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Naruto Fan fic: Bumps and Thumps!

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Narutober 3-Rock Lee vs Gaara by Kenisu-of-DragonsArt by nisu-of-Dragons

Bumps and Thumps!

Taking Argies hand Hakari stood up saying with confidence. “A few more bumps and thumps and I’m sure we will turn out great.” Which only made Argies shudder, ‘Why did they have to promote me to Chunin... I wasn’t trained for this’ he feigned a smile.
Hakari leaped back into the open field of stray straw. “Ready for the team spar?” her words heavy with the scent of challenge.

It was then in that moment that barks of an unexpected party met to confront them.

“Hey!” The prowler stood with hair made feral by vengeful lustier. “What are you doing here?” A question flung like accusation, a heated fingertip pointed up with fang tooth lips, cutting a remark that pieced with an intent not made to be pulled out with ease. “This area is restricted to Medical ninja only!” It was her, Argies Adversary!


Besides the adversary and her hound where four others, flashing eyes sparked with an infernos glare they each made their personal attack while casting lots for the first kick.


The elder of the three smirked and evil leer at the young boy whilst petting his own hound. “Fresh out the academy and breaking the rules already, I’m sure we can find a suitable punishment.”


“Yeah, I think it’s time to teach them a lesson.” Another cracked his knuckles in preparation, looking at Argies as he cracked each finger individually, watching as the boy trembled and flinched with each pop.

The third brother said nothing and instead of looking at Argies he looked at his sister and then drove forward with a punch that met Argies gut.


Sucking in a whizzing gasp for air, his eyes bulged and his hands coming to grip around his attacker’s fist, Argies mind formed to words a strange assortment of characters. “Why do they always *Gasp* punch the stomach.”


“That’s enough! Leave him alone.” Hakari more ordered than pleaded, but still she did nothing to stop it.


“Out here in the forest alone with them, what would mother say if she caught you?” One of Hakari’s younger brothers accused, his head turned so that he could watch the fight while ridiculing his sister at the same time.


“And what is that supposed to mean!” Her face flushed red and then white. “What would Dad say if he heard you speaking such nonsense?” Focusing her attention elsewhere Hakari called “Bite them girl, Bite them!”


The eldest of the brothers retracted his hand from their ninja hound as it snatched at the air which would have been his fingers. “Ouch no, bad dog!” The ninja dog jumped up and then twisting in the air, with a limberness not expected of a dog, she kicked him with her hind legs knocking him to the ground. Shielding his face and ears the elder boy who had been a threatening figure to Argies, burst out laughing “Stop it that hurts” as the dog proceeded to make her attack licking and nobbling at his ears and face, yet Argies was still afraid to fight back receiving the assault as his hazing.


“Don’t be stupid Argies, bruises aren’t cool.” Hakari called from the side lines with her fists held tight against the air as if she was watching from behind an invisible barrier. “What am I doing?” She asked herself, casting her arms down as if the restraints holding her back were broken. Taking up her arms once again she ran forward and punched one of her brothers as he moved to join in on beating Argies. “What did Mom tell you about bullying!” She ignited pain in his jaw, using each word in her sentences as a decimal point to another punch. His jaw terrible bruised and swollen making him the victim of her own brand of bullying.

Seeing this Argies still could not help but receive every knuckle, scrap, glance, kick and clip in at his skull and body. His adversary joining in with her hound to bite and box Argies bloody and raw, still he stood blocking but refusing to avoid the attack. ‘If this is my hazing, my punishment, then I must accept it.’ He thought to himself.


Hakari with her hands occupied, called back to Amoroto. “You know you are more than welcome to join any time Amoroto.” Her voice ringing with impatience as she kicked and punched at her brother who had now resorted to curling up into a ball to avoid the wrath of her the younger sibling. “Why are boys so stupid?” Hakari asked herself before trying once again to stir her team back together. “Hey Argies, what’s wrong with you? Has your brain gone on vacation again, or are you just too thick in the head to scream ouch!”


“I can’t” Argies whispered, his efforts to block his attackers’ blows pathetic but that wasn’t what was holding him back. “I can’t...” he said again, his eyes red which only make Hakari roll her own eyes in disbelief.


Yet is was these words, ‘I can’t’ which inspired another of their team to act. “Please Argies sir, fight back I believe in you.” Amoroto jumped in blocking the blows Argies would have received, taking a fist to the face before falling back and out of use. “We can do it together.” He stood up taking one of each of their opponents’ arms, hoping Argies would take this opportunity to target the Chunins ribs and the Konoichi’s chest. It took all of Amoroto’s strength to hold back the ninjas’ arms, Hakari’s brothers were just as strong as her and the Konoichi burnt with a flame that bulged her muscles just as fiercely. The ninja hound and Argies adversary kicking Amoroto and biting at the legs of his pants, but he would not let go. No he would not let go, for he trusted Argies to be strong, and so he held his eyes shut and his arms tight.


With a mocking smile Argies broke his voice into the clearing “Blood Siphon jutsu!” and no instead of knocking his Adversary and Hakari’s brother out with a fist he did it with a jutsu. Blood collected off the skin of his attackers and reformed on Argie’s own body, healing the cuts to him and reducing the swelling of his welts. The ninjas fell and Amoroto rolled away in disgust. Grabbing a fist full of the Chunin’s vest, Argies lifted him partly off the ground “Now run back home and don’t ever attack my team again.” the blood that still stained his face collected and ran back into the wounds the boy had created. Turning to his Adversary, an opponent he left for last, he settled is eyes on her to linger and bore while Hakari’s brothers ran back home.


“This isn’t over” One of the boys squeaked in their retreat but Argies paid them no attention.


Argies held his Adversary against the earth with his eyes alone, no threat of menace left his chakra to inspire her to stay. No she stayed, were as the boys ran, because she was there for vengeance not for fun. Breaking the silence and the soft patter of Hakari’s brother’s feet in escape, Argies buckled. His heart pounded, his hands shook and his voice quivered in address of the last remaining opponent. “Arisu Inuzuka,” Taking comfort in the fact that he was at least somewhere around her size and age, he let fly his insecurities but let his words remain off topic of the source of his unsteady voice. “You know after our Chunin games together I came across your profile. You are an inter-village ninja, but not for the reasons I was. Your sensei is in the ANBU and because of that fact your team can not be declared as a full-fledged ninja team. That must be very frustrating for you, not being able to leave the Leaf because of such a silly technicality.”


“Humph what would you know about it, now that you have been promoted to Chunin?” Arisu crossed her arms and turned her face away from Argies, facing instead her hound, it was difficult for her to see her rival like this. A boy she focused all her training on, to hit maim and defeat in her mind every time she failed, though she was please he thought of her too she did not like the look of fear in his eyes.


“Katsumi, you were in the ninja profile too.” Argies smiled at the ninja hound, his team still dusting off their clothing and gathering their senses of what just happened. “I’ve been meaning to find both of you ever since and I’ve been wondering something…” His thoughts drifted off. “Nah you would never tell.”


“Never tell you what?” Katsumi barked along to her masters questions.


The colour slowly returning to the rose tinted whites of his eye, Argies regained himself slowly as he pretended nothing was wrong. He continued on. “It was nothing don’t worry about it, you are free to go”


“No tell me what you were going to ask!”


“Well, well no… no you would never…. Maybe?” Argies turned away with his arms forming an ‘L’ with a single hand rested on his chin in thought.


“Tell me or I’ll show you the special training my cousin taught me.” Arisu threatened which only made Argies ears perk.


“Special training? Well yes I was just wondering if in the forest of death, that women you turned into to fool me… was that supposed to be your sensei?”


“Mmm…” Arisu eyes widened and she shock her whole body in a not to convincing no.


“Bark Bark!” Katsumi seemed to agree, they didn’t know… the dog lied.


“I wanted to know because as far as I know all of the Uchiha are dead except for two males, your sense had red eyes that looks suspiciously like Sharingan to me.”


“No you were seeing things, I don’t know what you are talking about. I’ve got to go.” Quickly and without a word more, Arisu ran off with her dog in toe.


Hakari, deciding that this odd gab between conflict and conversation was over, stepped in with one single question. “What did you do to her?” Followed by a disparaging stare in the direction her brothers ran off in. “My brothers wouldn’t have come her by themselves… they couldn’t track chicken noodles if it had legs. She must really hate you, I mean to test out her new technique on you in particular! That would stamp red warning signs in any one’s bingo book.” Whispering with accusation creased in her pressed eyes she asked again. “What did you do to her?”


“Funny story about that”




“…Vomit everywhere. I tell you if I ever have to make a trap like that again, you can bet I do not want to be around when it goes off or even after for that matter.” The white walled waiting room echoed my story down the halls of the disinfectant washed hospital as we walked to our destination.


“Report to the examination room A045”


“If it was me I would make sure to get some of it on you. That is just disgusting and I would make sure you would find out just how many knuckle sandwiches I had for lunch because I would be aiming them at you.” Hakari punched me for good measure; I won’t be planning that trap on her in future anytime soon. No thank you. I rubbed my sore arm.


“Doesn’t it bother you Argies san, I mean she and her team are plotting revenge and you don’t know when it might happen. Traps should always kill” Amoroto seemed to make a mental note of his last statement, his eyes hollow and lost thinking about the team adversary after me and possible my team.


“Well… now it bothers me, now that you’ve said all that. *Sigh*” I heaved a heavy breath and my shoulders fell heavy under the weight of my exhale. I do feel tired but that was what adversaries were for. Keeping each other alert all the time, I think I need to return the favour sometimes soon. That made me smile, even if it was a half-smile, I offered it to Amoroto who appeared dishevelled by my disconcertment. “I guess I will just have to keep my eyes peeled.” I popped my eyes out used a thumb and forefinger to show Amoroto the inside of my eyelids which earned me a little giggle that told me he was alright.


“Speaking of eyes let’s find that examination room, Amoroto’s eye is starting to look infected” Hakari read off a room number stamped next to the door. “A024, nope nowhere close. Come on let’s keep moving before it pops” We continued on, the halls of the hospital quite loud for a healing environment but then again we weren’t making it any less noisy. Since the invasion they had an extra set of ninja and civilians hanging around, chronic injuries don’t heal well and every serious injury demands a check-up appointment posted for a future date.
I wondered if the Leaf would ever fully heal, actually I wondered a bunch of things. Did they ever follow through on Yuu’s suggestion to create more ninja departments to handle tracking, trap making, weapons training and the lot like the Medical, Seals, Intel departments developed long ago? I mean that guy is still in the Village, insuring the Daimyo’s will is heard and that the Leaf is tested against the possibility of an invasion. A test we failed the first time and who’s to say there won’t be another test, or worse, an actual invasion… although what’s the difference between a test and real life. You fail either way… when unprepared.


“Hey Argies sir, was your blood jutsu your plan all along? I mean why didn’t you fight back, were you planning to use your blood from the start?”


“Ha, why are you asking? Would you have avoided the black eye if it was any different?” I smiled down on our little ninja, our own kid in the team.


“No it’s just that… you looked scared” He pouted up at me and with his blue eye I have to admit it looked quite cute.


“To be honest Amoroto, what you did was quite brave, defending your team mate even against older and larger opponents. I on the other hand, well Hakari your brothers Are older than me and intimidating. I didn’t see it coming, I wasn’t prepared and I was terrified. I mean if I attacked them things would have always been awkward between us, but if I was beaten up they would always tease me, so…”


“So you decided to frighten them so they didn’t know if they won or lost… Interesting plan” Hakari mocked with a jeered smile not totally buying my story. You can’t blame me for trying to act less than human in front of my team, fear happens to everyone ok.


“Well it just kind of happened, no plan intended. That and I was super super outnumbered? It was six against one if you included the dogs.” That figure made me think back to The Forest Of Death. Arius’s team had consisted of a dog, two puppets and a Byakugan user and a puppet master plus Arisu; Six against one and the Kinjo state… Cheating. I smiled at that.

“Excuses, besides you had me and Amoroto. We’ve faced a HFO and lived, who else can claim that!”


Coming down the corridor was the warm greeting and smile with a bark to match of a friendly face. “Hey Ariges, HFO?” His fur coat hid his package sized pet and his fuzzy personality enticed people to want to be around him.


“Kiba!” I ran up to him not knowing what to do with my arms or hands; the excitement compelling. I mean here was a guy who visited me in hospital and stuck around after I vomited on him… even if it was vomit-less vomit. I extended a hand instead and he took it while scratching his tattoo marked cheek with another hand, a bead of sweat -caught off guard by my welcoming reception- slowly trickled down his face. “Hey I saw your cousin Arisu today”


“My cousin?” He blinked at me as I let go of his hand. “Oh, I bet Arius was eager to show you the fang over fang techniques we have been practising together hahah.” He laughed nervously.


“Agh so I have you to blame for that, Amoroto even took a shining for me as a result.” I looked back at my team. “Oh sorry where are my manners” I smiled meekly at Hakari’s unimpressed slow folding arms “This is Hakari Kessho, and Amoroto Shizukana. They are my team mates.”


Kiba took his time shaking their hands and offering a little personality into each greeting while Akamaru, barking and panting, with a smile took in their scents. “I didn’t know you had a team, sorry if Arisu gave you guys a hard time. I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it, it’s not like I was training her for payback, ok no that's a lie. Ha, you should have been there she couldn’t stop cursing you during training. Hahaha, but what you going to do, that’s us Inuzuka for you” He spoke about revenge so off handed, with his shoulders shrugged in a relaxed helplessness to trying anything contrary to training my killer.


“Pfft” Hakari ready to punch him reconsidered, he wasn’t part of the team… No knuckle love for you. “You know you could have just not trained her, you know like a normal person who hears someone plotting revenge, but don’t worry. Next time I hear someone mention your name and how much they hate you, I’ll be sure to turn them into a threat.”


Kiba gulped and Akamaru whimpered “I’ll… talk to her.”


“How is Akamaru by the way, you’re not visiting because something is wrong are you?” Amoroto looked at me with a question on his face, he was on silent mode like Genjuu and Taka having to speak through Fuma for communication. I took it as my role as team leader to decipher his meaning. “Oh Akamaru is Kiba’s ninja hound, that little guy there sticking out his jacket… hmm I forget, are you allowed pets in the hospital?” I asked Kiba.


“No, and if you could keep it quiet,” Kiba looked around making sure no one overheard our very loud conversation. “I would have taken Akamaru home if there was anything wrong, mom always knows what to do. Besides the Inuzuka house has a fully stocked supply of treatment pills.”


“Uhm, then why are you here?”


“That kid from Gai’s team is out of surgery and healing up, you should visit since you are already here… poor guy probably doesn’t have much of a ninja career left.” Kiba twisted his lips and patted Akamaru on the head. “Good meeting you again Argies, I’ll see you and your team around, Akamaru and me have a lunch date prepared.” Kiba saluted, but before he could walk off I grabbed the arm of his jacket forcing him to turn back around. “Problem?”


“Yeah, what room number is Lee in?” I didn’t let my eyes find his; I didn’t want him looking into my soul.


“His right at the end of the corridor, there is a room there they have for prolonged injury.” Kiba gave no hint of what he thought about my sudden change of mood, but when I let go of his jacket he didn’t immediately walk off. Kiba is a good guy, unlike everyone else who showed up at my Hospital room, he came to visit not because of any obligation but because he cared enough to be there. Hmm Hinata too, they are quite the caring team and I’m not going to exclude Shino because he didn’t show up. He doesn’t really know me, but I can tell his caring too by how he defends Hinata… you know like when I use her to find Naked Ladies playing in the grass. That makes me smile and pulls me out from the funk of hearing about Lee. I hope he’s well and I’m glad he survived the surgery, even if it is just for a life without ninja training.


“Who is Lee?” Hakari placed a hand on my shoulder; I was still facing the spot Kiba had been in, facing a wall with no one between it and I.


“I know Lee Hakari san, he was in the ninja Academy with me.” We both looked at Amoroto’s swollen eye and began walking again. “Ergh uhm… We graduated together a year ago. Argies san? What happened to him, why does he need surgery?”


Feeling very distant I let my tongue do the talking, my mind drifting in memory and my body walking down the corridors of a present that wasn’t there with me. “During the Chunin exams, one of our tests was the forest of Death. A marked off area, with Chunin level predators and threats. The challenge was simple enough; it pitted teams against each other in a time period that stretched a number of days. After those days of fighting and surviving, the real challenge surfaced. They wanted us to compete in single combat, eliminating the competitors, reducing our numbers to half of the original survivors of the Forest Of Death.”


“Survivors?” Amoroto asked, his voice sounding very small, very apprehensive, very innocent to all the bloodshed in the life of a Shinobi. You do not know, you couldn’t, just how bad it can get even in a competition in your own Nation. How savage we became, how we become.


“Yes survivors. Teams who lose a member in the forest of Death are eliminated from the test, but injuries do not prevent you from struggling on. That was our state after the forest and how we entered the preliminary rounds of the Chunin exams. We were all struggling and most of us expected that it was over, that the next step would be a month of healing, rest and training before the finals. We were wrong. In the preliminary we pushed ourselves to the limits and our opponents pushed back, but of everyone Lee pushed hardest.”


We stopped; we were standing outside room A045, my team waited. They were waiting on me. “Hakari, you can take Amoroto through on your own, I’m going to Lee’s room. This hospital is so large it looks like it will take some time before I reach it, I’ll come see you guys when I’m out.”


“You do that, but don’t forget to get a check-up yourself. My brothers don’t mess around and that Arisu didn’t find you to leave you spotless after the encounter.”

I turned; time to begin my journey down these long corridors. Tempered with the anticipation of bad news, hallowed out by cries of loved ones lost, turned white by the realisation that we are all alone, the corridor to Lee stretched waiting.


“Argies sir, you’ll tell me how he is won’t you?”


“I will, don’t worry, it won’t take long.”

As I walked away, my team lingering a moment before disappearing into room A045, my mind could not help wonder through the past. ‘Lee child, my friend that I could not call friend because our affection was something more than a kinship. A strange fondness that could not be bound in words but instead felt in our comradery of each other. We were rivals, though you were you and I was I, we were rivals in an indirect way. I could never compete with your stamina or your determination, though we enjoyed our jogs together and our competition across that bridge overlaying the waters of a time long past, I did not rival you in that way. No we were rivals but no we were not rivals of a shinobi life, instead we championed each other with our courage alone. In our contest of determination, in our battle of kinship unkinked, we were two separate people striving to live a life of harsh ridicule. I an inter-village ninja, showing no promise, and you a chakra handicapped ninja, dismissed even before you could prove your worth. Now brave Lee, now that you have fallen, how can I match my courage to your own when you have committed so much of yourself to it. The measure cannot be matched, and yet my heart hangs heavy and my head turns down. I hold no pride for you, though you are victor, the sorrows choke me and break the harmony from my voice… because all I can do for you my friend who is far more than friend… is pity you.’

Reaching the door, already part open, I slid it aside into the wall it gloved it’s self with. Inside my eyes burnt and my fingers trembled. “Lee…” I walked over, my footsteps made stiff by the unholy ground, and fell to my knees next to his bed side. The beating of his heart reduced to a periodic beep, his breath assisted by tubs of oxygen, drips piercing his vein, his blood trickled down with medication.

“Why Lee, why did you keep fighting, why did you let pride blind you against the dangers… why didn’t you concede defeat…Why Lee, why did you have to be so brave.” I grabbed a hold of his hand, my heart compelling me to comfort him but how could I? ‘’I didn’t know the surgery would be this bad, Kiba didn’t show any sign that you would be like this. What am I doing…” Talking to myself… No not to myself. I can’t comfort Lee physically, in these hospital rooms no one could, but perhaps I can still his soul.
“*Sigh*, If I was injured, you would have been so much better at this. You were, better at this. That time when I was in the hospital and even then you were injured too yet you brought me comfort. You are a breath of fresh air even when there is no air to be had. When our breath is shortened by life’s burdens, you are the Air Freshener that makes the air worth breathing again. I don’t know why I’m talking in analogy Lee Child but perhaps it is because you are a blast of enthusiasm that I just can’t match with ordinary words alone. The icing on the cake of life, that is what you are. It might be the soppiest expression of how much we miss you, still you are worth it. You are worth all the tears, the emotions and the expressions that are our love for you. The Leaf needs you Lee, Tenten and Neji need you with them on their side, Gai sensei needs you the most of all… and I need you. That water under the bridge, our exercising bridge, is still flowing by missing us… missing you.” With my face pressed against his bed, my hands both clamped around his, I heard the gargled resolve of the power of youth.

“Lee?”


“Remember the thumbs up Argies” He forced through the tubs that obscured his words, but looking back at my hands I saw his. The thumbs up, where we were connected. The thumbs up he used to promised me that he will survive. The thumbs up he could still keep because he was awake, alive now.

Could it be? When I absorbed the blood of dead Chunin that died defending the gates of the Leaf. Could it be? When I absorbed chakra from those prison break ninja the beast masters… Could it be? When Kinjo throw me into healing springs a whole other existence away in the summons realms? Did he feel it too?
“The thumbs up were we are connected?” I uttered as a whisper, the sound of the monitors attached to Lee beeping louder than my words could be heard.


“Remember the thumbs up Argies.” He repeated and my eyes began to brim up with tears, “I am here because of you.” and then my heart sank and lifted all at once. ‘What does he mean?’ “The thumbs up, my promise to you that I will survive the surgery.” His voice crocked hoarse and off beat from his usual enthusiasm, but it was Lee child all the same.


Standing up I wanted to hug him… “Lee” but all I could do was repeat his name. His body reclined with no way to put my hands around him so instead I shock his shoulder like he did mine. The bolts of the hospital bed squeaked, reminded me of his visit when I was too weak to get up. “They still haven’t oiled these squeaky beds I see.” I cut a path in my face, a smile, it had been so long since I’d smiled so brightly.


Lee smiled too, a broad confident smile, a smile that often irked me at how well it matched Gai’s, “As long as we keep squeaking these joints they have no need for oil.”


He beamed his smile again and I could not help laugh as he gurgled under the restraint of the breathing tubs. “Oh Lee child, it is so good to be here with you…”


“Knock Knock Knock” Hakari said knocking on the wall instead of the door that was hid away.


“Come in Hakari I want to introduce you to someone.” I extended a hand out welcoming her without really looking directly at her, my eyes were focused on Lee.


“I didn’t want to just enter, I might have interrupted and probably overheard a few emotional things otherwise.”


“What does that mean?” I squinted my eyes, turning them on her because that defiantly meant she overheard something! To my surprise Amoroto wasn’t with her and something else had taken his place.


“Here these are for you” She handed me the bouquet of flowers. “I didn’t know what flowers to get so I just got the yellow ones… yellow is a good colour right?”


“Ha, yeah yellow is just perfect I think. Thank you Hakari now let me introduce you to Lee, I assume these are for me to give to him?” I put my an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in. “Lee this is Hakari the first of my team mates”


“You make it sound like you are planning on getting more of us.” Hakari extended a hand out to Lee.


“I might, building and army doesn’t sound like a bad idea” I joked, but who knows who was listening… ‘Tsunada!’ I mentally grumbled


“Nice to meet you Lee, a friend of ours Amoroto wanted to wish you well but he’s still having his eye checked up… thanks to Argies.”


“Hey I didn’t punch him!”


“I didn’t say you did!”


Our jostle was broken by laughter “Sounds like you are the team already” Lee child, I’m glad I could make you happy. I placed his flowers on the pedestal of his bed, somewhere when he could see them and somewhere that wouldn’t obscure his view of the Leaf through the large windows letting in the light. He was going to be here for a long time still, if not for the rest of his life.


“You have a point” I cracked my wrist casually as things began to return to normal. “I mean we have only been a team for what? Four days?”


“Four days!” Hakari exclaimed before punching me. “You called me cute for guessing four days, what was with that?”


“Yeah well whatever.” I rubbed my arm, it was always the same one why! “I’m just surprised my arm hasn’t died and fallen off from all the abuse I’ve been receiving from you”


“Pffsh, I’m just conditioning you. Think of it as training for when Arisu finally catches up to you and decided just winning one battle isn’t enough. You are going to lose more than just an arm then. Also mission assignments are coming up soon again. I can just feel it in my crystals. Tsunada has been handing out missions none stop since the invasion… or maybe that is just how she runs things.”


“You know although we have been out of the Village we haven’t really been out… I mean look at that recent HFO mission. We didn’t get to see the village we were apparently protecting. Don’t you wonder what other villages are like? Come to think of it, that wasn’t even a ninja village. Just Imagine that!”


“HFO?” Lee asked, his eyes half shut… sleepy?


“Hey bud I think we should leave. If I see Gai or anyone from your team I’ll tell them that you are well. I think most of them must be on a mission or something anyway because it would be strange if only Kiba came to visit along with us.”


“Kiba…”


“Yeah Kiba was here earlier… I’ll tell him you’re alright too. Ok, hope to see you up and healthy soon dude.”


“Nice meeting you Lee, I hope you get out soon.”



Amoroto was out of the hospital not long after. We were unsure of where to go following that because frankly going back to training felt Trepidatious now. Going for another team eat out would probably make me throw up and I don’t think the others would welcome the idea either. It would be great if I could go to Kosuke for some extra tips on my specialised training, Drifting in mist wondering in winds. I didn’t want to abandon my team however.

We decided to just go for a walk, since standing outside the hospital didn’t seem very productive. With no real direction in mind we kept our thoughts to ourselves

Randomly I found myself in conversation, expressly excluding Amoroto since he wasn’t there. “How come you didn’t know which flowers to get for Lee? I thought that was part of Konoichi training, learning flower code so you could sent secret spy messages in the form of flowers..?” I guess kind of like the message Hinata sent to Tenten, though I don’t remember any flower names after Tenten throw me down.


“Yeah I do but it wasn’t that I didn’t know which flowers to pick… it was that the saying ‘pushing up daisies’ which kept bugging me even though daisies would have been the appropriate get well soon bouquet” Hakari lifted a hand to brush away a few stray strands of hair from her face. To which I immediately flinched expecting a punch, seeing as I accused her of an absence of knowledge or thought or whatever triggered her reflexes “What!” and in even that my reaction caused her offence and she punched me for good measure.


“Ow! Not fair I can’t punch back.” I rubbed at my dead arm, trying to return the feeling.


“I don’t see what’s stopping you… or is this something I should expect from you and confrontation. You didn’t seem to handle my brothers very well.” She mocked with a coy smile.


“Come on!”


Amoroto held an arm crossed over his chest, clutching his other arm like a wounded animal, he looked up at me.  “Argies sir, if it is ok? I want to go home.” His cheeks glowing a light red before he looked away from my eyes.


“Uhm… ok? Do you mind if I ask why haha” I chuckled both nervously and in the fact that he had to ask permission so… awkwardly.


“My eye hurts and the Hospital didn’t give me any medication for it” He pouted, which seemed to be his thing now instead of being too meek to express himself.


“Shame Argies you are so mean.” Hakari took the role of the older sibling, cupping a hand around Amoroto’s face like he was the baby in our team. “Sure you can go home Amoroto. Do you need some help getting there?”


“No I’ll be fine” and then Amoroto’s face turned red for a completely different reason, not totally comfortable being coddled.


Trying to draw attention away from the… team bonding… I directed our thoughts away from emotion. “Does your grandmother have any healing arts? Singing medical ninjutsu sounds like a great idea! Is that possible?”


“Hnn no, we collect mushrooms” Amoroto said sounding quite timid. “Ok Argies, Hakari. I’m going to go now.” He walked off not saying another word, his eyes down and his footsteps brisk.


Hakari and I looked at each other “Bwahahaha!”


“Argh man his so easy.” I said unable to contain our shared laughter.


“Hoo anyway Argies I’ve got to go too. I’ll have to get my brothers in trouble with my parents before they try something else that might upset Amoroto.” Hakari cracked her necked by stretching it to the side in a hand. “That or I’ll have to punish them myself.”


“Ok then Hakari, see you guys tomorrow at the training grounds unless anything comes up. I’ll fetch Amoroto or at least tell him to find you there.” I headed off in my own destination, ‘Kosuke here I come’.




On his way to Kosuke, the Leaf’s oldest genin and possible the Shinobi world’s oldest above all. Argies could not help have his mind drift from thought to thought as his footsteps fell into a casual and blissful pattern of unhurried vacillation.

He thought of many things, above all the condition of the Leaf and the repeated mistakes he saw them make. He thought of his friend the HFO, Kazumi, and what she might be doing on her secret infiltration mission. He remembered Naoki who spoke of opening a smithy here within the Leaf, though Argies had never found out where. He wondered whatever happened to the game he created and submitted with Shikamaru, had the Leaf simply thrown it out along with Yuu’s demand for more corporations? On that too he pondered, could he somehow add more to the Leaf. Propose a plan that wouldn’t go against the Hokage’s wishes yet at the same time would strengthen the Leaf’s tracking, trap making and weapons arts divisions. After all Tsunada hadn’t been against the idea of the proposed tracking, traps and weapons corporations, she merely opposed the idea of wasting resources on it in a time of weakness which is what the Leaf has become because of the Invasion. There weren’t enough Chunin to spare on running additional corporations, not when the majority of the Chunin were posted on defending boarders and running the already existing seals, medical and Intel corps.

Sighing he also contemplated, ‘Why is it that I spend my time thinking about the welfare of a village that hates me?’ They had already threatened his life twice, cast him away to be killed, merely because they rated him as a threat. Sure they had reason to see him as one but indirectly.

His guardians during the Chunin exams had shown abilities far beyond their rank and the fact that they hid their ability only inspired more attention to be drawn to them. Sealing away their chakra so that it not only gave them the chakra capacity of a Chunin but the limited ability of one, had been uncovered by the lord 3rd’s crystal ball technique and the Byakugan eye. The Hyuuga family was in the habit of searching out entertainment, and for the enjoyment of seeing their clan in the Chunin exams they found more than what they expected. Along with the details from the 3rd Hokage’s journal, the proof was obscure yet hard to ignore. Then with Argies Guardian’s disappearances soon after the invasion, investigations were inconclusive but nevertheless they cast Argies under a poor light seeing that his Guardians were last seen heading to the Mist.

Then with his disappearance and capture by the Sand Ninja Naoki, Argies was thrown under the same hatred that every Leaf ninja had for the Sand. Returning, victor in that he had helped reunite the Sand with the Leaf along with Naoki and Gaidra, Argies wasn’t rewarded but accused again. Tsunada’s accusation that he and his aunt and uncle were spies working between Sand and Mist was a harsh light to fall under, making Argies wonder himself if it was true. Begrudgingly promoting him to Chunin, because of his actions during the invasion and Asuma’s approval which made the council consider him, Tsunada promised Argies that she would be watching.

During Yuu’s test Invasion Argies was overcome by the effect of his bloodlust, seeking to consume all the chakra Yuu and his men possessed, his blood overcoming his senses. Making Yuu suspect that Argies was possessed by a Oni, only for him to accuse Argies of this possibility in front of the Hokage. Though Argies was able to laugh it off and explain what truly happened, the doubt was already set. Later the Hokage consulted the medical ninja Tensue, who had already performed tests on the boy drawing his blood, only to find more to prove her doubts about this character. His blood, though it was away from his body for a long time, was still alive and ravenous for chakra. Moving within a vial, animated as if inspirited by a demon… an Oni. She suspected too that he might be a seals user in that he developed a unique ninjutsu so close before the Chunin exams tournament, something no normal Genin does without a clan or teacher. He an inter-village ninja and refugee would have little access too.


After the Bukijutsu tournament, when Argies was reported in injured by several clan Genin. His chakra coils and network burnt from the inside out. Tsunada questioned them for answers they were reluctant to give. They were all hiding the truth from her for him. Had he somehow corrupted them? Turned them into a threat too? She could not allow the taint to spread. Deciding he was too dangerous to leave unchecked she assigned him a sensei, Tensue the very same medical ninja who knew him best. From the shadows she would watch, yes, but instead of drawing information from hiding she would have Tensue report for her.

With her spies focused on him, the lesser Hyuuga ordered to watch Argies as they watched Naruto, Sasuke and Neji, she discovered that he truly did know Seals. Even more than this she discovered he had a sealing book on the topic. If the other nations found out there would be war.

Then came his first mission with his recruit Hakari, the beast masters. After the beast masters killed over thirty Chunin, Argies and the crystal user were somehow able to capture two of the beastly brothers and kill one. Again came a report to the Hokage’s desk, Argies manipulated and absorbed the blood of dead Chunin. Her tactics weren’t working, he was growing more and more violent… dangerous.

During Tensue’s sensei test, Tsunada had the intelligence division probe the mind of Argies and his team. Looking for secrets and evidence so that she could finally decide if he was loyal to the Leaf or an enemy, however they could find nothing but not because there was nothing there. His mind was blocked. Later when his defences were down Ibiki sent a special Intel ninja into Argies home to invade his mind directly. Only for the Intel ninja’s mind to be corrupted by a stronger force, shattering his mind. This lead to Tsunada filing an accusation of treason through the proper lines, but her attempt was cast out when he was reported elsewhere during the time it would have taken him to crack the shinobi’s mind.

Action had to be taken and all her other options had been exhausted. If he truly was an Ages she had decided that he was too dangerous to keep within the Leaf. Sending him on a mission that would certainly mean his death, the Yokai investigation mission they had created to destroy him. They needed a sacrifice to spread the rumours and add credibility to Kazumi’s reputation as a rogue ninja in order for her to successfully infiltrate an enemy organization. Despite the Hokage’s efforts he survived this too.

In all he had done it was for the best of the village, yet in doing these things he had shown that he truly did possessed the ability to be a threat.

In assisted Shikamaru during the invasion, possible saving his life, Argies had inspired more myths about the content of his character as he reached the rank of Chunin by his command in battle.
In reunited the Sand with the Leaf, helping Gaidra and Naoki reveal the truth, Argies made the Leaf question his loyalty by reforming alliances with an enemy at a time when neither village could afford a war.
In taking down Yuu and his men with the help of Fuma and his team, ending the invasion test and showing that the Leaf is still strong, Argie’s actions made him fit to be a power for evil despite all the good he had done.
By captured the Beastly brothers after they had stolen Leaf summoning scrolls and killed many Chunin, attesting that such a violation was not accepted by the Leaf, Argie’s versatility and utility prove he was too much for the Hokage to handle.

Resigning him to a dead man’s mission only for him to survive. There was still yet more that this small twelve year old boy had to offer. Without a clan, without any over powered Ninjutsu, Argies was prepared to defend his Village, the Leaf Village, and save it from itself.



Making it up the hill leading to Kosuke’s home, I head the bird called that summoned both Chunin and Genin to the mission assignment desk. “I guess not to day Kosuke.” I whispered before wondering if perhaps I should keep our meetings and training secret.

There would be no time to find and train with Kosuke today, instead it looks like it is mission assignment day.

Leaping from crescent to steeple, spire to towering chimney, I found my way at the mission desk before I could really think about what mission I was heading into this time. Hopefully it is not a HFO kind mission, I don’t think we could survive them all. The academy/Hokage office was lined up with off duty Genin and Chunin. Anyone who wasn’t injured or with the permission slip to prove it, showed up eager to get paid.


“You over there” I was ordered into a line joining the Hokage’s office, the Chunin officer pointing me in the given direction looking rather annoyed. I guess maybe all Chunin report to the Hokage when missions are assigned rather than given. The last time I was here was when Hakari and I reported to the mission desk in order to be given the mission to go after the beastly brothers. In that instance I was appointing myself a mission, I guess it was different now because we were being called to be assigned a mission. Meaning instead of reporting to the mission desk and asking what missions are available, we were instead being given mission directly from the Hokage.

In the waiting room just outside the Hokage’s office, Shizune came out of Tsunada’s office with a clip board. Splitting us up into different groups to enter the room in threes. Soon it was my turn to enter the room with three other Chunin, I wonder what is happening?


Outside the room I heard Tsunada’s voice the instant the door was opened. That sound proofing was really something though I remember mention of a silencing seal which would explain the magic mute button. We three Chunin entered the room, no one I knew by name, everyone was a little tense and excited.

“Right!” Tsunada began, “Argies Ages step forward.” and prepare to be executed I thought looking at the two ANBU stationed in the room.


“Yes Lady Hokage?” I did as I was told, stepping forward ahead of the other two Chunin.


“You have been assigned a decommission operation, you will be led by a Jounin by the name of Mura*Insert Surname* who will add additional members to your party from the Genin corp. Your task is to neutralise traps and targets in an out of bounds section of the Leaf, do you accept?”


“This does not follow the usual protocol but yes I do accept” I wanted to make note of it because a ninja must be given full detail of their mission before accepting it, because there would be no backing out later, but given how many missions she was assigning out today… I could understand the break in protocol.

Shizune added “Mura will give further detail on your mission, please follow.” before directing me out of an opening I had never seen before, leading to a right wing of the office I knew didn’t exist.


“Is this new?” I asked stepping over the threshold of a room that should be floating in thin air considering that the Hokage’s room was on the outer most limit of the building, meaning there really shouldn’t possible be a room there.


“It’s temporary” Shizune said holding her clip board to herself as Tinton keep close by underfoot.


“And what does ‘Temporary’ mean?” I asked as we walked past the close gathering of Jounin within the room, searching for this Mura I had never head of before. She probably wasn’t a sensei instruction which would make sense, because it can’t be expected that every Jounin was a sensei. I only really knew most of the sensei besides Ibiki and other red flags.


Stopping at a particular target Shizune opened a hand. “This is Mura, she will be the Jounin assigned to your mission”

Shizune was already taller than me by two heads, my face only making it up to her breasts if I had to stretch, however this Shinobi was even taller. The colours in her gear a dark green teal fabric and black leather, the inner black leather hugging tight to her body along with the bandages around her arms and upper thighs could only mean she was a combative type ninja. She smiled at me which made my face melt with heat penetrating with a smirk of my own.


“Hello…” I stretched the words uncertain and lost, before shaking myself immediately and straightening my resolve. “I am Argies Ages, Chunin here within the Leaf. I have been given very little detail to our mission assignment, could you provide the details so that I might properly accept the mission handed to me?”


She leaned in closer, her blond hair cascading over her shoulder and down mine. “You smell nice, like rotten peaches” She pulled back and as she did a tongue flicked out from between her lips, a snake like forked tongue, her tongue! “Our mission assignment cannot be fully declared until I bring  you to the rest of our team. If you chose to reject the mission I will have to find another Chunin of your capabilities for the task but I hope that will not be necessary, I would hate to have to learn a new scent.”


“Do you accept the mission?” Shizune asked, she was still standing there with her clip board and now I knew why. She was taking down whether the elected Chunin had accepted their missions or not.


“Very well I accept my mission.” Shizune made step to leave but my eyes caught her as I added a deeper meaning to my approval. “I will trust in the Leaf and Hokage’s capacity to assign the most fitting ninja to the task at hand, for a higher probability of mission success, and the safe guard of their shinobi. As is the duty of all ninja to do what is for the best of the Leaf. I expect the Hokage to honour this contract as well and to not waver in her judgment.” or send ninja to their deaths as I knew she had purposely done in our case and the HFO.


“…” Shizune tried to speak words but was exasperated by my sudden break into speech. “For now I will mark you as approving of your mission assignment.” She left what that meant unsaid, but I could read through her shallow attempt at redeeming her guilt. Sending Genin to their death, how do they do it. “Now I must be off.”


Turning to Mura I followed as she walked off without another word, registering the look on her face as curious understanding but really I had no way of telling what she thought. “Wait here” she said once we entered into another room that shouldn’t exist, given that we were so far outside the Hokage’s office that whatever room we were in should be floating in mid-air.


“Hoo haa” I let out my breath, the mission hadn’t even started and already I was quite tense. I guess my anger was only surfacing now from when I received the news from Kazumi that the Hokage was trying to kill me. At that moment all I had was fear and shock, now I had anger and disapproval. Hopefully this mission wasn’t going to be the same but regardless I will be on guard.

Entering the room with Mura was Tenten and Hinata, they looked quite lost and with all the activity going about I could understand.


“Hey Hinata, Tenten! Are you going to be assigned the same mission with me?” I didn’t know where our greetings stood, so instead of attempting anything further than a handshake I took two steps forward and looked awkward.


“Oh no, don’t say we have to work with this guy” Tenten didn’t bother hiding her feelings, folding her arms and looking at me with her head turned to the side like she was looking at a rude picture.


“Afternoon Argies san” Hinata’s soft voice greeted with a light bow.


“Good Afternoon to your too Hinata” I bowed as well, thankful that she broke my stiff posture with an appropriate form of greeting.


“Now that you are all here I would like to formally assign you my mission.” Mura Stood in front of us, and I took the hint to line up next to Hinata and Tenten. “Hinata, Tenten and Argies, you have been assigned this special operation to decommission the hidden temple in sector D5. This is a restricted area so I don’t expect you to know where it is. I have personally selected you because you all possess traits unique for this mission. Argies, with your exceptional trap knowledge and rank, you will take command of our unit if anything is to happen to me. Hinata, with your far sighted Byakugan eyes, you will search out any hidden traps and chakra signatures. Tenten, with your one hundred percent accuracy, you will disable traps that are remotely activated and are too far to otherwise deactivate. Are there any questions?” Mura looked particularly at me, her snake tongue flicking at the air testily.


Instead of my hand raising it was Tenten who raised her voice. “I have a question. What do you mean, ‘if anything happens to you’? You mean if you die this bozo is going to take command!”


“Hey that’s not fair, I out rank you!”


“Pfft rank?! If you think that means I’m going to follow you you’re out of your mind”


“Come on Tenten, Argies, Stop fighting. I’m sure Mura will be alright”


“Maybe”


We all stared at out Jounin instructor. “Maybe?!”



This chapter was particularly fun . I did a bunch of things and talked to a bunch of people , and I'm sure I'll talk about all that just below but the main point is.... I had fun? You know in reality fan fiction is such a soul sucking occupation. I mean I enjoy writing but soon as it gets to the point of uploading you start hating ever single word... I don't know why... I got problems ok! 

I see work(real life work and not fan fiction) has gotten so bad that I got a stress rash! Like I didn't even know that was a thing. I mean in total it isn't the worst thing that has happened because of this job. I've nearly died about 4 times, I sprained my back twice and I almost killed 2 people. Now a stress rash that is on my arms legs and balls! Wow I can't wait for the next surprise  .

Ok time for the stuff below.


Art for this chapter is by Kenisu-of-Dragons who inspired the idea really. It was when I saw their brilliant art work on the one scene that made the whole Naruto show worth it, that I really got stuck into writing this chapter and watching the show(No I'm not going to explain). I still personally believe that Lee was an idiot for sacrificing his career like that but I can understand where he is coming from and why it was so important to him... still, he didn't need to make it public, keeping his pride to himself and keeping his secrets too, it would have saved him a lot of pain. Still I forgot about all these things and focused on what makes Lee special to me, not his flaws but all the good I see in him and in part we all.

For this chapter I also entered the MARCH WRITING PRIMERS and added their prompts into my story:

Icing on the Cake

Air Freshener
Blast
Water Under the Bridge

which was really quite fun to add.
I wonder if anyone could ever find them all?

Further more my final person of interest is caitlinkeating who lent me the character Mura for the end scene of this chapter and the rest of the next. We discussed the mission together and honestly Caitlinkeating or cat_link_eating really and truly made my day a few times with enthusiasm and really great comment!

Well enjoy the read everyone... and forgive my terrible depressing mood, I really aught to be shot

Thank you to everyone for contributing!  
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3.Give your eyes time to rest between every break in scene(this is when two lines have been skipped instead of one and an ellipsis has been added). These breaks show time has passed and a new event or point of view is being portrayed, so it's unlikely you will get lost when you get back.Meow :3 
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5.Point out any and all flaws the Author has in this story by copying and pasting errors and demanding that they get fixed. You will find that Authors will love you for your blunt Honesty Love 

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Request 
As you guys have probably been able to see, I'm lacking a few cover pictures for some of my chapters. If you have read the chapters and can draw, cosplay, doodle, paint, or know someone who can, I would love to share your art... but not if you are a well known artist, I'm looking for new talent and noobs.

Thanks, and cheers

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Thank you 'Naruto Fans United' you guys are always so welcoming and nice to me =) (Smile)

If you're interested in Naruto too, then click on the link and join us in the fun :D (Big Grin)

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Disclaimer:

All The characters created by the Author of Naruto belong solely to 
Masashi Kishimoto every other character belongs to I and those Authors that have lent me their characters.

Do not replicate or reproduce any of my works or the works of the artists that have lent me their ideas, original characters, writings. 

All content is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without express written consent from the author. Naruto 
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mate-of-Kisame's avatar
I'm so telling on my brothers and watch the show