A/N: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IIIIITTTTT'S INVASION TIME!I also apologize for how short this chapter is. I did this purposely because the next chapter is for Shikamaru and their reunion. I broke the chapter in half basically, sorry! Let's get to it!
WAIT: NEJI OR GAARA! LET ME KNOW IN A REVIEW! Now, I'm done. Lol.
Thank you for the favorites and follows: gabrieldennise13 and anasha
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*Kabocha POV*
I turned on my heel, deciding to go to the medical bay instead of to my previous position beside Shikamaru. Getting healed as soon as possible and as quick as possible was my number one priority now. The invasion could begin any minute now, and currently I wasn't fit to lead anyone. I stumbled slightly, but quickly right myself to sustain my dignity. I had watched Neji get taken to the medical bay, so my movements were based off of memory.
Upon entering the medical bay I spotted a conscious, but laying down, Neji. Standing by his beside was… "Hiashi-sama." I quickly bowed to the Hyuga clan head. I was certainly surprised to see him anywhere near Neji considering what he did to Hinata. I was also aware of the fact that Neji despised the main branch of his family.
"Princess Kabocha." He stated simply, I straightened my body and noticed his lavender gaze on my left arm. I unconsciously moved my left arm slightly behind me using my right arm. I was also reminded that the side of my left breast was exposed. I literally had no function, currently, in my left arm either and was reminded of that as well...
"Kabocha…" Neji called gaining my attention. "Neji, how are you feeling?" I made a move towards him out of reflex, but stopped when Hiashi-sama raised an eyebrow at me.
"I-I'm sorry." I cleared my throat, hating how my nerves chose right now to make an appearance. I don't know why Hinata's father always made me so nervous. My repressed instincts seemed to recognize his aura the most for a reason unknown to myself. He smiled at me, his gaze finally on my face instead of my left arm. He turned away from me to grab a sheet off of the bed next to Neji. He practically glided to stand in front of me making me crane my neck to meet his moon like stare. He wrapped the sheet around me, tying a knot at my neck. He basically created a makeshift cape for me to cover up with.
"I was just leaving. I will send a healer in for you shortly." He stepped around me to leave the room. I turned slowly on my heel, feeling dizzy from the pain and my injuries. My arm and chest being the biggest issues. "Thank you, Hiashi-sama." I bowed to him once again, he looked over his shoulder at me, briefly nodding and left the room.
I turned back to face Neji with a breath of relief. "I'm fine, now, by the way. I don't know why he makes you uncomfortable when he actually likes you." Neji was verbally rolling his eyes at me. I physically rolled my eyes at him. "I'm happy you're okay." I told him genuinely to which he looked away from me with a slight blush.
"Did you lose?" He asked me bluntly, and I smirked at him. "Nope." I popped the 'p' irritating him slightly from the loud noise.
"Hello, you must be Princess Kabocha Kasai?" I looked away from Neji and over my shoulder. I nodded at the medic nin, taking a seat across my Neji on the opposite bed. "I was told you have some pretty severe injuries." The medic nin inquired, but more of stated.
"Lots of cuts, two lacerations, and I need my left arm wrapped from the shoulder down to my fingertips." I gave him a run down and he nodded. "Oh! These are for you, Lord Gorudo gave them to me to give to you." He remembered the clothes in his bag because after he removed the sheet and he received an eye full. He stepped back as I pulled the curtain to change into my general attire quickly. I didn't know when the invasion was going to start, so I needed to hurry. I left my armor off, so he could wrap my arm, and treat my various injuries. I pulled the curtain back, and let him get to work.
"Why are you in formal attire?" Neji questioned while staring at the ceiling. I shrugged my good shoulder with a sly smile. "No reason...you like it?" I teased, he furrowed his eyebrows and turned his head away from me.
"Don't be ridiculous." He grumbled, but I didn't miss the blush creeping up his neck. I was thoroughly pleased with his reaction. "Princess Kabocha, your all done." I looked at the medic nin in astonishment and gratitude.
"Thank you." I bowed my head slightly to him, he returned the bow and smiled brightly before leaving. The door couldn't close fast enough; I spun around, and began to struggle into my armor. I finally had all of the pieces in place; I ripped the sheet to make myself a makeshift sling. I placed my left arm in the sling slowly, going back to the bag that had my clothes in them to strap on my cape. I took a deep breath, pressing my ear to the door to hear absolute pandemonium outside in the halls. So it has begun…
"Neji...stay here. No matter what happens...do not leave from this room." I didn't bother looking over my shoulder when he called after me. I had an entire shinobi force to direct.
*Normal POV*
Everyone in the crowd was now fully asleep when Kabocha made it outside. She furrowed her eyebrows at the white fuzz falling. She wasn't good at genjutsu, so she would need a little-
"Release." Gin said as he appeared in front of her. He motioned for her to do the same, and she complied. "Thank you." Kabocha told him with a grim expression. Sand shinobi were coming out of nowhere. It was time for Konoha's ace in the hole.
"Shosha." Kabocha called out in a normal tone; she knew he would hear her from his spot in the stands. "Already here." He said with a smirk appearing just as Gin did, in a swirl of flames, but with Kina at his side.
"Take me to the highest point possible." Kabocha said, trying not to sound bitter about not being able to transport herself. What a great time to barely have any chakra. "You got it, boss." Shosha saluted her. Kina smiled encouragingly at her mouthing 'good luck' before they disappeared, and reappeared on a roof, so Kabocha could see where all of the lava shinobi are.
"You got enough chakra to do call outs?" Shosha questioned with a raise eyebrow, a senbon needle bobbing in his mouth. "I have enough chakra to do two ninjutsus without killing myself." She ignored the look he gave her in favor of doing the dragon roar hand signs.
"Ninja art: dragon roar!" Kabocha cupped her hands around her mouth. "ATTENTION LAVA VILLAGE SHINOBI! THIS IS YOUR GENERAL! IT IS TIME TO ACT; WE ARE ALIGNING WITH KONOHA." Dozens of lava shinobi disguised as citizens in the stands jumped into battle. The entire village heard the announcement; the Sand shinobi stunned into silence at the betrayal of the Lava village. Leaf shinobi all over the village sighed in relief or cheered. The ground shook, both Kabocha and Shosha lost their balance slightly.
"What the fuck was that?" Shosha peered to the front gate of Konoha; a giant, three headed snake was annihilating Leaf shinobi. "I'm sensing something." Kabocha mumbled looking at the snake that was hard to miss. "It's definitely not that..." She said with a brow full of worry.
The front gate shinobi continued to be obliterated...until Gorudo and Jun Kasai landed a few feet from the giant snake. "It's Lords Jun and Gorudo!" Konoha Shinobi exclaimed in astonishment. "Watch out!" Several cried out in worry when the two foreign shinobi didn't appear to be doing anything but meditating.
"Are you synced, brother?" Jun questioned with a voice full of strain. "Yes, are you ready?" Gorudo was also straining to concentrate.
"Alright.." Jun and Gorudo took a deep breath, slamming their hands to the ground to create two small circles that connected. Their blood blending together as their chakra flared. "SUMMONING JUTSU!" The roared together, a massive cloud of smoke followed their scream. A large being in the center of the smoke. A roar cleared the smoke as a three headed dragon emerged. Two of the three heads spewing fire while the one in the middle shot lightning into the air.
"I-ts a d-dragon!" Civilians and shinobi that weren't from the Lava village stuttered in shock and disbelief. Almost all of them never seeing a dragon. The dragon easily lurched forward, taking bites out of the snake, the ground shook once more as the snake fell, and quickly recovered. The battle between the reptiles one that the shinobi would never forget.
Shosha and Kabocha also stared in disbelief. "So...father and uncle called a three headed dragon bigger than a Jashin damned building…" Shosha was now fully annoyed at the blatant display of power.
"We don't stand a chance against him as we are now." Kabocha said full of misery. Shosha was getting more angry the longer they stood watching their father cut down enemy after enemy with ease. "We have three years to train, and then it will be his turn to fall." Shosha said with a voice full of fury, and all Kabocha did was nod.
Kabocha and Shosha stiffened at the presence at their back; they both ducked making the Sand ninja fly harmlessly over them. Shosha spit his senbon out, and the Sand ninja was too slow to counter. He turned around to get hit in the chest with Shosha's poison covered senbon, he hit the ground instantly.
"Time to fight." Shosha said forgetting his anger as he watched Kina drown a sand ninja with ease. He was filled with excitement watching her kill with such proficiency, she was truly a kunoichi in their element. "You go ahead. I have more orders to give." Kabocha told him with a smirk having caught him staring at Kina with a dreamy look.
Shosha rolled his eyes with an exaggeration that should have given him a headache. "Your job is boring. See ya' later, boss." He gave a half salute before jumping right into the fight. Kabocha sighed turning her attention to the elite eight of her village; they were standing on the outskirts of the cube that trapped the Hokage.
"ELITE EIGHT OF THE LAVA VILLAGE, REPORT TO THE ARENA TO BATTLE. ALL JOUNIN OF THE LAVA HEAD TO THE NORTH GATE OF KONOHA; SAND ACTIVITY IS HEAVY, PROCEED WITH CAUTION! CHUNIN OF THE LAVA HEAD TO THE WEST GATE FOR STRAGGLERS. ALL GENIN TEAMS; RETRIEVE AND SECURE CIVILIANS IN WHATEVER WAY KONOHA SEES FIT. SHOSHA KASAI, LORD JUN, KANPEKINA HANA ARE YOUR SECTOR LEADERS. COMMUNICATION END." Kabocha bent forward to rest her hand on her knees. She had exhausted the dragon's roar jutsu to the very last flicker of chakra. She had to orally give orders now.
She jumped down, and landed roughly on the ground. She raised her summoning scroll, her scythe appearing in her hand. She looked at all of the sand shinobi surrounding her. She cursed softly at her choice of landing area. She needed to tell Kina get to the West gate, and for Shosha to oversee the elite eight. She already knew her father would be overseeing the North gate. The genin teams would be okay under Konoha's supervision for now. They were a lot more capable than Leaf genin.
"You traitorous bitch." One of the many Sand ninjas hissed at her. "Your village is full of nothing but missing nin, so I guess we should have expected nothing less." Kabocha rolled her eyes, she wasn't offended since what he said was true. She was pissed about the traitorous comment, though.
"True, but we have always been friends with Konoha. We would sooner see your village fall then betray our friendship with Konoha." Kabocha explained with a blank face. "I don't have time for-" A pain struck her suddenly as she looked over towards a hole in the stadium wall.
"Shika...maru..." Kabocha choked looking at where Kakashi Hatake and Might Gai were fighting side by side. Worry mixed with panic as she took a stance, she wanted to leave now. 'I have to find Ino and Choji. They will know where he is." Kabocha thought to herself.
"What? You gonna cry now? The great dragon of the west is going to cry!" Another sand shinobi jeered making the whole gang laugh. Kabocha was in front of him before he even noticed she moved.
"I find this method disgusting, but I don't have anymore time to waste on filth...like...you." Kabocha barely strained as her fist shot into his mouth, through his teeth, grasping his tongue and snatching it from his head. She spun her scythe over her wrist, giving a show of amazing swordsmanship. She caught her scythe right as the man in front of her fell to his knees, she raised her her scythe and cut off his head. She sntached his head mid air by his headband; never releasing Aisuru Kaze. "I'll be keeping this." She tucked the headband sloppily into the waistband of her pants. All of the men around her stood frozen at her display of power with just one arm…
"Who's next…" Kabocha looked at them blankly, her words spurring them into action. They came after her with a battle cry. She gripped her scythe, getting low to the ground to prepare to slice their feet off.
She didn't even get the chance as the two of the elite eight easily dispose of the five remaining Sand ninja. "What the hell…?" Kabocha stood to her meager 5'9" compared to the two elite eight members, whom were also two of her cousins. Both of her cousins stood at 6'7" They almost had an entire foot on her.
"How're you doing, boss?" Rai said smirking at Kabocha over his shoulder. She scowled at him, his golden eyes full of mirth. His twin, Ryu, looked bored and disgusted as he tried ridding his hands of blood. "Fine." She sniffed becoming amused as Rye rubbed his hands on his pants furthering his disgust.
"I won't thank you for the help." Kabocha stated full of defiance. "We know." Rye replied in his flat voice. Kabocha nodded smiling at her cousins, feeling her emotions creep up before disappearing as her mission returned to the forefront of her mind.
"May I ask a favor?" She already knew they wouldn't tell her no, but she felt it was nice to ask anyway. "Anything." Ryu responded quickly.
"Tell Kanpekina to get to the West gate, and tell Shosha to stay here to oversee the elite eight." Kabocha told them seriously. "You got it, boss!" Rai saluted, Kabocha rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm.
"We are you going?" Ryu asked outright. "I've got to find my tamer." Kabocha turned on her heel, and took off into the stands. She pivoted on her heel, dodging a kunai to the face. She froze realizing that there were hundreds of civilians asleep in the stands, so dodging wasn't really an option. She flipped backwards to deflect the kunai that was headed towards a little girl. She cursed loudly as she let Aisuru Kaze return to his summoning scroll. She couldn't swing Aisuru Kaze full force when it was crowded with asleep civilians.
Kabocha put the summoning scroll in her ninja pouch and pulled out a kunai. She was annoyed because there wasn't much she could do with no ninjutsu and one arm. She was becoming increasingly frustrated and frantic looking for Ino and Choji. In fact, she wasn't seeing any of the rookie nine. She saw a sleeping Hinata and Kiba in a safe place, but that was doing nothing for her nerves. She finally found a sleeping Ino and Choji; deciding to snatch her up right as a kunai landed right where she used to be sitting.
"This is a disaster…" Kabocha grumbled laying Ino and Choji on the ground not too far from Kakashi and Gai's little fighting match. "I can only do this once…" Kabocha whispered deciding on Ino to wake up, and then she could wake Choji. "Release." Ino began to wake up slowly, and definitely not fast enough for Kabocha's liking.
A shadow loomed over Kabocha as she began shaking Ino. "Lava village trash!" A sound ninja shouted over her shoulder left shoulder, another sound ninja coming from her right. Kakashi and Gai realized at the last moment that the only princess and general of the lava village was about to ambushed. They both made a move to go and protect her, but what happened next made both of them freeze.
Kabocha's left arm shot out to protect her of its own will. Kabocha winced feeling a strain in her left shoulder as she held the sound ninja by his throat, her arm was almost fully behind her at an unnatural angle. She moved her right arm to with the kunai swiftly, slitting the sound ninja's throat and stabbing the kunai into his chest. He almost fell at her feet if she didn't kick him away. He would have landed on Ino and Choji if she hadn't.
"Wh-what t-the hell a-are y-you?" The other sound ninja choked out. Kabocha stood to her full height, and looked him over her shoulder. "Pissed off." Kabocha growled crushing his windpipe without even moving. The arm released him and fell limply back to her side.
Kabocha was completely unaware that Ino had woken up, and was staring horrified at her as she lay on the ground. Kabocha stood tall...taller than Ino had ever seen her. Kabocha stood with her cape billowing behind her, blood covered the armor that Ino was so used to seeing her friend in. The new arm was on full display, the bandages hanging in taters off of the moving scales. She looked just like her title as general. She looked like the dragon of the west. She looked like...a monster.
Kabocha finally noticed Ino was awake, and the look in her eyes made her numb. She had already compartmentalized her emotions, but this was a completely new feeling caused by just one look. Kabocha knew she was capable of so much worse. She collected dead shinobi headbands...she had hundreds of them from just six years of doing missions. It was a tradition in her village that was now a habit, a habit that she did freely in front of Ino. She reached down and collected both sound village headbands.
"Where is Shikamaru, Ino?" Kabocha asked her flatly. Ino pushed herself onto her hands, and just stared at her. "Shikamaru just left on a mission that I sent him on." Kabocha almost gave herself whiplash to turn and look at Kakashi Hatake.
"Where did you send him?" Kabocha asked through gritted teeth. "Don't you have duties here to attend to, general?" Kabocha twitched with murderous intent. She wasn't in the mood to beat around a bush with a man she wanted nothing to do with. It wasn't that she didn't like him, far from it, Shikamaru was always going to be more important.
"My mother used to say if they're not a helper, they're a hindrance. Those sound ninjas were examples of hindrances...which one are you Hatake?" Kabocha stiffened her body, the once slumbering arm flexing for a fight.
Kakashi's eyes flickered down to the clawed hand. He saw what she could do. He knew what she was capable of...what her villagers were capable of. He had been on a few missions with her uncle, Hikari Nami, and saw what he would and will do. He didn't doubt he could take her...she was a kid. A kid fueled by love and panic. She may have been promoted to lead an entire shinobi force, but that was not of her choosing. The lava village produced vicious shinobi that reminded him of the past Kirigakure when they were nicknamed the blood mist village. He didn't have time to fight her, and delaying her seemed to only agitate her further. He was at a stalemate.
"I won't ask again, Kakashi Hatake. Where is Shikamaru Nara?" Kabocha asked again with a blank face, but through gritted teeth. She had a sliver of patience, and this man was using what was left. She knew he was sizing her up, and she thought he was a fool to do so. The secrets of her village were well kept even by herself; her tamer didn't know what he was to her, and probably never would at this rate. Kakashi thought he knew what she was capable of, and he would be able to copy her moves. He couldn't copy a bloodline trait or simple "fuck you up" taijutsu. Kabocha wasn't fooled by his lax posture; he was ready to fight her if he had to.
"J-just tell her K-kakashi-sensei!" Ino shouted behind Kabocha, but Kabocha knew she wasn't yelling in her favor. She was telling him to tell Kabocha just so she would go away.
"I can't do that, Ino, General Kasai has to stay here and give orders. You have an entire military force to lead, Kabocha, you don't have time to be worrying about one bo-"
"You've made your decision; you're a hindrance." Kabocha had a kunai ready, faster than Ino could see. Ino swallowed thickly, tears in her eyes as she stared at Kabocha. She really thought she was going insane over Shikamaru. She was willing to kill for him...she had to tell Shikamaru as soon as all of this was over…
"I usually leave torturing to Kanpekina, however, I will make an exception for-" Kabocha abruptly stopped talking feeling her skin prickle, unknowingly feeling Gaara's spike in power. The sinister aura caressing her even from miles away. The painful thumping in her chest returned as she drew power from her singer once more. Some of her enhanced senses returned giving her the opportunity to smell Naruto, Shikamaru, Sakura, and a dog together.
Kabocha growled loudly at how far they were able to go in less than an hour. "I'll be back for you, Kakashi Hatake. Ino, wake Choji and get out of here." Kabocha promised and then demanded. She jumped through the hole in the arena wall that the four man squad had left through, ignoring Kakashi's yell of "come back."
She prayed to the dragons for her love's safety. She prayed to the dragon's for her soldiers, brothers, cousins, and friends. She promised herself that she was going to make it to protect them especially since Gaara was on a rampage.
She would tell him how she felt about him as soon as possible. 'Wait for me, Maru-kun. Wait for me…'
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Deviliciouskitty: Hey there Kitty, missed you around here! The gorgeous 100th review came from you! I am also loving that you reviewed every chapter you missed! I'm going to answer and respond to all of the reviews in one go. I, personally, was extremely confused and had to draw the family tree. That chapter took me forever, and I will be going over her family in depth throughout shippuden. We are taking the story to the war, and then an epilogue. The Kabocha and Gaara relationship is going to make everyone very nervous! (; Kabocha is going to keep the dragon arm! Thank you for the compliment on the fight scene! I actually don't like writing them; I prefer the soft, love scenes or goofy scenes because I feel like I write them better. Kabocha doesn't have a problem with Naruto, so he's not the reason for the seals. He may be one of the lights of her life, but he has nothing to do with her dragon bloodline trait. Naruto just makes her see all of the good in the world. I'm ecstatic you enjoyed the Halloween special! Sorry to make you blush; I hope you weren't too uncomfortable. The smexy scenes are going to be a lot more steamy with our Shikoba. (; Giiiirrrlll, I would never harm Neji's beautiful self. Lordy, my heart broke for him! Ahem, anyway, I'm debating a Neji or Gaara story. I would be starting it now, and posting it after I'm finished with this story. Neji or Gaara...decision, decisions! Thank you again for your lovely responses! Can't wait to hear from you again! (:
Mangafreak1997: I had a nice laugh at your review, and scared my one year old out of her nap lol. Your review touched my soul in such a pleasant way especially the loyal follower comment; tears of joy over here. (': I hope you're ready for the chapters in Shippuden because the steamy chapters forget the heat, they are flaming! That nosey granny on the train might faint at the kind of chapters you'll be reading soon! (; Either Neji or Gaara will be getting their own stories, go ahead and let me know which one you prefer. I can see your leaning towards Neji! (; Thank you so much for your loving review. I'm ready to hear your thoughts on the invasion, now!
Crazy Devil Girl: Hey there Girl! I'm happy I was able to surprise you with the little holiday special! Everything was so doom and gloom we all needed a breath of fresh air! You know I love, love recommendations! I haven't even thought about a Thanksgiving special! I'll get started on that, and if we hit 200 reviews or close to it I will publish a Christmas special. I will be including a mini epilogue of the Halloween night attached to the end of one of the chapters for you! Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for your perfect review!
See y'all in two weeks from tomorrow...maybe sooner…(;