A/N: So were back I'll be updating this first because I'll have to go back and reread all my stories before I start their updates and this one just so happen to be the one that was shortest to read. So enjoy and review please reviews give me strength to write!... Okay maybe that was a little dramatic but you get my point.
Chapter 5: The Rules Of The Game
Naruto's Journal
Free time. Two magic words that we squeeze in between all life other engagements. A hobby, a past time, something that helps us relax and amuse ourselves. Or maybe a game at the spur of the moment. Left to our own devices we all enjoy ourselves exactly as we like and if we can't do that we do the best we can.
But every once in a while when someone is having fun someone else is not having any at all. Not happy with their lot they feel like shaking everything around them up and throwing the world into confusion.
Four boys walked into the boy in the fronts room together making their way to the table in the center of the room. "Are you sure your parents aren't going to come and break up the game?" The second boy to enter ask. He was heavy weight, with braces, pimples, glasses, and a raspy squeaky 'just hit puberty' voice that suggested all suggested he wasn't exactly in with the 'cool' crowd.
"Relax, I made suer they weren't home." They boy who entered first said with confidence and a cocky smile as he laid out the cards on the table. The other two very goth looking boys taking their seats as well.
"Nice one Shikamaru." One of the goth kids said giving the boy, now known as Shikamaru, a thumbs up with a laid back smile.
"So then how much we gonna bet?" The chubby kid asked. Shikamaru smirk grew as he leaned back opening his silver metal suit case that contained many poker chips inside.
Naruto's journal
Just when you least expect it the game becomes dangerous. Just when you think your in control you find too late your in a trap and it's all closing around you.
"This is super cool! Way cool! Too cool!" Tenten said as she, Naruto, and Hinata walked through the mall in their angels form together giving their legs a work out as the did. They had realized very quickly how much they would be using them in their human forms and they couldn't afford to tire out from it. So they thought it would be best to start using them more often from now on.
"Look at this place! Oh wow!" Tenten said as they entered the second floor of the mall she looked over at the many shops. A store with sunglasses in the windows catching her attention as she walked over for a better look.
"Come on. We gotta go." Naruto said trying to get Tenten back to their main objective.
"Just a minute! Those glasses are seriously just the coolest things ever." Tenten said stroking the glass longingly
"Yeah but you can't even touch them. Your an angel or did you forget?" Naruto said sternly with amusement in his tone.
"Ooooh Okay." Tenten said finally walking away with a pout. But she continued talking. "I still think earthly malls are fun even if it's just window shopping. The fashions are outrageous." Tenten said seeing as their was a huge difference in the way angels and devils dressed from humans.
"Ooooo look at that outfit!" Tenten said as she spotted what looked to be a group of popular teens.
"Come on move it Tenten or were going to miss the humans." Hinata said putting a hand on her shoulder to beckon her away.
"Cox where are Konohamaru and Moegi?" Naruto asked his mascot. Cox flew in front his master face before turning away from him projecting a solid screen of the two teens in front of Naruto's face before moving out the way.
"Their they are." Naruto said in relief. "Looks like their going to the movies." He continued as Hinata leaned next to him to get a look.
"Those two have a real connection." Hinata said with a smile at their earthly ones before they were sucked out their happy thoughts by the bitter, snotty, and continuously annoying voice of a devil.
"A connection? Just thinking of it makes me want to barf." Ino said as the two angels finally turned to face Sasuke and herself. Naruto did;t hesitate to angrily fly up to his unwanted devil.
"What are you doing here?" He asked not to nicely. Sasuke smirk didn't even twitch from it's place on his lips.
"Angels guard and devils confuse. You do remember that don't you? Konohamaru's my charge too. Where he goes I go. Deal with it." He asked taughntingly. Naruto huffed in resigned expectancy.
"As if I had choice. Just stay out of my way." He said. Tenten and Hinata exchanged looks behind him. They had never seen Naruto so agitated. It just wasn't his nature. It was almost scary how easily devils could make angels change their whole persona.
"I think he likes you." Ino said nudging Sasuke giving him a playful wink. It was obviously teasing, but it did kinda seem like well... 'like' to a devil. Their way of showing love was usually through hate in public and kindness in private. Sasuke scratch his cheek thoughtfully for a split second letting the idea sit for a moment before he pushed her back at the teasing.
"Cut it out." He said higher pitched in embarrassment but not so much it was noticed.
"Yeah! Cut it out thats ridiculous!" Tenten said at the absurd notion of a devil and angel actually liking each other. Completely impossible. She missed the thoughtful look Naruto also seemed to get at Ino's words.
Ino seemed to find humor at all their reactions as she simply laughed aloud.
"And you must be creme puff am I right?" Ino asked Tenten purposefully getting her name wrong after learning about her ridiculous nickname.
"Tenten! My name is Tenten!" Tenten shouted not liking the mocking of the nickname she was given by her kind friends. No devil had the right to mock it or even worse say it.
"Oh really. So tell me sugar or what ever your name is Naruto and Sasuke were sent here for Konohamaru and Hinata and I are here for Moegi and your here for who?"
"Well... actually... Shikamaru..." Tenten stuttered out trying to come up with a explanation for her presence.
"It's none of your business." Naruto said quickly defending Tenten with a still slightly pissed look at the devils presence.
"Your right. It's Sakura's Business. And right now while your little sugar plum is window shopping Sakura is doing her job and sinking her claw into Shikamaru." Sasuke said loving the look of horror that crossed Tenten's face at his words.
Back at Shikamaru's house the boys were locked in an intense game of poker. The chubby boy was humming in disdain as he looked at his small amount of chip. Shikamaru was tapping his deck confidently against the table with a smirk on his face. Two large stacks of chips next to him.
"Your not doing to hot." One of the other boys said to the chubby one. Completely unseen Sakura was behind her human her bat mascot flapping next to her as she smirked watching her human dominate the game.
"Just a little bad luck." The chubby boy said looking down at his cards worriedly.
"Call it what you want to but you're about to get fleeced." Sakura said next to her human at the chubby boy. She walked over to the other side of the table when she noticed the chubby boys face grow a happy smirk. She looked over to see he had 4 kings and a 2 of shades.
"Huh! A quad of kings? Shikamaru stands to lose." She muttered to herself. This simply wouldn't do.
"Unless..." Sakura said mischief seeping into her voice. She looked over to Shikamaru's cards. 3 aces, a 9, and an 8. Her smile grew.
"Just a little snug. Nosferatu you deal with it." She said the bat flapped it's wings in a certain pattern one that Sakura seemed to understand as words. Only the angel or devil of a mascot could understand their language. It was like a language on the two could understand between themselves. One that they received at birth along with their mascots.
"I know i'm not supposed to intervene, but rules are meant to be broken aren't they? Do it Nosferatu. It'll be fun." She said seeming to have convinced her cute bat. As He turned Shikamaru's nine into an ace. His eyes widened at the sight, but he chose not to question it.
"Charles wake up it's your call man!" One of the goth looking boys said to the chubby boy now known as Charles.
"I bet it all." He said in a confidence raspy squeaky voice. Placing all his chips in the middle. Shocking to goth boys.
"I'm out!"
"Me too!" The boys said choosing to quit rather than lose the little money they had left. But Shikamaru only smirked at Charles choice.
"Im all in." He said calmly like he'd already won the game. Charles was taken aback by this his confidence suddenly fading. But he kept his smile up and put his cards down.
"Read em' and weep." He said laying down 4 kings. Going to take the chip, but Shikamaru grabbed his wrist before he could.
"Uh-Uh not so fast." He said throwing down his own deck of 4 aces. Charles gave out a gasp of disbelief his jaw dropping.
"Nice face. Weren't expecting that." One of the goth boys said amused at the look of disbelief on Charles face. Said boy ran his hands through his hair not believing he lost.
"What going on! What happen here?" Tenten said finally flying into the room. Her butterfly mascot following behind her.
"I'd say your late to the game sugar." Sakura said looking at her unimpressed as she said sugar mockingly.
"You may dress like a stuck up dork, but man you can keep cool as a snake. Not bad!" On of the goth kids said complimenting Shikamaru on a good game.
"Yeah dude use your winnings on some new clothes. Seriously you dress like my grandpa." The other said looking at the dress shirt, sweater vest, and khakis Shikamaru had on. Which was't particularly Shikamaru's fault these were just the only clothes his mother let him wear.
"What did you just do!" Tenten screamed trying to put together what she just missed.
"Just an innocent game of poker with some friends. No biggy. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you sugar." Sakura said nonchalantly like it was no big deal at all. Which to her it really wasn't. Surely even angels played poker? If they didn't at least do the much they were even more stick in the muds then Sakura first thought.
"Later man!" the goth boys called out leaving a satisfied Shikamaru and a devastated Charles behind.
"Huh? The game is over." Shikamaru said walking over to Charles.
"I know." He said sadly handing over the money. "It's just the money I lost wasn't really mine." Charles said not getting up quit yet. Shikamaru hummed a curious note a sign for Charles to go on.
"My fathers been having some trouble with his job for a while now. I thought that maybe if I won some money I could help him out. So I took the savings he hid inside the cabinet. It was all he had. Without that money we'll... I don't know what will happen. Please give it back." Charles pleaded with Shikamaru finally standing up giving him a desperate look.
"Give it back to you?" Shikamaru asked in disbelief. "You should have thought about that before you lost it." Shikamaru said cold look crossing his face. Sakura's face bloomed with pride at her human.
"Well said!" Sakura said a smirk of her own forming.
"You... you intervened! This is your disaster isn't it?!" Tenten said not believing this devil would go so far. How could she put a boys entire family at risk of potentially losing all the money, home, food, job, everything. How could she be so cruel?
"You mean my huge success don't you? By the way where were you?" She said striking a cord in Tenten.
"You've gotten understand I organized this game because I'm still short the three hundred dollars I need to buy my scooter." Shikamaru said glimpsing at the motor scooter poster up on his wall.
"I understand." Charles said biting his lip as he went to grab his jacket and leave.
"Hang on a minute. Just let me think it over okay." Shikamaru said feel a little guilty.
"Shikamaru is a kind hearted person you'll see he'll give him the money back!" Tenten said having complete faith in her human as all angels did.
"If you say so. Care to bet?" Sakura said as both she and Tenten started to fly off.
"See you in the challenge room!" Tenten said flying away.
Sakura was in the challenge room riding on a roller coaster.
"You want to play then lets play!" She screamed going through the loop. Tenten was in the cart behind her screaming as Sakura laughed.
"What are the rules of the challenge!" Tenten yelled leaning forward so Sakura could hear her over the sound of the tracks.
"Who said anything about rules? try to keep up with me!" She said suddenly flying out the cart. Turning invisible mid air.
"Invisible fly!" Tenten said as she leap up too.
Our regal prisoner huffed in agitation as she looked at the two screens of both Naruto's and Sasuke's face before her. Minato kneeling by her side.
"The lock, the key, and the latch. They hold me in limbo. My prison. Bound by chains endless links forged by eternal transgressions." She said swirling the photos around herself.
"Rules, codes, and cavils. Separating the right from the wrong, but at every step they conceal a trap. A line to be blurred. To trick the saint and the thief at the gallows! Veto, love and hate! Powers that chain me now I claim the stand! The sector, the liberated throne, hate, veto and love hear me give this queen to key to force their hearts! And revenge enough to quench her thirst!" as she spoke the the photos began to spend before entering the box that contained Naruto's tear stained handkerchief and Sasuke's glove. They two items lifted up and began to mash together becoming one.
Back with Tenten who was now in the mirror maze of the circus like place the challenge room had become. She didn't see Sakura anywhere though.
"Huh? Your here I sense you." Tenten said confused. She heard an amused chuckle.
"Then find me!" Sakura called out to her and Tenten decided to take this as the challenge.
"Double fly!" She suddenly heard as Sakura's face appeared on every mirror. Tenten looked around in confusion.
"Awwww you confused? No rule book to consult?" Sakura said her mocking voice bouncing of the walls making it hard to track.
"How about I just make the rules." Tenten said cheekily. "Stop fly!" She yelled out blasting all the reflections of Sakura sucking the strength from the until only one was left the real Sakura as she crumbled to the ground weak Tenten yelled out in victory "Gotcha!"
"No fair. The challenge can't end like this." Sakura said still on her knees to exhausted to get up.
"Says who? You didn't want rules so they're no rules against it." Tenten said.
"Alright fine. Your move first with Shikamaru. Assuming of course your not late this time." Sakura said bitterly just to get under her skin finally able to stand up. Her words did just what she wanted as a guilty looked crossed Tenten's face.
It was now morning and Tenten was with her human. Who was currently looking through the window at his desired scooter with a smile.
"You really like that scooter don't you? So much that you'd pay any price for it. Well this time it's a steep one." Tenten said flying of with her butterfly mascot to an alley way where she wouldn't be seen changing.
"Perfect! Butterfly activate metamorphosis. To guard and protect." She said chuckling as her mascot practically danced around her the sensation of the change tickling. Her songs began to disappear as well as her halo and clothes did as well replaced with that of a grease monkey's working uniform. She even went so far as to have oil stain here and there even a little on her face.
"Watch out!" Shikamaru heard being yelled As a monekyrench came flying at his head. He manage to duck just in time.
"Are you alright?" a pink haired girl who seem to work at the store asked.
"Yes but just barley." Shikamaru said a little angrily upset at having almost been given a concussion or worst.
'i'm sorry. I was repairing a thousand lightning and the screw spanner just flew right out of my hand. That was really close." Tenten said with an honest apologetic smile. She through that a lot closer then she actually meant to.
"Your a mechanic?" Shikamaru asked surprised the girl looked no older than himself.
"That's right. I specialize in scooters and bikes. This particular scooter causes endless problems." Tenten said gesturing to the scooter Shikamaru had been eye balling for a while.
"Really?" He asked surprised to hear that such a cool scooter could actually be so bad.
"You bet. It's a fantastic scooter don't get me wrong, but still it's a machine. It breaks and someone else has to fix the problem. Not like people who can fix their own. Do the right thing. You see sometimes people make the wrong decisions but once they realize it they can make a change." Tenten said before being suddenly cut off.
"You don't talk like a mechanic?" Shikamaru said suddenly.
"Why? Ho who mechanics talk?" She asked honestly not seeing where she'd gone wrong.
"They don't talk nonsense. That's for sure." Sakura said pulling up on the thousand lightning scooter.
'Don't listen to her. This scooters fantastic." Sakura said facing Shikamaru. Tenten was filled with anger. An emotion she's experience so little in life she could count it on one hand most of which were after she met Sakura.
"It's my turn. You can't interfere." She said to Sakura with a pissed look.
"Do you two know each other?" Shikamaru asked not really knowing what he got in the middle of.
"Unfortunately for me yes. She has a screw loose. I bet she nearly killed you with her screw spanner." Sakura said.
"Your violating the Veto! You can't reveal yourself touch or obstruct me. It's my turn!" Tenten said have'n completely forgot about Shikamaru.
"What does that mean." Shikamaru asked Sakura. Sakura just rolled her finger around the side of her head the universal symbol for crazy.
"I told you she's nuts. Here jump on I'll give you a ride. This way you can try out the scooter." Sakura said handing Shikamaru a helmet as he climbed on behind her. Laughing as she drove off with the boy.
"Come back here!" Tenten yelled out desperately but her cries were too slow.
Shikamaru and Sakura both laughed as they drove fast through the city. Weaving between all the cars in order not to have to slow down. Sakura was going to go as far as to skip a red light and was almost stopped by a police office cross guard that to her was clearly just Tenten in disguise. But she simply kept going until Tenten had no choice but to jump out the way. The two even pasted by Shikamaru's school getting looks of admiration that Shikamaru was practically soaking up.
They finally stopped back in front the scooter store their laughs finally dying down.
"Wow that was awesome! Thanks for the ride! If I had any doubts their gone now! You convinced me I'm buying the bike." He said still on his adrenaline high. Sakura gave a huge satisfied smirk at his words.
In a room filled with portraits that reflected the souls of everyone on in the world a portrait of Shikamaru turned darker in color as his eye became red and his face garnished a look of an evil smirk.
"Shikamaru made the wrong choice. A choice that will have unfortunate consequences for Charles and his parents." Hiruzen said to Tenten, Hinata, Temari, and Naruto in their lesson. He waved to the board behind himself as it showed inside Charles house where the boys dad was going to were the savings should have been located. He open the hiding space only to find nothing. Tenten cried at the mans devastated look guilt that only an angel has to endure already over taking her.
"I'm sorry! It's all my fault!" Tenten cried out loudly.
"No! You did everything right." Hiruzen said reassuring her. "You fought according to the rules." He said.
"But I lost?" Tenten asked confused. "Sakura violated the Veto and won."
"What are you suggesting? that we should ignore the veto as well? Is that what you want to act like devils?" Hiruzen said waiting for Tenten's response.
"No... It's just that... sometimes it' so hard" Tenten said holding her head in her hands.
"It's true the angels path is a steep slop. Ou advisories trick us with discitful actions. Their unsavory and cannot be trusted." Hiruzen said strongly making sure his angels students understood this above all else.
"Does that include you Sasuke?" Naruto thought to himself bitterly.
"It's hard for us who know our advisories think of how hard it is for earthly ones we guide. This is our task to lead them to the proper path. We are angels and we must defend creation from every possible menace."
In Limbo Minato kneeled before his queen with something in his hand covered in cloth.
"My lady the handkerchief of the chosen one and the devils glove melded together. the witch craft has been successful." He said lifting the cloth to reveal a spider of no known origin underneath. He covered it up quickly when it began to move about.
"You know what you must do Minato." The women said with an almost gleeful look.
"Yes my lady. Now I understand." He said amused at his mistresses happiness as he backed away in a bow.