Chap. 17: Kyoto tricked! Kimimaro appears

"Shikamaru, this will be your first mission as Chunin. Hinami is undergoing intense medical training and is unavailable right now to attend the mission. You can choose any available genin from this list, my only requirement is that Naruto is included as well." Minato said looking seriously at Shikamaru who nodded, looking at the sheet of available genin. Minato's blonde hair sat spiked around his head his sideburns reaching his chin on either side, his headband tied around his forehead, wearing a dark blue ninja outfit with a jonin flak jacket overtop, wearing the shortsleeve hokage cloak overtop with blue ninja sandals on his feet. Wearing the shuriken holster on his right thigh and kunai pouch on his back waist. 

"Makes sense, Kyoto's his cousin, isn't he?" Shikamaru questioned and Minato nodded in return, Kiyoka was on a mission out of the village, assessing the recent flood damage to a village near the border, while also working on her medical training with Tsunade. Who was out assessing the damage as well and offering aid to the village. All the other jonin were busy monitoring the border with the hidden rain who'd begun to make movements near the border. They were monitoring the situation, including every jonin sensei, meaning they were unavailable.

"Yeah. I'll put together another squad that will follow directly after yours, as the jonin become available." Minato said and Shikamaru nodded, looking over towards him, Kyoto had been taken by the sound four. He'd been with Sakura when it happened the night before, they'd snuck into the village and grabbed him, shoving him in a container and running off, or rather, teleporting away, using a transportation technique. 'They needed him alive… for something. But what was it.' Minato thought and Shikamaru nodded looking over, 'Naruto, Neji, Choji, Kiba, a no nonsense group.' Shikamaru thought looking at the papers in front of him. Nodding towards Minato, before heading out to go after Naruto first before heading to Kiba's, Choji's, to find Neji.

Naruto jumping out the door, wearing mission gear ready to go, Shikamaru nodded, the two making to leave before the both froze in place, Kushina's footsteps being heard from inside the house, Naruto turning back to see his mothers hair levitating. 

"Naruto! Shikamaru!" Kushina yelled causing the boy to freeze on the porch, paling as sweat dropped behind his head rapidly, the same happening to Shikamaru for a moment, 'Oh man, what a drag.' he thought, looking over towards the woman,

"Yeah, mom?" he asked a hand on the back of his head, looking towards the woman, who stood before him, her hair falling back to her waist, wearing a green sleeveless dress with a shortsleeve white shirt underneath, her violet eyes looking over towards both boys.

"Take these with you, give one to each of the team too. Shikamaru, you take one too young man." Kushina said, holding up a small container of onigiri, a snack they could eat on the go, the boys looked towards eachother a moment before looking back towards Kushina.

"Thank you, lady Kushina." Shikamaru said, the woman nodding before sending them on their way. 

"your mom's nice… unlike mine" Shikamaru said paling as he thought about his mother

"You haven't seen her mad." Naruto said in reply

"Haven't seen who mad?" Kiba said walking up, Shikamaru bringing him up to speed, as Naruto set an onigiri in his hand. 

"I see. lets go after these jerks!" he said walking with them to get Choji. who jumped for joy as Naruto passed him food. The three headed over towards the hospital. 

"Alright! now for Alismatis Rhizoma." Shizune said standing on the yard in front of the hospital and Hinami looked towards her a moment before she nodded, moving her hands in front of her onto the grass.

"Right!" Hinami said in return, growing the plant, she wore a bandana around the top of her head, keeping her hair from her face as she wore her locket around her neck, sitting inside her light blue yukata with a maroon purple belt, mesh armor underneath, working on her ability to grow plants by just thinking of them. Learning as many medicinal plants, their properties, and so on, only able to grow plants that she understood the fundamental structure and use of. Without understanding the properties, they fell apart. Neji walking with Lee down the stairs of the hospital, helping the boy to walk as he recovered from his surgery. 

"Hey!" Naruto said as he ran up, Hinami taking a small break from the training, walking over towards Neji and Lee, the two having stopped as Naruto ran up. The boy looking over,

"Neji! We need you for this mission, please. Kyoto was taken by the sound ninja." Naruto said and Hinami's eyes widened as did Neji's and Lee's, the boy looking over towards Lee and Hinami.

"Go, brother Neji. I'll stay here with Lee." Hinami said in return, as Lee also encouraged him to go with the team, they'd need him after all. 

"You should go after them, they'll need help." Lee said as Hinami passed him his medicine, moving Tsunade's sake bottle far… far… far away from the boys reach, Lee laying in the hospital bed, she looked conflicted a moment, looking towards him.

"You'll be okay on your own?" She asked, looking over, Lee was a friend of Neji's and was important to him, so Hinami tried to be his friend as well, help him when she could. Lee working to earn Sakura's affections as the girl remained focused on Sasuke. 

"I'll remain here. But they'll need some backup." Lee said and Hinami nodded in agreement, 

"Alright. Don't leave the hospital." She said before leaving, Lee wasn't clear for fighting yet, he first had to be able to walk on his own, and he could barely do that. But he was working tirelessly to be able to do so, and within the month he'd be back in fighting shape, no doubt about that. He nodded to Hinami who ran out the door a moment later. 

"Naruto! Go after Kyoto!" Hinami said blocking Kimimaro's bones from reaching Naruto, as she slid back on the grass. Standing in front of Naruto, the boy on the ground his blue-orange ninja outfit holding a few cuts and tears, his shuriken holster sitting on his right thigh with his kunai pouch on his back waist

"Who is this?" Kimimaro said curiously, annoyed she'd stopped his kill shot with one move. Kimimaro wore a specialised version of the traditional Oto-nin ensemble, consisting of a light lavender, loose-fitting, long-sleeved, zip-up shirt, black pants cut off around mid-calf, bandages wrapped around his ankles, traditional shinobi sandals, and a purple, rope-like belt tied in an inverted bow around his waist. He also wore two red, tube-like hair ornaments; one on either side of his head, securing two locks of his silvery-white hair. His Cursed Seal of Earth is applied at the base of his throat, where it is a circular pattern of three curved lines. 

"My name is Hinami. I'm the person you're fighting with from here on." She said in response looking towards Naruto, having blocked Kyoto's exit, her black hair in a braid behind her head, with a yellow strand on the right side and a lilac purple strand on the left side, intertwining with the black. A sky blue bow at the base as she wore her locket around her neck, sitting inside her light blue yukata with a maroon purple belt around her waist, mesh armor underneath, her feet touching the grass as she'd left her sandals at home. Looking towards Kimimaro with a hard look on her face, holding her right hand up in front of her face, her palm out with her left arm bent towards her waist, her palm held up towards the sky. A small breeze moving through the field moved Hinami's hair and clothing as it did to Kimimaro, and the others on the field, the grass and trees following the movement. 

"Naruto. Leave this guy to me, get Kyoto." She said and the boy nodded, turning to leave, running after the awake Kyoto who looked confused before running through the forest. Heading closer towards Anko, he was under some sort of jutsu.

"Thanks… but be careful, he uses his bones as weapons." Naruto said and Hinami nodded in response, Kimimaro going to attack Naruto to block him from getting to Kyoto, Hinami sent vines forwards, breaking apart his bones before they could reach Naruto,

"I thought I was clear that I was your opponent." Hinami said looking over towards Kimimaro, kicking him in the face and sending him flying back against the the field, her hair flying up as she moved, Kimimaro fell and rolled against the the ground. Before getting back to his feet, wiping his hand across his mouth, looking towards Hinami almost like he knew she would loose, the girl looking over, ready to fight. She'd been training but she could hold her own for a while against this enemy. 'You aren't getting past me buddy.' Hinami thought looking towards him, standing in a fighting stand, prepared to fight him.

"Interesting. But it's for naught. Lady Anko will have Kyoto Uchiha." Kimimaro said and Hinami hummed, blocking his bones with her vines pulling him closer before punching him in the face, sending him back on the grass.

"Is that so? I'll be honest, I kinda bounced in the middle of training to come here. " Hinami questioned, avoiding looking towards Kimimaro's face directly, avoiding his attack, as he ran towards her once more, she ducked down, before kicking Kimimaro's head with a spinning kick, that looked more akin to a pirouette jump than an fighting move. Keeping him from going after Naruto, his focus had to be on her, as long as she kept this up, he couldn't block Naruto from reaching Kyoto. Minato would be sending a backup squad as soon as one became available, all she had to do was hold on until then, easy.

"You want them you'll have to get past me first." Hinami said standing on the grass, her hand outstretched as she looked forwards with a gentle fist stance, her byakugan active. A small breeze moved through the clearing, moving their hair and a few blades of grass, their clothing ruffling from the breeze and Kimimaro hummed in response, 

"If you insist." Kimimaro said, moving his bones out sending them towards her, Hinami avoiding every single one moving with the grace of a dancer as she pivoted her foot, sending vines towards Kimimaro, forcing him to jump back, more vines moving up from where he was to land, forcing him to jump to the side. All the while she looked like she was dancing, moving in between his movements. Before moving in closer, the two going hand to hand in taijutsu. Hinami kicking her leg up for a split kick, which was blocked by Kimimaro, the girl bending back and instead using a helicopter kick to send him back a few steps. Kimimaro jumping back, Hinami still holding her hand out, ready for the next onslaught.

"How impudent. Youre nothing but bugs beneath my feet." Kimimaro said tauntingly as he sent bones out towards the girl who avoided them, back flipping out of the way, and she tched. Looking towards the man as she blocked his attacks

"Bugs beneath your feet? How impudent indeed. Your quite arrogant." She said sliding back on the grass, which seemed to follow her movements. The girl twisting and kicking Kimimaro aside before grabbing his shoulders, forcing him into the ground as she flipped him over her body, causing a large crater to form below his body.

"It'd be wise not to underestimate me." she said calmly, as she jumped back over, Kimimaro humming, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, 'strong indeed.' he thought from the ground looking towards the child, 

You are strong indeed, but even you cannot fight destiny. Kyoto will be Anko's new vessel." Kimimaro said, assured of himself, unconcerned with the rage in Hinami's eyes, though, she had more control over her emotions than Naruto did. 

"He won't. Do not underestimate him. Anko is nothing but a coward hiding behind stolen jutsu and others." Hikari said in return, running up to kick the guy in the face who ducked, avoiding Hinami's attacks, bending back, he sent bones to meet the girls leg, the girl meeting it head on, jumping back, 

"Digital shrapnel!" Kimimaro said sending bones from his fingers towards Hinami who moved her hands at the same moment, 

"Woodstyle Shuriken!" she said, creating wooden shuriken to clash with the bones, the two jutsu's clashing together sending a breeze through the forest, 

"The infamous wood style. I see, so you're related to the first hokage, Hashirama Senju, are you?" Kimimaro said unimpressed as he continued to send out and block attacks from Hinami, who increased her speed, running quickly, she threw Kimimaro off balance, she her moves were fluid, but with the added element of unpredictability. Making it harder for Kimimaro to predict and properly counter her movements. The boy sending more bones towards her and Hinami maintained constant movements. This move was something only she was able to pull off. As it required incredible amounts of speed paired with the person to be attuned with their body and the body's of others. 

Shikarmaru stood right next to Tayuya, trying to use shadow strangle jutsu, the girl standing trying to release it. It was a constant game of tug of war between the two ninja, Tayuya had activated her cursemark, her pink hair parting over white horns on either side of her head as her yellow eyes looked forwards, smirking as she pulling the shadow paralysis off of her body slowly. Shikamaru's brown eyes tched, 'damnit…' he thought, his body showed signs of a battle, his chakra was almost completely depleted from having dodged her genjutsu. He looked towards the girl seriously. Wracking his brain to come up with a solution to accurately fight against her.

Kiba and Akamaru swam out of the lake, having used a bush to hide their bodies, both of them hurt bad, and almost completely unable to continue the fight, with Kiba having stabbed his side to stop the merging with Sakkon. Akamaru was unconscious from his injuries, the poor pup had bravely fought, but… would this be the end? He dragged himself out of the water, walking unsteadily towards the forest, wincing as each step felt like fire. Blood leaking from the wound he'd given himself, which he was probably going to be lectured about later. 

"You're strong, but, it matters not. You'll loose." Kimimaro said and Hinami hummed, the two were panting, as sweat glistened from their foreheads running forwards sending a bone towards Hinami who ducked back, stopping halfway through, kicking Kimimaro away once more. Sending him across the grass. 

"Is that your assessment? Interesting." Hinami said calmly, moving to the side to avoid the bones sent towards her, blocking another one with her forearm, punching Kimimaro's face, poking his eyes in the same moment, using gentle fist as she poked him, sending him back across the field where he lay rubbing his eyes furiously. 'Seriously? How juvenile.' Kimimaro thought, Hitting a tree, splintering the wood partially. The man using camelia dance against Hinami to try and halt her movements once he could see again, with the girl avoiding every single bone. Hinami then ducking back underneath Kimimaro's bone, stopping halfway, she kicked her foot towards Kimimaro, who did the same, the two going quickly before Hinami twisted grabbing Kimimaro's leg, hitting the mans chest with gentle fist. Jumping over him she brought her leg down in an effort to stop him. 'Heaven kick of pain!' She thought, bringing her leg down harshly, Kimimaro bringing up bones in an X formation over his chest to block the attack, the bones cracking from the force of Hinami's leg. Shocking the man as a crater deepened beneath his body, a shockwave sent over the forest, brushing through the trees. Hinami's yukata skirt tearing slightly from the fight. Alongside her sleeves the fabric flying across the field 'She's strong indeed. Well then.' Kimimaro thought, activating the marking on his sternum. Standing from the ground, bringing up his other arm which began to convulse with what looked to be rolls of something going under his skin, before five bones broke through, going around his forearm, down to his hand, having moved the other sleeve of his tunic off of his shoulder, looking towards Hinami, who was prepared for anything. 

"My power, lies within my bones. That clone brat told you, I'm sure." Kimimaro said, Hinami running forwards, being blocked by Kimimaro's bones on his forearm, being thrown back, before the girl gasped, Kimimaro's ribs were now poking through his skin, the pattern on his chest moving slightly to hold an odd shape made of crescent moons. Going over his chest, Hinami looking towards him in anger,. Blood running for a moment from her cheek before the cut healed which took a few seconds. Kimimaro seemed to be gloating in front of her, proud of his power, looking towards Hinami as though the match was already decided.

"This is my kekkei genkai." Kimimaro said, Hinami's cheek was bleeding onto the ground below. The blood dropping onto the blades of grass and dripping onto the earth below. Looking towards Kimimaro, before moving her hands over her body.

"Your kekkei genkai is interesting. This is my kekkei Tota." Hinami said moving her arms out as Kimimaro did the same, the forest responding to her call, looking towards the girl. 'He's at least jonin level, that much is clear. Damn…' Hinami thought as she moved,

Shikamaru stood on the branch across from Tayuya, sweat falling from his forehead and onto the branch below, he was in close proximity to the girl who was still in her cursemarked state as he swore to himself. He was holding tightly to her, but how long would it last? Would it last long enough for him to win? He tched before reminding himself to calm down, think of something to get himself out of the mess he was in. the sweat gathered in a small puddle on the bark, the two still locked in their power struggle. Shikamaru was wracking his brain, he didn't know when back up would arrive but he couldn't depend on that, he had to get himself out. But how…

Kiba and Akamaru were exhausted, they could no longer move as Kiba leaned against a trunk of a tree, Yakkon scoffing as he grinned, walking down the stream in his cursemarked state, his yellow eye looking forwards as a horn protruding from the left side of his forehead, with his hair falling over his right eye completely obscuring it from view, wearing half of a torn short sleeve tunic. Kiba sniffing the air as he sat exhausted, tching as he realized one of them had already caught up to him and Akamaru. 

"Deep forest emergence!" Hinami said, summoning forth a large forest which moved like a wave towards Kimimaro who moved his bones out, Hinami standing on a branch in the air the two jutsu's clashed together, causing a tower of wood and bone to be seen throughout the forest, as well as shockwave which moved the trees leave's around, as well as the branches just slightly. Cracking the wood on some of the trunks of the trees.

"I won't allow you to do as you please to Kyoto." She said calmly as she held her hands out, pushing the summoned forest further, as Kimimaro did the same to his bones, as Hinami's forest dragged him underground with vines, forcing the man to turn his attention behind him. As Hinami moved her hands down, dragging him further. 

"Return to the darkness from whence you came." She said calmly. Pieces of her hair fell from the braid she had it in. She hummed for a moment, before taking a hit to her chin, which forced her head to look upwards, sending her towards the ground, she was able to catch herself, though, she didn't avoid being cut in different places on her body. Kimimaro having used his larce dance to create a tornado of bones around his body as he spun, Hinami moving the forest out once more. Blocking as much of the attack as she could. Sliding back on her bare feet across the grass, her black hair with a strand of lilac and a strand of yellow falling around her head, 

"A kekkei tota is even more rare than the kekkei genkai. Well then, this is interesting." Kimimaro said in response and Hinami tched, before being sent into a tree, blood running from her forehead. Before tching, burying the forest once more, using rotation to block as many of the bones as she could as they rained down. Moving the forest in the same moment. 

Shikamaru was reaching the end of his rope, unable to keep holding Tayuya on the branch and keep her from taking his life. He continued to grunt with effort as he tried to keep the shadow wrapped around the girl in his crouched position.

"Just a bit further you douchebag." Tayuya said close to his ear, Shikamaru tching, going through the chances somebody was coming to help him like he'd been saved in the past, Shikamaru telling himself to calm down as he pushed back against the woman. 'Come on…' He thought

Yakkon walked up stream, following the puddles to find the boy who'd run off in the middle of their fight. Following the puddles to a tree that Kiba was sitting behind, or so he thought. The space behind the tree he looked to was completely empty, the man tched before continuing his search. Kiba sighing as he smelled his scent moving away,

"That was close…" He said in relief, 

"What was?" Sakkon asked his black eyes meeting Kiba's slitted ones, as his blue hair covered the left half of his face, reaching his shoulders, the man using Kiba's jacket to disguise his scent in order to get closer to the boy, Sakkon pulling out a kunai in response to Kiba's speech he'd made, the boy lifting a hand. They sat underneath the shade of a large tree, unable to move any further.

"You can't keep this up forever, you'll run out of energy eventually." Kimimaro said as they continued to go back and forth with their jutsu, and Hinami tched, blood running from her forehead, her outfit holding tears and cuts from the fight. She looked forwards, blocking his bone with her forearm wincing as she felt the bone crack and creak under her arm from the force and pressure she was using. Hinami was definitely feeling the extent of the fight by this point. But all she could do is hold on, stop him here even if it cost her life.

"The same could be said of you." She said calmly, 'I need to stall this guy by whatever means possible.' Hinami thought, moving her arms, flowers and trees emerging around the guy, as she looked forwards with her byakugan activated, kicking up with her leg, hitting the side of his head, and sending him careening to the side, clapping her hands together as she looked towards the man before her. Her face held a determined look.

"Forest blooms." She said calmly, flowers blooming around Kimimaro, releasing a toxic aroma around him, which would paralyze the average person, but, this wasn't the average person, which he proved, using his bones to deflect all of the flowers at once. The two going for another attack, Hinami hitting a few of his chakra points before he jumped out of range. Hinami moving the forest once more, 

"Supreme forest emergence." She said calmly, the forest moving from all sides, as Kimimaro sent bones towards her, jumping briefly on her wood to come closer, Hinami moving her arms to block his attempts, Kimimaro knocking her from the top of the trees once more into the ground, with the tail he now held on his back, Hinami moving her arms up to block, being hit to the ground, crashing through a few trees as a shockwave fell over the forest. The girl standing from the ground, running towards Kimimaro once more, 

"Gentle fist!" She said definitely, 'Backup is almost here, come on…' She thought before yelling out, Kimimaro had met her hand headon, a shockwave going through the forest as he stabbed through her palm, Hinami kicked out with her foot to try and separate them, the girls foot was also grabbed, trapping her in place 'shit!' she thought looking towards the man, unable to call her vines or anything as she wa. Wincing as blood ran from her palm and dripped onto the grass, her leg cut in a few places, the blood also leaking onto the grass. Coloring the blades a crimson color. Looking towards the blood her eyes dialated, 'blood.. It's it's blood. It's blood. It's my blood… Blood…' She thought, she was trying desperately to think of anything to get out of her situation.

Shikamaru was really in for it now, his strength was almost gone. He couldn't come up with any sort of strategy, nothing was coming to mind that would work. His shadow paralysis finally coming undone as he was dealing with more chakra loss. Tayuya chuckling as she felt the jutsu release.

"You're staring death in the face, shouldn't you beg for mercy?" Ukon said, holding the kunai back as Kiba smirked against the tree, laughing at his words as he looked towards the ground

Kimimaro made a move to exterminate Hinami, the girl glaring at him in return. Moving her head back as she could, while still being trapped by his bones. 'Damnit! Think of something you idiot! You can't do rotation to it's fullest extent, but what was all this training for?' Hinami thought glaring forwards

"It ends here!" He declared before sand burst through, knocking the two away from eachother, catching Hinami the sand moved her to the grass before gathering back into the gord of the other chunin that'd just made his way forwards, wearing a red outfit with a white cloth diagonally overtop paired with his gord on his back, his dark red hair parting over his forehead. Parting over his love tattoo. Hinami lay on the ground, unable to move for the moment, as she shook from the pain. 

Tayuya moved to stab Shikamaru, before a blast of wind knocked her away, the wind completely missing Shikamaru who stood in shock a moment. 

Ukon went to stab Kiba, being stopped by something in a cloth of somesort. Which 

confused the man as it hadn't been there a moment ago. Turning he noted the boy wearing a hood and an entirely black outfit behind him

"Who the hell are you?" Tayuya asked, holding onto the tree bark even as she was forced back. Sakkon and Kimimaro asking similar questions. 

"We're allies of the leaf village. We're shinobi. Of the sand." The three said in response, ready for a fight, 

"Hinami, are you alright?" Gaara said looking towards the girl, who was on the ground. She looked towards her hand, still shaking, the blood dripped onto the ground. 

"Hinami." Gaara said, exploding sand in her face a moment, causing the girl to blink and shake her head, before she looked over, taking a breath before taking out some bandages, wrapping them around her hand to staunt the bleeding some, doing so while her body was wracked with shakiness from her fear of blood, before answering his question. Wrapping her injuries slowly as she responded, looking towards Gaara a moment.

"That was a little too close… I'm okay, thanks to you, Gaara, thanks." Hinami said, she had blood running from her injuries, her outfit holding signs of a fight. Before she stood from the ground, standing with her byakugan active once more, her hands prepared for gentle fist. 

"He uses his bones for offense and defense. He favors close range combat as opposed to long range, but he can also use his bones as projectiles to make up for the weakness. he can increase a bones durability and grow/extract from anywhere on his body." She said, looking towards the man across the field, 

"If he's pushed you this far, he is a strong opponent indeed." Gaara said, Kimimaro saying something before sending bones from his fingertips, Gaara blocking with a wall of sand, 

"Quite impulsive." He commented moving his sand, as the sand moved to show half of his face, Hinami nodded, 

"Have you been slacking with your training? You held more agility and strength when you fought me. Where are your shoes." Gaara said and Hinami hummed in mock offense, 

"I left in the middle of training to come help out, I made a few errors, but we can take him down, together." Hinami said now eye level with the boy who hummed before she asked about their sudden appearance, having heard Kankuro and Temari with him, but noted they were nowhere in sight.

"We decided to split up to better help. Besides, I owe the leaf a major debt that I need to repay. In Naruto and you." Gaara said, and Hinami hummed 

"I'd heard the leaf had gone soft, but to rely on other villages, you must be truly desperate. Or is it just the Senju and Hyuga clans have fallen from grace. They used to be strong clans, maybe that's not the case anymore." Kimimaro said, Hinami going to move forwards before Gaara placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head to say it wasn't worth it. He was baiting her, for whatever he wanted Hinami to attack him again. 

"At least my clan didn't go and try to take over one of the great villages with brute strength like the Kaguya clan did. Before you talk about clans falling from grace, take a long hard look at yourself. Kimimaro Kaguya." Hinami said instead. Kimimaro tching

"So, you've heard of the Kaguya clan." Kimimaro said in return, 

"That clan of brutes? That makes sense now." Gaara said in response and Hinami nodded looking over towards the boy before looking back at Kimimaro

"So, it's you. Temari." Shikamaru said looking towards Temari who stood next to him on the tree branch, the girl looking towards Tayuya with her fan behind her ash blonde hair in four ponytails behind her head, her headband around her neck wearing a purple off-shoulder dress with sleeves reaching her forearms wearing fishnetting beneath that with a red belt around her waist. She scoffed a moment as she continued looking forwards, towards Tayuya

"Hey." Temari said in response, before humming, seeming in amusement, 

"You seem a lot dumber than the last time our paths crossed." Temari started, looking towards Tayuya, Shikamaru looking shocked before tching, Temari smiling, 

"So, giving up again?" She asked before claiming she'd take care of the sound ninja for him. 

Shikamaru tching a moment as he looked towards her, 

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not gonna. Besides, any real man won't let a woman do the fighting for him." Shikamaru said in response and Temari just rolled her eyes looking over towards the boy a moment as she stood. 

"Still macho with the man and woman stuff?" she asked Tayuya commenting before playing her flute to summon her genjutsu, Temari using her cyclone scythe jutsu to blow it and over half of the trees in their vicinity, the other way. Snapping Tayuya's flute in half, and forcing her on the defensive. 

 Sakkon walked down stream, commenting on his brother likely already taking out the boy they'd been fighting against, looking back towards the shore where his brother remained. Ukon backed up avoiding Kankuro's puppet, as well as the knife embedded in it's hand, grunting as he was forced on the defensive.

"You use puppets, do you?" Ukon said looking towards Kankuro who moved his arm, controlling the puppet with his chakra threads, Kiba asking him about his group with Kankuro making a comment about their inability to hack out the mission. Kiba warned him of an attack from behind, Kankuro turning in time for his face to be grabbed, Kiba unable to move due to the injury he was sporting, Kiba then warning Kankuro of the likelihood that Sakkon was trying to merge with his body, just as he'd done to Kiba, which ended with the boy in the state he was currently in. 

"We sand ninja aren't pushovers like our friends from the leaf." Kankuro said as he moved his hand, having jumped out of the wrappings on the back of his puppets back, using a substitution to switch as soon as Sakkon jumped down, 

"Oh and, my friend, the black ant. Is a real big fan of hugs." he continued, moving the arms out, before wrapping the six spiked limbs around Sakkon, the man yelling out as he was stabbed, Kiba and Kankuro grinning to eachother. Before Sakkon jumped into Ukon's body, who proclaimed he would not be caught by the same attack, the power and speed of Kankuro's puppet, didn't impress him. Despite his lack of chakra, he was sure of his victory. Kiba calling for a tactical retreat with Kankuro tching about the lack of respect shown towards him, moving his chakra threads, he moved both the black ant and crow, using the crow to send him back, foring him to jump back to avoid the poisoned kunai and needles blasted towards him right into the black ant. Who opened the belly, pulling a confused Sakkon inside, who was still getting used to being the man body, the crow broke apart showing blades on every end. Before Sakkon began to bang on the inside demanding to be let out. Black ant sat on the ground, ready for the crows blades.

"Secret black move! Iron maiden!" Kankuro said, moving the crow into the slots on the black ant, stabbing Sakkon in every single crevice at once. Ending the fight. He screamed before blood poured out of the puppet. Dripping To the ground. 

 Temari stood on a tree branch in front of Shikamaru, looking for Tayuya, before Temari glanced back with her green eyes, asking for an analysis on the fighting style and abilities of their opponent. 

"Her flute casts genjutsu, she uses it to capture her opponents before moving to a lethal attack. A typical long range, genjutsu style shinobi. She probably saw your jutsu and realized it was the perfect counter for her own. Besides, it's two on one now, the chances of her showing herself once more." Shikamaru said and Temari hummed in response, looking out on the forest of broken trees in front of them, 

"Well then, this should be easy." Temari said with her fan opened to the third star, the genjutsu that affect the ears are the most lethal due to their versatility. Temari using her summoning blade dance to slace through the trees and find Tayuya, who yelled as her clothing and flute was cute like ribbons, Temari calling the fight over to a shocked Shikamaru, before smiling as she turned. 

"Thats new." Gaara said and Hinami nodded before moving vines With her left hand as Gaara moved His sand, forcing Kimimaro in one place. 'She's a midrange fighter, and he's long range, his attacks up close are likely weakest, but getting close is not going to be easy.' Kimimaro thought, breaking free of the vines before being hit with another wave of sand, going towards Kimimaro who sent his bones towards Gaara once more, the boy blocking with his hardened sand. Hinami blocking with a wood wall in front of her body Kimimaro was forced to jump and move to avoid the hits Gaara was attempting with his sand, Kimimaro figuring the sand Gaara could move was limited to what was in the gord. Not taking into account the earth beneath their feet. He figured Hinami was also limited to the nearby trees, or the ones she'd already summoned.

"You fool… You're nothing without your sand, Gaara of the desert." Kimimaro said jumping over the stream of sand before flipping underneath another row, landing right where Gaara wanted him, 

"Sand shower." He said calmly, Kimimaro looking up towards the sky where sand began to rain harshly Kimimaro finding it impossible to move as Gaara held his legs with sand from the earth. 

"The only fool here… is you, if I need more sand, I can make it wherever there is earth." Gaara said as a cyclone of sand erupted around Kimimaro, who was trapped in the middle, 'I see, so that was their plan the entire time.' Kimimaro thought as the sand rained down on him, Hinami gathering more chakra. While Gaara sent his own sand underground to grind up minerals, creating more sand. The sand around Kimimaro hardened for a coffin, vines wrapping around his limbs to cut off circulation and Hinami squeezing tighter with the vines, putting more pressure on Kimimaro's skin.

"I'm not one for questions. But why won't he die. Damnit." She said and Gaara hummed in response using sand burial, adding even more pressure, any normal person's bones would be breaking and creaking under the pressure.

"This guy… his eyes remind me of Sasuke's and Kyoto's. Seeking to prove the value of their own existence." Gaara said and Hinami nodded 

"That was a lot of pressure, thankfully I grew a layer of bone underneath my skin to avoid being crushed beyond recognition." Kimimaro said looking forwards to the two ninja, 

"He's a monster, a freak…" Gaara said looking forwards,

"He's certainly a nuisance." Hinami agreed, Gaara moving his legs shoulder width apart, moving to create hand signs with incredibly speeds, moving sand from beneath his feet towards Kimimaro for sand tsunami. Kimimaro jumping back to avoid it before behind caught in the massive wave of sand. Gaara holding his sand clasped together, Kimimaro trying to climb from the sand prison he found himself in before being hit by another wave of sand that dragged him underneath.

"I tried that with the forest, hopefully you have better luck with sand… wait is he gone? I can't hear his network over the sand… no wait there he is." Hinami said using the byakugan to locate their opponent, running a hand over her face a moment in frustration and Gaara glanced over in acknowledgement. Before looking forwards, kneeling on the ground

"Not yet." he said in return, before placing his hands on the ground for giant sand burial, causing a shockwave to go over either side of the battleground, he looked puzzled, Kimimaro was refusing to quit. While admirable, was also incredibly annoying.

"Why won't he give up?" he said, confused

"His loyalties lie with Anko. She's brainwashed him to the point I'm certain if she asked him to rip his arm from his body and feast on it, he would with little hesitation. That loyalty is the only thing keeping him in the fight." Hinami said in response, looking towards the sand, unsurprised by his survival. Gaara moved both his hands to control the sand as Kimimaro stepped forwards once more, trying to create another sand coffin, which Kimimaro ran out of, going straight towards Gaara. Who was moving sand left and right to try and catch the man who was sliding on the sand as if it were a game. 

"Is that truly all you can do with your sand, how disappointing." Kimimaro said going to run forwards

"Rotation!" Hinami said hitting his chakra points while spinning with blue chakra surrounding her and Gaara, sending Kimimaro skidding back a few meters, Hinami taking panting breaths as she held her hand up, shaking from exhaustion from the amount of chakra she was using. 

"I'm still standing asshole." she said, looking over, her right sleeve was almost completely torn, her feet baring cuts and bruises, as did her face glaring towards the man, 

"Interesting, so you've got more tricks do you?" Kimimaro said sending bones to Hinami who moved her arms, blocking with wood that she summoned forth. Flipping back as Kimimaro continued to run towards her, Hinami blocking his overhead kick by moving her arms in an X formation over her head, 'shit… did he break my forearm with that?' Hinami thought, as a crack resounded throughout the field, a crater forming underneath the two. Gaara moved sand and hit Kimimaro in the side, sending him to the ground, Hinami jumping back over to the boy.

"Pretty sure he broke my forearm with that last attack. Are you hurt?" Hinami asked glancing back towards the boy, who looked over, his sand armor cracking, before he shook his head, noting that Hinami was now bleeding through the bandage on her hand, as well as through her pants and her head wound was slowly leaking blood. She looked terrible, he was surprised she was still standing.

"I'm fine." he said, Kimimaro going for another attack on Hinami, Gaara blocking the attack and sending Kimimaro away further. 

"You've become quite a nuisance, and this sand is annoying." Kimimaro said looking at the sand on the ground, Kimimaro pulling his spine from his back, holding it like a sword, 'freak out later, freak out later, freak out later, don't freak out now.' Hinami repeated to herself, Gaara using his defense to block the spine going around him, calling forth Shukaku's golem to stand in front and protect him, as Kimimaro sent his hardest bone through it. 

"There has never been anything strong enough to crack my bone." Kimimaro said, the bone on Kimimaro's hand cracking and breaking apart, Gaara informing of the hard minerals he'd used to create the shield, before Kimimaro dove into the explanation of Anko's will, and how he would live no matter what, in her will. Gaara explaining he felt bad for the pawn, Anko was using him and he was none the wiser, all because she'd brainwashed him. Hinami sighing a moment, looking back towards Kimimaro, Gaara was currently pulling him under the ground, sending him below the earths surface. Hinami moved her left hand to help the process, the earth beneath them swelling and surging, the two sending him beneath the ground, where he'd no longer be a threat to anyone again. Pushing more and more force into the attack as the ground around them cracked apart, the dirt overturning form the force of their chakra.

"He's gathering chakra still?" Hinami said, looking and listening to beneath the earth, Gaara moving them onto sand platforms. Hinami maintaining her statement that his powers were amazing, with Gaara denying such praise. 

"A tenacious opponent, but I'm sure it's over this time. We won't see him again in this life." Gaara said looking over and Hinami shook her head, looking towards the ground with her byakugan, looking beneath the layers of earth. 

"You're wrong. I can sense chakra gathering underneath the earth, he's going for one last attack before his body gives out completely… at least I hope it gives out." Hinami said looking towards the ground, 

"What?" Gaara said before Kimimaro's voice rang out, yelling at Gaara, who's eyes widened, before dying inches from his face, his blood spilling from the ground. 

"Finally… Told you we'd get him, together… uh.." Hinami started before her eyes rolled and she fell forwards, 

"Hinami!" Gaara said, catching the girl, taking them to the ground, 'she's alive… thank goodness.' Gaara thought as he noted Hinami take a breath of air wrapping her wounds, he performed basic medical ninjutsu on the girl. Her right forearm was broken, she had some lacerations to her head and her leg as well as her abdomen that Gaara wrapped. Before he sat next to her for a few, laying down next to her as he recovered his chakra. A few minutes later, he began the walk back to the leaf, holding Hinami bridal style. The girl having yet to regain consciousness, but it just seemed to be chakra exhaustion, paired with her minor injuries. Aside from her arm, her yukata was torn, with her body bearing the cuts of battle.

"Gaara?" Hinami said as they were halfway to the leaf, the boy glancing towards her a moment before sighing, mostly in relief. 

"Hey, don't worry. We're on the way back to the leaf village." Gaara said in return and Hinami nodded, 

"Thanks." Hinami said, 

"Sure, don't worry about it." Gaara responded, as they made their way back to the leaf, where Hinami would need more intensive medical ninjutsu than Gaara could provide. But she would pull through.

"I'm pretty lame right?" Hinami said looking over towards Gaara who shook his head, 

"Kimimaro was definitely a strong opponent. It's understandable that we both got pretty banged up back there." Gaara said and Hinami looked over, before Kiyoka jumped in front of the two.

"Big sister Kiyoka." Hinami said looking over towards the 19 yr old, 

"Sooo, you two are still close, huh? Ohh, I get it, you were her knight in shining armor, how romantic." Kiyoka said, the two's faces lightning up bright red as they looked away, Kiyoka laughing

"Shut up. Aren't you supposed to be training to lead the clan?" Hinami said in return, Kiyoka hanging her head a moment, and Hinami continued to look away, before Kiyoka put her hand on her forehead,

"Well, yeah, but when we caught wind of this mission the medical teams were dispatched. Neji, Kiba, Akamaru, Choji, Naruto, and Shikamaru are going to be fine. And it looks like you've got a few internal injuries, and your right arm that's broken. Which, even with your healing, Hinami, is going to take at least a day or week to heal. Possibly even a month" She said and Hinami nodded, 

"Thanks." she said, and Kiyoka nodded, Hinami moving her left hand which was completely healed, 

"Thank you Gaara, for helping my cousin. Seems your always there when she needs you." Kiyoka grinned and Gaara nodded in response, before she jumped off, being needed near where Naruto, Sasuke, and Kyoto were. Hinami bumping her fist against Gaara's chest a moment, grinning as she looked over. Before kissing his cheek. 

"At least the mission was a success… Thanks for coming to help." Hinami said and Gaara nodded, though a light blush now covered his cheeks.

"Shikamaru, your mission was a success, and nobody died. Well done." Minato said looking over towards the boy who was walking back down the hallway of the hospital, tears falling from his face. Hinami, Naruto, Neji, and Choji all suffered life threatening injuries, but they would all make a full recovery alongside Kiba, Akamaru, and Shikamaru himself. Kyoto was under the affects of a strong Genjutsu, which took Fugaku, Iroh, and Itachi working together to undo, it was near impossible though otherwise.