I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, I'm just a fan I enjoyed the anime but I love the fanfics even more, they made me fall for the whole franchise.
Chapter 75
The leaf village was obviously making bags during this hiatus before heading to the finals of the Chunin exams. Merchants, tourists, adventurers, and ninja enthusiasts came in droves for the biggest Chunin exams in the history of the events. Important politicians arriving with younger women who were not their wives was the usual throughout the weeks leading to the exams.
It's a ninja village, nothing would come out of there without an Anbu getting in on the loop, and with a couple of Ryo you were free to forget about it. 'What happens in a hidden village, stays hidden'. As the saying goes, 'rest easy' and Kotetsu saw the assurance in their eyes as they walked passed him.
Izumo was making Merchants sign wavers, giving their consent for the leaf to tax them in any kind of way after the exams. Which usually boils down to how much did you make during your stay? The Diamyō of the land of wind came in on horseback with his son, guards, and escorts in the form of Baki and his three-man Genin cell.
'A Konoha culture.' Baki couldn't help but cynically think, the leaf village says 'Come your welcome' and people come in droves. Baki by simply stepping foot inside the leaf village felt invited into a brotherhood, a code, a bridge to connect their two villages, it came in a roar/chant the sand Jōnin instinctually knew.
"OLE OLE OLE OLEEEE….OLE OLE…. OLE OLE OLE OLEEE…. OLE OLE!!!!!!! OLE OLE OLE OLEEEE….OLE OLE…. OLE OLE OLE OLEEE…. OLE OLE!!!!!!! .." Baki smirked feeling a challenging spirit burn within him, if it was a challenge they wanted it was a challenge they would get.
Baki looked to his Genin and stacked them up against some of the most talented Chunin in the sand village. They would pass Baki assured himself in the process thinking about how much he could stake on them winning the whole event as a full team.
'Just in case I should place a side bet on Gara winning the whole thing on his own.' The head Jōnin of Suna thought very wisely while marching forward with pride in his strides, his mission was complete, safely escorting the wind Diamyō to the leaf village.
'If he dies, good for him.' Baki thought unbothered by his political leader's health. His Genin looking like stiff rods of one thing or another followed obediently. Baki did look to Gaara who has been the calmest his ever been in these last few weeks. He could only pray the beast wasn't whispering something counterproductive to the plan, the Jinchuriki only killed one person in these past few weeks.
Baki walked passed someone he has associated with before and gave him the cold shoulders, not so much a 'good morning.'
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"Ugh, Rude." Kotetsu huffed looking away from the Suna nin and at the approaching entourage of the Diamyō of the land of wind. Kotetsu was located inside the stall owned by Naruto Uzumaki, which was unbeknownst to him or the person who put him in that position, his best friend Izumo, the workaholic.
Selling Naruto Uzumaki action figurines was apparently part of his training to become a hard worker and it might as well be working because of how well the toys were selling, Kotetsu was always busy. He groaned when he saw another young child's eyes sparkle like stars.
"Yes boy, the toy is nice." The Diamyō of the land of wind told his young son who looked at the action figurines in awe and want. On the side there was already a little girl who played with the toy, making it kiss a princess doll.
"Can I have one pleaseeeeeeee….." The boy begged, he had light brown hair like white sand, a big smile that revealed a chip in his front tooth, and big brown eyes that sparkled up at his father. A very wealthy man by any stretch of the word.
"Yo, Udon look.!" The young heir of the land of wind quickly turned his head to see a boy wearing a long scarf place his action figure down.
"Konohamaru you (sniffs) showed me already." The boy, Udon said in a voice that sounded sick while sniffing and wiping away mucus with his sleeve.
"I know yo, I know but it's really cool!!.." Konohamuru said with a big smile revealing he too had a chip in his front tooth. The young heir grinned when he realized the significance of such an anomaly in the boy.
"Are you gonna buy anything?" Kotetsu drawled out in a bored and lazy voice. "Look It's not that expensive." Kotetsu helpfully provided to the leader of wind country who was dripping gold in every accessory he wore.
The Diamyō of the land of Wind was a man still in his prime with a chiseled body and a strong jawline, with short spiky light brown hair. The man was Dressed in an extravagant kimono in the color lime with light blue markings in the form of circles outlined in literal gold that almost blinded Kotetsu before he put on a pair of shades he always had in case he had to look cool.
"Servant, is the price worth my attention?" The Diamyō asked with a voice full of arrogance and noble mockery, the man raised his left hand and pointed at the boxed action figure grinning back at everyone with its hands on its hips like a tough guy.
Kotetsu paid more attention to the gold rings on each of the man's fingers and the different color gems that adorned each one of them than to the servant who hurriedly came close to see the price of the toy.
'This guy is dripping in lemon, I wonder if the guys will be up for a heist.' Kotetsu wondered thinking about the promise he, Shisui, Odama, Danko, Mango, and Izumo who reluctantly agreed to make to each other about having a boy's night out.
"It is cheap my lord." The female servant replied with a bow, the Diamyō looked at his son who was dressed like an ordinary child compared to him with gray shorts blue ninja sandals, and a blue t-shirt. Kotetsu saw the man shake his head before placing a hand on the boy's head and walking away with him.
Kotetsu looked to Konohamaru, the Third Hokage's grandson and Asuma Sarubi's nephew who began pressing the red button on the action figure's back at different intervals. A second later Konohamaru grinned and the toy moved.
The action figure dashed, leaped forward, and shot a Kunai while releasing flames from the same hand. It landed in a crouch while the thrown Kunai bounced off Udon's leg.
"Ooouch Konohamaru (sniff)." Udon cried, Kotetsu made a face when he saw the bespectacled boy rub mucus away with his other sleeve.
Udon has short brown hair and dark eyes. He always has a drip of snot hanging from his nose and wears circular glasses. He wears a simple blue shirt which is zipped up the middle, a pair of brown pants, and blue opened-toed sandals.
"Walk it off yo!" Konohamaru waved his friend off and picked up his action figure and the Kunai that was thrown before he dashed off clumsily.
Konohamaru has short spiky brown hair, blue eyes, and a small chip in his tooth. He wears a grey helmet with a hole at the top for his hair to stick out, a yellow t-shirt with the leaf insignia in brown, and a pair of gray shorts that went passed his knees.
"It's pretty cool." The lazy bum admitted and placed one box to the side before yawning and trying to take a sit. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Udon rush after his friend.
"No Sora we do not have any money, we are Monks." Kotetsu sighed. This was getting ridiculous but what did you expect when you were selling a one-of-a-kind product in the actual entrance of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, during its busiest month?
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"Good morning Genins." The third Hokage greeted his young soldiers with a warm smile. Lee bounced on the balls of his feet in excitement while throwing jabs and hooks in a youthful manner. Shikamaru looked around the Hokage's office curiously for about a second before slouching in boredom and Shino stood.
"Good Morning Youthful Hokage-Sama!" Lee bellowed back in greeting making Hiruzen nod at the youthful teenage martial artist.
"Morning," Shikamaru said managing to not yawn in the process.
"Yes Hokage-Sama of the village hidden in the leaves, with the optimum temperature and friendly atmosphere, I would concur good morning to you too." Hiruzen's sweat dropped, Lee grinned giving the bug boy a big thumbs up and Shikamaru simply let it pass because he grew up with the Aburama in the same class.
"(Clears throat) Well then, back to business, your Senseis have proposed a training exercise for the three of you in the form of a D-Rank mission." Hiruzen began while the three Genin paid rapt attention. He pulled out a scroll and looked to who would step forward to accept the mission, he wasn't disappointed to find Rock Lee stepping forward but he had a better plan.
"Whose idea was it to form this team," Hiruzen asked and Shikamaru grimaced, understanding dawning on his young mind.
"It was me." Shikamaru said abruptly when Shino opened his mouth to speak, how the Nara knew that, was only evidence of his observation skills which had the Hokage thinking he made the right decision.
"Then you are in charge of the mission." The third said while tossing the scroll toward Shikamaru Nara who caught it with a heavy sigh that brought a smile to the old man's face.
"Go on, read it." The third beckoned looking to almost be enjoying himself. Shikamaru unfolded the scroll and spent a few seconds reading through its content. Lee looked from behind the Nara's shoulders and Shino maybe blinked behind his shades.
"What is a Tora?" Lee asked looking at his team leader in pity when he deflated enough to become a husk of his former bland self. In a puff of smoke from the scroll, Shikamaru pulled out a picture and brought it in front of Rock Lee's face.
"This is Tora." The Nara strategist said in a dead voice that was meant for dead people and since dead people were not allowed to talk………
"You remind me of that Zombie from walking dead Shinobi." Lee told the Nara who did not know what the Genin of team 9 meant.
"A movie." Shino helpfully provided.
"Off you go then team ShiShiRo, I think that sounds much better." The Hokage dismissed the team with a wave of his hand and the three-man Genin cell exited the room.
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"This is troublesome." Shikamaru mumbled while he stood outside the Hokage administrative building. The clouds were looking peaceful today with the soft breeze blowing through the air making it a perfect day to laze around.
"Do you know something about the cat by the name of Tora?" Shikamaru sighed one final time and looked away from the inviting sky so he could face Shino Aburama.
"It's like a gag mission, I don't know why it's still a thing. The joke got boring long before my father became a Genin." Shino was still confused and Lee was happy enough to ask for the both of them what the heck Shikamaru was talking about.
"Also Known as the Tora retrieval mission, the wife of the previous Diamyō has a ninja cat who can't seem to stay still and usually makes unannounced visits to Konoha from the Fire capital alone, troublesome." Shikamaru grumbled and wondered why he was training for the finals when he could be skipping the whole event.
"What a youthful cat!!" Lee exclaimed in optimistic optimism. Shikamaru decides he should let Lee experience the cat on his own and maybe he will see that some things are not meant to be 'youthful'.
"Am I to believe you have a plan on where to begin?" Shino inquired in his monotonous voice that had Shikamaru yawning and feeling tired due to the voice's boredom-inducing quality.
"We ask around, I will go ask some people who took the mission before, maybe the cat has his favorite spots. Shino, you have your insects scour the village and Lee can take this photograph and ask around for anyone who has seen the cat." With a rough plan in hand and given in the most unmotivational way possible the temporary teammates each went their separate way after deciding on where to meet up and at what time.
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"Oh hello ma'am my name is Kabuto Yakushi à Genin of Konoha." Kabuto said pointing at the forehead protector wrapped around his bold head with his thumb. Miss Haruno not quite a fan of Shinobis frowned prominently at Kabuto who had already done his research on the woman.
"I am here to teach Sakura-Chan the Medical arts." Kabuto lied and it seemed to work because Miss Haruno's frown became a straight line.
"You are a Medic Nin?" The woman asked hopefully and Kabuto smiled in understanding at the older woman.
"Yes, a certified one." Kabuto spoke up in a friendly tone while showing the woman his Medic Nin ID card and then tucking it away. "I understand your worries Miss Haruno, the life of a front-line Shinobi is hard and filled with Casualties but that is why I want to train Sakura in my favorite art." Kabuto saw the woman's mouth twitch a little upwards and he inwardly smirked.
"The art of healing could help her and her teammates if she should decide to chase the path of a healer." At the end of the master spy's speech, Miss Haruno was smiling and eager to let him come in. This is a perfect example of the subtlest form of manipulation.
"Oh please come inside young man, Sakura is in her room how about I go get her for you." Kabuto smiled 'genuinely' and bowed in 'respect' before 'accepting' the civilian woman's invitation.
Stepping into the house Kabuto found it to be very normal. Nothing out of the ordinary or suspicious looking, the house was owned by civilians without a Shinobi linage to speak off.
"Please take a sit Kabuto-San, Sakura will be down right away." Kabuto nodded before sitting down on the aged brown Sofa of the Haruno household and patiently waited for the woman who walked to the end of the staircase and cleared her throat.
"SAKURA!! YYOU HAVE A VISITOR!!!" Kabuto inwardly grimaced when his ears rang because of the screeched-out message delivered to the person upstairs.
"WHO?!" Sakura's voice screeched back just an octave lower than her mother's.
"DON'T ASK ME SILLY QUESTIONS, YOUNG LADY!! COME DOWN HERE RIGHT AWAY!!" Miss Haruno warned in a screech and Kabuto decided he did not do a good job on his research, next time he was bringing earplugs.
"MMMMOM!!!, FINE!" At Sakura's words, the older woman huffs looking almost proud of herself.
"Well, then Kabuto-San I have somewhere to be so I leave convincing my daughter to at least become a medic Nin in your hands." Kabuto blinked and watched the older woman pick up her bag and put on heels to complete her outfit which consisted of a pink Chinese-style dress.
"IM HEADING OUT SAKURA! TELL YOUR DAD HE MUST COOK TODAY!!" Miss Haruno gave one final screeched command before closing the front door behind her. Kabuto for a second broke out of character and sneered but only for a second.
"Ugh Kabuto-San, what happened to your hair?" Sakura asked Orochimaru's spy who was supposed to be in contact with her ever since the end of the preliminary rounds of the Chunin exams.
Kabuto simply smiled pleasantly and waved the question away with his hand.
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"You are the most useless insect I've ever had the displeasure of placing under my wings." Neji didn't bother changing his expression from the bland emotionless one all his brethren had by default.
"You are not even bothered by your failures? (Sigh) what will I ever understand about how your minuscule mind functions." Neji watched Toneri turn on his heel and give him his back, the Hyūga still had bruises from when he thought he had an opening the last time the Ōtsutsuki member tested him and happily put him back in his place.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" The Ōtsutsuki heir asked Neji authoritatively, and the Hyūga had to obediently answer the question.
"My apologies Ōtsutsuki-S-Sama." Neji managed to sound out with his anger plain to hear in his tone. "I will do better next time." Neji promised. It wasn't that he didn't try his best to get Hanabi to leave Hinata-Sama's side the problem was not in his execution but who he was trying to convince.
The little Clan heiress was the opposite of her elder sister, so headstrong she could be mistaken for a brick on certain days. Unless the sister she practically idolized was in the vicinity then she could be mistaken for water.
"I want you to kidnap the young heiress." Toneri stated in a bland and ordering tone that had Neji's eyes widen at the thought of Kidnapping Hanabi-Sama.
"Why would I do that?" Neji asked after regaining his composure. As if being everybody's lapdog outside his home was not enough now he had to suffer the same fate inside said home.
"Do not question my orders peasant, do as your told." Toneri stepped outside the Hyūga Genin's house and into the afternoon sky above with that final order at Neji. Toneri smiled when he saw the muddy scene that was Neji's backyard due to his constant training that reshaped the land.
"Self-righteous prick." Neji growled out in unrestrained anger with his face a very clear mask of his unamused interior.
"A peasant needs training, like a dog. Step outside vermin." Neji grimaced and touched his neck, feeling the scar left behind by the villain he met on that forsaken night he challenged fate and got punished into this new reality.
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Shikamaru after investigating found leads on the evasive cat's whereabouts. He was located in the Genin/Chunin lounge with a team of Genins who had done the Tora mission 6 months ago.
"That demonic cat, flipping hate that creature. It's probably the reincarnation of the nine-tailed fox." A Genin from team 12 said with a sneer in response to Shikamaru's questions.
"Just a location of where you caught him will do." Shikamaru told the older Genin who laughed in embarrassment and looked at the map Shikamaru had brought along.
"It was here that my team found it." The Genin pointed at a location on the map. Shikamaru brought out a brush and made a circle in the area. There were three more circles in that close vicinity and Shikamaru thought he had enough info to start making calculated assumptions.
Folding his map up, Shikamaru left the Genin lounge and made his way toward the meet-up location. After questioning 3 different Genin teams and one Chunin team about their experience with the Tora retrieval mission Shikamaru had a rough idea of why the cat came to Konoha.
The Nara walked through the busy streets of Konoha at a leisurely pace, having calculated he would arrive in the meeting area with a few seconds to spare. Meaning right on time.
As he walked the Nara wondered what all the fuss was about as the people of Konoha partied, sold, bargained, talked, played, and consumed. it was silly to be this hyped and excited to see kids trying to maim each other but what could he say, they were not the ones going to bleed and sweat in the finals so why not party it out?
Shikamaru reached the gates of training ground 13 to find Shino and Lee there waiting for him.
"Troublesome, You find anything?" Shikamaru began, jumping straight to the matter at hand.
"Nobody has seen Tora-San, leader-San!!" Shikamaru sighed but figured it would be true if the locations he was given were anything to go by. Shino shook his head in the negative as well and Shikamaru nodded in understanding of what the bug boy was trying to convey.
"I think I have an idea of where the feline might be." Shikamaru told his teammates who both showed their eagerness in completely different ways. Lee Jumped up with à 'Yosh!' And Shino readjust his shades with his middle finger.
"Shall we then, leader-San." Shikamaru stared at Shino to see if the bug boy was trolling him and got no outward sign of such a thing happening. The Nara sighed and began leading the way.
"Let's talk strategies." Shikamaru yawned, if they did this quickly he might still have time to laze around before going home and getting tormented by his mother.
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Temari sighed happily when she was fully submerged inside the warm waters of the local hot springs of the leaf village. She was alone for the most part, having asked Baki sensei for permission so she could get away from her younger brother and think out the whole invasion plan.
Honestly speaking the girl was not all that into the invasion, it would cause casualties, bring the hammer of the other hidden villages on their metaphorical heads and in a very bad way end badly for them if they were to lose. Did she mention the possibility of dying in combat? Because it was a clear possibility in her books.
"I'm sure there is another way to handle this whole situation." Temari mumbled out in the steaming room, it was just incredibly stupid to attack the leaf village. A surprise attack is their only advantage and having Orochimaru who knew the village inside and out on their side.
"Kakashi Hatake, Itachi Uchiha, Shisui Uchiha, Might Guy, Kurenai Yui, Asuma Sarutobi, Fugaku Uchiha, Inoichi Yamanaka, Shikaku Nara……" the list went on, so many powerful Shinobi will be present during the invasion, not to mention the third Hokage and the Sanin, Jiraiya. Temari had been having nightmares of dying by one of these people's hands without realizing it herself until she was waking up in cold sweats.
Her brother Kankuro was all hyped and assured of their victory, but Temari was skeptical of trusting the snake Sanin to stick to his end of the deal even if they were to come out on top and have the leaf village surrender.
"I hope it all goes well." Temari said out loud while looking up at the blue sky above her. She didn't want to think about the lengths the leaf ninjas would go to stop Gaara's eventual rampage in the village.
They only had a few days.
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"I've tried everything, it won't budge." Sakura told Kabuto in frustration, in her outstretched hand were some grains of sand that Kabuto was examining expectantly.
"Your benefactor said you had the potential to copy elemental bloodlines but had to have very specific conditions in how to call on them." Kabuto sat back down on the sofa and readjusted his glasses while using that big brain of his.
"I think it would be wiser for you to concentrate on training the five nature transformations. That way when they become natural, you can train in combining and mixing them." Kabuto advised which did not seem like something Sakura wanted to hear.
"Those take years to accomplish and master, that Gaara guy is strong and his sand protects him. Why can't I just learn how to use what I have now instead." Sakura shot back clearly frustrated with her lack of progress in the use of the magnet release bloodline limit.
"Look Sakura-Chan, strength is grown into not magically given without some sort of work put into it." Kabuto began lecturing with an understanding smile on his face. "Imagine Gaara for example, do you know his back story?" Sakura shook her head at the question and Kabuto nodded.
"If we were to try and recreate Gaara's childhood to find the things he went through to become so proficient in his….,"
"Let's do that!" Sakura said eagerly and Kabuto smirked devilishly, showing some of his true sadistic nature. Sakura suddenly felt a grave atmosphere settle inside her family living room.
"So you want to be shunned by your peers, stared at with hate, have your mother die, your father hates you so much he sends a family member to assassinate you, with the person willing to do so in a heartbeat." As Kabuto spoke Sakura's expression turned grave and fearful because of the casual way the younger teen brought it up.
"Why are you asking me that, OF COURSE, I WOUNDN'T WANT THAT!!" Sakura screeched out in outrage. Kabuto kept the look for a time before breaking into a sweat drop and laughing while rubbing the back of his bold head.
"Hahaha…. I was just saying…" kabuto laughed away the clear choice he had set on the table for the pink-haired Genin. "But you must know, those are the situations Gaara went through to be as strong as he is right now, some people say he doesn't sleep." Kabuto got a little somber with that serious note and all of a sudden had Sakura thinking.
"Did he really go through all of that?" Sakura asked sadly and Kabuto nodded. It was the truth of the hidden villages that never came to light no matter what.
"And much more." Kabuto said ominously before brightening up again in the blink of an eye. "But enough about that, first we will have to check your affinity and thankfully I came prepared" Sakura nodded slowly a bit more sober in her hunt for power. She watched Kabuto hand her a piece of paper she recognized.
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"Kiba trains in the forest of death now." Shino finished his long-ass explanation to explain why they spotted Kiba Inuzuka heading toward the forest of death.
"Troublesome." Shikamaru mumbled feeling like he was already boring the world with his repeated use of the word but Sage help him, he was not going to stop using it until things stopped getting troublesome.
Shikamaru finally saw the place he was heading and prayed the cat was there. Approaching the Gates of the Hyūga compound with two Hyūga's manning the gates Shikamaru straitened a little and pulled out his scroll.
"Afternoon Hyūga-San, we are on a troublesome mission to find a missing cat." Shikamaru did say Sage help him. The Nara raised his scroll to show the Hyūga members. The man on the right activated his dojutsu and a second later deactivated it before nodding stiffly.
"Don't cause a ruckus." The Hyūga said after a second his pupilless eyes clearly looking at Rock Lee who grinned nervously and stopped shadow fighting.
"Okay." Shikamaru accepted the condition and beckoned his two teammates to take the lead toward the Hyūga main house in the distance. As they walked Shikamaru pulled out his map and began cross-referencing the different locations shown.
The first was the roof of Hinata Hyūga's secluded home, the second was the garden located close to said secluded home, and another was on top of the Hyuga entrance which Shikamaru had been sure to inspect on their way inside. The only other place away from the Hyūga grounds was located in the Red Light district.
"Shino, you scan the garden. I will look around Hinata's home and Lee can take the rooftops. Let's get this troublesome mission over with." Shikamaru sighed and told them to meet up in front of the Hyūga entrance. Lee jumped onto a rooftop eager to search, Shino placed his hands in his jacket pockets striding off in the direction shown on Shikamaru's map and Shikamaru made his way toward Hinata Hyūga's previous home.
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"If I was Tora-San where would I be?" Rock Lee asked himself as he jumped from the rooftops gaining the attention of some Hyūga members walking down the streets stiffly even if there was a big festival in their literal background.
"I wonder if Neji-San is home?" Rock Lee decided to use the excuse of a mission to check up on his teammate and he was quick to make a detour, heading toward the Hyūga member of team 9.
Lee was worried for his teammate, heading to the Chunin exams was a team decision but Guy sensei told them about being able to accept disappointments because the exams were unpredictable. The martial artist could not condone Neji for his behavior because he felt the same way when he had to rely on TenTen during the first phase than he had to rely on Neji while placing all the weight on his shoulder when he became a hostage, costing his team a scroll.
The Genin with a deformation in his chakra network wanted to make his team proud since he was the only one to make it to the finals. Honestly speaking Lee had his motives and agendas which are to prove hard work and dedication pay off.
"Yosh Ne……..!!" Lee stopped abruptly when he spotted his teammate with someone he has never seen before. What stopped him from calling out the Hyūga prodigy was the fact his eternal rival was on all four with the white-haired teen's foot placed on his lowered head.
Lee did not like what he saw.
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"For each failure you bring upon my name, you will be punished like a dog" Toneri applied pressure on the back of Neji's head and brought him that much closer to kissing the muddy grass as he continued degrading him.
"You will grovel." 5 inches closer. "Beg." More pressure, 3 inches closer. Neji tried to fight the force but the skinny boy above him had great strength hidden in that stick of a body. "Lick the ground." Neji thought he was going to do it, he thought he had finally reached the ultimate low.
"THAT IS NOT YOUTHFUL!!!" Neji felt the force leave his body and he was quick to get on his feet. He heard a crash in the distance, when he looked that way he saw a plum of dust and debris rising from the sight of impact.
"I think you contaminated me." Neji's head swerved to his left to see Toneri an arm's length away, not phased by whatever attacked him because he clearly dodged it.
"I don't know……" Neji didn't blink and finally caught sight of Lee's form shooting past him with a leg outstretched and Toneri leaning away to dodge. "The gates." Neji instead said in shock when he saw Lee's appearance only for a second as the boy shot past him and twisted before landing on the muddy grass.
"Fight him, peasant." Neji's head again flew to Toneri's visage and saw the seriousness in his eyes, it's was an order. Neji growled, to be embarrassed like this, to be degraded like this. Fate had it out to get him.
Neji faced the sky above and called for his father inwardly, he drop a tear of sadness at the fact he lost his mother at a young age. Neji found himself smiling at the joke he has become, how quickly the world turned its back on him. The Hyūga snickered when he saw that there was really……..
"Nothing left to lose…." Neji mumbled and when he faced Lee, his Face was stuck in a wide grin that never reached his eyes, plagued with teary and dead eyes that decided to not give in anymore. Lee thought he was looking at the saddest expression someone could pull. Even when Neji began laughing in hysteria Lee still found the expression in his visage.
Neji attacked and Lee felt the chaotic Killing intent his Eternal Rival released.
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"She now stays in the Hyūga main house Nara-San, Princess Hinata will bring about a new age for the Hyūga Clan……………so sweet it would be…………. but I know…….." Shikamaru zoned out now and again as the female Hyūga maid by her attire ranted on and on about his former classmate…oh Hinata…
"Who, what, huh, I……….troublesome." After his bout of rebooting Shikamaru placed his hands in his pockets and slouched away, with a new destination in plan.
"Wait for me clouds" Shikamaru mumbled with sadness in his blunt and obvious voice. "I didn't want to hear that." Shikamaru mumbled with a yawn completely ignoring the Hyūga female when she called out to him.
'And they say Hyūga's don't talk. Troublesome people.' Shikamaru stopped using his mouth as he grew bored of mouthing things out. He just hopes Hinata is in the Hyūga main house so he can ask her about the sneaky scoundrel.
Shikamaru groaned and dragged his hand down his face in exasperation when he heard a ruckus in the distance and with it came a rising plum of smoke and debris.
"Troublesome youth." Shikamaru all but cursed before he ran in the direction of the trouble. The Nara still managed to make the mad dash look like a loiterer… well, loitering?
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Shino was the first to arrive in Neji's backyard to find Lee and said backyard's owner fighting in a one-sided battle. Neji attacked and Lee did his best to defend against the boy who laughed uncontrollably, his Jukken deadly and swift but now. Now Neji wasn't just attacking at arm's length, he was trying to grapple, lounge, pounce and bite a face.
Lee jumped high and up, landing next to Shino but glaring at a white-haired teen who stood there watching Neji like a hawk with his closed eyes.
"Why are you fighting Neji-San?" Shino enquired about his temporary teammate who was uncharacteristically serious.
"That guy was being mean to Neji-San." Was Lee's explanation as he pointed at the noble who turned to face to the left. Shino looked to where the white-haired teen was staring off to and spotted Shikamaru jumping from roof to rooftop and behind him were two Hyūga guards.
"I believe we are about to be Kicked out." Shino helpfully deduced and shared.
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"And stay out." Shikamaru, Lee, and Shino all stumbled forward and out of the Hyūga compound when they got shoved outside the privately owned land.
"Neji-San!!" Lee called out to the emotionless boy who stared at him blankly before turning around and walking away with Toneri Ōtsutsuki as Lee learned to call him. The martial artist growled and bared his teeth in anger. There was something wrong with that whole situation, Lee knew his teammate well enough to know he would not let anyone boss him around.
"Let's just go." Shikamaru mumbled grabbing Lee's arm and dragging him away from the Hyūga compound. "Troublesome youth enthusiast, why did you decide now was a perfect time to get some practice in?" Shikamaru began which had Lee growling in anger not up for anything not youthful, he had enough of them for the day.
"Lee-San was the one being attacked by Neji-San, our temporary teammate was only defending himself." Unnecessarily long but Shikamaru got the gist of it and sighed for how many times today.
"Troublesome, what happened?" Shikamaru asked as he lead the way through the leaf village, a few people were pointing at them and whispering to each other recognizing the trio as the odd finalists. Shikamaru paid them no mind and listened to Lee's retelling of the events he witnessed.
"That is troublesome."
"And not youthful!" Lee added in anger and frustration.
"As I said, it is troublesome….." Shikamaru thought before sighing again and turning to Lee with something of an understanding look that did not last long enough to leave an impression.
"Let's finish this mission and see what we can do about your teammate." Lee though reluctant did take the promise made to heart and accepted. "Troublesome…. This is our last stop." Shino and Lee both looked up and found themselves in front of Naruto Uzumaki's flat in the late afternoon.
Lee blinked when he found Hinata Hyūga walking out of the upstairs apartment followed by her little sister Hanabi and in the little girl's arms was the little feline resting.
"The cat comes to visit Hinata, all the locations we visited are places she frequents and or stays including our final location, her best friend's home." Shikamaru saw Hinata heading towards them and he made a note to find a way to use her sensory ability against her.
"Good evening Shino-San, Shikamaru-San, and Good evening Lee-San." Hinata greeted politely with a sweet smile that was a bit awkward. "I believe you are here for Tora-Chan." She easily deduced with a little giggle that escaped her when Shikamaru's emotions registered relief.
'A few hours of cloud watching, I can roll with that.' Shikamaru thought in relief, he didn't know how finding a cat could take so much of his day.
An
Everything is coming back full circle