V 10 Ch 3
Goro: The hidden Beast of Konoha
The Kasha rustled in the leaf nest bed, their eyes alert as the rain stopped all together. Their young were moving around the dug out hole sniffing the ground surrounding them. The largest of the female Kasha grunted at one of the young, snapping her jaws at it as it got too close to her. She moved through the frightened brood her large feet pushing against the dirt. Her tail swished lazily behind her, her body fat and thick from the many dead corpses her underlings had brought her. She walked around her head held high as the others lowered theirs for fear of her bite.
Just above a team of ninja had hit the opening of the hollowed tree. Kaiya put her hands upon the tree pushing it a little. The wood cracked. She caught the piece of rotted bark before it could fall down below to alert the Kasha of their presence. Her head turned as she looked at her two team mates. Kaiya put her finger to her lips issuing the need for quiet. They had no idea how many were down there.
Tachiba had Nuguru come to his hand; the little blue bunting tilted his head wildly. It knew they were in a dangerous position. "Fly," he whispered to Nuguru cupping the bird in both of his hands to throw him away from the team. The bunting flapped its wings moving through the darkness away from them. He couldn't have the bird get hurt below the surface of the earth. Nuguru had completed his job. Now he was to report back to Ateru sensei.
Kinari kept his chrome Sais right under his wrists at the ready as he poked his head into the hole. It was defiantly dark down there. He wasn't going to let his best friend go first. He perched on the branch carefully with his arms out judging the distance. The rotting tree was wide enough for them to slip in, but not a full size adult. It was the perfect hideout for Kasha.
Not looking over his shoulder, Kinari leapt into the dark hole, his form disappearing in the darkness. As he came near the bottom, he threw his legs out, his weight stopping abruptly from the foot spikes he wore. He hung there for a moment his arms out to steady himself. Tilting forward ever so slightly, he let his hair hang, his ears listening for the Kasha. The deep grunts swept to his ears. They were far back from the entrance. He figured there was a long tunnel out of his sight.
Kinari let his feet detach from the rotting bark, his form dropping down to the soft dirt, his body angled forward, chromes Sais in defense mode. He looked around the area puzzled. The Kasha didn't have a guard. He stood slowly, his eyes looking around the area. They were overly confident. It was the perfect condition for a downfall.
Kaiya and Tachiba landed down behind Kinari. She looked at him wondering what the situation was. He nodded his head. Kaiya and Tachiba moved forward their bodies pressed against the wall, their feet moving silently. The tunnel stretched onward into the darkness, the grunts echoing around them.
Kinari halted. The tunnel started to branch out into several directions. He put his hand on his hip looking high and low. Maybe the Kasha weren't as dumb as he thought. He held his hand up stopping his team mates from moving forward. One of the tunnels led to the Kasha. The others could be traps, or Kasha waiting to devour them in an ambush. They had to be very careful.
Tachiba wished for a moment he hadn't sent Nuguru away, but he had no way of knowing what they were going to run into. His heart beat faster with each step he took into the darkness. Kaiya gave the signal for one of them to go down one of the tunnels. He slipped on his fireproof gloves, moving aside to do as he was instructed. Kinari went pass him without a word, his eyes set on finding the correct tunnel where the Kasha lay.
(Scene change)
Kakumei kept darting around the Hokage, his form merely a blur. He wasn't going to be taken down so easily. The huge toad in front of him went against the Hokage's order, moving the blade in the direction of the lightening, its mighty arm sweeping the area. Kakumei simply evaporated from where he was, the traces of his lightening jutsu hitting the edge of the blade.
Gamabunta bellowed his voice, "We're wasting time on this. While we're distracted by him, his men are laying waste to the village," he said quite angrily. Gamabunta signaled Naruto with a grunt, his throat clearing. It was time for a different strategy.
Naruto began to charge his chakra, his eyes focused ahead, his ears listening to the crackle of lightening as it darted around him and the large toad. He was preparing for the wind release technique to nail Kakumei once and for all. This had to work against a speedy opponent. Gamabunta was right. They were being distracted while his men were tearing the village apart. Naruto knew if he took out the strongest man, the others would flee.
Naruto concentrated as Gamabunta got ready his mouth opening. The large toad signaled out Kakumei's next movement, his mouth spewing forth a blast of oil at the Lightening General. Sure enough, Kakumei was outsmarted for a brief second, his form coming back into view. The man slid backwards on his heels, his tiger fork lodged into the ground to stop him from slamming into the wall. But as he did so, Gamabunta used a fire release jutsu to ignite the oil covering the man from head to toe. Naruto also let loose, the wind release allowing the fire to spread quickly, intensifying the flames.
Kakumei had no time to react without a proper defense. He twirled his tiger fork quickly the lightening around it crackling. As the fire got closer, he slammed the points of the tiger fork into the ground, the lightening snaking their ways towards the Hokage and his large toad. Kakumei turned his back curling into a ball, the metal plating on his body acting as a protective shield to the fire. However, the temperatures of his surroundings were too much to handle and he had to get away. The clone poofed on contact the moment the flames reached him. Elsewhere, the real Kakumei shot up and away from the fire. The second clone he had ensured to guard him was left behind. It too, saw its better fate by the attack from the Hokage.
Naruto was pushed aside by Gamabunta's arm as the lightening hit. He went soaring through the air, tumbling into rubble from a building. Gamabunta used his dagger to attract the lightening. The lightening shot up the dagger until it died away as soon as Kakumei, its power source, left the area. Naruto lifted his form, the rubble shifting. It hit the ground. Gamabunta only made an unhappy grunt at him about how Kakumei had gotten away. The ANBU were quick to surround him. "We must have these lightening-nin leave. What they are searching for is no longer here," he ordered. The ANBU bowed with their orders. They poofed.
Gamabunta kept his eyes upon the Hokage. "You know what that arrogant fool is after," he said confirming it. "And how are you going to convince him it is not here for him to take?"
Naruto only looked at his burning village, his form moving away from the toad. He walked steadily out into the open. Battles were going on all around him. "By catching a fool with an illusion," he said. Kakumei and his men weren't about to believe anything Naruto told them about Onari. He was going to have to prove to them that she was no longer here.
(Scene change)
Takeru darted his eyes scanning for anyone in trouble. Soon he came across several people fleeing from one of the newly started fires. He ran pass them, the fire around the buildings blazing. A woman was screaming a man's name as her eyes remained weighed on the fire, her safety not her primary concern. Takeru formed hand seals trying to cast a water jutsu to lower the flames. However, the heat was too much for him to bear. There was no trace of water around him.
Takeru ran forth grabbing the woman by her arm pulling her back. "It's not safe! Get back," he shouted at her as the building gave way. A corner of the wall came down with a moan hitting the ground. He looked up at her. She kept calling the name of a man for him to come out of the flames. Takeru darted pass her, leapt through the air jumping the flames as they licked at his feet.
He knew he had promised Kiba not to fight, but this was a different matter all together. Takeru busted through the area with his face shielded by his arms. He slid on his feet, his body slamming right into the counter. Regaining his balance, he looked quickly around the room. There was a man lying on the floor, his arm sticking out of the beams that had fallen. Takeru went to him yelling at the man to make a sign he was alright. Without an answer, he placed his hands on one of the beams heaving as best he could. It was extremely heavy. Takeru had no way of moving it by himself.
He went to the other side moving the fallen pieces of wood off of the man's face. Takeru shot back, his heart jumped in his chest. The man's face was burned beyond recognition. He looked over him sadly. Takeru bent down, his hand placed upon the man's head. The man had been crushed by the weight of the beams. The woman outside was calling her brother, but he was long gone. Takeru hated to leave the man's body inside the building. It wasn't a pleasant way to die.
He looked around the building, the flames covering the ceiling overhead. His head tilted back his eyes focused on the way they moved against the wood. Time seemed to stop inside the building. Takeru was unconcerned that he was in danger. His mind was at piece in the flames for some reason. He felt at home in this world of orange and red, the danger around him painted against the wood, smoldering the material.
Takeru clutched to the phoenix as his head lifted to look at the buildings below them. Akaihi soared through Konoha, his wings outstretched. The phoenix opened its mouth noting its approval of the freedom it felt. Onari lifted herself, her body standing to the side, arms outstretched. She knelt down each time Akaihi dipped as if she was surfing through the air. Takeru stared up at her, watching her long hair move through the wind. "Ri, you're going to fall," he said, but she ignored him.
Onari closed her eyes her fingers feeling the air through every centimeter of her being. She was one with the phoenix, her body feeling empowered, yet graceful. Her toes dug into the red feathers on its back, feeling their silkiness. "Takeru, stand up," she commanded. "Stand up," she said again feeling his hesitation at doing so in the air. "You won't understand Akaihi and Uso if you do not."
Takeru fumbled as he tried to stand, his head having difficulty grasping the height they were at in the air. He closed his eyes shaking his head. "I-I can't," he said his heart starting to race. Now he knew how Ryu felt when he was standing on the edge of the Hokage monument. He gasped feeling Onari put her arms around his. She wasn't going to let him chicken out. "Onari," he said in a bit of a panic, her grasp on his arm tightening.
"Stand up, Takeru Uchiha," she said stressing his surname. "You must get used to what you control. If you cannot adjust to your own insecurities, how will you be able to stretch beyond those limits?"
Takeru looked at her. Onari was pretty quick witted for an outsider. He grabbed onto her with his other hand. Takeru tried to calm his heart. He kept his eyes focused on her face as Akaihi leveled out. The bird wasn't shifting its weight. Takeru eased up a little, but he dared not look down.
Onari grabbed his arms forcing them out to where they where standing in open chest Qigong pose. She made sure Takeru was looking at his fingers. "The direction of your fingertips is where you want to go," she said. "Always look forward, never behind," she said as he was in mid-motion of glancing back. "A phoenix can create or destroy depending on what your direction is. Positive aspects are forward. Negative aspects are backwards. Never turn backwards when there is no reason."
Takeru turned his head kissing her cheek. He was now relaxed as the bird soared through the sky over the village. He caught her off guard, her body tensing for a split second. "Sorry," he apologized his eyes half lidded watching her.
"Takeru likes to play with fire," Onari said glancing at him.
"Maybe," he said before he raised his arm upwards a bit. The phoenix started to rise slowly, its large wings beating against the wind. "Or perhaps I want to master it." As they lifted through the air, he suddenly dipped his hand down. Akaihi darted into a dive, its wings coming into close to its body. Onari hunkered down trying not to lose her balance, but Takeru stood, his eyes measuring the buildings as they came within view again.
Onari's eyes widened. "Takeru, this is too close! Akaihi will catch them on fire," she yelled. Takeru's arm went back up, the phoenix only fifty meters above the buildings. She saw peoples' faces as they stared in amazement. She turned her head to scowl at him. "Takeru," she emphasized. "Do not do that again."
Takeru pshed. "You can't tell me the Firebird of Konoha is scared of her own phoenix, can you?" He glanced at her, her face telling him to back off that subject. "I have to know what he can do, right?"
Takeru heard someone calling his name. His eyes were focused on the fire as if he were in a trance. The fire was burning everything around him, but it wasn't coming close to him at all. He looked down, the flames staying away from his feet. They tried to come towards him, but the moment they licked at him, they were bent away from his body.
He was grabbed around his waist, being pulled backwards away from the flames. Takeru wasn't aware who had a hold of him. All he was focused on was the fire. He was pulled outside the night air hitting him like a ton of bricks. He started to cough badly as the air entered his lungs. Takeru had been breathing in smoke the entire time he was inside the building.
Jigen tilted the boy's head back, his fingers prying open Takeru's mouth. "Head back, breathe. Deep and slow. Come on," he said. He was one of the few men inspecting the fires. The others of his squad had gone to dealt with the Lightening-nin invading the village. Once Takeru had managed to get a good significant amount of air into him, Jigen popped him upside the head. "What the hell were you doing in there," he bellowed.
Takeru coughed some more standing fully to see the man wearing the Tiger mask. His red spiky hair caught Takeru's attention. He knew instantly it was Jigen. "I was trying to help her," he said about the woman standing some feet away. "Her brother was inside."
Jigen put his hands on his hips watching Takeru explain. "You should have known no one could have survived a fire that size. However, how did you manage not to get burned by it?" He put his hands upon Takeru's shoulders turning the boy around examining his body. His clothes were a bit dirty, but nothing more. "Get back to safety," he ordered taking out his ANBU short sword. He pointed the weapon away down the road. "Your father will have both our heads something happens to you. Go," he ordered again more sternly.
"Yes, sir," Takeru said with his head lowered. Man, Onari would kick me in the rear. She wouldn't let me by so easily with just a stern talking to. He looked over his shoulder. Jigen was gone in the blink of an eye.
(Scene change)
Ateru Yotsuka gave the signal for the men guarding the tree village to fire. The Kasha were intensely battling them. It was the last night of the dead ritual. Tomorrow the ones who had perished would be burned in a great ceremony. But for tonight, the battle for their souls continued. Ateru's arm went down, the ninja releasing arrows of oil and fire at the Kasha. As the Kasha were hit, they howled in anger. It wasn't easy to get them detached from the large tree. Ateru swore. Each arrow that hit only made them angrier, their claws digging into the bark harder.
"This isn't working," a man yelled as he stopped firing arrows. He turned to look at Ateru. "Can't you hear it? Stop! Everyone stop!" The men around him halted for a moment. The Kasha were still coming. They could hear the growling sounds of the demons, but there was also another. "The tree is moaning," he said. As the wind swept through its mighty branches, the leaves rustled. With each leaf rustling, there was a low groan of the tree's pain. "What other plan do you have, Ateru? They're still coming and our village is in trouble."
Ateru looked at the man with a serious gaze. "We need to get the Kasha onto the ground." The man shook his head. That's what they were trying to do from the start. "Just get them to the ground. I can take care of them there. No exceptions. If we fail, we lose more than this fight."
The men returned to firing arrows trying to drive the Kasha back. Ateru couldn't use his technique while he stood with the others. What he had in store for the demons was going to be hard to form. "Dammit, they're sacrificing themselves to get the others farther up the tree!"
The Kasha who were wounded became the ladders for the others who were still coming. A fiercer group began to run across the field, their mouths lashing as their wide forms snaked through the dark grass. A young tough looking Kasha lifted his form above the rest barking orders. They answered back. He reeled around hitting the ground as his objective became clear. Quickly he ran through the ranks, his anger seething. He howled a blood cry, his eyes raging with determination to get to the top of the tree.
Ateru saw the creature coming for them. It wasn't like the others of its kind. No, this one knew exactly why it was here and what it was doing. Something deep down told him it wasn't just to feed upon the corpses at the top of the tree. He jumped off the tree, his body outstretched. He had no choice but to take them down. Ateru threw several kunai straight at their heads. The weapons lodged into their heads. The creatures yelled in pain, their heads going back. It wasn't but a few breathes before their claws detached, their dying forms hurling back towards the ground.
Ateru glued his chakra to the tree, his body moving around slashing at the Kasha. He knew it was suicide to attack them head on. What other choice did he have? Ateru darted from Kasha to Kasha slicing at their forms. He threw shuriken several times being careful not to break his footing from the bark of the tree. The creatures moved up the tree like a colony of ants. He breathed hard, gritting his teeth. One came at him lunging, its jaws open, the acid upon its teeth lashing. Ateru threw himself into a ball. The creature wrapped his arms and legs around him. The mouth tried to bite his rear off but couldn't quite grasp a hold of it. The large tail hit him repeatedly in the head. Ateru lifted his body with all his strength his arms coming up to hold onto the Kasha. He began to pull it off, dragging it off his back.
"I don't think so," Ateru said grunting as the demon clawed at his sides. The sharp claws tore at his ninja outfit. The heavy padded vest was ripped everywhere. He managed to get a second wind, the Kasha dropping acid drool onto his back. The wounds of his vest sizzling under the substance made its way to his ears. Ateru pushed the creature off with a loud angry yell. The Kasha's form moved in the wind as it went pummeling down the tree into the crowd of its own kind.
Ateru noticed the Kasha were moving around him ignoring him being there. He went back to attacking those around him, his weary form still continuing his personal fight with them. The Kasha from before, the young male he had witnessed earlier, was now getting close to him. Ateru unclipped the two metal axes swinging from his sides. "Come on, you bastard," he taunted. "I'm ready for you!"
The Kasha saw red in its vision. Ateru's form was lit up, his body temperature high. It was customary for them to only eat dead flesh, but right now, he wanted living flesh. He opened his mouth, his body spitting forth an acid stream at the man as he leapt through the air. His tail went back allowing him to press upon the tree to gain height.
Ateru used the blade of his axe to keep the acid from deteriorating his face. He swung around, arms out in a death spiral whirlwind. The blade came up cutting the Kasha in the torso. The creature landed on top of him pinning him to the tree. Its mouth struck several times onto the bark as Ateru moved his head quickly to avoid it. He tried to push the beast away from him, but it was strong. Its claws dug into the bark more.
The teeth were coming closer, the mouth snarling. Ateru's muscles were fatigued. He wasn't able to hold onto the bark any longer. His chakra detached from the tree, his body starting to slide down the tree with the Kasha on top of him. Ateru yelled as he went falling pass the other Kasha.
Idai soared back to the tree village on top of Yanagi's large butterfly. She and Masaru were taking a different route. He heard Ateru yelling before he even saw the man falling from the tree. "After him," he told the butterfly. Its wings became still. The butterfly dipped using the wind to get closer to the tree faster. Idai jumped from the overgrown insect. He brought his sword back, the other in front. Twirling his wrist, Idai created the high pitched noise he needed. "Sound knife," he said. The high pitched wind went soaring from his blade down the path of the tree. The Kasha shook their heads in defiance of his attack.
Ateru brought his hands to his ears. The Kasha who had been wrestling with him showed signs of letting up. He brought his legs up pushing the beast away as it hollered due to the noise coming from Idai's blade. However, he was still falling down into the open mouths of more Kasha. Ateru yelled until he was grabbed around the waist. He looked down, he was circling the tree. The young boy keeping him from certain doom was no other than Masaru Uzumaki, the Hokage's son.
"Hang on," Masaru yelled. He could see Ateru's mouth moving but couldn't hear a word the man was saying. "What? I can't hear you! Idai made us put moss in our ears so we wouldn't be affected by that weird skill of his."
Ateru found him and Masaru twirling for a while until they were dangling from one of the large branches. The Kasha were just off to their left. Ateru took his hands away. "Lower me," he yelled at Masaru who only tilted his head. "Lower me, kid," he said making the gesture for down.
"You want me to take you down there? Are you crazy," Masaru yelled at the man. "That's where those things are! I let you down there, Idai will have my head. We're supposed to stop those! Fighting them one on one isn't going to do any good. It's going to get you killed!"
Ateru slapped his forehead. "Would you lower me? My duty is to that village up there! The Morikage isn't going to last much longer!" He reached up taking the moss out of Masaru's ear. "I know what I'm doing. Take me down!"
Masaru sighed. He unequipped the rope dangling from his waist. "Tie this to the rope in my hand," he ordered. "Then around your waist. I don't know what you have planned, but I'll lower you. I just hope whatever you have in mind will work."
Ateru tied the knot several times making sure it was good and tight. "Get Idai to keep using his wind jutsu to make those things fall. I'll take care of the rest." Ateru felt Masaru let go, his legs kicking as he fell through the air. He yelped the rope straining as it tugged. Ateru felt ridiculous. He lifted his leg reaching into the pack. Taking out a shuriken he started to severe the rope. Ateru dropped the rest of the way, rolling onto the ground. The Kasha were alerted by his presence, some of them turning to go after him. Ateru ran through the dark grass. He had to find a place that had not been desecrated by the demons.
(Scene change)
Gin Akimichi ran with her team through the village. She signaled Areku and Kandai to break off. Shikamaru was busy helping the Hokage form a plan to catch the intruders. This was a real battle. With her eyes focused, Gin went straight to the streets. A lightening intruder was targeting people as they ran away in fear.
Gin concentrated her eyes still as she took in her surroundings. Mother Earth. Goddess of Nature and plants. Lend me your strength. The seeds in her hands shot out forming into thick strong vines. The long thick stalks circled around traveling to the man who was coming her way. His short spiked brown hair and eyes were alerted by her plants.
Wani lowered the helmet on his head as the vines came around him. "Ridiculous," he said the moment they closed in on him. He took out the long sword hanging from his back. The vines took hold of him trapping him around his torso and legs. He had one free arm. It came swinging down hacking at the vines with the sharpness of his sword.
Gin saw the woman coming out of the corner of her eye. She whirled around standing her ground. The woman's long red hair hung loosely on one side of her head, but the other half was held back by a thick barrette. Gin's hollow blue eyes met the woman's gray hollow eyes. They stared at each other intently.
Hanzai smiled coyly at the girl as she moved walking side to side, her eyes focused on the girl's determination. "Lightening is just another form of fire," she said her eyes widening as her body erupted. The lightening charge sprang forth aiming straight at the girl.
Gin quickly called forth Nature to aid her. A wall of wood surrounded her protecting her from the assault. Lightening popped against the wood as she remained tense inside of her cocoon. The wood smoldered.
"Hmm," Hanzai said with her hand on her hip. Wani tore through the thick vines. "This little one has experience in allusive measures with her enemies. I like her," she said a large smile going across her face.
Wani brushed off his armor. "Whether you approve of her or not, is not our concern." He moved his hand to his waist. Wani moved the metal around where it clicked into place. A compartment opened. Wani took out the capsule filled with acid. He threw it at the wooden cocoon Gin had managed to create around herself. "Get out of there," he yelled as he ran towards it, his sword drawn to strike.
Gin heard the sizzling sound of the wood weakening behind her. It began to crumble with a gaping hole showing through. She was in immense danger. Gin froze. She had Wani coming from behind her with his sword ready to strike. In front of her was a dangerous woman known as Hanzai who was ready for her. In her mind, Gin saw Shikamaru teaching her various new jutsus she should be able to perform using her plant skills with her ninjutsu. But at that moment, time seemed to leave her behind. Idai. Her eyes welled up, tears starting to form. She was lost completely.
Gin screamed as Wani got closer and her feet started to slip out from under her. She was dropping below the surface into a dark hole. A hand was put over her mouth suddenly to quiet her. Her blue eyes looked to see Areku Inuzuka staring up at the hole. There was only one way to get at them now. Gin was sitting in a tunnel he had dug to rescue her. She had never been more thankful for being his friend than at that moment. Despite her order to break off to attack and help with the opponents laying waste to the village, he had come back for her.
"Don't be so surprised," Areku said jerking his thumb behind him. "My team is my other family," he said making sure Gin looked over his shoulder. Behind him was his mother, Kashira, with her dog, Hitsugi. Kashira was crotched low her eyes focused on the hole.
Wani sliced through the standing wood. It slid off crashing to the ground, but the girl wasn't inside. He approached the other half of the bark immediately aiming his sword with a swift jolt of power at the ground. She wasn't there either. Wani jerked his head to the right signaling Hanzai to be on guard. There was a gaping hole in the earth. The girl had been rescued by someone. He touched his nose. Hanzai stopped.
Kashira crawled pass Areku and Gin. Hitsugi followed her, the dog crawling on its belly quietly. She moved her hand back to push against her son's leg. She wanted him to retreat. Ichigo tried to bark, but Kashira put her hand over the pup's muzzle quickly. They were being stalked from above. "Get out of here," she mouthed.
Areku shook his head. He wasn't going to leave his mother to fight alone against the two above them. "No," he mouthed back. Kashira seemed rather serious at that time, something he didn't come across often with his mother. She was an excellent Inuzuka and quite lethal in her approach towards her enemies. It was probably the reason Kiba was so smitten by her.
Kashira wondered for a moment if Gin could still access the plants above them even though they were below ground. She had to find a way to know where the two above were positioned. It was a dangerous waiting game they were playing. Someone was going to strike first and if the other wasn't prepared they would all be killed. She turned her gaze to look at the Akimichi girl cupping her hand to her ear.
Gin nodded slowly understanding what Kashira was asking her to do. Gin closed her eyes, her hands forming seals. She concentrated on the area above her. Her mind was searching for the plants that had not been demolished or taken by the fires in the area. On top of a building hanging loosely was a hanging plant. It swayed in the wind, its chains making clinking noises. She started to ask it in pictures she was projecting of the two people who had attacked her. Where are they?
Gin opened her eyes. She pushed Areku back with a strong force with one hand. Facing forward, she grabbed Kashira by the arm yanking the short haired woman towards her. The debris of the bark was pushed into the hole. "Run," she screamed.
Hanzai lifted her finger charging it as Wani held out the small arrow from one of his compartments. She jolted the tip of the wooden arrow with enough force for it to catch fire. "Do it," she said to him.
Wani dropped the arrow into the hole his fingers hovering for a moment until the last part of it seeped into the darkness. "Nice knowing you," he said as he turned away. The arrow fell silently for a few quick seconds until the fire came into contact with the broken wood. The acid upon the wood ignited. The ground exploded as if a bomb had been detonated.
Kashira shouted at Hitsugi. The large brown dog grabbed Gin by the back of her outfit starting to run dragging the girl along the dirt. The flames swept down the tunnel towards them. Kashira pushed Areku hard yelling, "Grab her tail, Areku!"
Areku did as he was told latching onto Hitsugi as he snatched Ichigo up. Hitsugi leapt through the hole. She moved her head, her jaws letting go of Gin. Gin was hoisted onto her back. Hitsugi touched down her legs moving swiftly to get away from the scene.
Areku was still being dragged his body thrashing around. He let go of Hitsugi not wanting to get too far away. He rolled until his body came up his hands going into the ground to stop his movement. He immediately took off. Areku had not seen his mom following them out of the hole. Ichigo ran behind him barking.
Areku slid on his feet. He caught the scent of his father, Kiba Inuzuka, pulling Kashira out of the dirt. "Father," he said running to him. He latched onto his mother's waist starting to pull her free. He grunted. Kashira's head was hanging back clearly knocked unconscious. Areku smelt the fire hanging strongly in the air.
Kiba arched his back pulling his wife free. He touched her face turning her head towards him as he held her firmly against him with one arm. "Kashira," he said calling her. There was no movement. Minzoku growled, his black fur standing on edge as he stood next to Kiba. "He doesn't have to see you to know you're there," he warned at the person hanging off to the side. Kiba also caught the scent.
A hooded figure hunkered down moved against the shadows. It came forth moving one large hairy arm, its claws pressing into the dirt. Stopping it raised its head just enough for Kiba to see it had a long muzzle like a beast, its mouth snarling. It's jaws parted to speak. "Do you need assistance," he asked pressing his hind legs into the ground ready to pounce.
Areku didn't know who this guy was. "He's wearing a leaf-nin insignia," he said a bit baffled. His eyes stared at the metal neatly placed on the bicep of the beast's hoodie.
Kiba knew the beast. He knew everyone in the village, where it was personally or by talk or sheer notice of another. "Is the hospital free from intruders," he asked.
Goro laughed with his deep threatening voice. "Of course, it is. I am the one stationed near it."
"Then you can help us get her there," Kiba said lifting his wife in his arms. Goro moved closer. From a distance, his appearance looked no more than that of a large dog, but when he got nearer, he stood. His form towered over Kiba, the piercing yellow eyes the only thing visible under the hoodie he wore. Kiba looked down to notice Areku was gone with Ichigo. He figured the boy was after the two responsible for injuring his mother.
"Do you want me to go after the brat," Goro asked his words normal for his personality. He regarded no one but himself in most of what he did. He lowered his form onto all fours. He was ready for Kiba to say the word.
"No," Kiba said. "Areku can handle himself. Let's move," he said taking off at high speed. Goro sprinted to stay next to him.
Areku and Ichigo leapt from building to building searching the area for Wani and Hanzai. There was no sight of them. "They're turning the village upside down searching for an object," he told Ichigo. "It's time they were forced to leave."
(Scene change)
Ateru stood away from the large tree that he had called home all of his life. His eyes took in the destruction of the Kasha. He heard the tree moaning on the wind. It was in pain. This battle was going to be lost by sheer number. He had been ordered never to use his special technique unless he absolutely had to. As he tried to figure out how he was going to keep the tree safe, a branch started to crack. "No!" Ateru yelled trying to run as if he could do anything to stop it.
He saw the large branch starting to tilt towards the ground. The buildings on the lowest branch couldn't withstand the drop. They started to slide towards the earth crashing into each other. People screamed as they fought to grab a hold of the bark. One small house slammed into a large one giving it enough momentum to break free. The large house was air born flying straight towards several people trapped on the farthest side of the branch.
Yanagi saw them in the darkness as she latched onto the wings of the large butterfly. "Gather them, quickly," she ordered the other scouts. The butterflies swooped down with the house falling towards them. Yanagi was afraid they weren't going to make it. Idai came out of nowhere swinging on a rope with Masaru right behind him.
Idai took out his sword as his other arm held tightly to the rope hanging from the tree. He sent several wind blasts at the house trying to buy time.
Masaru landed on the branch. The butterfly scouts hovered next to the people waiting for them to mount. "Hurry! He can't hold it off forever!" He helped a woman up with her child cradled in her arms. "Hold on tightly. They have to go fast!" Masaru stood until the last butterfly scout was loaded with its cargo. He tapped it. "Get out of here!" The butterfly flapped its pink wings moving away from the branch. He turned his head to see Idai's last effort to ward the house off. The wind died. The house came tumbling down towards him.
Idai was also right in its path. There was no way he could avoid the hit. He saw Yanagi trying her best to get to them. Idai moved his sword away to his right. With a last ditch effort, he attacked Yanagi with the wind jutsu.
Yanagi screamed as she was sent flying backwards. She fell into the darkness yelling both the names of her team mates. The house hit the branch breaking off into hundreds of pieces.
Ateru swallowed hard, his heart raced. The team from Konoha, what had become of them? He had to act now. The Kasha were not only trying to gain access to the top of the tree, but were breaking it apart. He stared at the demons, his hate beginning to fester and grow. With his fingers wrapped around his wrist, he touched the ground hard. The grass under the tree started to burn.
The Kasha felt their feet burning as they tried to regain their footing. They snarled in disgust urging each other to move swiftly to the tree. The grass began to catch fire all around them, smoke lifted into the air as it burned.
Ateru's face became red as he became one with his technique. His body started to swell, his arms becoming large, cracks of red seen through the rock. His eyes turned from human to something connected with the earth. Ateru moved towards the Kasha with his large volcanic golem form his massive legs causing the earth to shake.
With each step he took, the earth began to split, lava flowing from the crack. He yelled at them clumsily running towards them, his anger starting to consume him. Raising a large rock arm he sent it crashing onto the demons, their bodies being pummeled. But as he attacked, they too started to attack him.
The Kasha leapt onto Ateru their mouths biting him all over. The stone didn't protect him entirely from their teeth or the acid leaking from their mouths. He opened his mouth projecting a lava stream at the demons. They cried in pain as the liquid hit them.
Yanagi opened her eyes looking around the darkness. She sat up. Somehow, her personal scout had managed to save her from hitting the ground. The wind swept through her hair as she overlooked the battlefield. The houses had smashed into each other the moment the branch couldn't hold the weight. For a split second, she had forgotten about Masaru and Idai. The wooden plants smashed into the tree and onto the ground made her realize she had to find them.
Yanagi pushed her weight onto the butterfly's back urging it to get closer. It dove towards the wreckage, her eyes searching frantically for her team mates. "Masaru! Idai!" Yanagi jumped off the butterfly her body coming to a hit and roll upon the branch. She took out a kunai to stop her descent. It lodged into the wood. "No…"
Yanagi Lee could not see past the debris where her team had gone. She was afraid they had not survived. Her eyes widened. Masaru. She saw his overconfident self in mind, stretching his arms ready to fight anyone that opposed his rash way of thinking. And then there was Idai: A guy with a troubled past who seemed to put himself in the way like a brick wall to stop anyone from hurting his team.
Yanagi heard a growl coming from the tree. She turned her head to see the Kasha noticing she was hanging on. One of them abandoned his group to sink his claws into the broken branch. He hung upside down, his teeth gnashing. Yanagi reached inside the casing on her leg. She narrowed her eyes. "Bring it," she told it. It ran towards her with its mouth open.
She threw the shuriken at the beast, the weapons rotating in the air until they hit the creature. It didn't even make a sound, its legs moving swiftly to come at her. She heard the noise bubbling in its throat as it was getting ready to spit acid at her. A stream of acid shot forth. Yanagi let go of the kunai her body falling down the broken houses. She slammed into a house, her body hitting hard.
Yanagi shook her head, her eyes seeing stars for a second. The creature was now making its way towards her, crawling over the houses. Yanagi stood on wobbly legs. She was ready for it. It was one on one.
(Scene change)
Naruto informed Izumi Uchiha what he needed her to do. "You're the only one that's spent the most time with her until she was put on Lee's team. I need you to pose as her, Izumi."
Izumi's lavender eyes looked at the Hokage from behind her long white hair. "You want me to pose as her to get the Lightening intruders to chase me out of the village." She understood completely. "That's a little unfair, Uzumaki," she said calling him what Onari referred to him as. "There are fourteen of them and only one of me. What guarantee do you have that I'll come out of this unscathed?"
Naruto crossed his arms. Izumi was a difficult one to convince. "There is a trap waiting for them outside of the village. But I need you to follow the route completely. Whatever it takes, get them to follow you. Until they leave, I cannot put up a barrier to guard the village. They have to see Onari to know where she is. Us merely telling them isn't going to work. They won't believe our word."
"No, I guess they won't," Izumi said. "They want the phoenix. That's a hard thing to pull off. Akaihi isn't an ordinary summon. They know Onari won't just run from them. She'd use the bird to gain access to where they cannot follow – the sky."
"She has a point," Captain Aoi of Squad C said from behind his dragon mask. "They're not going to simply chase a little girl. There has to be a way to trick them into seeing the girl take off with the bird."
"I might be able to help you with that," Kurenai Yuhi said from behind them. She stood with her hand on her hip. "Illusions are my specialty."
"Might I interject for a moment," Aoi said having second thoughts about this kind of plan. "What if this doesn't work? Is there a back up plan?"
Naruto put his hands on his desk looking seriously at the others in the room. "We give them one hell of a fight. I won't let them keep tormenting innocent people."
"Go down in a blaze of glory," Kurenai said with a smile. "There's no other way for a ninja to go, is there?" She tried to keep her smile, but it soon faded as the ones that had died in the past resurfaced in her mind. Her first husband, Asuma, had died in such a way – protecting others. "It's sort of fitting, isn't it?"
"Well," Izumi said poofing into Onari. "Let's get started," she said from behind the wild yellow eyes of the missing-nin. She moved out of the room matching Onari's stride, her arms hanging by her sides.
Naruto looked after her. The other two followed as well. This had got to work. The village was already in ruins. "I know you can pull it off, Izumi. You have to."
(Scene Change)
Izumi stood atop a building her eyes looking over the buildings in the darkness. The lightening-nin were still terrorizing the villagers, along with tearing the village apart looking for Onari. She supposed there was no other option. It was either she pose as the girl, or they fight to their deaths to protect their home. The long black hair moved in the wind, yellow eyes following the ashes as they lifted into the air before falling slowly back to earth. She leapt off the building her ears alert for any of them that might notice her movement. So far, she was picking up nothing on the wind.
Izumi sensed Kurenai was also following her to make sure the illusion of Akaihi was met when she needed to perform it. She touched down onto the ground, the white and yellow kimono lifting slightly. Standing up, she started to walk down the road slowly as if she was ready to stand her ground. One of them had to be near to notice her.
Sure enough, Izumi felt the air change around her. A man with a black shaggy hair and a long black goatee was staring at her down the road. He was wearing armor to protect himself. I wonder which one you are. Now let's see if you'll alert your comrades.
Mabuta looked at the girl coming down the road. She seemed sure of herself. Is that the girl we're looking for? He studied her before he made a move, his eyes looking her up and down. This girl appeared to not be afraid of him. She finally stopped fifty yards away her eyes meeting his. There were slash marks, old scars from a battle that ran from her right cheek to past her nose. Those eyes…
Izumi narrowed her eyes. "What do you want with me," she asked. She made sure when she pronounced her words, it was thick with Onari's hesitant dialect. Each word had to be presented as if it were being thought of, for her language was botched with incorrect words.
Mabuta had to test this girl. He wasn't entirely sure this was the one they were after. The village had been constantly attacked for a long time now. He believe the Hokage was trying to use anyone he could find to get rid of them. "And how do I know you're the one we're looking for, brat? You could be any kid who's taking responsibility for the village."
Mm. That's part of it. However, your reasoning is a bit off the mark. Izumi tilted her head, her face contorting as she studied Mabuta. The hardest thing about becoming Onari was not her movements, or her gestures that made her who she was. It was the way she approached her enemies – of others in general. Just in case, she was having to concentrate to keep the marks on the back of Onari's neck that foretold she had the Heaven's Scroll tattooed upon her skin. The arms were well bandaged.
Izumi only stood her ground her eyes keeping level with his. She wasn't going to break eye contact if she had to. This man was unknown to her. "What. Do you want. With the village," she said again her patience growing thin.
Mabuta moved his arm out, opening his hand. "I suppose you were hoping we would go away after a time, if you remained hidden, we'd eventually give up, right? Not going to happen. Lord Gekido would like the phoenix you so wrongfully acquired," he said clenching his fingers closed as if he were grabbing a bug in the air.
Izumi straightened her posture her head lowering as she looked at Mabuta through the dark hair. "He's not worthy to acquire the phoenix, much less, rule the Lightening Country," she said. Mabuta spit in front of her. So they really do see Onari as some bastard child that has claimed the phoenix. She's really no different than Daiya. Izumi moved her hand behind her form lowering just like Onari would to run at Mabuta. Mabuta brought his arm out to counter her attack before it was even made. Izumi only smiled softly through the dark hair.
Mabuta was ready for this girl. In fact, he wanted to see her call forth the phoenix. "Why don't you get that wonderful bird of yours to get rid of me? It's what you want. You want all of us gone. Why not finish us off right here and now," he said as a few others from the lightening army started to appear. "We're all ready for you," he taunted.
Izumi noted there were five others who were now approaching. They walked slowly towards her surrounding her. She not only had to keep an eye on them, but also where Kurenai was located. The Genjutsu would shield her with an illusion, but somehow, she had a bad feeling that their 'trick' wasn't going to play out as the Hokage had planned.
Izumi only stood where she was taking into account everything happening around her. They were silently stalking her like a pack of wolves. If she wanted, she could drop the act and get rid of them with Suiren, or a nice little ultimate technique of her own. But for now, she had to do what the Hokage had wanted. If they saw her real form, they would keep pursuing Onari. It wasn't going to end this easily for the Hidden Leaf village.
Kurenai kept her cool watching Izumi play out the girl that had befriended the Uchiha clan. She wasn't only worried about Izumi's safety but her own. She wasn't far from the outcast Mist-nin. Kurenai's eyes moved around to see how they had given each other a fair amount of distance. This isn't good. The Hokage wanted them alerted. And they were exactly that. I cannot move until Izumi figures out her next move. I hate being a sitting duck like this.
Tsuihon kept his gray eyes upon the girl in front of him. His red hair swayed behind him neatly in a ponytail. "My, my. There's someone else here lurking in the shadows. I didn't think you'd give yourself up that easily," he said lifting his head. "Why don't you come out? We'll have a fair match."
Kurenai's eyes widened. How were they able to detect her? Were they bluffing? She had to think!
Takeru Uchiha moved from around a corner. He stood with his eyes looking at Tsuihon, his body tense. There were a lot of them. The person in front of him he knew wasn't Onari. It was someone impersonating her. After being around the girl for a few years, he knew every tick, every movement, and every thought that echoed in her mind. Onari wouldn't have brought Akaihi back to the village. "Your move," he said threateningly.