Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Life is Lovelier the Second Time Around ❯ To know yourself you must know your enemy ( Chapter 24 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and neither do you. If you are reading this and do own Naruto…I would like to apologize for killing you and taking your place…THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!! Don't own highlander. Or blazing saddles.

 

AN: Sorry this took so long but everyone here has read my other stuff and knows I've updated something recently. Ok…by now it's not that recent. I don't think the copies that they fight can talk, at least I don't remember them having any dialogue so most of the dialogue in this chapter is thought or someone monologueing. So it looks shorter than my other chapter but there are actually more words. Any ideas for the Ino vs. Ino fight?

 

Animeprincessinulover: Hinata's a little less crazy in this one. Glad you understand about me being busy. I feel like saying something with -eth at the end too…crap I can't think of anything.

 

Daianta: Sorry that I took so long. I'm glad you liked the last one.

 

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“Ooh…looks can be deceiving. Oh goody gumdrops whatever shall we do? Oh lawdy lawdy help us! He's desperate do what he say do what he say. Oh, oh help me! Help me! Help me! Shut up!” Hinata covered her own mouth and dragged herself away from Sasori.

 

“What the hell is she doing?” He asked turning to Sakura.

 

“I think she's taken herself hostage.” Sakura said watching her psychotic friend.

 

“Ah…does she do this…often.” Sasori asked. Sakura shrugged.

 

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Meanwhile Shikamaru crouched and stared at…himself. Neither one had left their thinking pose for ten minutes. `What is the last thing I'd ever do?' Shikamaru grinned and jumped up to attack his enemy blindly only to see his clone…copy…whatever make the same movement. “What a drag.” Shikamaru sighed crouching again. “Hmm…Kagemane no jutsu!” Both Shikamaru's sent their shadows out and…trapped each other mid handsign. “Crap.” They waited for the other to end the jutsu but neither moved. “If we keep trying to outsmart the other one we'll never even land a blow. So let's take a page from Naruto's book.” The other smiled and nodded. “One two three.” The pair relinquished their hold and charged at their opponent kunai in hand.

 

Both managed to pass the other's defense. Shikamaru got cut on the upper arm. Fake Shika was slashed along his side. “So, you're not just a mirror. You can use different tactics than I do. But you think just like me so you'll probably come up with the same plans I do. And the same counters for my plans. If I weren't so worried about the others I'd break out a shogi board. What a missed opportunity this will be.” He and the copy shared a small smile before rushing each other again. They met and deflected each other's blows only to retreat again.

 

`Okay just as good as me. Just as smart as me…let's see what can give me an edge here? Aha, grass! I'll just…I'm screwed.' Shikamaru groaned and reached for a kunai and paper bomb. He threw it about halfway between himself and himself before igniting it for a smoke screen. `Okay and this is the part where I'd.' Shikamaru leapt out the way of the copies shadow possession. He decided that if he played defensively he might have a better shot at finding a weakness to exploit. `Okay he's either distracting me or herding me. I've been watching this whole time so he can't have a trap set.' Shikamaru thought as he backed out of the shadow's range. A barrage of kunai flew from the smoke. Shikamaru quickly began swatting them from the air. ”What now?” Shikamaru watched as the smoke cleared and his copy threw a flash bomb over his shoulder.

 

“Dammit!” Shikamaru groaned as the flash not only lengthened the copies shadow, but crushed any hope of using his. He reached for his own flash bomb and tossed it at his feet to cancel out the other's effect. `We each have one more.' Shikamaru thought checking his inventory. `It's probably my only chance, but if I use it he'll just throw his. Think, there has to be something I can…'

 

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Flashback of Shino and Shikamaru fighting Kidomaru.

 

Both teens froze and looked at each other with a grin.

 

“Some tacticians, we forgot the most important rule…” Shikamaru laughed.

 

“Keep it simple.” They both said together.

 

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“Some tactician.” Shikamaru chuckled. He quickly threw his flash bomb right at the copy. It just smiled and stepped around it effectively using it to extend his own shadow. However just as he sent his shadow out Shikamaru threw a kunai attached to what looked like a dozen paper bombs straight at him. The fake Shikamaru froze and went for a kunai but was not fast enough and was engulfed in a huge explosion. A little too huge as the resulting shockwave and debris sent Shikamaru flying. “Ow…I think I was just mauled by a…ah screw it no one's around to hear my witty remarks. Hey shut up!” Shikamaru

 

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“Bubun baika no jutsu! Legs!” Choji tried to roundhouse kick his copy but it caught his foot with a giant arm. Choji put all his weight on his captured leg and lifted his other before bringing the heel down toward the enemy's head. The other Choji expanded his other arm and blocked the second strike. “Arm!” Choji punched but the copy blocked with his leg. Now both had a grip on their opponents. “Arm!” Choji planted his free hand on the ground and lifted himself and…himself off the ground and slammed the copy to the forest floor. “Take that.” Choji grinned as he leapt away and prepared to continue the assault.

 

“Baika no jutsu! Human Boulder!” Choji came barreling at his opponent who quickly rolled into a ball and met Choji head on. They bounced off each other but immediately resumed the attack. They glanced off each other, neither gaining much of an advantage. Choji ended the jutsu and braced himself as the copy rolled towards him. “Bubun baika no jutsu! Arms!” Choji reached out to grab the whirling ball of death that was the other Choji and hurled him into the air.

 

“Batter up!” Choji grinned as he ripped a tree out of the ground and waited for his opponent to fall. “Hyah!” He slamed the tree trunk against his copy and sent it flying clean through dozens of trees. (to the hippies, I would like to apologize) The copy fell limply to the ground and faded away. Choji smiled before falling to the ground. “Whew, methinks I needeth (I thought of one. Yay me!) carbohydrates.” Choji opened his pack to find his chips had been destroyed in the fight. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!”