Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Within the Pale White Light ❯ Suicide Orange and Cute blonde Nurses ( Chapter 6 )

Fanfic of the Chapter: Ensuing Chaos by Momo. Momo is a good friend of mine. We even went to a Comic Con together a couple of years back. She’s a great writer and artist. This story Ensuing Chaos is a Trigun story based on some original characters that get pulled into the weirdness that are plants. I know usually OC’s suck, but she has by far the best…well she’s great at original characters. I remember once reading a little tid bit she had of a totally original story. Within two paragraphs I had forgotten I didn‘t know these characters. She draws you in, as if you‘d already cared about said OC‘s. She’s just that good. Another amazing story would be Side Effects (on Mediaminer.org) Kind of…err…very naughty but hilarious. I mean it when I say I’ve almost died laughing several times in this story.

AN: Why don’t people read my story. I mean people read, but they don’t seem to understand what they are reading. Someone mentioned in a review for the last chapter how could Hinata read the Spartans lips. It took me a moment to figure out what they meant. Said person thought Sam and Linda were wearing the old armor. I gave them new armor (one reason being so you COULD see facial features.). I thought I had made that clear. I even mentioned it in another AN. *sigh*

Ok well I guess I need to explain a few things. I’ve tried to put it in the story but I can’t seem to find a good place to explain what time period we’re in.

I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know everything about Halo. I’m not an expert but I do having more than just a passing knowledge.

Some things needed to be changed to make the story better. Hell in the game almost everyone cool is dead. And while Master Chief is the man, I wanted this story to be more than just about him.

So I guess that makes this a sort of AU.

Ok well this takes place after Halo, but kind of at the beginning of Halo 2. The city attacked is New Mombasa. The same city as in the beginning of Halo2. The difference is that the Master Chief is still ‘Missing’. Another difference is the other Spartans being alive. Well some of them. Most did die on Reach, but following the books lead some have survived.

I’ll try to explain more as I go. But timeline may take backseat to other more important facts and plots.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

There’s no such thing as a beginning of time.

If there was, what was before it?

For time is infinite, time is unchangeable, and yet time is at the same time flexible.

Time is something so common, every creature on the planet understands it. Time is a week, time is a season, time is everything.

Yet time isn’t always the same. Time can bend, time can race forward or slow down…some even believe that time can go backwards.

But there are rules to time, rules that govern the universe. Rules that no being has or ever will be able to break. Time can bend, but it can’t be broken.

Time can bend, but time can not be broken.

Naruto woke up, those words ringing through his skull. His head hurt, and felt kind of funny, not unlike that one time when he got drunk with fuzzy brow. (although he hadn’t decided it was the drink or his fellow drinker which had caused his headache the next morning). He had this strange ringing in his ears and his mouth felt unusually dry.

He was used to weird dreams, being the keeper of the kyuubi and all. But that one took the cake. He didn’t understand it at all. It was all words and thoughts rather than the normal images and sounds. It was teacher talk as Naruto put it. A teaching tone with big words, something that always went over his head. Much to Iruka sensei’s obvious annoyance.

Time can bend. Wonder what that means. I though time just went tick tock, a week is always a week. Well…unless you counted that weird thing that Sasukes brother does. Then I guess time can be forever in a blink of an eye. But I don’t think that counts.

Shaking his head slightly Naruto decided it was probably a good idea to open his eyes and look around. After all he didn’t really remember falling asleep in the first place and that couldn’t be good.

Wonder where I am. Hmm wait…weird things happened, Shikamaru, Hinata and fuzzy brow. Was it just a dream?

Opening his eyes Naruto frown at the stark white ceiling. Blinking from the harsh light he tried to figure out where he was. Kind of looked like a hospital room from what he could tell.

Ok if it’s a hospital why am I tied up?

Naruto tried to move his arms and legs but found them secured to what he assumed was a bed. It was soft and he was rather comfortable considering, but he still didn’t like it.

Turning his head Naruto studied what was holding him to the bed. They were straps made of thick leather with some sort of soft lining. This caused him to pause and rethink the situation. His first instincts was that he was a prisoner somewhere. But now he wasn’t so sure. He was tied up but not in a very good way. His arms were at his side and while he was secured, the bonds themselves weren’t very well designed. It was so soft and comfortable that he could twist and yank on them until they gave without hurting himself. Usually being a hostage entailed more pain and bonds that cut into the skin when yanked on.

Lifting his head the best he could Naruto tried to look around. However a deep stabbing pain in his side made him gasp and let his head fall back onto the pillow.

“Ouch.”

His side hurt, and from the throbbing pain he could tell that whatever had happened was pretty deep.

Oh wait…the two in black suits. The little metal piece and then…

He couldn’t remember what happened after that. But apparently they hadn’t killed him, and had rather gotten him some medical attention.

Not that I don’t appreciate it guys but I’m getting out of here.

Naruto couldn’t put his hands together for seal work…if he trusted his inner coils. Last time he’d tried something it had rather hurt.

Hmm well I seem to remember the pain but little else. I don’t know though, my coils feel fine now. They don’t have that weird feeling like before.

Yanking his right arm as hard as he could Naruto smiled as he felt the leather give a little. It was a sturdy structure and for a normal person it would have kept them under, Naruto was anything but ordinary.

Yanking again Naruto was awarded with a loud crack.

“No doctor. He’s doing well.”

Naruto instantly let his body go limp as the door to his small room opened and two people walked in. Squinting through his closed eyes Naruto studied the two people. One was a small woman with graying brown hair tied up into a tight bun. She wore a lab coat with large pockets that were full of stuff. The other was a younger woman with blonde curl hair.

“His sheets Nurse?”

The curly blonde paused looking around before reaching over to grab a clip board that was hanging off the edge of Naruto‘s bed.

The older woman frowned her face stern and controlled as she took the papers and then looked them over.

“He was having a full blown seizure. None of the medications we gave helped. I can‘t believe there isn’t a reason. What about the MRI scan.”

“I’m sorry Doctor. I just started my shift. I haven’t talked to the doctors yet.

I had another seizure? I don’t remember.

Naruto felt a strange tension in the room. It seemed to be coming from the two women although he didn’t know why.

“How’s the bullet wound?”

The older woman asked idly as she looked over the papers given her. Naruto wasn’t sure but he had a feeling that the question was anything but ideal. Something about this woman made Naruto on edge. His instincts told him she was dangerous. She might not be strong, but she looked smart and sometimes smart was the more deadly of the two.

“His wounds are healing…”

The woman trailed off as she glanced over at him. Naruto forced his eyes closed and his body as limp as possible. He only hoped they didn’t notice that one of the straps were broken.

After a long moment the older women finally nodded.

“Alright nurse. I have to get back. Tell the doctor on duty that I want his MRI scans ASAP.”

“Yes ma’am.”

The older woman seemed to pause, at least that’s what it looked like under Naruto’s lashes. However it might have just been him because the woman left without saying anything.

“Finally!”

The nurse said as soon as the older woman was gone.

“Naruto.”

Naruto’s eyes popped open. He knew that voice and it didn’t belong to a curly blonde nurse.

The cute little nurse came over and instantly started to undo his buckles.

“How lucky are you, you freak!”

Naruto blinked as he looked at the nurse. Along the left cheek cracks appeared in her skin. He suddenly smiled as that proved what he thought. He knew that voice, and he knew this jutsu.

“Kankuro!”

The nurse winked.

“where are you?”

Naruto asked as he noticed unlike the usual swap, the puppet didn’t have a large wrapped object on its back.

“I’m somewhere.”

Kankuro said evasive as always.

Naruto frowned as the puppet undid one of the straps and started working on the one Naruto broke.

“Heh looks like you would have gotten away without my help.”

Naruto almost cried out as he tried to sit up. His side hurt so much. He couldn’t remember ever having a wound that burned like this. With a soft whimper he fell back onto the bed.

“Then again…”

Kankuro muttered as his puppet helped Naruto sit up.

“How long was I out? And how did you find me?”

“You’ve been out cold for about 12 hours. I was hiding out when I overheard some soldiers talking about a weird kid they picked up with whiskers on his face. Figured that had to be you.”

Being careful not to jar the wound the puppet helped

“Are we the only ones?”

Kankuro asked through his puppet as it handed Naruto some ‘normal’ clothes. It continued at Naruto’s horrified face.

“Wear it! Its what people wear around here.”

“Where are my clothes?

The puppet forced the clothes back into Naruto’s hands before he could throw them away.
“there is no way in hell you are going to wear that suicide orange. You’re exhausted you can’t do a Henge.”

Naruto mumbled annoyed but agreed. He was tired, and wounded. He wasn’t in the shape for one of his worst subjects.

“No we ain‘t the only ones.”

Naruto said answering the puppet masters question.

“Shikamaru, Hinata and Lee are somewhere in the city.”

The puppet seemed surprised.

“Interesting. So I’m the only Sand-nin to get caught up in this shit.”

“Apparently.”

Naruto said as he put on the jeans and black hoodie.

“Put the hood over your head. It’ll help hide your face and hair.”

The puppet touched the side of its face and the cracked sand covering slowly fixed itself. The nurse now looked like a living breathing human again.

Opening the door to the room, ’she’ looked back and forth carefully.

“Ok that nosey doctor is gone. Good.”

“Who was she?”

“I’m not sure. Her names Dr. Halsey. She ain’t no medical doc though…she’s someone high up.”

“She gave me the hibbie Jibbies.”

Naruto muttered with a shudder. Normally he didn’t like saying someone freaked him out, but normal didn’t have anything to do with today.

The puppet nodded she closed the door waiting for Naruto to finish dressing.

“She does have a dangerous feeling to her…that’s the reason I decided to get you out today. I was hoping to wait until you were healed.”

Naruto’s hand unconsciously went to his side. Every movement caused him pain, it throbbed and burned terribly.

“I’m fine. Lets go.”

Slipping out Naruto and the nurse hurried down the hallway. It was crowded, due to all the injuries from the invasion, so Naruto quickly blended in.

“You seem to know a bit about what’s going on?”

“Not really. I don’t know why we are here. But I know what’s happening.”

The Nurse stopped to put some paperwork up, making normal small talk to the other nurses. Naruto wisely kept walking. He stopped at the end of the hall where several other people were standing around waiting for whatever reasons.

Several moments later a young man came and stood beside Naruto. He didn’t recognize the puppet at first.

He’s gotten better. A lot better I couldn’t even tell it was the puppet.

The only reason Naruto recognized the puppet was the small sand-nin symbol on the collar of the mans shirt.

“We need to leave. I think Dr. Halsey was suspicious.”

Naruto nodded as together they started toward the exit. It wasn’t quite as easy as just leaving though. Naruto’s side felt like it was on fire. He was having a little trouble breathing and was forced to hold onto his side.

“Naruto? Are you alright?”

“So what‘s going on? Best we could figure was a war of some kind?”

Naruto muttered stubborn as always.

“Well ya.”

Kankuro drawled out. He carefully went over in his mind all the information he had managed to gather. It wasn’t easy. This entire place was on pins and needles, anything out of the ordinary, even someone asking seemly innocent questions, was cause for suspicion.

“There are these aliens. They’re like I don’t know…monsters or demons. The Covenant is at War with the humans here. They surprise attacked the city two days ago.”

Naruto looked horrified.

“They attacked a city full of citizens?”

“Ya, mostly unarmed people. This was a port hub I think. Not a military outpost. They’re trying to wipe out humanity.”

“That’s…that’s horrible! All those people!”

Naruto’s arms were shaking, and it had nothing to do with his injuries.

“All those people!”

Kankuro willed his puppet to put a hand on the leaf-nin’s shoulder. Despite the fact they were from separate villages, Kankuro rather liked Naruto. He owed him everything. If it hadn’t be for Naruto who knew what would have happened to his brother.

“Calm down Naruto. Lets just get somewhere safe. “

“NO!”

Naruto yelled a little to loud for Kankuro’s taste. He sighed, how did someone as loud and bright as Naruto become a Ninja.

“All those people. It ain’t’ right!!

Kankuro was rather glad he wasn’t there in person as several people started to look their way. Not just that but Naruto was starting to look kind of scary. Living with a homicidal manic of a brother for long had trained Kankuro’s instincts for danger. Naruto looked like a wild animal. The chakra boiling under the surface adding to the effect.

“God damn it Naruto. Calm down!”
Kankuro whispered fiercely.

“You idiot, you’re going to get us caught.”

“HEY YOU STOP!”
“Ah hell now you’ve done IT! RUN!”

With that the puppet took off. Naruto blinked, he had been so mad he’d forgotten where he was. He was reminded forcibly as someone grabbed his arm.

It was a soldier much like the ones Hinata had saved. Only this one was armed, he had that bullet thing like the ones in black. In Naruto’s mind that terrible moment of pain flashed through his eyes. The small metal piece flying at him, and then the horrible pain.

Yelping in surprise and maybe a little bit of fright. Naruto grabbed the guy by his shirt and literally threw him over his head and into the wall. The dry wall was no match for the man’s weight or for how hard Naruto had thrown him. The hallway wall gave way…as did the wall on the opposite side of the room the soldier got thrown in.

“Opps.”

Naruto whimpered as he realized that might have been overkill, AND it hurt. Pressing his hand to his side he took Kankuro’s lead and started to run. All the people around him parted to give him room.

000

Shikamaru sighed sadly as he watched the sun rise. They had survived the night…most of them at least. He felt sick. Worse than when he’d been forced to leave behind Choji, then Neji, as they following after that bastard Sasake. He watched the sky turn pink, then purple and blue as the sun rose higher. He tried to will it back down. He didn’t want to leave Hinata. He didn’t want to leave behind Naruto either. No matter how much he was hating the stupid blonde.

Clenching his fist he cursed everything. The world, no matter how much he wished it, still kept turning and the sun was rising higher in the sky.

I…I guess I need to get the others up.

Forcing himself not to care, not to worry. He was a ninja. It was the job to lose people you cared about. It happened all the time. Why else did that horrible monument get bigger every year.

“God damn it!”

Shikamaru clenched fist banged hopelessly against the railing. He was on a balcony in one of the hotels room. It was a bad place to be he was sure. But he couldn’t force himself to move yet. He’d only come out here to check on the sun, and look around. He had been so full of hope that Hinata would have come by now. He knew the girl, that she wouldn’t stop, she would push the time limit to its fullest. But she would have come back at sunrise.

“She’s not coming.”

Shikamaru turned and went back inside. He was mildly surprised to see that the marines were already up and ready.

Then again, they are the fighting force here. Makes sense they’d be ready to go at sunrise.

They all turned to look at him. Mistrust still heavy in all of their eyes. Shikamaru lowered his eyes. He was not in the mood for any subconscious challenges today.

“We should get the others up. I’ll try to wake up Lee.”

Shikamaru left the marines to talk among themselves as he went into Lee’s room. He was in the same spot as last time he’d checked on him. Totally dead to the world.

Shikamaru wondered if he would ever wake up. It was painfully obvious this wasn’t a normal sleep.
“Come on Lee.”
Shikamaru slapped his cheeks. Tried splashing some water on him…hell he even grabbed a few hairs of his bushy eyebrows and yanked them out. Nothing even stirred the sleeping beast.

“Great.”
With a depressed sigh and a mutter of how bothersome Shikamaru grabbed Lee’s arm and tried to pick him up.

“Ack!”

It didn’t work, Lee didn’t even budge.

What in the world? Oh Duh Lee’s weights. Damn Naruto carried Lee with his weights on?

Shaking his head in wonderment at how far Naruto had come since school. Shikamaru took off Lee’s leg weights. It defiantly made picking him up a lot easier.

“Is everyone ready?”

Shikamaru asked once he was in the hallway. He looked over the group carefully. An old man and his son, 3 marines one of them injured pretty badly, And a young couple with a child. This sucked, situations with refugee’s always sucked. Not only did you have to watch your own back you had to protect others as well.

“Where’s Hinata and that blonde kid?”

The old man said once he realized they were leaving. He wasn’t exactly on the ball this morning but Shikamaru didn’t blame him, losing his wife yesterday and all.

“They ain’t coming.”

The Marine Simmons did not look happy. He glanced at his superior officer. Shikamaru couldn’t remember the ranks they had told him. Sounded complicated nothing like the simple ranks of the Ninja’s. He did know however that Church was the boss, and the other two were about the same rank.

Church caught the look and nodded his head.

Oh great. This doesn’t look good. Why can’t they be good and just listen to me. WHY doesn’t anyone listen to me!

“Where is Hinata?”

Shikamaru sighed as he shifted Lee’s weight.

“She’s gone looking for Naruto. I told her she had until sunrise. It’s past that.”
“So you’re just going to leave her? She might be hurt?”

“Exactly!”

Shikamaru snapped sharper than he meant.

“Or they might be dead, which would mean we’d be putting ourselves in danger for nothing.”

Everyone was staring at him like he was some kind of monster. Then again he might be, he certainly felt like one. But he couldn’t afford to back down. Maybe after he got the survivors to safety, maybe after Lee woke up, he’d go look for them. But now was not the time. If they wanted to live they had to move.

“Naruto left on his own free will. I told Hinata if she wasn’t back by sunrise I’d assume she was dead. She knew what the price of being late was.”

The marines still made no move to leave. Shikamaru sighed, he had had no idea she had made such an impression of the small group of people already.

“Marines…or whatever you call yourselves.”

The three marines stiffened at the tone in his voice.

“Look behind you, we have non-combatants. We even got a kid. And one of my own is knocked out cold. We don’t have the luxury of throwing our lives away.”
Shikamaru shifted, readying his hands for a familiar jutsu. He didn’t have the chakra to hold everyone and force them to come with him for long. But if he had to, he would bluff. Hopefully they would come with him without a fuss if they thought they had no choice.

“guys…”

The Marine called Tucker said getting everyone’s attention.

“Maybe…he’s right.”
Shikamaru could tell that statement did no go well with his comrades.

“I mean. We hardly have any bullets. Simmons is injured. Maybe if we can find help. They could send out a rescue party. This city is huge, maybe they just got lost?”

Shikamaru relaxed as he saw how Tuckers words affected everyone.

“alright…for now. But We are not going to just Assume.”

Church said this word with about as much disgust as one could.

“Assume she’s dead, or that that blonde kids dead either. Marines don’t leave anyone behind.”

Shikamaru didn’t give anyone the chance to pick up the argument again as he opened the door to the emergency exit. The morning sun shone brightly onto the street.

To bright. We’ll be sitting ducks if we’re spotted. Oh well we don’t have a choice.

Looking carefully to the left then right, Shikamaru lead the group out of the hotel that had given them shelter for the night. Already Lee was starting to feel like dead weight. He considered a moment of looking for a cart of something to throw him in. However that thought was quickly banished. If something happened then there might not be time to grab Lee out of danger.

BROOMMMMMMMMVVVVSHHHH

Shikamaru instinctively ducked as…something flew over head just above the buildings. What the hell was that. His eyes were wide as he took in the strange purplish coloring of a something that was flying. It obviously wasn’t alive, a machine of some sort.

“A Phantom!”

Tucker cried out as the entire group went to hell. The child was screaming and everyone was freaking out. Even the Marines were starting to panic although at least they managed to keep their heads enough to keep the group together. Shikamaru was silent his eyes hard as he stared at the flying machine that was starting to turn around.

“It saw us.”

So much for hiding and waiting it out.

“Church, how bad is this?”

Shikamaru asked calmly as the vehicle got closer. It was still a ways off as it seemed the machine could not make sharp turns.

“Bad. We need to find cover.”
“Cover? Maybe but we also need to move. That thing is probably used as a scout. It might have called friends. Follow me!”

Making sure everyone followed Shikamaru ran down an alley to his left. They had to move. Hopefully the narrow alleys between the taller buildings would provide some cover.

“Hurry up!”

Shikamaru shifted Lee’s weight as he increased his speed. It wouldn’t do them any good however. There was no way they were going to outrun that thing. Shikamaru just hoped they could get far enough away from the area where they were spotted so they could hide. He knew several traps and jutsu’s that could help if he had the time. Right now was not the time.

BROOMMMMMMMMVVVVSHHHH

Cursing loudly Shikamaru ducked again as the phantom flew over head. Looks like the curving back and forth route he had chosen didn’t fool the flying machine.

“why aren’t they attacking?”

Church asked as he glanced up at the sky in terror.

Shikamaru could answer that. He had had a feeling that this flying machine was merely a scout. And that more were on the way. He didn’t know why though. It seemed to him that if this phantom was as deadly as the marines were making it sound, that it would be easier just to kill them. That to him suggested either someone wanted to kill them himself, or they wanted to capture them alive.

Either way Shikamaru planed to disagree violently!

He hadn’t taken into account however…how powerful this ‘phantom’ thing was. He found out very quickly. As the machine suddenly let loose a volley of glowing purple stuff. And all hell broke loose.

Shikamaru was thrown off his feet. Lee was thrown as well although he didn’t seem to care. He continued to snore.

“My god!”

Shikamaru said as he surveyed the damage caused once the smoke cleared enough to see. The entire side of the build, the bricks, steel and concrete had all been melted.

Doing a quick head check Shikamaru shuddered in relief that everyone seemed to be ok.

“MOVE IT! PRIVATE get with the piggy back!”

Church screamed his military training taking over. He grabbed the kid while Tucker the largest and strongest of the marines got the old man to climb onto his back. Shikamaru nodded. It would slow Tucker down but it would still be faster moving than the old man.

Grabbing Lee once again Shikamaru winced as he saw the road burn the ninja had gotten by sliding across the pavement. That seemed to be the only injury however.

Again the phantom flew over them. It didn’t shoot this time but it pressured them enough to get moving.

They all ran. Shikamaru kept in his head which way they ran as he tried to keep them going westward. The phantom had flown over them several times. Sometimes it’d shoot at them, but mostly it just flew over them.

Shikamaru was not happy. That thing wasn’t try to kill them. Everytime it attacked it seemed to be aiming at the street and buildings rather than them.

“Church!”

Shikamaru gritted his teeth. He didn’t know how they were going to get out of this.

“That thing is herding us somewhere!”
From the look on Church’s pale sweating face, he hadn’t known that. However he was a smart guy and had to agree with Shikamaru’s assessment.

This proved true as they turned the next corner.

Shikamaru only caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. However it was enough to make him duck and roll. Something blue and shimmering passed just over his head. Shikamaru could hear the air sizzle.

“FUCK!”
Tucker screamed as he unceremonious dumped his passenger, then lifted his gun. However he never finished the move as the blue thing that Shikamaru had dodged came swinging back and Cut Tuckers hand off.

Shikamaru was the kind of guy that took things in stride. Nothing ever bothered him. He never cared and was rather lazy. However right this moment…Shikamaru was struck totally and utterly dump.

In front of him was a monster. A blood covered horrible horrible monster. It was easily 8 ft talk. It walked on two legs, was grayish and scaly looking. Kind of looked like a lizard. Its mouth was unlike anything he had ever seen though. It split into four sections and was filled with sharp looking teeth. The thing was wearing a red colored armor and was holding the blue blade that Shikamaru had ducked from.

“TUCKER!”

Church screamed as he realized what was happening. It had happened so suddenly that everyone not just Shikamaru had been struck dumb. It had literally come out of no where.

Tucker fell to his knee’s screaming as the blood spluttered all over the place.

Shikamaru numbly thought that the blood loss couldn’t be good. It was everywhere, all over the lizard, not to mention the ground.

Church continued to scream as he opened fire on the elite.

That shocked Shikamaru out of his stupor simply from the loud noise. He’d never seen a gun work and was amazed at the high velocity of the weapon.

The bullets however didn’t seem to hurt the monster, it seemed to be covered in a barrier.

Ashamed of his reaction to the monster, Shikamaru grabbed a Kunai and attacked the instant the bullets stopped.. The elite apparently hadn’t anticipated Shikamaru’s attack. It raised the blue blade in surprise to ward off the attack but Shikamaru was too quick. He merely ducked under the blade and rammed the kunai forward as hard as he could. The was a resistance, like a thick jello like substance before the shield suddenly failed and the ninja sent his blade deep into the belly of the elite.

Making sure to cause as much damage as he could Shikamaru twisted the knife and yanked upward. The creature roared in anger and pain.

Shikamaru didn’t even flinch as he grabbed another Kunai in his left hand and with a violently gesture upward thrust his blade into the chin…and hopefully the brain of the creature. It seemed to work as the creature stiffened. Blue blood spilled out spraying shikamaru. It then fell to the ground.

“Patch Tucker up. We need to move.”

Shikamaru said in a monotone as he looked at the creature.

You’re what happened to this city. The covenant…monsters.

Both Church and Simmons tried to stop the bleeding although Shikamaru could feel their eyes drift to him.

“Is everyone else alright?”

Everyone nodded. It seemed that Tucker was the only one injured.

Closing his eyes Shikamaru willed his muscles to stop shaking. This encounter was more than he expected. He would not be shocked like that again. He steeled his insides.

“Ok. Lets get going.”
He looked up, searching for the phantom that had herded them here.

“Looks like the phantoms gone. Probably thought this guy could take care of the job. Lets go while we can.”

No sooner had those words left his mouth when suddenly his eye’s bulged. He felt a killing intent. Unlike the first monster where there was absolutely no warning, Shikamaru felt this coming like a brick to the head.

“DUCK!”

He screamed as suddenly a large double door exploded into a million pieces. The doors were part of a large building. He hadn’t even thought to suspect an attack from the building. It looked the same to him as the others. Shikamaru cursed his blindness to the danger. As it was he barely had time to jump out of the way. With Lee on his shoulders it was hard, but he managed to knock over the young couple on his way down. They had been the closest to the doors. He only hoped everyone else got out of the way. Debris rained down on them and a deep dark smoke billowed around them.

The ground under him shook once, twice, then again.

Footsteps? Massive footsteps.

He hadn’t been afraid…really afraid in a long time. Even when he had fought with the sound chick he hadn’t truly been terrified. He’d been at his wits end then, he had been scared to die, but at the time it seemed he didn’t have a choice. Scared yes, terrified no.

“this has to be a nightmare. These things can’t be real!?”

It had to a nightmare. These two new things had to be monsters. They were huge, they looked kind of slow, but heir unhurried movements spoke of ungodly strength.

Shikamaru forced himself up. He didn’t even know where to attack. He could see the glint of armor, but it was hard to tell where the armor started and where flesh began.

Suddenly one of the lumbering nightmares turned its head. Shikamaru would be willing to bet even the Marines felt the horrible killing intent it radiated as it focused on a dark form still hidden in the dust.

Oh god! Its going to attack.

The dust started to clear more, helped by a the mild wind blowing. Even then it took Shikamaru’s shocked mind a moment to realize…

THE KID!

That thing was going to kill the little girl. It moved focused and surprising fast for something so big. The little girl wasn’t doing anything to get out of the way. She was curled up on the ground, crying and screaming as the thing got close enough to raise one massive foot.

Shikamaru moved, with all the strength in his body he threw Shurriken’s and then kunai’s. He gasped in horror as they all bounced off the creature and it continued what it was doing without even bothering to flinch. He started to do hand seals, not even sure if his shadow technique would even work on something so inhuman.

There’s no way I can make it. OH GOD its going to step on her like a bug.

The massive foot came rushing down.

The world seemed to stop as the foot hit flesh.

Shikamaru stood there…as did everyone else…staring unbelieving.

“…Lee…”

IT was Lee. Under the massive foot, he was holding the monster as bay. Protecting the little girl. Swallowing hard Shikamaru stared. He couldn’t believe it. Lee was awake and talk about timing. Still…there was something off. Something about the weird ninja that seemed different, although he couldn’t put his finger on it.

Lee smiled.

And with the yell that classified Lee he heaved upward and flung the foot up into the air. In the same motion he reach far back into what had to be last Monday and with inhuman speed he punched the creature right in the chest.

Even from where shikamaru stood he could hear metal screech as it was dented in by the massive blow. Not just that but the monster was literally punched off its feet as it flew backwards and into its buddy knocking both of them to the ground.

“I am ROCK LEE. I shall not let you harm one hair on this childs head!”

Lee’s smiled again.

“Hey Shikamaru. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Shikamaru blinked, then smiled back.

“About time. While you were napping all hell has been breaking loose.”

Lee picked up the child. She was still bawling her eyes out.

“Here, get them to safety. I’ll take care of this.”

Taking the child, Shikamaru turned toward the others.

“You heard him. Lets move.”

The Marines were all just standing there. Their mouths opened wide at the sight of Lee’s strength.

“Come on.”

Shikamaru whispered harshly, placing a hand on Churches shoulder. He had slung the child onto his back. She was still crying but unhurt it seemed.

“Lee will give us some cover. We got to move.”

Church nodded numbly as he watched the second of the two hunters get up. The other one, the one hit by Lee was moving but very slowly. Even from here Church could hear its labored breathing. It was hurt, badly.

Finally Church started to move, that in turn got the others to move as well.

They all had a stunned look on their faces, but they were also seeing this for what it was. A chance to live.

Good luck Lee.