Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Eyes piercing the darkness ❯ Storm ( Chapter 21 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

It took me about two minutes to start on this chapter, mostly because I’m rather excited about this arc of the story. I’m going to be upfront and tell everyone that there will only be a Story introduction corner at the end of the one. I feel that there are still things that I need to explain further. Also, I’m running out of OCs to interrogate. Also I’d like for everyone to NOT SKIP THIS!!!! Including this chapter, there are only going to be six more chapters of this story before it ends. Eight if you include that I will be adding two mini-chapters to end this completely. Most may wonder “Why?” That is because I am going to create a different link for the rest. After I finish this, I will begin on, Eyes Piercing the Heavens. As most can already guess, that is going to be the Shippuden for this universe, and the mini-chapters are going to be a bridge to the time skip after the end. Now that I have gotten that out of the way, I’m going to name the references I made last chapter.

S-cry-ed: Raizen versus Sasuke was inspired and scaled by the final fight in this series, which was probably the most epic part of the show, the only real problem with it is that it had the same animation as Gundam Seed, the series I hate for defiling my love for gundam.
Fatal fury: I haven’t seen one of these in a while, but much like street fighter, it left an impression with me that last a long time. Sasuke’s new Karyu-no-tekken was taken from Terry bogard’s Burning knuckle, as well as the fire wave-power wave. The final one being the Rising storm, which I borrowed from Geese Howard, only this one wasn’t disguised under a different name.
Valkyrie Profile: I loved this series, mostly because it taught me everything I know about Norse Mythology. Raizen used the attack, “Final Blast”, which was Arngrim’s soul crusher attack. As well as Raizen’s use of the Gungnir and Myollnir, which are the legendary weapons of Odin and Thor.  

Last chapter, one of the things I lacked the ability to point out during the fight was JJ’s revelation; the wolf at the forefront when Raizen summoned the lightning creatures was this story’s version of Raiden’s animal form, something that no human in this generation had seen. JJ then revealed that Raizen’s knowledge of that must have meant something that is because Raizen is the reincarnation of Raiden, which is why he is so powerful. Now I’ll leave anymore explanations to the story introduction corner. Let’s begin.




       &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;             ;      Storm

The air had been heavy since the night before, no more heavy in the office of the village’s current Hokage. Tsunade stared toward Genma in heavy thought.
Tsunade: So Sasuke Uchiha has decided to leave us has he?
Genma: Yes.
Tsunade: I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see something like this coming. The problem is what to do about it.
Genma: Ma’am?
Tsunade: It’s not so easy to make a choice like this, we have a lot of our numbers spread out right now, it’s not going to be as easy as saying gather the troops……Genma, how can you send a message for me? I’m going to put that slacker to work.

She said as she handed him a message, with a nod Genma vanished from the room in a blur.

(Nara Residence.)

Shikamaru had woken up, or threatened into waking, staring groggily at the food set before him. It had been a law in his house not to speak out against his mother, despite the fact that they had had this meal three times this week. Yet wisely enough, he knew to keep his mouth shut on such matters, instead he uttered the word.
Shikamaru: Troublesome.

To himself, however, after many years of marriage and 13 years of parenthood, Yoshino was able to translate these words without trouble. With a stern frown she spun toward her son.
Yoshino: Oh, so you don’t like my cooking huh?
Shikamaru: Wha?
Yoshino: You have something you wanna say boy?
Shikamaru: What are you talking about, I didn’t even do anything.
Yoshino: Really, well you know, if you and you lazy father would do more than act like sloths all day; I’d be able to cook more than this.
Shikaku: Complain, complain, and complain, you always bitch at me but I don’t see you doing anything to put food on the table.
Shikamaru: Dad NO!!!!!

It was only at that moment that Shikaku realized what he had done, for you see, he didn’t wear the pants in his marriage, meaning that outbursts like that was a punishable offense. With a sudden feeling of dread he slowly turned over to his wife, who seemed to be more of a demon than a woman at the moment. Shikamaru stepped away from the table and prayed for his father’s life, and with how she looked at the moment, his soul as well. At that moment Genma was walking up the stairs to the Nara household and just as he was about to knock on the door, Shikaku’s head slammed through the side window with hands tightly wrapped around his neck. Through the vicious assault he could do little more than drool and gurgle.
Yoshino: Who do you think you are talking to me like that!?
Shikaku: I….Sor-
Yoshino: Shut up!

She said as she dragged him back into the house. Shikamaru, through his senses, could feel the presence of someone at the door. With a shake of his head, he walked to the door and answered it, only to see Genma staring at the window his father had burst through. Slowly the man turned to the young boy and stared through half-closed eyes.
Shikamaru: Yeah, it’s as awkward as it looks. Is there something you need?
Genma: A-Actually, the hokage needs you for-
Shikamaru: No need to finish, I’m going.

He said walking away and shutting the door behind him, he didn’t care what was happening, as long as he was far away from the one-sided brawl going on behind him, or at least before his mother’s wrath could turn to him. It had only been minutes since he left and now he stood before the village’s hokage, trying to piece together what she had just told him.
Tsunade: You understand right?
Shikamaru: Yeah, I can’t say I’m surprised though, that guy never seemed to be the most stable to me.
Tsunade: While I feel that we have far more to deal with than the rebellions of a child, there is a more pressing reason I’ve decided to send someone after him.
Shikamaru: Orochimaru’s little trick, if he takes Sasuke’s body, he’ll gain the Sharingan, making him a bigger threat than he already is.
Tsunade: Right. We have to stop that at all costs, meaning that I am giving your team permission to carry out this mission by all means, even if it means taking out our little runaway.
Shikamaru: Man, that’s a little harsh don’t you think?
Tsunade: I don’t have time to coddle a brat having a tantrum.
Shikamaru: Alright, but why me, I’m still fresh to the whole chunin thing.
Tsunade: You’ve a brilliant mind, and right now, we can’t send out our best or-
Shikamaru: We’d leave ourselves open for another attack.
Tsunade: Right, if this is somehow a trick, Orochimaru could easily sneak in here and do as he pleases with our defenses weakened. And to repeat, I have no intent on coddling a brat throwing a tantrum. So how fast can you put a team together?
Shikamaru: Depends on what I have to work with.
Naruto: Well count me in.

Both shinobi turned to the new arrival waiting at the door.
Tsunade: How long have you been there?
Naruto: Should the hokage really ask that? If you need to know I was here for a majority of the conversation.
Tsunade: So you know what’s happening.
Naruto: Actually, I knew a long time before now, it’s actually the reason I’m here. A little earlier, a crying girl showed up at my house, Yukari told me everything. I was coming to ask if I could go after that idiot.
Shikamaru: So Yu asked for help?

He asked with a smile that Naruto failed to return.
Naruto: No, she actually asked that I let that bastard do what he wants. She doesn’t want him back. And I think she means it, if there is a reason for doing this, it’s more selfish than that. I owe him, and I plan on making good on my debts.
Shikamaru: So we’re going out to stop Sasuke, who else can we get right now? What about JJ?

Naruto held up his arms in a cross.
Naruto: He’s on a mission back to his old village, it’s rather important so he won’t be back until later.
Shikamaru: Okay, what about Raizen, I mean this is his family we’re talking about.

This time it was Tsunade’s turn to make an ‘X’.
Shikamaru: Great, what now?
Tsunade: He kept requesting missions of me and it just so happened that I had one of importance come in that would greatly benefit from his speed.
Shikamaru: And Mika?

This time both held up their arms, which made Shikamaru sweat drop.
Shikamaru: Yeah?
Tsunade: She was dispatched with Raizen; the person that he was to find on his mission requested that she come. It’s rather important that we have them where they are. If memory serves, they’re due to arrive later today.
Shikamaru: Oh well, I guess having one of the village monsters out of four is enough. Then again, there is Hinata-
Naruto: She wanted to come, but Hiashi just frowned at her and held up the coat from the last time she left the village, so that’s not happening.
Shikamaru: Great, so who do we take?
Tsunade: That is your job to find out. I’m leaving this in your hands Shikamaru.
Shikamaru: Yeah, yeah, what a drag.

He said as he turned his back to the woman and walked through the door. Naruto sighed and rubbed the back of his head.
Naruto: What do you think of this?
Tsunade: As of now, I am leaving all of the decision making to you two. As the only two chunin in your class that’s here right now, I trust your judgment. Deal with this as you see fit.
Naruto: Is it absolutely necessary that we kill Sasuke?
Tsunade: If it must be done, do you understand?
Naruto: Yeah we’re clear. If I feel at any point that he can’t be helped, I will save him from himself, that’s what a real friend would do, but understand this, I will do everything in my power to stop it from coming to that, I’m playing for keeps; I don’t intend to fail this mission.
Tsunade: As I said, I trust your judgment, but before hearing that from me, I want you to make sure you trust it yourself.

Naruto chuckled at those words and walked from the room himself. Now all they had to do was find someone else to join their team, yet thanks to Naruto’s nose, that was rather easy to do. With their first targets now known, they made their way toward the training grounds.

                      &nb sp;                         Fla sh

Tenten: Is that all you got Lee?

She asked as she closed in on the newly recovered boy. Each punch she threw came dangerously close to his face, yet because of his long period of inactivativity he couldn’t tell if it was because she had improved or because he was rusty. Neji watched from the sidelines, smiling at his teammates with Ishi and Claire standing next to him. Lee lowered himself and rolled to the side just in time to avoid Tenten’s giant mace, yet was unable to avoid the back kick she followed with, using the momentum from her massive weapon.  Lee managed to block the brunt of the attack, but the impact still transferred to his body. Without missing a beat, the girl opened a scroll and flapped it at Lee, summoning hundreds of weapons his way, yet somehow Lee jumped through the one hole in the middle of it. However, being on someone’s team as long as he had been on hers let him know that he wasn’t going to escape the attack that easily.

With a new sense of urgency, he ran for the wide open girl as her weapons quickly honed in on him. Lee closed his eyes and with a hop, he made his way through a hole in the weapons without even turning to look at them. With this opening he launched his foot at Tenten, but the girl managed to dodge with very little trouble, then she grabbed one of the poles and twirled it around, slamming it into Lee’s chest, then she pinned him onto the ground as her weapons fell behind her.
Tenten: Man you must really be off your game; I never thought I’d have beaten the ever powerful Rock Lee.
Lee: You have gotten better Tenten.
Tenten: Well with you gone and Neji with Ishi, Gai-sensei had to torture, I mean, train somebody.
Lee: I can see, you’ve become a lot more youthful Ten-chan.

With the exchange, both chuckled at each other until the sound of clapping came from behind them.
Claire: Okay, break it up you lovebirds.

Those words made the two shyly move away from each other.
Claire: Okay, that’s enough for today. What did you think Neji?
Neji: I believe that you should rest more Lee, you still haven’t fully recovered yet, that match was a clear display of that.
Ishi: I agree, but even so, one thing is clear, you’ll be able to do a lot more soon.
Claire: So doctor’s orders are that you rest up or else.
Lee: I understand.

He said as he sat up. Tenten stood with him and pounded her fist.
Tenten: You must be thirsty; I’ll go get something for us to drink. Be right back.

She said as she sped off, but right at that moment she passed the two men on a mission, who just barely missed her as she left. Continuing their stride, they walked over to the three still in the field.
Naruto: Sup.
Neji: To what do we owe the honor?

Naruto and Shikamaru looked at each other and nodded before they explained the situation. After the initial shock had settled, all looked up to the two boys.
Neji: So you came to see if I’ll join?
Naruto: More than that, with Lee feeling better, I was hoping maybe you both could come.
Claire: Sorry, no can do. Lee’s not fully healed yet, he’s not ready for a fight like this.
Lee: But-
Claire: You heard me, and as the one who fixed him up, he’s my responsibility, so I can’t go with you. I’m sorry.
Shikamaru: That’s alright, what about you Neji?
Neji: Count me in, I may not be friends with Sasuke, but I am not willing to see Orochimaru become any viler than he already is when I had the chance to stop it.
Ishi: Then I wanna go too.
Neji: No, until further notice, you are not a shinobi. Even with your training and skill, there is no need for you to undertake missions.
Ishi: But I’m already a member of the Konoha interrogation squad. Why can’t I undertake missions?
Neji: Because I won’t allow it.
Ishi: Neji-
Neji: Say what you want, but I assure you, that I will not bend on this one.

With a final sigh, she said with resignation.
Ishi: Then please do be careful. Promise me that you’ll come back.
Neji: I promise.
Shikamaru: Okay, now that that’s settled, shall we get going?
Naruto: Yeah.
Neji: Lead the way.

With that said, they all walked away to look for their next target as all left behind watched them go. It was only then that Tenten returned with the drinks.
Tenten: Alright, so what does every…Did I miss something?

She asked to all, wearing stern faces as they stared toward the direction that the others had gone in. Tenten had just missed a very important conversation.

        & nbsp;           &nbs p;            & nbsp;           &nbs p;            & nbsp;         Flash

Kiba leaned back against a one of the village’s many trees, staring up into the sky as Akamaru chased around a butterfly, barking at the small insect without a single care in the world. Kiba’s mind flew back to earlier.

                      &nb sp;                         &nb sp;                 Flashback

Raizen: Kiba.

He called out to him from the other side of a field.
Raizen: I’m sorry, I should have-
Kiba: A year ago, Akamaru got fleas, and brought them back home. By the time we found out about it, they had infected everything. We tried to wash the dogs, but there were just too many of them, before we knew it, we were overrun. So we took drastic action, we bombed them, raided them, even started grinding them, but those damn things were so stubborn that we couldn’t get rid of them. I even tried getting Shino to talk to them, but it turns out that they were part of the bug yakuza. Soon enough we were so fed up that we boiled a whole lot of water and walked into our house dumping it on everything they usually were. They were running from us like we were Godzilla or something. After four hours of fierce bombing we finally seized victory over the invading flea threat.
Raizen: Pffrt, really?
Kiba: Yeah, now you know the story of the great Inuzuka war, a story that was never to be told.
Raizen: That was a nice story and all, but what does that have to do with anything?
Kiba: Friends don’t have to tell each other everything; we just have to look out for each other, that’s all. It doesn’t matter if you’re Uchiha or if your father was the president of France, you’re you, that’s all that matters.
Raizen: Heh, what’s wrong with me, I’m taking advice from you of all people.

He said as he fell back against a tree.
Kiba: But you know, there are going to be changes now that it’s out. Better be careful.
Raizen: Yeah, I’m already starting to see people treating me differently.
Kiba: You know though, I don’t understand one thing.
Raizen: That being?
Kiba: How could you still like Sakura after all that? After watching that I could barely look at her and you still managed to love her?

Raizen cleared his face and gazed into the sky.
Raizen: Before I answer, let me just say that I didn’t plan on showing that part at first. But it was important so I left it. And as for your question, I don’t know. I guess I never really thought about it. But thinking now, I can give you a reason, but I have to think about it, I got it.
Kiba: That was fast.
Raizen: When I first met Sakura, she was a small and fragile girl, really scared and lonely. She was always getting bullied or picked on by everyone because of her faults. Even before me or Ino stood up for her, that had been going on for a while. When I saw her, she looked just like Seria, fragile. Sometimes when I saw her, she looked like she might break if I handled her wrong, so I want to carry that fragile person, delicately in my arms forever so that nothing could ever harm her. I want to protect her.

He said motioning his arms into a cradle.
Raizen: She had always been alone around people who pointed out her flaws, so they convinced her that she wasn’t good enough. She became afraid of that, and soon enough she began to fear that someone would never love her the way she was. So she changed herself, on the outside, instead of hiding from her fear she was driven to fight it aggressively. She pursued love instead of hoping for it.
Kiba: So because she was afraid of ending up alone, she pursued the most popular guy in the village.
Raizen: Fear has driven humanity to do amazing things. The fear of death can drive us to kill; the fear of weakness can drive us to climb mountains. Sakura wanted to prove that she was good enough, and Sasuke was the perfect person to prove that.
Kiba: When you put it that way it sounds kind of selfish doesn’t it?
Raizen: Well, I want to protect her from everything else because I love her. That’s a pretty selfish reason too you know. Then again I guess it’s my fault too, I never told her how I felt, and so I never combated her fear with her, so she sought someone else.
Kiba: I still don’t get it.
Raizen: That Yura girl, do you still love her?
Kiba: She’s the enemy.
Raizen: That’s not what I asked.
Kiba: …..I don’t know. Look, that doesn’t matter, she and I could never happen.
Raizen: Maybe not, but you’ve been acting differently lately, I think you want it to happen.
Kiba: I can hope as much as I want, but that don’t change things. She used me; she attacked me and helped Orochimaru.
Raizen: She also, slept in front of you, showed you her greatest fear, told you truth about her life, revealed who she was and what she could do, and she said that she loved you with teary eyes.

Kiba narrowed his eyes toward the sky; he had been trying to ignore those things.
Raizen: I think she may have done those things on her own, because she trusted you.
Kiba: I know that, but that’s what makes it complicated.
Raizen: You could always try to steal your girl away from Orochimaru.
Kiba: That’s insane.
Raizen: Remember our vow Kiba; I’ll travel to hell with you if you said you wanted to know what it looks like. I’ll die for you man, just don’t ask me to do it twice.

Both chuckled at those words and smiled to the sky.
Kiba: Alright then, when the time comes, maybe I’ll take you up on that.
Raizen: Feel free.

         &nb sp;                         &nb sp;                        Flashforw ard

Kiba flinched as the sunlight above him suddenly became shadowed by something. Once he opened his eyes, he stared up toward the four three boys hovering over him.
Kiba: Come on, can’t a guy stare into the sky dramatically so he can think.
Shikamaru: We need to talk to you about something.

Kiba narrowed his eyes once he saw the urgency in their eyes and nodded to them. After they explained Kiba leaned back with a heavy sigh.
Kiba: Alright. Let’s get going then.
Naruto: You aren’t going to listen to the whole thing?
Kiba: Don’t need to, Sasuke left, we’re going to get him. I don’t really like the guy, but he’s Raizen’s family. That’s all the reason I need, so let’s get going.

He said standing up as Akamaru quit playing and joined him.
Shikamaru: Now we only have one more.
Naruto: I’ll meet you at the gates, there’s one more thing I want to get.
Neji: Alright, let’s meet there.
Kiba: We’ll be waiting.

Naruto nodded and hastily made his way back through the village. Once he reached his apartment and said goodbye to Yukari and Hanabi, he gathered what he was missing and walked through the door. Once outside he felt the presence of someone else. Sakura was leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for him no doubt. Naruto walked down the stairs and stood in front of her.
Naruto: To what do I owe the visit?

He asked with a smile.
Sakura: You’re going on the mission to get Sasuke right?
Naruto: Yeah.
Sakura: Can you promise me that you’ll him back?
Naruto: I have no doubt that I’ll succeed.
Sakura: Heh, I trust those words.

Sakura chuckled and turned to Naruto.
Sakura: I’ve done a lot of things I regret, I won’t ask anyone to forgive me for that, but Sasuke’s making a big mistake, I couldn’t stop him, but I know you can.
Naruto: So you want him back?
Sakura: Yes, but not for the reason you think.
Naruto: Huh?
Sakura: I want my team back together; I want us all to be together again. Can you make that happen?
Naruto: You know who you’re talking to right? I give you my word Sakura, that I will bring him back, just make sure you tell Raizen what you discovered about yourself.
Sakura: Huh?
Naruto: I’m rather good at reading signs. No matter what you were like, we’re friends right. So I’ll keep this promise, because I never go back on my word.

He said with a wave as he walked passed Sakura who smiled at him.
Sakura: Hinata, you picked a winner.

With those words she went on her way as well. Naruto arrived at the gates and walked passed Neji, who pushed himself from the wall and followed behind him. Choji, crumbled his bag of barbecue chips and tossed them aside as he picked up the stride of the first two, then Kiba as they walked to the side of Kiba, he lifted Akamaru and stood to his feet next to them and Naruto placed his arm on the kneeling Shikamaru.
Shikamaru: Heh, looks like the gang’s all here.

He said with a smile.
Shikamaru: I gathered you all together because this is an important mission, and I trust you four with my life. We are part of Konoha’s finest, and there is no room for failure. The result of which will be handing over a powerful weapon to our greatest enemy. So to my friends gathered with me, let’s go get back our idiot!!!!

With a rallied battlecry all vanished into the forest in formation, not any one of them planned to fail on this mission.

                      &nb sp;                         &nb sp;                       Flash

< /u> Deep in the forest, satisfied by the lead they had gained over the leaf ninja, Sasuke’s companions stopped the rest, keeping guard over the large coffin he was writhing inside.
Tayuya: This is starting to piss me off!
Jirobo: Why is that?
Tayuya: If he wanted to send someone after this brat, why didn’t he just send one of the heads? Instead we’re forced to baby sit some little shit that’s going to be our superior once he gets out.
Ukon: That’s a dangerous tone you’re taking. Are you sure it’s wise to question such things?
Tayuya: Only an idiot follows orders blindly, I have no doubts in Orochimaru-sama, but I don’t get this shit.
Jirobo: You’re barely a woman sometimes, you know that?
Tayuya: Fuck you!
Kidomaru: Well if you have to know, it’s because of his body, we’re here to bring this kid to him; the heads can’t leave him right now. Either way, we get the job done, just like he asked, that’s all that matters. Or are you just upset that you have to be away from your little sister?

He asked mockingly, urging the same from the others around them. Just as he finished, he leaned to the side, dodging a kunai flying past his head.
Tayuya: Are you sure it’s a good idea to mock me you sonnuva bitch?
Kidomaru: And what are you going to do about it you one trick pony?
Tayuya: One trick is all I need to handle you.

She said slowly raising to her feet.
Jirobo: Well you two stop that, someone’s coming.

Those words alerted them to a disturbance in the forest. Sensing the ensuing battle, the birds had begun to fly away.
Ukon: How could they catch up to us that fast?
Kidomaru: Don’t worry about it, they’re probably just cannon fodder, the traps’ll take care of ‘em.

He said rising to his feet watching out into the direction that the ninja were no doubt coming from.
Shikamaru: What do you see?
Naruto: There’s four of them.
Neji: There’s also a coffin behind them, if my guess is correct, that’s where Sasuke is.
Choji: Did they kill him?
Naruto: No there’s chakra coming from it, he has to be alive, but that just leaves the question of why he’s in there.
Shikamaru: Whatever it is, I doubt it’s good.
Neji: We have trouble.

He said bringing the team to a halt.
Choji: What’s up?
Naruto: They know we’re out here.

Shikamaru held out his arm and sighed, this was going to be troublesome.
Shikamaru: Have they moved?
Neji: No.
Shikamaru: Alright then.

He said lifting a rock. Wistfully he threw a single pebble ahead of them, successfully setting off one of the bombs lying ahead of them, no one seems surprised, and instead they just heaved a heavy sigh.
Kiba: So they were expecting us to kill ourselves.
Shikamaru: No, it’s too obvious, that’s not what they were aiming for. Have they moved?
Neji: No.
Shikamaru: Like I thought, they’re not stupid. There’s some reason they can’t move.
Choji: Maybe they can’t move that coffin thingy.
Naruto: None of that matters, we see what we have to do, let’s do it.
Neji: Naruto has a point, but how do we do this?
Shikamaru: Naruto, since you’re so eager, we’re going to let you lead the charge.
Naruto: Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about.

Naruto smiled to himself as he put together the handsign he was most famous for. Back at the camp, the four sound ninja stared deep into the forest, waiting for their enemies to show themselves.
Jirobo: That explosion just now, do you think got ‘em?
Tayuya: Yeah right fatass. If everything was that simple we wouldn’t even have to do this.
Kidomaru: Yeah, they’re just out there waiting for us, or maybe it’s the other way around, either way, we’d better get ready to move the kid.
Ukon: Right, as soon as they show themselves we’ll take them out and start moving.

At his command all lowered themselves and waited the new arrivals. At that moment Naruto leapt from the woods, followed by the other four on his team, but the second that they arrive, they were impaled by hooks, holding them in the air.
Kidomaru: Heh, that was fast.

He snorted with a smile, yet Tayuya’s eyes were stuck on something else; the blonde-haired boy in front of them.
Tayuya: That’s the fox brat!
Ukon: What do you mean?
Naruto: Heh, I guess playing dead won’t work when you’re someone as big as me huh?

He said as all of the clones vanished, it was a decoy. At that moment the ground underfoot could be felt rumbling, all those standing in the area knew instantly that it wasn’t wise to stay where they were. Instinctively, they moved themselves, avoiding Kiba as he drilled through the ground right under them, barely missing his mark, yet thanks to his attack, they had fallen into another of the leaf ninja’s traps. As Shikamaru had expected, they all jumped away from the attack to the exact position he had laid a few of his tags during the confusion. Sensing the movement above, the tags went off, blowing away all hovering over them.
Shikamaru: Now Choji!

With the clearing, Choji moved in for the coffin. Nothing stood in his way; it was a clear shot for the thing in front of him, so why did it feel so impossible to reach it? With that thought, his ears caught the sound of an instrument, a flute. Soon enough, he got the answer to that question, the feeling of dread. Choji quickly jumped away from the coffin, standing his ground as Neji appeared behind him.
Neji: What’s wrong?
Choji: Something’s not right.

Shikamaru stared back, looking for the bodies of the ninja he had blown away, but there were one. Something wasn’t right about this whole situation. Naruto jumped from the bushes and closed his eyes, suddenly another of his personas took over, what he saw when he reopened them were his friends staring into space as if something had just descended to the earth.
Naruto: Dammit, they played us!

He shouted to himself. With a click of his teeth he moved toward the others and pumped chakra into them, releasing them from the genjutsu.
Choji: Wha?
Shikamaru: What happened?
Naruto: We were under a genjutsu, and they started moving again, we have to go fast.
Kiba: Damn, how could I fall for something like that so easily?
Neji: We have to start moving, fast!
Naruto: I’m gonna make them pay for this, believe it.

He said as he slammed his hand into his fist and returned to his dominant persona. Once again on the move, the sound four looked back, hoping that their trick would allow them more time, but nothing could be further from the truth. Ahead of them was a familiar orange-clad shinobi. Naruto leapt from the branch stood on and slammed his fist into Ukon’s face, knocking him from the air as the others, far behind the blonde boy began to catch up.
Naruto: You must think you’re clever huh?

He growled as he walked forward, slowly making his way to the four ninja.
Naruto: However, I don’t let up that easy.

Naruto stopped moving forward as his allies slowly surround the sound ninja. With an extended hand, Naruto asked politely.
Naruto: Can you hand over Sasuke please?
Tayuya: Heh? And why should we?
Neji: Do you really want us to answer that, because you may not like the answer.
Shikamaru: Look, struggling will only make this more troublesome than it already is.
Kidomaru: Well what that sounds good to me, I can handle a little trouble.
Naruto: No, you can’t. This is a whole lot more trouble than you’ve ever seen before. I’m going to kick your ass if you don’t hand that over, I’m not asking again.

Jirobo placed down the coffin concealing Sasuke and all sound ninja stood in front of it.
Choji: ‘Sigh’ Alright then.
Shikamaru: Why do they always have to choose the hard way?

Things being as they were, even with the determination to fight, the reality was that the team standing in front of the sound four was one man more than they were. Even with there greatest efforts, they could take on all of them and protect the coffin concealing Sasuke at the same time. They needed a plan. Much like the shinobi from the leaf, they were accustomed to fighting alongside each other, meaning that they could form a plan without the use of words. With unspoken understanding, Kidomaru was the first to step forward. With a smile he rolled his hand into an intricate web of seals, yet he did nothing, Neji charged at him, completely confident in his ability to detain the man in front of him, however once he was close enough the brown skinned man before him puffed up his cheeks, spitting out what appeared to be webs at Neji, as the web closed in Neji smiled, holding up a sign for one of the simplest jutsu taught to them. Naruto appeared above Neji, and both yelled out.
Neji: Substitution jutsu!

As both boys swapped places and Naruto vanished from sight after being caught in the web, a cleverly placed clone. Realizing his mistake Kidomaru jumped back just in time to dodge the descending palm Neji had come at him with, but he had already the battle, Neji had closed the distance between them. With the grace of a gazelle, Neji swung his body back up and slammed his palm into Kidomaru’s chest, forcing a cough from him. As he worked, the others quickly closed in, destination right in front of them. Tayuya clicked her teeth, rearing back her fist to crush Shikamaru as he drew closer, but this proved futile as the young strategist weaved under her punch, leisurely placing a tag on her fist as he rushed away, the resulting explosion, sent her flying back, right into Jirobo’s arms, leaving him completely open for Choji’s fist. With three temporarily incapacitated Kiba rolled under Ukon and flipped up for the coffin; however before he could reach it, a web slammed into him, latching him onto the tree on the far side of them.
Kiba: Dammit.

He cursed aloud as he tried to struggle free, to no avail.
Naruto: Kiba!

Naruto burst into a sprint, placing the safety of his teammate before the mission. This was all it took to create an opening in their offensive. Taking advantage of the confusion, Jirobo pushed away the coffin and placed his hands together signaling for his teammates to scatter away from the area.
Jirobo: Earth release barrier: Earth prison Dome of Magnificent Nothingness!

Just as planned, once Kiba had been freed, the earth below them began to shake, and then it rose above head, sealing them in a prison of his own design.
Jirobo: Heh, that was easy enough.

He chuckled to himself as he turned back to the others.
Jirobo: You all go ahead, I’ll keep them here. Then when there’s not even a drop of chakra left in them, I’ll crush em.
Ukon: Good job, we’ll leave it to you then.

He said as he lifted the coffin into his arms and jumped into the trees. Now alone, enjoying the feast of five separate sources of chakra, Jirobo smiled.
Jirobo: It’s just a matter of time before this trash is gone; they’re probably panicking right now.

Contrary to his words, in side the dome the five were sitting on the ground, discussing something to themselves.
Naruto: Com’n you don’t think that the gas prices are incredible now. The last time I opened my bill I almost ripped my house in half.
Shikamaru: My parents take care of that stuff; I don’t even look at the bill.
Neji: The Hyuga are well-to-do, so I don’t need to think about things like that.
Naruto: Oh yeah, brag about your parents and well earned-by-someone else, money. But I have to work my ass off to keep those lights on; I tell you the economy is going to hell.
Choji: Well I have noticed that lately, One day, I bought a big bag of chips, and I was stoked to eat them and everything, but when I finally opened them, the chips were all the way at the bottom; their new slogan should be “Now with forty percent more air.” Talk about being ripped off.
Kiba: I can understand that I guess.
Naruto: See that’s what I’m talking about.

He said pointing over to Choji. Shikamaru stood to his feet and sighed, cracking his neck.
Shikamaru: Alright, not that this conversation isn’t intellectually stimulating or anything, but we should start trying to get out of here.
Naruto: Yeah I guess.
Kiba: How did we get on that topic anyway?
Neji: We were planning our course of action and the conversation just started to string along.
Naruto: Yeah, but it’s not like we’re in a rush or anything, once we get out of here, this mission is as good as over.
Shikamaru: Now for the getting out of here part. What can you guys see?

Naruto and Neji gazed at each other and then activated their byakugan, staring through the wall before them.
Naruto: Well, Fatso is still out there, so part one is still in motion.
Neji: The wall around us seems to be coated in chakra, as well as drawing chakra from us.
Kiba: Whoa, you mean all this time he’s been taking our chakra?
Naruto: Don’t worry, I’ve been sending my chakra through, I was able to stop him from draining you guys the second I noticed, which is why you didn’t.
Choji: But isn’t that bad for you?
Naruto: I have plenty of chakra to spare.
Shikamaru: If my guess is correct, that chakra covering the dome must be like a barrier.
Kiba: So before we can do anything, we’re going to have to disrupt that chakra right?
Shikamaru: Right, Neji, Naruto, if you don’t mind.
Neji: Not at all.
Naruto: Leave it to us.

Both replied as they charged Chakra into their palms, doing their best to battle against the chakra draining dome surrounding them. With a roar of determination, they slammed their palms into the wall, bursting away the chakra around it.
Naruto: All yours!
Kiba: Right, com’n Akamaru.
Akamaru: Arf.

Akamaru flipped onto Kiba’s back, rolling off in the image of his master, and with a fierce roar they turned into a spin.
Kiba: Man-beast ultimate Taijutsu: Wolf drilling fang!

All moved away as Kiba's attack slammed into the wall, yet as powerful as the attack was, Kiba and Akamaru were hurled back away from the wall. After crashing rather roughly back into the ground all stared at the wall as the chakra began to return, they could feel Jirobo laughing at them from the other side. Naruto stared at the wall and clicked his teeth, he was going to have to get out of their soon, and he knew just how.
Naruto: Alright, a change in tactics.

He said with a sigh.
Naruto: This thing is stronger than we thought; still nothing compared to Mika’s but strong none the less.
Neji: Mika uses this ninjutsu?
Naruto: Not with the whole draining chakra thing, but she creates a dome and layers it over seven times.

Those words made Naruto’s allies drip in a cold sweat.
Kiba: Um?
Naruto: Yeah, the last one she made is now named the tomb of Mutou.
Choji: Where did Mutou come from?
Naruto: Oh, that’s the name of the guy she sealed in there.

And that just made the sweat grow colder.
Naruto: And that’s why she’s called the monster of stone. Anyway this guy’s is nothing compared to hers. I can get out, but I need to be able to seep my chakra through and then I’ll be able to use my new technique.
Kiba: New technique?
Shikamaru: Every time we see you you’ve got a new one.
Naruto: Trust me; you still haven’t even seen all the ones that I already had. Truthfully, I didn’t want you guys to see this one; I might’ve had to use it on you one day.

He said with a smile that dragged one from the others.
Choji: That’s alright; we have stuff we wanted to use on you too.
Neji: Don’t think you’re the only one with new tricks.
Naruto: Then I guess I should be wary of you guys huh? Neji, I need you to blast this with as much chakra as you can, enough to make a big enough hole in his defense, then I’m counting on Kiba and Choji to slim down the wall a little. Then Shika, the second that this wall goes down, you move out into the next phase of the plan.
Shikamaru: Right, this time we follow your lead; just remember to move fast once we’re out.
All: Got it!

Neji walked over to the wall surrounding the dome. Charging chakra to both of his palms, then with a shift in his left foot, he slammed both of his palms together and made the chakra on his left palm grow fiercely.
Neji: Gentle fist technique: Earth splitting palm.
Naruto: That’s Hinata’s technique.

He thought aloud to himself as Neji slammed his hand into the wall, blasting away not only the chakra surrounding it, but a chunk of the rock as well. After landing his attack he jumped back as Choji lifted Kiba and hurled him at the wall.
Kiba: Wolf drilling fang!

He shouted as he turned his body into a spin, a more focused funnel appeared than the previous one. After finally making a crack in the wall, Naruto’s focus went at full force.
Naruto: Kage-hochou.

He whispered, and with eyes blazing red he formed a rasengan and vanished from the dome. Jirobo had no time to dodge; he couldn’t even see what had happened. By the time he realized that the boy was attacking him, the dark blue rasengan had already hit his chest. With Naruto’s effective tactic, the others were freed from the dome around them.
Shikamaru: Now!

He shouted as he dropped a smokescreen onto the ground, clouding the entire area, and as he did, Jirobo recovered from the attack, greatly hurt though he was, he still had enough in him to stand and brush it off, commendable to say the least.
Jirobo: That was clever, but don’t think that I’m going to let you get away.

Quickly scrambling to his feet, Jirobo rushed through the smoke, thinking that his enemies were trying to leave, and he would’ve been right, if only he wasn’t missing one part, the massive fist that was coming down for him.
Jirobo: So they didn’t leave?

He questioned to himself before jumping away from the massive hand. Once the smoke cleared Choji stared at him from across the field, all alone.
Jirobo: Only you?
Choji: I’m all we need to take you out.

Deeper in the forest, Shikamaru led his team through the trees in formation, and thanks to Naruto’s clones, they were making record time after the fleeing trio, realizing this Kidomaru turned back, smiling as he prepared to fire another web at them. Pleased with the position they were in he fired into the opening between the trees, trying to seal the boys in, but before they could be caught in it, Neji slammed his hand into it and ripped a hole between the web and slammed his palm into Kidomaru’s shoulder, sending him spinning to the ground.
Kidomaru: Dammit.

He said as he rose back to his feet, but the first thing he noticed was that while Neji had stopped, the other three didn’t pause for a second.
Kidomaru: What the?

Neji smiled as he walked forward.
Neji: I’m sorry, but this is where you end.
Kidomaru: That so? Alright, I think I’m getting what’s going on here.

He said as she walked forward, completely filled with arrogance.
Kidomaru: Forget them; I don’t care what happens anymore anyway. Com’n let’s start the game.

He said as he dropped into stance.

         & nbsp;           &nbs p;            & nbsp;           &nbs p;            & nbsp;     Flashback

Inside the dome.

Shikamaru: Alright, listen up, do you know why we keep getting deterred?
Neji: My guess is that we’re going about this as a team.
Shikamaru: Right. We can’t keep going like this, so in short we’ll have to split up, strategically speaking, it would be best if we decide now on how we’re going to do this.
Choji: So this guy just gave us time to think.
Kiba: So how are we going to decide who takes who?
Shikamaru: What have you gathered from them so far?
Naruto: That web stuff the guy with four arms made, it was reinforced much like this dome. I had to use chakra to cut it.
Shikamaru: That makes things simpler. Neji.
Neji: Right, leave him to me.
Kiba: That guy out there, he had one hell of a punch, he shattered the ground like it was nothing, but I know someone else who hit that hard, right Choji.
Choji: Yeah, I’ll take care of him.

He said with a clenched fist, until something hit him.
Choji: Wait, before we fell under the genjutsu, someone was whistling. Something like a flute, it must be what caused it.
Shikamaru: Sense disorientation cause by sound manipulation.  I think that girl had one, it must have been her.
Naruto: Then I’ll handle her.
Shikamaru: No I will, as much of a drag as it seems, I’ll have to do it.
Naruto: What? Why?
Kiba: Then there’s the other guy, I could sense two separate heartbeats from that guy. I don’t know what that means, but whatever it is, Akamaru and I can sniff it out.
Shikamaru: Alright then, it’s decided.
Naruto: Wait, then what do I do?
Kiba: Do you really need to ask that?
Choji: Yeah, I think it's pretty obvious.
Naruto: Huh?
Shikamaru: You're the joker, our wild card. We know that Sasuke did this of his own will, so that means he's not going to come back without a fight.
Neji: You are the only one we can count on to bring him to his senses. Your eyes are the most pure of us all, you can see through the darkness Sasuke is in right now, and only you can bring him out of it. We leave it all to you.

He said bringing a round of smiles down on the blonde boy.
Naruto: Uh right, Leave it to me, I promise that I’ll bring Sasuke back, one way or another.

He said with his hand held to his chest.
Naruto: This guy is yours Choji, we’re counting on you too.
Choji: Yeah.

He spoke out quietly, gazing down to the ground.
Kiba: Hey, don’t worry, like Rai told me, fear can lead humanity to kill and climb mountains and crap. If you’re scared just turn it into strength.
Naruto: You can do this, we all know you can, we have faith in you.
Choji: Right. He won’t get any further on my watch.
Naruto: You don’t have to tell me that.
Shikamaru: Yeah, we know what you’re capable of. You’ll do fine.

Choji nodded with determination and gazed at his friends. When he opened his eyes he was staring down the man they had trusted him to defeat.
Jirobo: Heh, so they left trash like you here to fight me? They’re quite naive aren’t they, to think that you can handle me.
Choji: Trust me, I’m far more than you can handle.

He said as he leaned forward, readying himself for the impending battle. Jirobo smiled and stepped forward, knowing for sure that the child in front of him was nothing of a threat to him, but his arrogance was his greatest weakness.
Jirobo: Let’s do this then.

He said as he slammed his hand into the ground and tugged himself forward, launching after the young boy, but Choji was ready, with exceptional timing, he moved to the side and slammed his fist into Jirobo’s face, crushing his bones in one blow, or at least what it felt like. Jirobo rolled to the ground and chuckled launching himself back at the boy who once again watched with earnest. With a furious roar, ripped a slab of stone from the ground and held it in front of himself, threatening to crash into Choji as he rushed forward, but Choji didn’t move, instead he waited patiently for the attack to reach. Once in range, Choji planted his left foot on the ground and launched his right fist directly into the stone, crushing through it as if it were nothing, and then into Jirobo’s face once again.
Jirobo: Wha-

He groaned out as his body was launched backwards across the ground.
Choji: That was nothing-

He said still holding his position, wearing a glare of solid resolve.
Choji: That was nothing compared to Mika’s jutsu. She’s much stronger than you.

Jirobo lifted himself from the ground and coughed, completely enraged by the boy’s words. He wasn’t going to accept it. With an intense roar, he rushed over to Choji, throwing precise punches, but the plump boy moved away from the as if they were nothing.
Jirobo: What.

Choji stared forward remembering the past events.

         & nbsp;  Flashback

JJ: Com’n Choji, I even used your teacher’s fighting style.

He said holding up his fist in front of his face, swaying back and forth in a rhythm. Choji wiped his mouth and stood to his feet, despite the wounds and fatigue taxing his body.
Choji: How do you know boxing anyway?
JJ: I know a lot of styles, Tiger is my strongest though. I could use that if you want.
Choji: Don’t!
JJ: Com’n it’s not much of a sparring match if you can’t keep up. You’re bigger, so for that reason, most people will assume you’re slow. That and that they’ll aim for your face, because they think that attacking the body is pointless, as long as you can move your face away from a punch you’re fine.
Choji: I know that!
JJ: Then come at me.

           ;Flashforward

Choji dodged each hit as if it were the simplest thing he had ever done and then, without even pausing, he slammed his fist upward into Jirobo’s chin.
Choji: Your speed is nothing compared to JJ’s, don’t you dare try to fight me when you’re so damn slow!

Taking advantage of the opening he had created, Choji pulled back his free fist and slammed it into Jirobo’s stomach, forcing a cough from his mouth, and then, as if defying the appearance he had, he turned into and spinning high kick that knocked him sideways.
Choji: You won’t get passed me!

He shouted as he slammed his foot on the ground with tremendous force and punched directly into Jirobo’s gut, knocking him into a backwards roll along the ground. Jirobo came to a stop and tried to lift himself but before he could he heard the sound on something coming at him.
Choji: Human boulder!

He shouted out, rolling over Jirobo, crushing him into the ground, or so he thought, with a powerful push, he managed to force the boy into the air above him.
Jirobo: So you think I’m a joke huh?

Jirobo flipped to his feet and smiled, digging his fingers into the ground below him, and then with a smile he pulled a large slab and launched it up into Choji, sending the boy spinning back to the ground.
Choji: Damn.

He cursed as he rolled back down to the ground and stopped on his back. Jirobo dropped down to Choji, rearing back his fist to crush the boy, but with very little effort, Choji managed to block it, but failed to grab the next one. The impact was devastating; he was sent flying back through four trees before finally resting against one. With a huff of displeasure, Jirobo turned around, as much as he wanted to finish off the boy, the demon fox child was a problem that his teammates weren’t going to be able to handle, he couldn’t let the mission fail, failure meant death. With this set in his mind he jumped for the tree, but something was holding onto his leg.
Choji: You think I’m that easy to take out?

He yelled, arm stretching over 25 feet long, holding him firmly in its grasp. Choji quickly pulled before the older boy could gain anymore leverage and turned, slammed him into every tree to the side of him, then releasing to throw him back into the forest, the opposite direction in which the others were.
Choji: I told you before; you’re not getting passed me!

Choji stomped down to the ground and reached into his pouch, pulling out a case holding three different pills. Opening it, he placed the green pill into his mouth a crushed it in between his teeth. To the untrained eye it would have seemed like nothing had happened, but for a shinobi of Jirobo’s caliber it was all too apparent the boy’s sudden increase in chakra. With a look of distain, he moved through seals faster than the eye could see and then rolled his body into a ball once again. Not intending to take the same chance as before he leapt into the trees, making a hasty escape along the branches, however, the boy on the ground was plowing them down as if they were nothing as he pursued the boy above. Choji frowned in his orb and pulled his arms out of the ball, and as he turned, he slammed his hands into the ground, launching himself into the air. With a chuckle, Choji latched his free arm onto a tree and hurled himself at Jirobo who, sensing the impending doom, turned back to the boy and pressed all of his weight against the ball, holding it still as he slammed into the ground. However, Choji had him right where he wanted him; his hands extended from the ball and came together on Jirobo, crushing him like a bothersome fly. Stunned by the attack, Jirobo stumbled, losing his grip, giving Choji the chance he needed, rolling over him like he was nothing. Choji once again pulled out his arm, grabbing onto the now grounded boy, with a spinning turn, he slammed him into the trees as he had before and released.
Choji: Alright, Ninpo!

He shouted as he broke from his jutsu and grabbed onto one of the trees with his massive hand, then jumped sideways, forming into a boulder once again.
Choji: Human wrecking ball!!!!

He shouted, swinging out as he crushed through everything and then slammed into Jirobo on his way round. Forced by the sheer pressure of the attack, Jirobo was thrown sixty-five feet away, skidding to a stop as he stared into the sky, cursing the boy who had crushed him, however, this fight was far from over. Choji stared into the distance, unable to see exactly where he had knocked the heavier boy, but completely positive that he had dealt a blow that he wouldn’t stand from. Yet despite what he had thought, the sound of quickly approaching footsteps caught his ear and before he could prepare a defense, a massive bicep slammed into his throat, sending him down into the ground so forcefully that he bounced of the ground on impact.
Jirobo: You're quite bothersome, so I'm done playing around with you boy.

He said as he lifted his fist up into Choji's back, knocking him into the air, forcing blood from his mouth. With smile he opened his palm and slammed it down into Choji's stomach, crushing him back down into the ground below.
Jirobo: Heh, just like everything else, you fall under the might of my Arhat fist.

He said with a chuckle as he punched down for Choji who quickly rolled out of the way just in time to dodge, but not fast enough to dodge the rising knee that followed. Choji rolled to his feet and held his hand to his mouth, stopping the blood from leaking out of his freshly made wound, and stared at his enemy, now understanding what had changed about him, his body was covered in fiery marks much like the ones on Sasuke when he fought Raizen, cursing he reached back and grabbed a string of kunai, wrapping them around his shoulders he placed up a seal and formed into ball once again, rolling after Jirobo, but this time, there was no avoidance, he planted his foot and punched into the ball grinding his fist into Choji's stomach, breaking the jutsu and managing to send him flying. Choji’s eyes opened just as he slammed into a tree, also just in time for him to see, the large tree flying at him at high speed, Choji managed to quickly move to the side and avoid it, but when it should have fallen on collision with the tree he slammed against, it suddenly hovered and then slammed into him in a wide swing. Forced into a backward tumble Choji huffed down to the ground, trying his best to gather the strength to stand. Cursing at the boy in front of him he could do little to resist when he reached down and grabbed the front of his collar.
Jirobo: Chakra absorption jutsu!

Choji groaned under the weight of this new attack, growling as he wrestled to break free from Jirobo’s grip.
Jirobo: struggling is nothing more than a waste of time.

Choji smirked lifting his foot and jammed it down into Jirobo’s face, knocking him off balance. Choji extended his right foot on impact with the ground and punched up into Jirobo’s face, knocking him away from him. It didn’t do much, but it was enough for what Choji was planning.
Choji: I didn’t intend to go this far but-

He said holding the same case as before, this time he removed the yellow pill and placed it in his mouth. With a crunch, another wave of power was sent flying from the boy, enough power to make Jirobo sliding back from the shockwave. Once the power finally settled Choji glared at Jirobo, slowly walking forward as he expanded his hands, with evident killing intent coming from him. Choji threw his hand forward and grabbed Jirobo before he could flee and held him tightly in his grasp, then sent an overwhelming punch into his face with his massive fist. For most people that would have been a death blow, but Jirobo somehow managed to survive it. Obviously displeased by this, Choji lifted his hand into the air and brought it back down, throwing Jirobo into the ground with force that he appeared to be a bouncing ball, then the reinforce this image, Choji slammed his hand down into him, three times, dribbling him on the ground repeatedly.  After the third bounce Choji ran under Jirobo and lifted his right leg, extending it long enough to slam into Jirobo’s back forcing him higher into the air. With a smile, Choji pulled back down his leg, once again at normal length and slammed both of his hands into the ground, sending himself flying into the air with the older boy, with a headbutt that slammed into his back. However, Choji still wasn’t done, before Jirobo could soar out of his reach, Choji turned his body, cupping his left hand so that it slammed down into Jirobo, knocking him back to the ground, and as he fell, Choji brought down his right fist and punched downward into his opponent, sending him to the ground like a comet.
Choji: I’m gonna finish you with this last blow.

He shouted as he descended to the ground.
Choji: Full expansion jutsu!!

With his mighty roar, his entire body grew to that of a sixty foot giant and with that intimidating form, he fell onto Jirobo and the many trees below him. Choji smiled, feeling the weight crush the person under him, surely he wouldn’t get up from that, but something below him was slowly lifting him into the air, despite his sheer mass. Jirobo lifted Choji into the air and tossed him to the side, leaving the giant boy to do nothing more than watch as he was descended upon. With his fist drawn back, Jirobo punched into Choji’s stomach, knocking him back along the trees as he coughed alarming amounts of blood from his mouth. Choji was forcibly knocked from his transformation and then forcibly knocked further into the forest; somehow Jirobo was faster than before. Before he could do anymore than lift his head, a large fist slammed into his face, then what felt to be a club. Desperately trying to defend himself; Choji threw punches in the direction in which he could feel the presence of someone else, but that proved to be his undoing. The club he had guessed to earlier, slammed into his hand and shattered his fist, yet he was unable to feel the pain over the shattering blow he took to the head shortly after. The sound of pounding flesh, the overwhelming flow of blood dripping down his face, and the blurry image of what appeared to be an oni standing above him, these were the only things Choji was aware of.  Limp and lifeless, Choji stared into the sky, hearing the approaching sounds of Jirobo as he stalked forward.
Jirobo: I didn’t think that trash like you would be able to push me to go this far.

He said quietly as he pushed his knee upward into Choji’s stomach, only to club him once again while he was in the air. Choji laid on the ground, motionless, trying his best to stay conscious; if he passed out, his life would end.
Choji: (What good am I? I couldn’t even keep my word.)

He thought to himself as he looked over to the feet growing ever closer.  
Jirobo: I actually feel bad for you, to die in such a pitiable way. Discarded by your allies, but can you blame them? Someone as weak as you would only slow them down. Then again, they aren’t much to speak on either.

He said as he slammed his club into Choji’s side, knocking him against a tree. Choji stared at him, beyond the point in which he could even feel the pain.
Jirobo: After all, among someone who only depends on the demon blood inside him to get by, or the dragon boy with the big mouth, even the so-called leader who can do nothing. You and every one of them-

He said as he lifted the club once again, preparing to bring it down on Choji once again this time knocking the hitae-ate from his head.
Jirobo: Are truly trash, disposable.

With those words he brought down the club once again, but this time, it didn’t make impact. Jirobo stared down at Choji, holding onto the head of the club with the same hand that had shattered.
Choji: What did you just say?

He asked as he gazed up to Jirobo with pure hatred in his eyes.
Choji: Say what you want about me, but you don’t say anything bad about my friends, you keep their names out of your mouth. You’re nothing compared to any of them, they could crush you without even the slightest trouble, any one of them would have left you face down in a puddle of your own blood by now. You have no right to talk about them like that.

Choji’s hand clutched onto the club and shattered it, as he stared on, glaring daggers at Jirobo.
Choji: You know, you say that JJ has a big mouth, you’re right, he really does, but never once has he ever said something I couldn’t agree with, he’s smart and strong, but on the day when he faced the Orochi, when I helped him, in the moment when he stood in my hand, I could feel him shaking. JJ was scared, yet when the moment came, he didn’t hesitate for a second to throw that punch. Naruto, I used to think that he was a fool who feared nothing, the most blessed of all shinobi, but he told me, that he was afraid when he faced that Orochi girl in the south tower, when I asked why, he said as if it was the simplest thing, “I get scared too, bravery isn’t walking without fear, it’s walking on, despite feeling it. If you can walk on, though what stands in front of you is frightening, then you are brave, those who don’t feel fear are fools.”

Choji smiled as he gazed down to his hand, Jirobo could feel victory in his reach, all he had to do was finish the boy off, but at the moment, even as he was being lectured he could feel fear, something about the boy in front of him at the moment let him know, he had already lost this fight.
Choji: Then there’s Shika, I’ve never had a friend like him, he’s the best friend a guy could ask for. He’s been there for me as long as I can remember. He’s smart, dependable, and strong, he could do anything if he only applied himself more. Where does a guy like me measure up among people like that?

He asked mostly to himself as he closed his fist. Choji reached into his pouch one last time and grabbed onto the case, the final pill right below him. Jirobo knew that he had to do something to stop the boy, but the crippling fear he felt, it was disabling his legs. Choji pulled out the red pill and struggled to lift it to his mouth under his fatigue.

Naruto: We all know that I’m a fox, so we’ll skip me, c’mon, just say what kind of animal you think you are.
Sasuke: This is stupid, why should we do this, what will it prove?
JJ: Things like this are good; it builds rapport with your fellow ninja, I’ll go next, I’m a dragon.
Kiba: Dragons don’t count as animals.
JJ: Well, if you think about it, humans are animals too, so we all fall into a category in some way or another. Why don’t you go next bigmouth?
Kiba: Fine, I’m a dog, just like Akamaru here.
Raizen: And I’m a wolf.

He said as he draped his arm around the back of Kiba’s neck.
Raizen: Kiba’s a part of my pack.
Kiba: Why can’t it be my pack?
Raizen: Because you’re a dog.
Naruto: What about you Hinata-hime?
Hinata: A-a bunny.

She said with a small blush that made Naruto smile.
Naruto: Well, I guess I can see that.
JJ: It fits you at least.

Naruto held up his arms above Hinata as he teasingly prepared to pounce on her.
Naruto: I’m gonna eat you up.
Hinata: Kyaa, no don’t.

She said laughing at him.
JJ: Moving on, what about you Mika.
Mika: Huh, um a mole I guess.

JJ looked up and pictured what Mika would look like as a mole and then laughed, leading everyone else to laugh as well.
Mika: Hey what’s so funny?
Sakura: If I had to pick one, it’d be a-
Kiba: Gorrilla?

That word made everyone laugh, yet, much like expected after something like that Kiba found his head buried in the dirt.
Sakura: No, I’d pick a swan.
Neji: Why that?
Sakura: I don’t wanna talk about it.
Ino: I’d be a mink.
JJ: Whoa, nice choice.
Mika: Yeah if you wanna be a coat.
Naruto: Neji it’s your turn now, what would you be?
Neji: An eagle.

He said through closed eyes, many could guess why.
Shino: I would be an insect, it doesn’t matter what kind.
All: Yeah, we saw that coming that’s why we didn’t ask you.

They all said in unison.
Sasuke: I’d be a raven.
Naruto: Whoa, look at mister, “I’m not into this”, getting into this.
Sasuke: Shut up, If we have to do this, then I might as well add on.
Naruto: Yeah right, you know it just looked fun.

Sasuke huffed and turned away not willing to continue any further.
Choji: I-

He said gaining everyone’s attention.
Choji: Then I’d want to be a caterpillar.

He said confusing everyone listening, beckoning them to ask a single question.
Ino: Why?
Choji: Because they can shed off their ugly selves and become something beautiful. Even after living their entire life as the ugly caterpillar, they can become the beautiful butterfly.

He said with his eyes closed.
JJ: Then you can’t be a caterpillar.
Naruto: Nope.
Choji: What? Why not?
Ino: You a caterpillar? Please.
Neji: That would be wrong.
Sasuke: Hmph, it’s impossible.
Choji: Are guys making fun of me?

He asked standing to his feet in outrage.
Raizen: No, you just can’t be a caterpillar.
Choji: I don’t get what you’re saying.
Shikamaru: It’s simple Choji, there’s no such thing as backwards progression.
Ino: Yeah, you idiot, you can’t be the Caterpillar, because you’re already the butterfly.

She said making Choji step back a little.
JJ: Who says that you have to change a single thing about yourself to be beautiful?

He asked with a smile that rounded over to everyone else there. Choji sat back down and wiped the peeking tears from his face.

You guys said that I was the butterfly already, that I didn’t need to change anything about who I am. Why? How did I get such good friends? Every one of you, are the greatest friends a guy could ask for. I’m so grateful to have you all, even you Sasuke, were smiling at that moment. Does that mean you’re my friend too? Then, I’ll fight for you too; I’ll become the beautiful butterfly that you all see when you look at me. That way, I’ll have no regrets.

Choji gathered his strength and placed the pill between his teeth and chomped with all of the strength he could muster. And as his eyes opened a power surged through him that let Jirobo know why he couldn’t bring himself from his fear.
Choji: I will crush you, I made a promise, you won’t get passed me!!!!!!!

His chakra was releasing in an amazing and frightening rate, so much so that it became visible, hovering behind him in the image a butterfly’s wings. Choji lifted himself up, somehow feeling a whole lot lighter than before, in fact his entire body had drastically slimmed down, the pain he had been feeling disappeared, but was soon replaced by a new pain, Choji knew, there was only so long he could take to finish this. Jirobo stared on in fear, yet despite what he felt he stepped forward gaining the strength to approach the younger boy.
Jirobo: I’m not going to lose to trash like you no matter what you do!

He said as he charged at Choji and slammed his fist down into the boy’s face, with a smile now gracing his face, realizing that he could land a blow on the boy, he brought up his knee for Choji’s stomach but his attack was stopped short.
Choji: You don’t have a choice.

He said as he turned his face to his opponent while holding his leg under his arm. With a quick turn, and an impressive amount of force, he shattered the bone in Jirobo’s leg, forcing a numbing scream from him. Obviously disturbed by the scream Choji pulled back his fist and slammed it down into Jirobo’s face, silencing the wailing. With a quick turn, Choji hurled Jirobo high into the air, and quickly followed him with an impressive jump, as he lined himself up with the boy’s body he pulled back both fists and punched forward at a speed that rivaled Raizen’s, all Jirobo could do was block, but much to his surprise, none landed. When Jirobo opened his eyes, he could see what looked to be millions of fists lying under him, waiting for impact as Choji reared back and then, much like he had expected before, came the impact. It felt like the entire earth had been slammed into him, and as much as he wished it to be, this was no exaggeration. And as fast as Choji had managed to make him soar through the air, it took little more than an explosion of chakra from Choji to move himself to Jirobo’s back, and with only a downward backhand, he had sent the boy plummeting back down to the earth.
Choji: This is all it’ll take. No matter the cost, no matter what I have to lose.

He said as he fell down to the earth, radiating chakra with every inch he descending.
Choji: I will not break this promise!!!!!!!

As Choji, Jirobo stared up completely aware of what was coming. He chuckled as he gazed at the ball of explosive chakra and smiled.
Jirobo: No matter what you can pull off how many promises you keep, trash will always be trash.

With those final words said, he closed his eyes and awaited the inevitable.  As Choji fell, he shouted out the words.
Choji: Chou-bakudan!!!!!

And then, the flash left behind engulfed the entire area, ascending into the heavens as the beautiful wings that had previously been on Choji’s back. Choji looked down onto Jirobo, completely destroyed, Choji had kept his promise and stopped the enemy advance, yet the cost was starting to weigh on him. With every breath he took, he could feel himself slipping away, yet he never once regretted his decision. Any one of his friends would have done the same to protect him. That thought alone was enough to keep his head up despite himself. Choji sluggishly walked away from the body of his fallen enemy and leaned down, picking up his fallen headband, but in the process, under the strain from his injuries and the pill he had taken, lifting his body once again was problematic. Falling into a stumble, he tripped and slammed into a tree. With an exasperated expression he settled on the tree as rest and turned to lay his back against it.
Choji: Heh, so this is it?

He asked as he gazed into the sky.
Choji: Fear, has driven humanity to do great things. Some climb mountains, some kill, that’s what Raizen said right Kiba?

He asked to the silence as he gazed down to his headband with a smile.
Choji: Some are even driven by this fear to do things that seem impossible, yet none are stronger than the fear of losing something important. That’s what you guys taught me, you’re all so afraid to lose the things you love, that you’d destroy yourself to keep them safe. You guys even defy the simplest human instinct; you’ll always put yourself after others. That’s what I admire most about you guys.

He said with a smile as he closed his eyes.
Choji: If I was even a little bit like you guys, then I have no regrets.

As he spoke those words an image of a girl appeared before him. Her beautiful flowing golden hair made his heart race with its shine.
Choji: Then again, I guess I could’ve at least told her how I feel. I guess it’s too late for that now.

He said with a smile.
Choji: When a butterfly flaps its wings for the first time, it must feel like breaking away from the laws that bound it, doing something no other creature can do, by becoming something the complete opposite of what it was, and flying free.

Choji opened his eyes and smiled into the sky.
Choji: I wonder, when I became a butterfly, why was I so afraid to spread my wings and fly. Or maybe, I was never the butterfly at all. Then again maybe I was, but was too scared too accept it, afraid that if I flew away, my wings might break. I guess all it took, was for me to know that there were people who’d catch me if I fell.

Through Choji’s fading vision, he saw his friends standing in front of him, smiling as Shikamaru held his hand out to him. Their smiles were comforting, even as he lay, standing at death’s door, the faces he saw, made him feel happier than anything else he had ever experienced. In a state of pure bliss, he extended his hand, grabbing onto Shikamaru’s as the vision faded, and his hand dropped to the ground, and a cold wind brushed over the motionless boy.

         &nbs p;            & nbsp;           &nbs p;            F lash

Neji stepped forward, fixing the wrappings on his arms. With every step that took him closer to the enemy before him he thought back to the plan they had laid out. Neji smiled, knowing that he wouldn’t have to worry about the people he had left with, they were his allies after all, they’d be fine. Wearing that smirk, he stood before Kidomaru and dropped into his stance, waiting for the perfect chance to land a strike.
Kidomaru: So your friends are going to leave you here to face me?
Neji: I am all it will take to finish someone like you; they have more important things to take care of.
Kidomaru: Fine, but I think you’ll find that this game’s difficulty is higher than you can handle.

He said as he flipped back onto a higher branch of the tree they stood on and fired out four separate webs at Neji, who managed to slash through all of them in one single turn.
Kidomaru: I see, getting close to someone like you is dangerous. I’ll just hang back here then.

He said as he chewed away at the web forming in his mouth.
Neji: What makes you think that I’ll let you?

Neji once again lowered his body and charged across the branch, and then leapt into the air, moving for the branch that Kidomaru rested on, but while he was in the air three more webs flew at him, all of which Neji managed to destroy in a single turn, slicing his hand through them all, however there was one hidden under the others, a more focused strand than the others. The straight web latched onto Neji’s leg, however Neji was smart, he expected something like this and managed to cut through the web, but not the other four that latched onto all of his limbs in one shot.
Neji: Dammit!

He cursed aloud as with one pull, Kidomaru tugged him back and slammed him into the tree.
Kidomaru: Let’s go for a ride shall we?

Never giving Neji the chance to recover, he threw him to the side, into a much larger web awaiting him between the tree trunks, and then fired four more webs over it.
Kidomaru: Well, look who’s caught in the spider’s nest.

He said as he jumped down to the tree trunk and stared right into Neji’s eyes.
Kidomaru: You don’t look so good kid, guess you should’ve stocked more potions, huh?

He asked as he slammed his fist into Neji’s face, breaking his concentration from what he was focusing on.
Kidomaru: Whatever you’re trying to do must require a lot of focus huh? How well can you focus when you’re being beaten?

He asked as he punched into him again, except this time Neji ignored it.
Kidomaru: What’s this, you’re trying to tune me out huh? Well look around you kid.

He didn’t need tell him, through his byakugan he could see the tiny spiders surrounding him, however, losing focus over something like that would only help his opponent.
Kidomaru: That’s alright, soon enough you’ll be sucked dry, and there’s no continues in this game.

He said as he punched into Neji’s face once again, however, with unbreakable focus he managed to accomplish his goal, and with a single flew he broke through the web and dropped toward the ground, and in the same motion, threw a lone kunai up, slashing across Kidmoaru’s face, who smiled at the slight sensation of pain.
Kidomaru: Get em.

He ordered to the many spiders surrounding, making all drop after Neji who was still falling for the ground, but wisely he made no move and focused on the landing he was going to inevitably make. With a smile, he landed to the ground in a spin and lowered himself, positioning his arms in opposite directions.
Neji: 8 trigrams, sixty four palms!

He shouted as he slammed his fingers into the descending spiders, slicing through them as if they were paper. Neji could feel himself slowly approaching the end of his attack, but in order, yet there were more above him than he had thought, after reaching the final strike, he lowered himself quickly and whispered.
Neji: Let’s continue: One Hundred-Twenty-Eight Palms.

Turning back upward, Neji continued his assault and ripped through the falling spider right until he reached the final one, but this one happened to be at least as big as he was and as wide as cow. Stunned by the sheer size of it, Neji couldn’t react quickly enough to stop it from falling on him, but he regained himself before it had the chance to do more. Neji placed his feet onto the belly of the beast and kicked up as hard as he could, knocking it away from him, then he gracefully rolled himself four feet away from Kidomaru’s falling fist. Kidomaru had made the mistake of coming close to Neji; he was going to make him regret that. Closing the already tight gap between them, Neji slammed two strikes into Kidomaru’s chest, and then raised his hand upward, crushing his palm, into his chin, and with his opponent now airborne, he turned his body, swiftly forming a sphere of chakra around himself; blasting Kidomaru into one of the surrounding trees. From the side of his eye Neji caught the sight of the giant spider coming at him again, with a flip to the side he ripped out a kunai and landed on the spider’s back, preparing to rip into it with the weapon now in his hand. However, he quickly abandoned his plan in order the dodge the web flying at him, yet that made the second attack all the harder to avoid. Kidomaru’s feet slammed into his chest as he swing from one of the trees, dragging Neji with him as he soared through the trees. Then as he finally moved his feet away from Neji he spit out a thin web with a giant mass at the far end.
Kidomaru: Try and stop this!

He shouted as the spun in the air and slammed the mace into Neji’s back, slammed him down into the ground below. Neji hit hard, yet despite this, he flipped to his feet and dodged to the side, avoiding the spider once again. As both of his opponents closed in on him he leaned forward once again and twisted his body in a circle, spilling chakra.
Neji: Rotation!

Both coming at him were sent flying, but the brunt of the attack landed on the spider, Kidomaru however was able to recover on a tree branch not far above them, yet it left him oblivious to Neji’s approach as he leapt at him from the ground shouting.
Neji: Eight trigrams!

Once Neji landed he lowered himself and activated his rotation faster than he had ever done before, hastily turned himself to close the distance between him and his opponent.
Neji: Two palms!

He shouted as he slammed two lightning fast strikes into Kidomaru’s chest, and then continued all the way until he reached the 32nd strike. Kidomaru lashed out, throwing his hand upper left fist at Neji, but Neji caught it with no trouble and then grabbed his lower left arm, holding both tightly with his left arm as his right slammed into Kidomaru from under his arm. Once reached the 48th strike he slammed his palm upward into Kidomaru’s chin and slammed his right foot into his chest, knocking him away toward the base of the tree, where Neji delivered the final sixteen strikes, blasting Kidomaru through the tree and toward the ground, however Neji wasn’t done with him yet. With a swift kick back, he pushed himself forward and flipped through the hole with the older boy and lined his body up with him.
Neji: I’ll finish you with this!

Neji slammed his fingers into Kidomaru’s body as he spun toward the ground and on impact the slammed a palm into his stomach on the 94th strike. Neji then quickly lifted from the ground and tossed him to his front, where he delivered 30 more blows.
Neji: The last two!

With his hand drawn back, he held his other in front of it and slammed them both together. Neji’s right hand was now coated in chakra, so much so that it became visible, and without a moment’s pause, he slammed he open hand into Kidomaru’s stomach, and followed with an equally as powerful left palm, rocketing Kidomaru into the forest behind them. Neji, never being one to let down his guard stared off into the distance, waiting for the feeling of unrest to settle inside him, yet it never did. His fears came at him full force in the form of a flying arrow. Neji, seeing it coming from a mile away, was able to easily dodge the attack, but became curious to the purpose of the web attached to it. It didn’t take long for the meaning to become known though, after all, an arrow changing course mid flight and coming back for you isn’t exactly normal. Neji leaned down under the arrow as it flew for his head and then flipped back over it as it veered for his legs. Neji quickly realized the purpose of such an attack, he was being pushed back, he had already lost fifteen feet from his opponent’s position and was gaining to twenty. Abandoning his plan to dodge the attacks, Neji began running forward, keeping his all-seeing eye trained on the arrow behind him.

Using the method Lee had used against Tenten earlier in the day, he managed to dodge the attacks with little trouble, not just depending on his eyes, but on his senses as well, finally after managing this feat, he closed in on Kidomaru, who smiled at Neji airborne and helpless. Neji assumed the smile was because his opponent underestimated his ability to dodge the arrow following him, he had guessed wrong. The smile was actually because he had correctly underestimated Neji’s ability to dodge the twenty other arrows in the area, Neji wondered how he had managed to miss it, but that thought was replaced by the soon of his own screams, as he was ripped apart by the golden arrows.
Kidomaru: Whoa, to think that you were able to avoid taking a fatal blow. Are you using a cheat?

He asked as he watched Neji fall to the ground and bounce back, barely able to stand as his left arm had been disabled. Neji staring at the arrows around him had somehow lost sight of them once again.
Kidomaru: Did you forget kid? Orochimaru-sama and his friends created this.

He said pointing to a talisman on the trees surround Kidomaru.
Kidomaru: That talisman can dispel the Hyuuga’s little eye trick and while it’s all around me, that means the closer you get the less you can see. And while you’re far away from me you don’t stand a chance of getting me.

Neji’s eyes went wide and he wisely chose to fall back, but the second his back was turned Kidomaru smiled again, producing over seventy arrows in a second.
Kidomaru: Like I said, this game is too easy.

He said releasing the volley with enough forced to rip through the trees behind Neji, thankfully though he was able to retreat from the barrier’s range just in time to spot every arrow.
Neji: Rotation!

He shouted spinning his chakra into a sphere that repelled all of the arrows. As they all scattered and Neji’s rotation ended, much to his surprise, they were still hovering above him, and the second he stopped spinning, they slammed down on him.
Kidomaru: Hehe, it’s not so easy to get passed my attacks.

He said with a smile. Neji lifted himself from the ground, sure he had dodged all of them, but the pull on his body suddenly became strained, he had never felt it, but one of the arrows had pierced through his abdomen. After realizing this Neji’s vision became gray and he stumbled to the ground, slowly losing his sight. Neji’s left arm limply to the ground as his eyes stared of into the distance, slowly becoming unable to see anything before him.
Neji: Not like this.

He said silently as the sound of wind being cut through absorbed into his ears.
Neji: I overcame the Hyuuga blind spot so that nothing could overcome my sight, that wasn’t enough to dispel Orochimaru’s trick?

He asked out as time began to slow down around him. Neji held down his head and frowned in disillusion.
Neji: So this is the end?

Neji struggled to move his body, but it became all he could do to keep himself standing. Neji’s eyes unfocused and suddenly settled on an illusion in front of him.
Ishi: Why can’t I come?
Neji: I will not bend on this.
Ishi: Fine then, be careful okay. Promise me that you’ll come back.

Neji’s eyes reopened and then focused on something else.
Hinata: Neji-niisan, you’re going with Naruto-kun right?
Neji: So it seems.
Hinata: Since I beat you, you have to acknowledge me as the next head right.
Neji: Yes.

He said with a slight frown.
Hinata: Then this is my first order to you.

She said dropping into a stance of authority, one that almost made Neji laugh.
Hinata: You are to come back. Under no circumstances are you or Naruto-kun to fall out there. Am I understood?

Neji smiled, looking up at his little sister, a girl who not too long ago would have shivered at the sight of his shadow, now she was giving him orders and not only that, demanding his obedience. Despite all that, she was still the kind hearted girl who cared for everyone; she had changed so much, yet somehow, changed so little at the same time.
Neji: As you command.

He playfully responded with a bow. Raising with a smile, he turned back away from her and walked toward the gates where his allies were waiting.

Neji’s eyes snapped opened and with a single step to the side, he dodged all twenty five arrows and slashed through the threads holding them, and then grabbed tightly onto one of them tightly.
Neji: Heh, what can I do, after all, it’s an order from two princesses.

Neji pulled out the arrow piercing him with little more than a grunt and used the broken threads to tie them to his back.
Neji: I’m sorry, but it seems that I’m not allowed to die here.

Neji smiled and once again took a page from Lee’s book, by deactivated his byakugan and closing his eyes. He had depended on his eyes too much; a ninja who can only use his eyes is useless. With this thought he ran forward dodging the raining arrows coming at him as if they were nothing and effortlessly flipping through the openings in the volleys.
Kidomaru: No way, there’s no way this is happening!

He shouted, jumping away from his perch while firing at Neji, still none landed, and the distance he was gaining meant nothing in the long run. Neji was closing faster than he could get away, and before he knew it, Neji was only 30 feet away from him. Neji jumped into the air, and twisted around the arrows flying for him.
Neji: Gentle fist technique: soul-rending palm!

Neji landed right in front of Kidomaru and shot his palm forth with such force that it blasted away the arrows following him, yet it did little to the opponent in front of him.
Kidomaru: Ha, you think it’s that easy kid?

He asked as he revealed the hard substance under his shirt, stopping Neji’s attack, however Neji just smiled.
Neji: No, that’s why I brought these.

Neji ripped the two arrows from his back and slammed them into Kidomaru’s stomach.
Kidomaru: Wha, y-you’re c-cheating.
Neji: How, there are no rules in this game. Speaking of which, this is game over.

Neji placed his hand on Kidomaru’s chest and kicked him back, launching him from the tree branch, and then leaping after him.
Neji: Gentle fist technique: Eight gates assault!

He shouted as he descended on Kidomaru and landed eight extremely precise strikes on his body, sending him spinning on his head as he landed to the ground writhing in pain. As Kidomaru slowly died on the ground Neji’s body suddenly felt heavy again, with one gaze down he could see why.
Neji: I guess dodging them all was too much to ask for.

Neji chuckled, gazing down at the two arrows that had pierced his stomach, but through the adrenaline of the moment he had never felt them. Neji ripped them from his body and screamed in pain before calming himself and gazing back at Kidomaru who now lay motionless, there was no doubt that he was dead. Neji walked forward, ignoring the pain he felt, the blood spilling from his wounds, he continued moving forward.
Neji: I have to catch up, the mission isn't over yet.

He said to himself, still walking forward, now he was limping.
Neji: I can't fall here, I still have to return, I can't die, not until I see them again.

Neji looked forward with the sight of all the people he held dear.
Neji: Those who look at me with such warm smiles. I have to make it back to them.

Even as he tried, Neji's feet would no longer move; his body had lost all strength.
Neji: I still haven't.......apologized yet.

He thought, focusing on two faces in the crowd.
Neji: Then again, you wouldn't want one would you, you never asked for one. After all, you never hated me did you? That's why, I have to make up for all the things I did.  Besides I can't leave her, she'll never forgive me.

Neji's vision faded once again and with complete disregard for his own health and well being he defied all logic and moved into another step as finally the wind had its way, and with a thud, the boy fell to the ground wearing a distant and sad smile.

         &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;          Flash
< br> There were many reasons that JJ had been called big brotherly, the main reason was because of his protective nature with Naruto, but one of the scarcely explored reasons for this was his overwhelming sense of duty for those who stood under him. His entire village life had been spent training and watching over the void, but beside that there was the massive amount of time he spent watching over the young children of the village, all those younger than him. These traits translated into his transition to the leaf village as well. The meaning behind his big brotherly nature was brought to life by his need to protect. The reason behind mentioning this is because of the fact that not only did he feel a need to look after Naruto, but all those he worked with in the leaf village and in order to do this, he left something special for all of them, something they had no knowledge of. On all those he considered friends, he had left a small piece of his aura on their left breast, for those who can't look deep enough, this may seem perverted, but for those who look deeper, it is clear that under the left breast lies the heart. For you see, through the vibrations of a heartbeat, one can tell the state of another person, such as if they're excited, nervous, or at the highest, in danger. In close range, JJ could monitor where his friends were, yet never hear or see what they're doing. Even at the most powerful he could shift his aura into a different technique in order to alert or communicate with them. The reason for this being stated was that at the moment, he was rushing through the fire nation's border like a bat out of hell, because the heartbeat of two of his friends had nearly vanished.

Not many had ever seen JJ at his best and even still he had never used his strongest techniques nor had he ever used his strongest fighting style, he even found it necessary to hide his top speed, which at the moment was over 300 mph. His worry had soon turned to rage, if even one of those hearts stopped beating while he was gone, there was going to be hell to pay for any and everyone involved with the person behind it. With a rushed breath he stopped just short of the valley of the end, pausing to focus, so blind was he in his panic that he never noticed the auras of others in the area. Yet even as he ran, not far from the village came a conversation.
Raizen: Hehe, mama.
Mika: Look just shut up about it okay.

Raizen however still couldn't stop from chuckling, leading their companions to chuckle as well.
Mika: Don't you guys start.
Temari: Com'n when you said you wanted to stop somewhere before we came here that was the last thing we were expecting.
Kankuro: Let alone two, and they looked about ten, you most have been one wild kid.
Mika: What kind of stuff are you saying? It's not even physically possible to get pregnant at three!
Raizen: Still though, who would have guessed that you had kids, explains why you always frequently left the village. At least you're not a spy.....Mama.
Mika: Don't make me kill you.

Gaara, as expected, never said anything on the subject, he could guess why, yet he didn't want to interject in something like this.
Mika: I....I killed their real parents.

Mika's words silenced the chuckles and brought a dark atmosphere to the crowd.
Mika: They were the reason I stopped doing what my fa- Ganzumaru said. When I refused to kill them he beat me unconscious and when I woke up I found out that he didn’t kill them himself, so I started taking care of them.

And then came the long awkward silence that usually follows a story like that.
Raizen: Man why’d you have to say that, now it’s not funny anymore!
Kankuro: Yeah way to drag everyone down.
Temari: Killjoy.
Mika: It was never funny to begin with.

She said with a slight frown.
Mika: Just remember, I trust you not to tell Norugi about this.
Raizen: Yeah, yeah I’ll keep my word; he won’t hear it from me.
Mika: You guys too.
Temari: Do we have a reason to tell him.
Kankuro: It would be a good ice-breaker though. We could just walk up to him and say, “Hey sorry about the whole trying-to-destroy-your-village thing, let’s be friends okay. Why don’t we go get something to drink while I tell you all about how your girlfriend has kids?”

Then it was funny again, or so everyone, except Gaara who seemed to be a little peeved at the moment, began to laugh at the now fuming girl.
Mika: You guys are going to get along just fine.
Gaara: Stop this meaningless conversation, before I make you stop.
Kankuro: Oh, yeah. We’d better stop before Gaara gets jealous.
Mika: Huh?

She asked turning back to the red-headed boy’s older brother who seemed to have ruffled a few of his feathers.
Temari: Um, Kankuro, that’s a sensitive subject.
Kankuro: Right; my bad.

He said sending an apologetic look back to Gaara who was now moving slower than the others.
Raizen: Hey, guys we’re here.

He said back with a smile. However no sooner he reached the gates he saw the sight of a very familiar girl, one he had been avoiding ever since his fight with Sasuke, yet this avoidance was brought to an end by Sakura throwing herself at him.
Sakura: Raizen.

She called out softly making the others around him blush.
Mika: Uh, we’ll go on ahead.

She said as she led away the now more awkward feeling people away from the scene Raizen looked down with a blush of his own and asked quietly.
Raizen: What happened?

Sakura gazed up into his eyes and looked away; it had been ten minutes since they sat on the lone bench before the village gates. Raizen stared up into the sky and sighed.
Raizen: That idiot, what is he thinking? Damn it.

Raizen stood to his feet and turned away.
Raizen: Naruto said that he’d bring him back, so I’ll leave that to him.

Raizen turned to the village gates and began walking.
Raizen: But there must be something else I can do out there, so I’m heading back out, do me a favor and tell Tsunade-sama for me okay.

He said holding up a hand, a hand in which Sakura grabbed, holding tightly onto.
Raizen: Huh, don’t worry, he won’t get hurt. Naruto’ll get the job done so-
Sakura: That’s not it!

She shouted breaking Raizen’s sentence.
Sakura: Raizen…I want more than anything for you to be careful, who knows what’s out there and…

Sakura looked up to Raizen and smiled gazing at his face, now covered by his hair, swaying in the wind, shadowing his eyes.
Sakura: I-
Raizen: What did you say to Sasuke before he left?

He asked, interrupting her as she had done him; stunned by this Sakura let go of his hand and stepped back slightly.
Raizen: I’m not sure what you’re trying to say, and I may be presumptuous, but I’m still an Uchiha, so I have a very prideful spirit.

He stepping back away from Sakura as Mika and the sand siblings walked passed them, heading toward the village gates with serious expressions.
Raizen: I can’t settle for second place, I’ve never lost a race in my life; I don’t plan to start now. And I’d never forgive myself if I got your heart because Sasuke turned you down.

He said still walking away from her.
Sakura: That’s not what happened, I turned him down, I know now, I know what I want.
Raizen: Because you saw what you did way back when?
Sakura: No, that’s not-
Raizen: I won’t accept love through pity either.
Sakura: Please listen and-
Raizen: We’ll talk later okay, when you find out for sure what you want and why you want it.

He said finally turning around to the gates, joining the team of waiting shinobi, all looking at him with slightly displeased stares.
Mika: Don’t you think you’re being a little too hard on her.
Raizen: I’ve waited a long time to hear that, but not if it’s something she’s forcing. I want her to tell me in real words, ones that I can’t doubt.

He said closing his eyes to them.
Raizen: Besides, there’s something more important going on right now.

Mika nodded and stomped on the ground, creating a footing for the other children and Raizen placed his hands on the bottom then opened his eyes.
Raizen: Hold on tight, because I’m not holding back anything!

He shouted as he shot off into the forest ahead, leaving Sakura alone staring at the dust he left behind in his wake. Through closed eyes she clutched the crysm around he neck and smiled sadly.
Sakura: I knew he wouldn’t believe me.
Hinata: He’s just scared.

Sakura jumped to the side, completely surprised by the arrival of the Hyuuga princess.
Hinata: I’m sorry, but I saw the whole thing.
Sakura: Heh, I must have looked pathetic huh?
Hinata: No, you looked brave. He cares about you, don’t doubt that, he’s just afraid that…
Sakura: I might hurt him again.
Hinata: …Yes. He’s going to fight, just like Naruto-kun, so will you pray with me. That everyone will come back safely?
Sakura: ….Yeah.

Tears brimming her eyes, Sakura sat down at he bench and prayed, right now there were many things they could do, while she sat back doing nothing, she felt useless, at the very least, they could pray for the safety of those who went out to fight, because the storm was only just beginning.


         ;            &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;             ;       Chapter 21 end.



Naruto: Two down, three to go, I’ll that care of Sasuke you guys be careful.
Shikamaru: Got ya,
Kiba: Don’t worry about us.
Kimimaro: I will not let you halt Orochimaru-sama’s plans.
Naruto: Who the hell are you?
Kimimaro: The one who will end your life.
Naruto: I’ve heard that before and nobody’s been able to do it so far, what makes you think you’re any different?

Next time on Eye piercing the darkness: Eye of the storm!
Sasuke: Naruto!
Naruto: Sasuke!!!



JJ: Hello everyone and welcome again to Character introduction corner!
Sasuke: Wrong.
JJ: Right, right, story introduction corner. Thanks for correcting me.
Sasuke: No prob.
JJ: Wait a minute aren’t you stuff in a coffin right now?
Sasuke: This stuff isn’t canon remember?
JJ: Yeah it isn’t, but still. Anyway, let’s get the questions answered so that we can end this chapter of our lives.
Gaara: Why am I here?
JJ: Dunno, everyone’s here, so I guess you get to ask a question. Ask away.
Gaara: Sigh, why don’t I get to do anything this chapter?
JJ: Because you’re going to be in the next one, but that’s not really the type of question I was hoping for.
Gaara: I don’t care enough to ask more.
JJ: Com’n, just think of something.
Gaara: Fine, what are the relations between the village of light and dark and does the light village send out regulators as well?

Everyone stared at Gaara with incredulous looks.
Naruto: Dude, that’s an awesome question.
Mika: Nice one Gaara-kun.
JJ: I agree, that’s a good question, so I’ll answer. The villages of light and dark are the villages that preserve the balance in this world, so they have to make frequent visits to each other in order to keep up with one another. The land of darkness is stronger than the land of light, but that is because gods are very difficult to sway, and anyone who breaks into the gate of heaven are very likely to lose their life. Mortals are forbidden to step into the gates of heaven so the soul must be rend from the body in order to enter. In other words going into heaven is suicide; there is a zero percent chance of coming back out. For that reason it is very unnecessary to guard such a place. However do not make the mistake of thinking that the people there are weak, they are very powerful in their own rite. And yes, they send out regulators as well, many of them are spend into the large villages. However, a regulator of light and dark cannot regulate the same place so we are spend out, if I remember correctly there is a regulator from the light in the sand and cloud villages.
Kankuro: Wait, what did you say, there’s one of those people in our village? Who is it?
JJ: I can’t tell you that. You’ll find out soon enough though so don’t worry.
Kiba: Are all regulators kids?
JJ: Yes, the strongest young shinobi in the village is sent out to become a regulator, the reason behind this has a second meaning as well.
Shino: That being?
JJ: They are candidates to become the village’s next kage. In order to be the kage they must have knowledge of the world, so they are sent out to the villages to learn as well as monitor.
Mika: Have you ever been to the village hidden in the light?
JJ: I have once, it wasn’t a long visit, but Chris-niichan took me so I could see the job of a kage.
Yubiki: Is that where you met Amatueresu?
JJ: That was on another trip with Chris-niichan. I attended a meeting at the kage summit. That was also the place where I first met Sarutobi-sama. After the meeting was over Amatueresu-sama talked to me about lot of things, it was also where it was decided that I’d be sent here when Naruto was freed.
Naruto: How long ago was that?
JJ: About three years now.
Zabuza: This Chris person must be strong huh?
JJ: Very, but he’s not the strongest person in our village.
All: EH!?
Raizen: If he’s not the strongest than why is he the Yamikage?
JJ: Because he’s the second strongest. Originally they were going to ask Ryu-sensei to be the Yamikage, seeing as he’s the strongest person on this planet.
Sasuke: Isn’t that a bit wide?
JJ: No, behind Akuma he is unmatched in combat. He has never been equaled, never. There is nothing he can’t defeat; he even defeated Amatueresu in a fight. He’s that strong.

A collective gulp wished over the entire crowd.
JJ: Anyway, when he was asked to be the Yamikage, he declined, you see, he likes to challenge himself, so he travels and fights in order to better himself, he likes the freedom to do so and becoming the kage would have chained him down so he didn’t take the seat. So I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t take the kage seat until I defeat him.
Claire: And like I said before that’s very easy coming from someone who’s immortal.
JJ: I’ll do it before he dies.

He said with a pouted frown.
Mika: Speaking of which, is there a thing like the demon fox mark for dragons?
JJ: No.

He stated flatly.
JJ: Even making a pact does not grant one immortality.
Ino: Then I’m still going to get old?
JJ: Sorry, a pact isn’t some deus ex machina.
Ino: Then what is it good for?
JJ: I’ll show you later okay.
Tenten: If the gateways are such a problem, why didn’t the “transcendent beings” close them when they left?

Once again everyone stared with incredulous looks that soon shifted to JJ.
JJ: That’s one hell of a question. I guess it’s because of the fact that no matter what they couldn’t stay too far away from humans. If I remember correctly it was because they couldn’t close the gates, they’re kept here through human will, no matter whether they feared demons, there are those who desire their power, and no matter who far they go, human’s will always reach for the gods. This longing made humanity infinitely bind them to this world whether they want to leave or not. In the end it’s all broken down to humanity’s greed, and virtue.
Hinata: Norugi-niichan, does that mean that the village of light is also governed by the gods. If Amatueresu was able to go to another place as an emmisary?
JJ: Yeah they do that alot, much like demons do they sometimes walk among us, so while some people are saying their prayers to the gods, they may just be walking down the street at the moment. However the thing I don't understand most is the people who feel that god has to take care of everything that happens this on this planet like it's god's fault that humans are stupid.
Naruto: Did a little bit of your real feelings just slip through again?
JJ: Whoa, yeah, I need to stop doing that.
Lee: Since breaking the fourth wall anyway, what regilion do you believe in?
JJ: That's a touchy subject, but I'm actually christian. I'm not one of the faceless crap eaters like everyone else, but I have udoubted faith in it. But as the saying goes, "Only a pig eats all of the shit that shoveled in front of him." I have undoubted faith in god, but I don't like being told how to believe or what to believe or what makes that wrong or right. In short, I like to believe in my own way.

He said through closed eyes with a frown.
JJ: So I don't like to push my religion on other people, so I don't mention it much. I believe in letting people believe whatever they want, I mean what makes people happy is the right way, I believe this with everything that doesn't hurt people.
Sakura: .....Even-
JJ: Yes even that. As long as it doesn't bug me directly why worry yourself with other people's choices. Anyway, I'm putting back up the wall. Next question.
Hanabi: You're a jounin right, does that mean that your village has it's own form of the chunin exams?
JJ: Man what is it with you people and the good questions today? The answer is yes, but it requires more of the you know, risking your life in impossible tasks. very impossible, I nearly die out there.
Sasuke: What do you have to do?
JJ: Travel into the void and acquire something from the oni throne room. Fight there is like asking for death, it tests everything that you've learned. And you're ability to live in high presure situations. So it's just like yours, except that you have to fight enemies that could very easily kill you if they chose.
Shino: Why is it that the void kills those who enter?
JJ: It's mostly because of the presence of so many powerful entities, the clashing of power can crush a normal person, only those with demon blood can withstand such harsh conditions.
Naruto: Mom, didn't you say that Aunt Ammy entered the void, how was she able to withstand it?
Yubiki: She's a powerful person, a human and a god entering the void does cause damage to them, but just as certain humans can survive, so can those who possess great strength. Ammy has amazing powers so she could enter the void, though it did weaken her.
Tsunade: Why are you called sisters anyway?
Yubiki: Because the first time I met her we were in our beast forms, she was a wolf an I was a fox. After that we started playing together and we just kind of got along ever since. We were so close that our fathers started calling us sisters and it just kind of stuck. Before I knew it, we were calling ourselves that.
Sakura: What does she look like?
Yubiki: Well, she has the same hair color as Ishi and ironically we have about the same figure, now that I think about that’s kind of weird.

She said holding a finger to her chin.
Yubiki: Now that I think about it I do have picture of her.

Yubiki reached into her breast pocket and retrieved a wide shot picture of Amatueresu and her standing side by side, and almost instantly everyone looking at it sweatdropped, you see, she didn’t look a little like Yubiki, there was almost no difference between them aside from hair and eye color.
JJ: Are you sure you don’t have the same mother or something?
Yubiki: Of course I am, in order for that to happen we’d need to merge the blood between god and demon, that’s impossible remember.
Tsunade: That likeness is too much of a coincidence.
Neji: Is it normal for demons and gods to get along so well?
Yubiki: No, but there are those that have mutual respect for each other, or feel a strange sense of love like Kushuka and Gaia. We were different.
Mika: Hey, Fou-Lu said that Dragon descended from snake demons, so are dragons demons?
JJ: No, if a human grew wings and started flying around would you still call it human? Dragons are highly evolved creatures and as such we are considered our own species, actually were closer to gods than demons. They say that dragons are snakes that ascended and became gods. That is why we are called the endless, so no we're not considered demons.
JJ: Okay we have time for one more question, so fire away.
Kakashi: You always change certain things in this world from how they are, so why do so many things stay the same?
JJ: Good one, there is actually a lot of basis on this story based on fate and changes. Such as this entire story is based on realistic changes on the scale of the alternate universe theory.
Hanabi: The what?
JJ: The belief that there are dimensions that are directly adjacent to each other, where in this one you turn left and in the other you turn right, that one choice could drastically effect your life. So in this story there was a moment when different choices were made and it effect the flow of the world, can anyone tell what that choice was?
Hinata: When Naruto-kun was sealed away?
JJ: Nope. It was when the gods and demons decided to live with humans, it dates that far back. Because of them being here the clans descended from gods and half demons existed. Then there's the war, because of that even though most humans are unaware of the war today, because of the war humans have a greater fear of demons, which resulted in Naruto being sealed away. Or let me put it this way, because the gods inhabited the earth the village of light and darkness were created, and the Aname clan was born, because they were born, they had a war with the Uchiha, which resulted in a long lived blood fued, ending with the union of Yuri and Mirono creating Raizen. After the long lived war ended Sasuke's father, curious to his sister's reasoning unconciously desired to find what she did, leading to the creation of the Uchiha siblings.

Those words made Sasuke slowly lean back, as Yukari blushed and Itachi lifted a curious eyebrow.
JJ: Because of the hidden darkness village and the knowledge of the void, Orochimaru was able to gain the power of the Orochi, because of that Yubiki attacked the village and was sealed into Naruto was then sealed away. Because of Naruto being sealed away he wasn't able to become a member of team 7 and Raizen became his replacement. Everything in this story is born from a single seed that grew into a tree with many branches, nothing in this story doesn't directly result from that. And now that I got that whopper out of the way it's time to end this thing.
Naruto: That was rather sudden.
JJ: I said I was ending it didn't I? Besides I can't keep going on forever or the chapter will never get done.
Naruto: I guess.
JJ: So to everyone out there and everyone reading-
All: Shine eternal!!!!!
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