Hinata Chronicles Chapter 40: The Genius Vs the Gambler of Fate
In Konoha. . .
Hiashi was furious after the meeting he had with the elders.
"Those ingrates. . . How could they even think this? They will not get away with this!" Hiashi muttered.
"Father!" Hanabi called out as she came over to him. "What happened?"
Hiashi clenched his fist. "The elders. . ." He hesitated for a second. "Where's Hinata?"
Hanabi winced. She knew where she was but promised not to tell. "She's on a training journey with her friends."
Hiashi then felt relaxed and had a sigh of relief. "Good, at least she's away for now."
Hanabi was confused now. "What do you mean? What happened with the elders?"
"Well you see. . ."
At the Garden of Assemblage. . .
Hinata sneezed while examining her keyblade. "Someone must be talking about me." she muttered.
Tenten was admiring Marluxia's scythe as she then sealed in the same scroll as Larxene's knives. Xion was looking at the charm that Hinata won from her fight with data Roxas. Naruto was doing some stretches along with Lee. Sakura was healing the remaining wounds that Ino had. Kakashi was again reading his usual porn. Choji was eating his chips again.
Shikamaru then came up to him. "So Choji, you alright? I mean after eating the green pill."
Choji smiled at his best friend. "Yup. I gotta thank Asuma-sensei when we get back for the endurance training we both did."
Shikamaru chuckled. "Yeah."
"Alright everyone gather around." Xion called out as she pocket the charm.
Everyone did as she said.
"What's up Xion?" Naruto asked. "The person for the next been chosen?"
"Not that but I found a video on the next person that one of us will fight."
"One person?" Sakura asked.
"Yup, the fight is a single person fight but it also has specific rules."
"Really? Then count me out I hate listening to rule!" Naruto said.
"What kind of rules are they?" Sakura asked.
Xion then pointed at the next portal with the card on it. "His name was Luxord, I remember when I was still in the Organization and while was in Sora. He possesses the power of time manipulation. He-"
"Wait, you mean like he actually controls time? That would be a difficult opponent to beat." Kakashi said.
"He was for Sora. He also uses his ability to force his opponents to play timed games, with unfortunate consequences if they cannot learn the rules and lose." Xion finished explaining as she then noticed everyone chuckling. "What's up?"
"If it's a game then it's oblivious whose going." Choji said as he looked at Shikamaru.
Shikamaru then noticed everyone staring at him and started rubbing the back of his head. "Troublesome, I'm not getting out of this am I?"
"Nope!" Everyone said, smiling at him.
Shikamaru then sweat drop. "Figured, just because I pay shogi I would be the best choice." he muttered.
Come on Shikamaru! Be more enthusiastic, you'll totally wipe the floor against this guy! And no giving up this time, it's not like your chunin exam fight with Temari!" Ino cheered.
"Your going to keep hounding at me that aren't you?" Shikamaru asked in a irritated tone.
"Yup!" Ino happily said.
Shikamaru started to head up to the portal. "Troublesome." He then noticed Naruto running up to him. "What now Naruto?" he said in an annoyed tone.
"Just wanted to wish you luck. Naruto said as he gave his usual smile.
Shikamaru yawned as he looked at the portal. "Yeah whatever."
"Aw come on man! Just beat the sucker with your tactics!" Naruto said as he pat him on the back as Shikamaru started to loose his balance.
Shikamaru started to stumble. "Wait! Naruto! Don't-" Too late, Naruto knocked him in the portal as it then turned yellow.
Everyone was awestruck at what just happened.
"Uh. . . Whoops. . ." Naruto said as he lightly chuckled.
"Did that just happen?" Ino muttered.
"Yup." Choji said as he sweat dropped.
"Somehow I expected something like this to happen." Kakashi said.
Shikamaru arrived at an area that is sloped with a simulation version of the Kingdom Hearts moon. Shikamaru was laying on the ground staring at the moon as he started to think. "Ugh stupid Naruto for knocking me in here, I was going to be a so-so ninja and earn an ok salary, marry a regular girl who isn't too ugly and not too pretty. Have two children, first a girl, then a boy. Retire after my daughter is married and my son becomes a successful ninja, and spend the rest of my life playing shogi or Go. Then die of old age before my wife." he thought as he got up. "Troublesome." He yawned as he waited for his opponent to appear.
Back outside, everyone was gathered around as they watched Shikamaru waiting for his opponent,
"Is he always like this?" Xion asked.
"Yup." Choji and Ino said in semi-unison.
Kiba started to chuckle. "The only time he didn't act like this was during the Sasuke Retrieval Mission two and a half years ago." Akamaru then barked in agreement.
"Uh Kiba?" Hinata said as she tapped his shoulder.
"Yeah?" Kiba asked Hinata pointed at Naruto and Sakura in fetal position muttering Sasuke. Everyone then sweat-dropped at this as Akamaru whined a bit.
Hinata then went and tapped Naruto on the shoulder as she then picked him up. Lee did the same thing for Sakura.
"Don't worry Naruto, we're going to get him back." Hinata said as she smiled at her boyfriend. "Hopefully, along with Neji." She thought.
Back in the arena. . .
The data started to appear as it then revealed a platinum blond hair is very short and worn in a Caesar cut, and he has blue eyes, he also had a beard and goatee with the same blond color as his hair, he finally had five silver piercings on his ears; four helix piercings in the form of two hoops on each ear and one piercing shaped like the Nobody symbol dangling from one earlobe.
"So you're my opponent huh?" Shikamaru asked.
Luxord gave her a crafty grin. "I'd rather we just skip the formalities." He snapped his fingers, summoning a transparent screen that hung in the air. After a few seconds, the display lit up showing two bars: Shikamaru's and Luxord's."Let's play a game, shall we?" He pointed toward the rapidly decreasing bars. "Those bars represent our time limits. The first to run out of time is the loser."Shikamaru kept his stare locked on Luxord. "What're the stakes?"
Luxord shook his head. "What else?" Then in a puff of smoke, Shikamaru felt his entire body freeze up. "Existence!"
Next thing Shikamaru knew, he was trapped in the form of a dice. "The hell!" As he struggled to make her body move, Luxord chuckled in a sadistic manner. "If you think I'm going to fold," he taunted, "then you're not playing with a full deck!" Two human-sized playing cards appeared from his hands which started to circle around him like a propeller.
Back outside. . .
Xion snapped her fingers. "I almost forgot that he could do that!"
Everyone then face-fault as Xion continued watching.
Back in the arena. . .
Shikamaru in dice form got hit from one of Luxord's attack where he summons an orb of dark energy that creates tendrils of energy around him, striking him no matter where he is. "Ah what a drag! How long am I gonna stay like this!" As soon as the thought formed in his mind, he felt feeling returning to his limbs as he transformed back into his human self. "Whew, that's a relief." He muttered as he shook off the numbness in his body.
"Impressive." Luxord said as two card came at Shikamaru like saw blades. "Scatter!"
Shikamaru then quickly dodged it as he did a 'dragon' hand sign. "Ninja Art! Shadow Slashing Jutsu!" The shadows around Shikamaru then started to come up like tentacles and started slicing some of the cards in half.
Back outside. . .
"Shikamaru's holding his own, for a lazy guy." Naruto said as he chuckled as he then saw him get turned into a card after losing one of Luxord's 'games'. "Oh that's gotta suck."
Ino and Choji then looked at the bars above them. "Their's bars are decreasing quickly." Choji muttered.
The group then saw Shikamaru turn back to normal as he started flipping some of the cards after Luxord turned himself into one.
"This might be a little difficult for Shikamaru." Kakashi said as he then saw Shikamaru use the 'Shadow Possession Jutsu' to stop all the cards from moving. "Never mind."
Back in the arena. . .
Shikamaru started flipping some of the cards when one with a fiery-red spiral on it as it then blew up in his face, but he didn't react to as he blew out the smoke. "Ow." He plainly said as he then flipped another card, but this had a clock on. As he flipped it, he noticed that the time bar started to go down faster for him. "Troublesome! Running out of time!" he muttered. He soon enough found Luxord's card as he turned back to normal as the other seven cards disappeared.
"Impressive once again. . . But. . ." Luxord said as he sky darkened as more cards appeared in his hands. "Look who's on top of the game!" Shikamaru braced himself as the cards flew out in every direction, scattering themselves onto the floor.
"Where did he-!" Shikamaru muttered as he started dodging cards left and right caused by Luxord constantly warping.
"Boy!" Luxord called out as giant cards started to surround him.
Shikamaru tried to run up to him but disappeared as he then turned around to see him. "The final game." he muttered as he saw both their bars nearly empty.
"The last game is simple." Luxord started explaining as he got four cards out that were constantly changing for an X to a circle. "Timing is the key as you must get four circles."
"Troublesome. . ." Shikamaru said as he got into a stance and put his fingers together to create a circle, closing his eyes and started to concentrate. After a few minutes. . . "First card stop. . . Second card stop. . . Third card stop. . . Final card stop. . ." He said as reopened his eyes and smirked.
Back on the outside everyone became wide-eyed and speechless at the results.
Back in the arena. . .
"Looks like I win." He said as he looked at the four cards to see four circles.
"H-how!" Luxord said as his cards went into Shikamaru's hand.
Shikamaru closed his eyes as the cards went into his hand. "Troublesome, I play many games before, you would think that this would be so tough. . ." He muttered as he threw the cards back at him, completely empting his bar.
Luxord was panting heavily as he looked at Shikamaru. "You play the game quite well."
Shikamaru smiled at him as he wrapped a paper-bomb around a kunai. "Thanks." He then threw the kunai as it exploded on Luxord, causing him to fade away.
Back outside. . .
"That was awesome!" Naruto cheered.
"Even the lazy genius won his match." Kakashi muttered. "Asuma would be proud."
"I gotta say that I'm impressed with his skills." Xion said. "But what was with that stance he went into before he commanded the cards to stop?"
Kakashi then turned towards he. "I'll let Asuma explain it to you when we get back." He eye-smiled.
Just then the bright light came out from the screen, causing everyone to cover their eyes again in both the garden and in the arena for Shikamaru.
When the light cleared, the group instantly realized that they weren't at Destiny Island this time. Instead they were at a desert like area where sand blew in the wind and large stone mountain was.
"Where in the worlds are we?" Naruto asked.
"Beats me. I never seen this world before."
"You sure?" Kakashi asked.
Xion nodded her head as she noticed someone in the distance, his most noticeable feature being two large round ears. "Is that?" Xion then started to run over to him.
"Xion wait up!" Hinata said as she and the other ran after her.
When the group got to Xion when she stopped they saw a anthropomorphic mouse with black fur, round ears of the same color, and a thin, long, black tail. He was wearing a completely back outfit and white gloves. He was unconscious for some reason.
"King Mickey!" Hinata said as she recognized him, kneeling down to see if he was alright.
Before anyone could say anything, the group heard panting coming near them. "Mickey!" The group turned to see an identical looking person running towards them.
"Roxas?" Hinata asked as he came over.
"No. . ." Xion said with wide-eyes as the boy came over. "This is. . . Ventus."
"Who?" Naruto asked.
"I'll explain later." Xion bluntly said as the group watched Ventus examine Mickey until. . .
"We meet again, boy." An elderly voice said.
When Ventus and the group turned they saw an old man who was bald except for thin eyebrows and a curled, silver goatee. His ears are pointed and his eyes are yellow. He has broad, hunched shoulders and a crooked back. He wore a white and black coat with a red inner lining, which is worn over a white shirt with two thin black belts, as well as white gloves and calf-high black boots. He was walking towards them.
"Who-?" Xion was about to asked but Ventus beat her to it as he stood up.
"Master Xehanort." he said shocking the group.
"WHHHAAAT! THAT OLD MAN IS XEHANORT!" Naruto yelled out.
"Naruto. . . Be quite. . ." Sakura muttered in a scared tone as everyone nodded in agreement.
Kakashi was silent as he then started to shutter. "This feeling. . .it's worse then Orochimaru. . ." He thought.
Hinata shivered in fear as she and Xion saw a massive dark aura around him.
The group then saw Ventus fall to knees clutching his head in pain as they saw Xehanort starting to smile.
"Ah yes, so you are starting to realize. . .what you lost-oh, but not for good." Xehanort started saying.
"What's he up to?" Naruto angrily muttered.
Xehanort then clenched his hand into a fist. "You had to lose in order to find." He then opened his hand and brought it out in front of Ventus. "Now it can all be yours again, if you only reach out and take it." Xehanort clenched his hand again as if he was holding Ventus in his hands. The group watched as Ventus struggled in pain, still holding his head. "Reclaim the part that left you. Clash with him! Pure light against pure darkness, to forge the ultimate key. The all-powerful χ-blade!" The group then watched as Ventus fell to the ground.
"χ-blade?" Xion asked.
"No. . ." Kakashi said in shock. "Not that letter. . ."
"You know it Kakashi-Sensei?" Naruto asked as Kakashi nodded his head.
"Key. . .blade?" Ventus muttered.
"Not the Keyblades you and I carry," He said as he magically summoned a representation version of the letter. " "χ" . . .A most ancient letter. Some say "kye", but the meaning is the same." He then clenched his hand again, making the letter disappear. "Death. . .A letter that spells endings." He then summoned a dark vortex over Ventus and Mickey.
"My god. . ." Sakura mutter as she started to shiver.
"I don't know if I would want that weapon. . ." Tenten muttered, luck that no one heard her.
"And I have the power to make it?" Ventus asked.
"Correct." Xehanort said as he nodded his head. "Eraqus knows it to. He knows exactly what you are."
"The Master?" Ventus asked again.
"I'm guessing that's this guy teached." Lee muttered.
"Haven't you ever wondered? Why he never granted you permission to leave his side, to grow stronger? Eraqus was frightened of you. If you were to learn the truth, realize what you are. . .He never trusted you. Why else would he keep you within his sight at all times?" Xehanort explained as everyone became wide-eyed.
Naruto then started to get angry as he clenched his fist. "He's. . . just like me. . . Like he's-"
"A Jinchuuriki. . ." Kakashi muttered, completing Naruto's sentence. "Except for a weapon. . . not a demon. . ."
"Naruto. . ." Hinata and Sakura muttered.
"Poor guy." Choji said as everyone nodded their heads in agreement.
After a purple lighting almost struck Ventus, he started to get up. "Yeah. He never let me see other worlds, no matter how much I asked."
Xehanort smiled as he sent out a gust of wind. "Go! You can ask the man yourself. Learn the truth, and remember you have a greater purpose!"
The group then watched as Ventus and Mickey got blown away and sucked into the vortex above them.
The scene then changed for the group as they then appear in front of a massive white castle. The group then saw Ventus walking towards it.
"I'm gonna have to guess that this is Ventus's home world." Kakashi deducted.
He didn't get an answer as a tanned younger man with black hair with a mustache and goatee with scars on his face. He was wearing a white, red lined haori that has a hood, along with slightly shorter than normal, light-colored hakama. Underneath his haori, he wears a navy blue shirt with a large white X pattern on the front.
"His teacher. . ." Sakura muttered.
"Ventus, you're alone? I thought Aqua would-" He said as he continued to walk up to him as he then held Ventus's shoulder. "Well, what matters is that your home." He said as Naruto clenched his fist, not knowing what to feel for this, unknown to him that his eyes started to become silted. "You don't belong outside this world yet. You need to say here where you can learn-"
"In your prison?" Ventus angrily asked. Naruto relaxed his fist when he felt Hinata put her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him while Naruto smiled back.
"What?" Eraqus asked in shock.
"That's your excuse. . . for keeping me imprisoned here isn't it!"
Eraqus stood back up. "What did you hear?"
Ventus then got into a battle stance. "That I'm suppose to be some weapon. . . Some kind of "χ-blade"!"
Eraqus then started to stroke his scars. "I knew it. Xehanort- he could never let it go." He then closed his eyes. After a few moments he reopened them. "I failed. I had the chance to stop him and couldn't do it. But I will not fail again!" He demanded as he summoned his own keyblade and got into a stance.
"No. . . he's not gonna-!" Hinata asked in fear.
"Master! What are you. . ." Ventus asked as he started to back away.
"The 'χ-blade'has no place in this or any world. Xehanort has made his purpose clear. . .and I am left with no choice. Forgive me. . .but you must exist no more!" Eraqus said as he started to send out a beam of light at Ventus.
"Ventus!" Everyone but Xion, Sai, Shino and Kakashi called out as they closed their eyes in fear.
"Ven!" Xion and another familiar voice said as the blast was deflected. As she and the group opened their eyes they saw an dark brown, gold, and red armored man, but they all recognized the voice and keyblade from the vision after the defeat of Larxene.
"What!" Eraqus said.
"Master, have you gone mad?" He asked.
"Terra! I command you- step aside!" Eraqus demanded.
The armor then disappeared, revealing the man from the island. "No!"
"Well that was blunt." Sai said, earning him a kick in the nuts from Sakura.
"Quiet!" Sakura orders as she watched Sai holding his groan in pain.
"You will not heed your Master!" Eraqus asked angrily.
"I won't!" Terra replied.
"Why do all my attempts to reach you fail? I you don't have it in your heart to obey. . . then you will have to share Ventus's fate." Eraqus said as tear flowed down his face.
"Just like The Third Hokage and Orochimaru. Except This man, Terra is trying to protect his friend." Kakashi thought.
Terra and Eraqus started to clash as Ventus and the group watched.
"Enough Terra! He's right. . ." Ventus pled.
"Quiet!" Terra ordered.
"Terra. . ." Ventus said as he looked at him.
Eraqus then jumped back and sent out a blast of light as it hit, knocking Ventus to the floor, but only Terra jumping away from him.
Terra the picked up Ventus with his free arm as he looked at Eraqus, who was having a massive aura of light around him. Terra then took a deep breath as a black aura surrounded him.
"No. . ." Xion muttered.
"That's!" Hinata exclaimed.
"You may be my Master." Terra started saying.
"Now this is gonna look badass!" Naruto muttered as Kiba, Akamaru and Choji agreed with him.
"But I will not. . . let you hurt my friend!" Terra finished saying as the darkness around him expanded.
"Has the darkness taken you Terra!" Eraqus angrily asked.
Terra then sent his keyblade backwards creating a portal appeared behind him as he then threw Ventus in.
As Ventus started to get up, the portal started to close with him in it. "Wait Terra!" He called out as the portal completely closed.
The scene then changed again, this time back to Destiny Island, but this time not at sunset.
Naruto then started to chuckle. "Here again huh?"
"Yup." Xion replied as everyone else nodded their heads in agreement.
They then saw the portal open as Ventus stumbled out. "Wait Terra!" He called out as he got to his feet and tried to run back in but the portal closed. Before Ventus was about to do something. . .
"Going somewhere?" A voice said. As he and the group turned, they all saw a familiar figure on the bridge, except he had a mask on.
"Hey! It's that guy! From after Hinata's fight with Roxas!" Naruto exclaimed as he pointed at him.
"Who is he?" Sai muttered, intrigued by this person.
"I'm through with you!" Ventus said as he started walking the other direction.
"Well I'm just getting started with you. You're strong enough now to fulfill your purpose." He started saying as he summoned out a red, dark blue and black keyblade that looked like it had chains all over it and eyeballs. "So what are you waiting for? Join with me right here and now. Become the χ-blade."
Ventus didn't look back at him. "No, I won't do it. He told me, the only way the χ-blade can be forged is if you and me fight. Well guess what? I'm not fighting."
Kakashi smiled. "Even he know when not to fight."
"You used to be too broken to fight back." The masked boy said as Ventus started to have another headache.
The scene then changed again back to where the group first saw Xehanort. They saw a scared Ventus, surrounded by a group of Neo Shadows.
"Ven!" Xion called out but she knew he could hear her.
"What's this all about?" Kakashi asked.
"Please don't do this, Master." Ventus said as the group then looked at Ventus's 'Master' causing Naruto to clench his fist again in anger. "I'm not strong enough."
"No. It is because you are trying to hold it in. Let the dark impulses waken in the pit of your heart. Release them, here and now! Sharpen your fear into rage." Xehanort order.
"No real power can come from anger and hatred. . ." Kakashi muttered. "Even I know it's alright to be afraid of something."
"You must! If you do not let the storm within you run its course, it will wipe you from the face of the world, make no mistake! Do it. Embrace the darkness. Produce for your Master the χ-blade!" Xehanort finished ordering.
"That bastard. . ." Naruto growled. "Using someone for their own personal gain. . .it's disgusting. . ." Everyone nodded in agreement.
The Neo Shadows got closer until they completely overwhelmed him as Ventus became unconscious.
"Ass." Kiba muttered as Akamaru growled at Xehanort coming towards Ventus.
"Really? You would rather die than use the power?" Xehanort asked as he made him lay down on his back. "Feckless neophyte."
"A what?" Naruto asked in confusion.
"I'll tell you later." Kakashi said as they continued watching.
"If I must... I will extract the darkness from within you myself." Xehanort said as he summoned his keyblade.
"That bastard! He has no right to be a Keyblade master!" Naruto yelled as his eyes became silted and red.
"What is he-!" Sakura was about to as she clenched her fist.
"Calm down, you'll only prove him right." Kakashi said as they did what he said.
Xehanort then place the head of his keyblade over Ventus as if he was going to stab him.
"What is he-?" Xion asked this time.
Xehanort then shot a beam of darkness at Ventus's chest as an orb of light came out of him.
"What did he just-?" Shino asked.
The orb rose to the air as it then became surrounded by an orb of darkness. As the orb opened, it revealed the same boy from the island.
"So. . . this guy is-?" Ino asked.
"Ventus's dark half." Choji answered.
As he came to the ground, the group noticed that Ventus's eyes became hazed.
"God. . ." Kakashi muttered in disgust as he looked back at the masked boy.
"Empty creature from Ventus riven... to you, the name Vanitas shall be given." Xehanort announced.
"So that's his name. . . Vanitas. . ." Sai said.
"Yes, Master." Vanitas said without hesitation.
The scene then went back to Destiny Island as Ventus recovered from his headache.
"I'm hating this Xehanort guy so much right now." Naruto muttered.
"Fine. Then I'll give you a reason to fight." Vanitas as Ventus and the group looked at him.
"What?" Ventus and Naruto said in semi-unison.
"That was weird." Kiba said and Akamaru barked in agreement.
"Come and find me. . ." Vanitas started saying. "at the one and only place to spawn the χ-blade- the Keyblade Graveyard."
Everyone the group except Shino, Kakashi and Sai paled at the thought.
"A graveyard. . ." Naruto started.
"For Keyblades. . .?" Hinata finished.
"There, you're gonna see me choke the life out of Terra and Aqua. Then we'll see how long you play the pacifist." Vanitas finished saying as he disappeared into the darkness.
"Wait!" Ventus called out as he tried to catch him but disappeared. He then pulled out a green and silver star shaped charm. "Terra, Aqua. . . I swear I'll put an end to this."
The blinding light appeared again, causing everyone to cover their eyes again.
Soon the light dimmed and they were all back in the garden and Shikamaru was holding Luxord's deck of card.
"Back here again. . ." Naruto pointed out.
"Yeah. . ." Xion said quietly.