Edited: 30/03/24
Reuploaded: 30/03/24
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Old (left) – New (right)
¬ Vine Cage (landscape jutsu) = Vine Ensnarement Jutsu
¬ Natural Hearing (tree dance) = Leaf Whisper Jutsu
¬ Root Grab (landscape jutsu) = Root Snare Jutsu
¬ Steel whip (tree dance) = Steal Whip Jutsu
¬ Natural surveillance (tree dance) = Natural Surveillance Jutsu
¬ Plant army (tree dance) = Plant Army Jutsu
¬ Liana clones (tree dance) = Liana Clone Jutsu
¬ Shallow plant (landscape jutsu) = Plant Phasing Jutsu
¬ Tree tracking (landscape jutsu) = Tree Tracking
¬ Tracking tools = Tracking tools
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I looked at them seriously before starting to explain, "see that up there? That's a seal. I don't know what kind, but what I do know, there will be some kind of test to break through it. Physical force alone will not be enough to break it. Once you're inside, you'll will be greeted by two Akatsuki, Gaara and myself. Although, Lord Gaara and I will not be of much help to you. I'm running out of energy. For now, this plant will help you as much as possible later on. I'm sorry I can't keep this up to help you properly, good luck."
I didn't even get to decide what to do next because I was immediately released from the jutsu against my own will. I guess I'm too physically exhausted to keep going. I sighed and opened my eyes slowly, looking up at the two Akatsuki stood over head. The room had emptied to just the two of them, so the others must've left while I was briefing the guys outside.
"It's getting noisy out there," Pain stated after the sound of what I'm assuming was Guy's attempt to break down the seal with brute force echoed through the cave. Did I or did I not literally just tell them physical force would not be enough to break it? Why'd I even bother?
"It looks like we've got ourselves some expected visitors," Kisame said.
"But which group is it now?" Deidara asked, "the one my man, Kisame was stalling or perhaps..."
"Both," Zetsu answered slowly, "both. It's both groups."
"So they all arrived at the same time..." Kisame almost sounded amused by the fact, "interesting. But what a pity. They're too late."
Way to drive the nail into the bed, you murderer.
"It seems like one of them is a jinchuriki," Sasori announced with a low laugh before looking to Itachi, "oh don't be jealous now, Itachi."
He wasn't even dignified with a response which was fair enough honestly.
"Well? Shouldn't we get this show on the road? We've got company outside to deal with and there's still the small matter of a mission we have to complete," Hidan asked, breaking a silence that had awkwardly fallen across the cave for a few moments.
Or well, I found it awkward, but maybe social vibes isn't in these guys' dictionary. It would make sense honestly.
"Yes..." Zetsu agreed, "let's get going."
"What about the intruders?" Kakuzu asked.
"I wouldn't lose too much sleep over them," Kisame replied, "we don't even know if they can get in here."
"Don't—" Itachi started, "underestimate them. You should know better, Kisame."
Ooo—Itachi whipping out the 'you lost to Might Guy in a battle TWICE' like that—friendly fire!
Kisame just laughed, "well... they do have brute strength going for them. I'll give them that."
"Sasori," Pain called out, "Deidara. Take care of our new... friends... outside."
"I had a feeling you'd say that," Deidara smiled.
"But I want the jichuriki alive," Pain specified.
Of course you do, Naruto dies, and you're fucked. Though, I guess he's probably figure out how to get the Nine Tails just as it is in its real form in that statue...
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The cave was empty, just me and Gaara, Deidara and Sasori.
It had been all but silent up until this point. Pain took the statue, if I remember correctly they called it the gedo statue in the show? Anyway, the statue was gone, so were all the other members other than Deidara and Sasori so it was just a large empty cave.
The two Akatsuki had been talking slightly to each other while I was in the back trying to slide myself over to Gaara. Let me get to him at least—
"Sasori, my man, I'm bored," Deidara complained, "can I kill the girl, or at least throw her around a bit?"
What?
I froze mid crawl and looked over my shoulder to see Deidara looking right back at me.
"Do whatever you wish, just don't make a mess," Sasori replied as he pulled Gaara's body to the middle of the room, further away from me. Well fuck you too! You know how long it took me just to reach half way to him?! Now I've got to—
Damn it—stay away from me you fucker—
Deidara grabbed the neck of my shirt and pulled me up. I was almost numb by now and honestly didn't feel a single thing from the motion. I doubt I'll be able to even feel what he throw at me at this point, even the poison doesn't hurt anymore. Am I dying for certain? Is this what it feels to die?
"I won't kill you. You've got one foot in the grave any way," Deidara told me with a small hum of a laugh.
"How generous... Of you," I managed to cough out before being thrown into the back wall. I only felt tingling in my back, even as I fell to the floor again.
He grabbed me again and started to pull me up to probably do it again but stopped as the sound of shouts on the other side of the boulder started.
"Deidara, stop now. Get ready. They'll be here soon," Sasori tells him. Deidara nodded and pinned me to the wall behind me before walking back to where his partner was stood and waiting. My clothes were starting to rip where the kunai holding me up were and the front was starting to put pressure on my throat.
Damn it couldn't you have just left me on the floor?
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The boulder crumbled and light poured into the cave.
On the other side I was barely able to see the forms of people outside, but they were there. I knew they were there. Team Kakashi was on the other side of the boulder.
"Gaara!" one of them yelled. I recognised the voice from the show. It's Naruto Uzumaki, loud and boisterous. It's surprisingly nice to hear.
The four of them, Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto and Lady Chiyo all entered the cave.
"We're too late," Kakashi muttered as they just stared at Deidara and Sasori sat on Gaara's corps, something I couldn't see until now thanks to the lack of light.
"Now," Deidara looked to them, "which one of you is the jinchuriki?"
I watched as Naruto slowly began to become enraged.
"Calm yourself!" I shouted, he stopped and looked at me, I just nodded and offered him as much of a smile as I could muster.
"You're Kankuro's teammate?" Kakashi looked past the two and to me. I'm not really in the greatest position right now. I just sighed and managed to nod.
"You know our rat?" Deidara asked.
Please, if anyone is a rat here it's you, you blonde haired pyromaniac.
"What did you do to her?" Sakura asked.
"The exact same as what I did to that sand village fool. But two times worse," Sasori replied with a slightly laugh.
Someone threw a shuriken at the kunai holding me up and I fell to the floor with a harsh thud. I don't even know how much longer I could've stayed up there without my wn shirt suffocating me with the way it was pressing up against my throat..
(for the sake of the story, Sakura has made 4 antidotes rather than 3 because you'll die if she doesn't and yeah, that will just... Not be good)
"You. I'll kill both of you!" Naruto suddenly seemed to get angry again and shoulder loudly.
"The one who bursts in and starts barking," Sasori mumbles, "that would be him then."
"Sasori my man, I believe you're correct," Deidara nodded along with the hunched man.
Neji' s PoV
"Neji are you seeing what I'm seeing right now?" Guy sensei spoke over the communicators.
"Yes I am," I replied looking at all of our areas through my Byakugan. We'd just pulled the seals off our positions as something started growing out of the area around us. For me, it was coming out the grass, Guy sensei, the rock, Lee, the tree and Tenten, the water, "the same thing is happening over here."
"What about you Tenten?" Guy asked her.
"Me too. Same on my end," her voice echoed over the speaker.
"Lee?" Guy asked.
"I see some kind of form here. It sprang up as soon as I removed the tag," Lee replied.
"I figured as much," Guy said, completely serious.
"Do you think this was the test that y/n told us about earlier?" Tenten asked. I nodded my head in thought.
"There's no doubt about it," I replied before focusing on the grass mound.
It started taking on the shape of something.
"Team Kakashi is in, just as planned," I announced over the communicator as I looked through my byakugan one last time.
The grass stopped forming and it had become a pure copy of myself.
Standing in my gentle fist stance I got ready to fight. It mirrored my movements.
What is this thing?