❀✽[Fight the good fight! A Battle Begins In Konohagakure!]❀✽

[19]

Bonds can be formed over the smallest of things. As long as two people find a connection, it matters not what their differences are. 

 

 

Gaara

 

"We're almost there." He said over his shoulder.

The Jinchuriki had made a platform of sorts from his sand, hoping to speed the pace of his battalion to the battlefield. A battlefield ripe with danger and fallen sand ninja. 

Sand came naturally to Gaara. As naturally as if breathing. He didn't really have to think much about it, even less about protecting himself. It was his team that the boy was concerned for. He needed to save as many people as possible to atone for his crimes.

Death was inevitable a subject. One could avoid it only for so long. As for Gaara, he had welcomed it as a boy. Now, as he grew into a man, he wanted to prolong his existence if only to prove that he wasn't, in fact a monster. He needed to show the world that what they called a weapon, a demon, wasn't the case any longer. 

As his team of sand ninja made way to the coastline of Sunagakure just outside it's borders, he touched his tattoo and frowned. Nikko was becoming harder for him to recall. He wanted to memorialize her voice into his soul--it's sweet feminine tone that called to him. How he wished to speed time along, make the grains of time pass until he saw her again.

Such a romantic thought it was. How very different to his old self.

If he saw her now it wouldn't do. He hadn't moved the mountains yet, so to speak. Gaara wanted to prove to her and to all of Sunagakure that he was someone worth something, not a tool to be cast aside.

"Lord Gaara! Down there! I see one of those beasts!"

His sand paused in the air. Gaara calmly observed a group of coast guard ninja battling an armored warrior. At first glance one would say it was a beast. But to Gaara, it was a plaything. 

"I see. Stand down," he said over his shoulder. "I will test it's strength."

He sent out sand from the ground nearby, hoping to surprise the armored warrior. It saw his attack and jumped back with a metallic noise. So it has a subconscious then. Is there a life force inside? He wondered.

The coast guard ninja looked up and saw a giant wave of sand looming overhead, Gaara and his recruits. The coast ninja scrambled backward in alarm. "It's the demon! The sand demon is on their side!" They shouted.

Gaara clucked his tongue. Instead of berating their once well founded opinion, he would instead show them how wrong they were. "Sand Needles!"

The armored warrior was pierced with sharp blades--as sharp as glass itself. His sand punctured numerous holes into the silver enemy yet it remained standing. "I see...they are hollow inside, then." He murmured.

"What did he say? There's nothing in there?" He heard from behind. 

"Nothing at all?! What does that mean?!"

"It's the work of demons!"

Gaara shut his eyes a moment. If anyone saw him they would see a handsome and fine looking shinobi who was undeterred by everything around him. The boy had a seconds pause before he shot his hand outward, splaying the fingers apart.

Down below the sand began to collect around his enemy, lifting the suit of armor high into the air. 

He clenched his fist. "Sand Burial!"

***

 

Back in Konohagakure there was a battle of different sorts taking place. 

Naruto Uzumaki stood out on his second floor balcony, looking out across the village he'd lived and grew up in. His hand that rest on the balcony railing gripped it tightly. I know that she's not in love with me, he thought, but I...want her to be! Dammit all!

The fox boy caught a sudden chill from the cool night air. He was shirtless from earlier, too upset to bother with clothing. Nikko had left with Kiba, only giving him a apologetic smile.

As if it was okay--

As if he wasn't just fucking her right before--

"Arrghh!" He growled out. It was all his idea to date her, go along with everything until she found her 'real' love. Whatever the hell that even meant. Despite that, Naruto had grown fond of Nikko. So fond that she was on his mind constantly. Did she even give him a second thought?

Did she know that he was losing himself--losing his resolve?

He'd grown up alone his entire life. Until Iruka sensei had came along and shown him kindness. So it wasn't as though Naruto was knew to the concept. Except it was different for him this time.

As a babe, Naruto was given the curse of the nine tailed fox. It wasn't his choice to bear it. Yet he had, and suffered for all of his life. But he had comrades now in Sakura and Sasuke. The other villagers were warming up to him, too. 

Why was he feeling such loneliness, then? He wasn't alone--

He wasn't.

Right?

"Ugh...my head is splitting," he heard from below.

Naruto looked down at the street below and saw Kiba walking along, holding his head. Nikko wasn't with him. 

The fox boy grew angry. It came from nowhere. Like a bursting lid on a tea kettle. Naruto hopped over his railing and landed right in front of Kiba, grabbing his fur collar and shoving him to the ground. He snarled, "You can't have her, you hear me! She's not your girlfriend! So back off!"

Kiba looked surprised. He hadn't expected Naruto to come out of nowhere and suddenly explode on him. "H-Huh? What're you going on about? Who the hell is Nikko?"

"...."

The wolf boy looked genuinely puzzled. He shoved Naruto back and said, "And get off me man if you know what's good for you!"

Naruto's stomach tensed. It was either indigestion or... "W-What do you mean you don't know her! You two just left earlier on a date!"

"What? Now you've gone and lost your mind, too. Jeez. Start making sense or get lost." Kiba rolled his eyes. "I have a headache from hell and your annoying voice is only making it worse. I feel like I've been asleep for two damn days."

"Kiba-kun..." Naruto gulped. If Kiba was right and he really didn't know Nikko, then who had left with---

"Shit!" Naruto swore. "Dammit!"

He took off running only to be yanked back by Kiba. "Woah there. What the hell are you freaking out about?"

"Let go! Nikko-chan is in danger!"

"Grr, tell me already! This isn't funny at all."

Naruto shoved him away and tried to calm down. His nerves were all on edge like any second he'd be in battle, just like the time he felt Zabuza's killing intent. Only this time it wasn't his life he feared for-- it was Nikko's.

I promised Gaara and Nikko that I'd protect her no matter what! Dammit! 

Naruto hurriedly summarized the events. Kiba looked green in the face as he replied, "..This is serious. If what you're saying is true, then someone snuck into Konohagakure and pretended to be me...and they did it so well, too.."

Both paused to think over who it could have been. Who had the tools and knowledge to plagarize as someone else so effortlessly? Like they'd had first hand--

Naruto clenched his fist. "...It's him. Kabuto."

"You're right! He had all that intel from the Chunin Exams. This is bad! The Leaf Village can't handle another attack from Orochimaru! We've got to go tell the Hokage!"

To think Orochimaru would attack so soon left both of them ill at ease. They knew that the Hidden Leaf was lacking protection right now, with every available shinobi out on missions. It would be all too easy for someone to strike.

The fox boy shook his head. "No--you go ahead, I'm going after Nikko-chan."

It was clear Kiba was concerned about his ally in arms going off alone to face someone coniving like Kabuto, but he nodded. "Fine. Don't die."

"Yeah."

***

 

Nikko

 

"Ha..ha..." Nikko ran through the thicket of brush just outside Konoha's gates. She worriedly looked back as if she could see Shikamaru fighting. "I'm here, while he's out there fighting for me!"

Aponi fluttered above the trees. "Hime-sama! You're being followed! Hurry, use the Time Altering Jutsu!"

The girl shook her head. As a shinobi herself she knew that her strongest jutsu would need to be a last resort. Nikko said, "Not yet. Shikamaru-kun was right; I need to save it for later. Ah! Wait--I do know one technique."

She shut her eyes and concentrated. In Nikko Utsuri's past life she had been trained by Governess Gale as well as Yashamaru. As a result she did know a thing or two. 

With memories intact Nikko flicked her eyes around to look for a suitable object. At that moment a cat ran past--Nikko speedily pounced on it and grabbed the feline by it's nape, holding it aloft. "Sorry about this kitty. It's either you or me."

"Meow!"

"Shh!"

Her attacker was coming and with incredible speed. The cloaked figure hopped through tree after tree before jumping down right in front of her. Just as he began to attack, Nikko used the substutition jutsu. 

It worked.

While her enemy fought with a cat version of herself, the real Nikko ran off through the woods and back into Konoha. "Ha...ha...okay...I need to go somewhere safe.."

"Uzumaki-san swore to protect you Hime-sama."

"Of course!"

Why hadn't she thought of that herself? Perhaps being chased made one's decision skills lag. Nikko latched onto Aponi's suggestion and dashed through the dark street, yelling, "Naruto! Naruto!"

She shouted his name all the way through the back way to his apartment in the hope he'd hear and come out but nobody showed. 

After jumping onto his balcony and rushing inside Nikko had only a few moments to think. If she chose to stay where she was it was likely her pursuer would find her all the faster, because after all they did know she stayed with Naruto. So Nikko disrobed and threw on her purple kimono, brown obi, lilac tights, and grabbed her ninja tools and mask. She put it on. "Okay. Now I'm ready for a fight.."

"Hime-sama is really going to fight?!"

"I have no choice Aponi! If I don't fight I'll end up dead, or worse!"

"What's worse?"

Nikko paused. "Ya know, I don't know. But I'm not staying to find out! Ah..I just wish Naruto were here.." 

But now wasn't the situation where she could mope and cry; her life was in peril. And for someone who'd already lost it once her life was all the more precious. Nikko held out her kunai and jumped up onto Naruto's roof to get a clear view. The town looked sleepy and empty. One couldn't fathom that just some blocks away a battle between two shinobi was taking place.

It didn't appear that she'd been followed, at least. 

"I knew something was wrong with Kiba-kun from the beginning," she mumbled while looking around, "he didn't smell like dog. I should have listened to my instincts...but I guess I let my guard down."

As she pondered and looked over the area, she didn't notice that she was actually being watched...

Watched by one shinobi by the name of Sasuke Uchiha.

He'd heard Nikko screaming like an idiot, calling for Naruto and had came to investigate the noise. And just what was he doing out in town you may be asking? Well...

Sasuke was in fact saying his last goodbyes. Goodbyes to the village he'd grown up in--made memories, some good and some not so great. He'd made the decision to go seek out Orochimaru on his own. It was the only way he could grow in power, attain enough to hopefully overtake his brother Itachi Uchiha. 

So anyway--

Here he was standing on the roof partially hidden by an air unit, watching the masked shinobi Nikko Utsuri. Just what the hell was she doing? Sasuke knew why [he] was there--but what was she doing, dressed for battle and weapon drawn in town?

He narrowed his eyes. It was suspicious to say the least.

"Like I care," he mumbled. Despite his words of apathy he continued to observe her movements. 

His suspicions about her where in fact growing. Sasuke flash backed and recalled that she knew his name even though he'd never met her once before. One could argue that sure, Sunagakure might have had his picture somewhere, but for her to place him in just a brief split second? It was unlikely. He'd let that little incident pass, but she also knew what he wanted more than anything--

Taking down his brother.

For a foreigner to not only recognize his face but know exactly his innermost thoughts...

Sus.

Sasuke clicked his tongue. "What the hell am I doing? I look like an idiot.."

He sighed and turned to leave.

What did he care? He was leaving, going rogue--

"Naruto!"

She screamed his name loud enough to make neighbors flick on their lights and dogs start barking. Sasuke smacked his forehead, "Baka..."

He watched as Naruto came into view, fully clothed, and hopped to the rooftop where she stood perched. "Nikko-chan! There you are!"

Something...

Something wasn't right.

Sasuke tried to pin just what he sensed was wrong but couldn't. He studied their actions. Nikko flung herself at him and cried, "You're here! I'm so glad, Naruto!"

Naruto tilted her face back and kissed her. "Mmp!" She pulled away and said, "You're...not still upset are you? That I...went out with Kiba-kun?"

"Nope. Couldn't care less!" He smiled brightly.

Ah ha! 

Sasuke grimaced. That was most definitely not Naruto. Was Nikko Utsuri really such a fool? 

"I'm so relieved..." she sighed and leaned into him, "I was such an idiot Naruto...Kiba-kun was just a substitution! Whoever is after me made it here to Konoha...!"

"Oh, really?"

Sasuke almost laughed. Whoever that was pretending to be Naruto really needed to study their subject better. 

Nikko nodded. "Yes! And--when I came back and you weren't there, I---I'm so sorry! I should never have went out with Kiba-kun!"

"Don't worry about that." 

The Uchiha lad watched as Naruto slowly began to pull something from his back pouch--

"Dammit," Sasuke gritted. He'd have to step in as bad as he hated that girl. 

Sasuke pulled cord wire from his pocket and used his teeth, attaching it to a kunai. After he'd tied a knot into it he quietly jumped down and dashed over to Naruto's balcony. There he swung up the railing and zeroed in on the Naruto fake, throwing the kunai. The kunai sailed through the air before wrapping around Naruto. Sasuke tugged the cording and tightened it around his foe. "Got you," he murmured.

"Eh?! Naruto!" Nikko shouted. She held out her kunai and almost succeeded in cutting him free until Sasuke hopped onto the roof and startled her, "Don't, you idiot!"

The kunai in her hands shook a little. "I-It's you--! W-What do you think you're doing?! Naruto is your comrade!"

"...Yeah, he is," Sasuke agreed. He side eyed the fake, "Except this guy isn't him, you dweeb. Take a good look."

Nikko glanced to Naruto. "I..don't understand?"

The last of the Uchiha's sighed in disgust. Nikko was truly a disappointment. "...And you call yourself his girlfriend? Tch, don't make me laugh. Last time I checked Naruto was right handed. And he doesn't jump up on anything quietly. This buffoon couldn't even get that right. And would Naruto never say something like this guy--that knucklehead ninja is a hot head through and through."

"..." Nikko absorbed that information. "I...see. You're right, Uchiha-san."

The faker snarled. "So you were there all along. I should have known--"

Sasuke tightened his cording. "Now, who are you really? And who do you work for?"

***

 

"Where is she?" Naruto panted. He'd been running around like a fool for an hour now and still no sign of Nikko. Above him, the moon was brightly lit, glowing ominously as if warning him that he'd be out of time soon. "Dammit all! I'm no closer to finding her then before! At this rate--" he grit his teeth and shook his head, "No! I WILL find her!"

He took off once again, this time thudding through the opposite direction he'd just came from. Naruto's logic was betting that whoever took Nikko would be heading away from the village and toward the Forest of Death.

It was a costly bet.

Naruto had already circled the perimeter of the village, so he began backtracking to look for any signs that someone had been brought out--maybe smeared dirt, a lock of green hair, anything really. He'd take anything.

"This is all my fault," he growled while running. 

At the beginning of his search the night air had been chilly. Now he was sweating despite the lack of attire. Naruto didn't think that when he woke up today he'd be running through the village in just his boxers but here he was.

He rounded the corner and heard, "You're pretty smart. Let's see how you do with this!"

Naruto saw Shikamaru using his Shadow Possession Jutsu on a cloaked figure. As the fox boy watched, from the shadows a second cloaked figure emerged with features hidden beneath heavy shadows. "Shikamaru-kun!" Naruto jumped in front of his ally. "What the heck is going on here?"

"You finally show up." Shikamaru grunted. He was struggling to keep up his jutsu on the figure in front of him. Naruto's enemy stopped his attack and was waiting to see what the fox boy would do. 

"Sorry I'm late. Where's Nikko-chan?" He asked. 

"Can't say really...These guys may not be working alone. But I'm sure if you think hard enough you'll know." Shikamaru answered vaguely.

Naruto pouted. He had already been thinking lots and lots and had come up short every time. What would even more thinking possibly do? He growled, "Fine! She's safe right?"

"..Yeah."

"That's all I need to know." Naruto smirked, "Alright! Toss me a kunai!"

Shikamaru eyes went deadpan. That's when Naruto realized he couldn't do that without making his enemy perform the same move. "Er--I'll just uh, take one for myself. He he!" He jumped so that he was back to back with Shikamaru and felt in his pants pocket for the weapon. 

"Alright!" Naruto faced the cloaked figure, "I'll take you on! Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

***

Kabuto stood atop the Third Hokage's face, watching his plan come to fruition. He'd hired all the necessary cannon fodder as distractions, told them enough for their effort to be worthwhile, and promised to pay them handsomely. Kabuto knew each of them would try to take Nikko Utsuri for themselves...but that's where he would draw the line.

"I'm coming very soon, Nikko-chan. Wait for me, ne?"