Hello there! Heh, well I gotta say that this chapter was a blast to write.
Recap:
Tenten is awakened during some dire circumstances, what is and has been on the prowl since chapter chapter 8? Find out now!
Naruto for the most part was in complete and utter nirvana.
As he continued to gaze in wonderment at the ramenisque landscape around him, an unknown tear came to his eye and gentility rolled down a whiskered cheek. Everything was just so beautiful. The sky, the trees, the lake...Oh the lake! Naruto ran as fast as his legs would grant him towards the beautiful broth.
As he drew near to the soup-side shoreline the blond enjoyed the aroma of; as Naruto would put it, "Awesome!", that wafted with the changing winds. Thinking nothing of it, the blond proceeded to strip himself of his clothes and dove in wearing nothing more than a gleeful smile.
When he surfaced Naruto prepared his lungs for what was sure to be a long journey, and after taking his fill of air the blond dove down once more into the delightful miso depths of discovery!
As he swam along by-and-by he took notice of the schools of headless-shrimp that scuttled about the ramantic reefs. Again thinking nothing of it, the blond swam to meet one stray school head on with a rather large toothy grin...
From above, near the soup's surface one could have sworn that high-pitched screams were heard.
Hokuto, Tenten and Fukurou all sweat-dropped at the blond's ever-growing drool-line, and began to back away when he started to emit some rather dark chuckles. It was just disturbing, even for Naruto. Was it even safe to wake him? Perhaps it would just be safer to face what ever was lurking out outside? None of them could really be certain of anything at this point.
Hokuto thinking better of the situation hesitantly shook the blond awake and quicky covered his mouth, to prevent him from causing any more noise than what was necessary.
Naruto's eyes widened in recognition, "Mmokuutmo?" he asked his voice being muffled by the girl's hand. For her part, Hokuto only placed a finger to her lips; Naruto understanding the gesture nodded his consent, and she released him.
"What's this about?" Naruto asked in a hushed tone, as he turned his head towards Tenten, who took a seat next to the two. "Eh? Tenten, when did you wake up?"
"Just now, look Naruto there's---" She was interrupted by a loud roar that echoed throughout the cave, causing all company excluding Fukurou to cover their ears in pain. Naruto's eyes grew wide.
"I-it's that sound again.."
"Sound, and what sound would that be, Naruto?" The blond only closed his eyes and shook his head.
"It happened a little bit before you found me Tenten, Fukurou here heard the same thing I did, and that's why I left bunshins to guard our supplies," Tenten sported a slight pink tint at the memory, while Hokuto motioned for him to continue. "And well I searched for what ever made that sound...." There was a long pause.
"And what did you find?" Hokuto inquired.
Naruto squinted at the question before he let out a soft sigh. "A well manicured garden." His answer threw both girls for a loop, noticing the confused stares the blond elaborated his answer. "That's where the sound led me to, but I couldn't find the source so I had to turn back."
'That still doesn't explain things...'Tenten thought, while Hokuto examined the narrow entrance to the cave, and quickly came to the conclusion, that whatever was on the outside had complete advantage over them
'It was a tight squeeze, if moving Tenten-san in was any indication, so we'll only be able to move out one at a time at length....We would be so easy to pick off.' The brunette looked towards Naruto, who was also having some similar thoughts.
'Kuso...What do we do now? 'Naruto thought glumly as a sour frown appeared on his face. 'What would Ero-sennin do if he was trapped in cave with no way out with two girls?
Jiraiya woke up from his slumber with a violent coughing fit.
"Water..." He gasped as he reached for the glass sitting on the bedside table and consumed its contents. Groggily he looked at the hanging wall clock. '3:43 A.M.....Reprieve you bastard....' The grumpy, perverted, senile, old hermit thought as he laid back down. 'It's too damn early for this shit.'
Naruto's face lit up with excitement as he slammed his fist into his open palm with determined resolve.. 'That's right, he'd take control, improvise....And find the hell out of here!' Well in this case two out of three ain't that bad folks.
"Hokuto do you think you could fire up your weird Kujaku method-thingy?" The girl flinched at the way the blond described the technique but she nodded.
"Um...Sure, but what for Naruto-san?"
"I have a plan." Tenten's eyebrows rose at that statement with mild surprise.
"You have a plan?" Naruto huffed slightly and frowned in her direction, to which she returned with a smile and a shrug. "Gomen, Naruto but you aren't exactly known for planning things out."
"Am so, dattebayo!!"
"Name one time."
"Er..em painting the Hokage monument for starters and that one time with Sasuke on the Wave mission! Uh, Oh! Also that time in Bird country with Toki-sama-neechan's help!" Naruto declared.
Tenten's eyebrow began to twitch, how could she have forgotten about THAT woman, the next time she sees her will be too soon.... The weapons mistress forged a sudden smile. "Well, if you've got a plan let's hear it then."
"We need some light first. Hokuto?"
"On it, Kujaku Myōhō!" A faint cry from some form of fowl resonated in the cave as violet chakra started to enveloped the girl. Slowly but surely the shades of the cave began to lighten; into a light purple hue. "Ok, now what?"
"Perfect." Naruto said as he looked to ceiling pass the stalactites, where a small crack laid hidden amongst them. "Ne Tenten?"
"Yes?"
"Are you able to stand?" The girl shifted her weight upwards only to fall forward into Naruto's chest.
"I guess not..." Tenten said thoroughly embarrassed.
Naruto only nodded. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" An exact replica of the blond appeared before her in a kneeling position.
"Hop on."
'Anytime.' Tenten thought as she clumsily clambered onto the clone's back. Hokuto frowned slightly but quickly shrugged it off, there's no time for that now.
"Yosh, now then..." Naruto placed his hand in front of the clone. The clone struggled a bit still trying to get the brunette properly situated on his back, but manage. After a short collaboration between two a neat little sphere of chakra rested in Naruto's palm.
From outside the cave. "Rasengan!" Rocks and rubble were blown outward and radially thrusted a good number of meters in all directions. Shortly thereafter four shadows shot through the debris, and landed safely.
"Let's move!" Naruto cried as Fukurou flew overhead, circling the group,
"What about the creature?" Hokuto asked as she hurriedly look about the scenery trying to spot anything that posed a threat to the party.
"Who cares?" Naruto said "If anything pops up me and my bushins will handle---" Naruto looked downwards towards the ground; spotting a rather large, snarling mass of fur, teeth, and claws as stood on its' hind limbs and released a mighty, horrific, roar.
"That...is one big-ass bear...!"
Heh, I was a bit inspired when I made this chapter and that determined the overall length. Admittedly the cave scene lasted a bit longer than I thought it would; surprised I even got a chapter out of it.
So I was a little torn I could have had the fight scene this chapter, but the detail and GORE would have been drastically reduced. So I decided, why not make the next chapter with the fight with 9000+ levels of glorious detailed gory-ness?
Till next time true reprievers.
Later...