid clone much like Kage Bushin.
Otaki - Cascade: A low- to mid- level Fuuin inscribed on the ground, Otaki attacks the vision of those standing on top of it, unless otherwise protected. It works similiarly to a genjutsu in that colors of the victim(s) cascade and blend uncontrollably. It is not a genjutsu, however.
Ninpo: Niban no Kyuubi - Ninja Art: Second of the Nine Tails: An offensive and deffensive art, Niban no Kyuubi divides the user's attention between the fighting technique and a single seal. It has greater speed, but the power is reduced.
Jigoku: A plane of punishment in Japanese mythology, Jigoku is the equivelant to Greco-Roman bad Underworld or Judeo-Christian Hell.
Tsuchi Bushin no jutsu: Earth Clone Technique: Take a wild guess...