On the other hand, Hinata was finding that the Byakugan was also excellent for picking out the target and if one could strike with speed and precision - a bow was superior in many ways to a thrown kunai if one had the same level of mastery. Or lack of mastery.
"Shootoh! Hakabakashii!"
She heard Kiba's startled sound as the bracelet-turned-bow suddenly blurred and a dozen chakra arrows went out almost as one. Though the last arrow was malformed and dissipated only a few feet from the bow, the target manifested a spread of holes a moment later.
Hinata then had to stop and gulp breath, feeling the shakes as keeping her Byakugan active and activating that technique was very draining.
"That... was a gift from the dobe?" asked Kiba, disbelieving.
Shino seemed to consider something, glancing at Kiba and making a sound.
"Something, Shino?" asked Kurenai Yuhi, taking the target down as Akamaru trotted over to Hinata and sniffed at her in apparent concern.
"When I heard that Naruto Uzumaki had become engaged to Hinata Hyuga, and that Hinata would be on our team, I put out a few discrete inquiries," said Shino. "We are an information gathering team, after all."
"Yes?" asked Kurenai, approving of the initiative and allowing it to show in her tone.
"Am I correct in my conclusion that Naruto's surname indicates he is of descent from the Land Of Whirlpools?" asked Shino.
"That isn't exactly secret, so yes," said Kurenai, wondering how much information Shino had uncovered.
"Am I also correct, in that his mother was Kushina Uzumaki?" asked Shino.
"That is also true," said Kurenai. "Though that information is not as easily uncovered and you shouldn't talk too freely about that or certain other details you might uncover."
Shino nodded. "I had wondered what, even with the rumored bet involved, would the Hyuga clan gain from such an arrangement? What little information I have on Hiashi Hyuga indicates someone who does not act from sentimental or frivolous motives."
"You mean that all the Hyuga have a stick up their butts," translated Kiba.
"Why would they put a tree branch within their posteriors?" asked Shino.
"It's an expression, Shino. Cha," said Kiba with an eyeroll. "So why would the Hyuga tolerate someone like Naruto?"
"Kushina Uzumaki of clan Uzumaki, the last survivor of her clan," said Shino. "She was well known as a prankster, had higher than average strength and stamina, and was likewise noted as having enormous chakra reserves. Her red hair color and temperament gained her the sobriquet of 'Red Hot Habanero' among her peer group," said Shino. "Likewise, she was exceedingly skilled at fuuinjutsu."
"Huh," said Kiba as Hinata began drinking from her canteen.
Hinata herself was just covering that she herself was listening very intently.
"There was also something about how several groups of ninja had come to fear the Uzumaki, but few details as to what caused that fear," said Shino.
"So the Hyuga just want to use the guy for breeding, huh?" asked Kiba.
Hinata nearly choked on the contents of her canteen.
"Okay, we're going to go a little differently this time," said Kakashi. "Sakura, you're on point."
"Her? Why?" asked Sasuke.
"She's immune to poisons, and her clockwork body looks like metal and wood - but from the way she broke that chain, I'm guessing that neither material is quite what we're used to," said Kakashi.
Kurochan spoke up. "I don't know what either material is, but they're denser and more resilient than the sort of thing I see around Konoha. Though chakra metal comes close."
"I'll bring up the rear," said Kakashi. "Naruto, how long can you fly before fatigue becomes a problem?"
"Depends on the speed," said Naruto. "All day if I keep up a pace around walking or running on foot. At my fastest I could be back to Konoha and return inside an hour, but that'd be tiring."
"Hmmmm," said Kakashi, filing that away and seeing potential uses. "What about Tazuna's top speed? If you keep your Area Search going too?"
"Six or seven hours, I think," said Naruto after thinking about that. "That's if I keep a Wide Area Search going and then renew it every so often when I have to drop it to keep from getting a headache. Getting images from each of the spheres as they search and flicking back and forth can give you a real headache."
"Then that's your role," said Kakashi. "I want you up as high as you can, keeping an eye on us. Bring one of those spheres of yours in to signal us if you find something. This is additional training for you as well - since being able to keep that going while moving is going to be very handy in the future."
"Got it," said Naruto. "Mjolnir!"
[Flight Mode. Wide Area Search.]
Team 7 and Tazuna watched as Naruto went straight up, becoming a tiny dot in the morning sky and seeming to vanish.
"You know," said Tazuna in the following silence, "that's kinda impressive and looks damn useful."
"True," said Kakashi. "Sasuke - your main task is to walk near Tazuna. I'll be alert to menaces from behind, Sakura from the front. Naruto will keep an eye out from his vantage point all around, but he might miss something. That's why you're going to be watching the sides."
Sasuke made a little noise but then glanced overhead where Naruto was. "Can he really keep that up like that?"
"He's an Uzumaki," said Tazuna. "I'd expect being tricky is inherited. Strange that he's blonde though. Must have gotten it from his other parent."
Kakashi's head swiveled to look at Tazuna very quickly, which both Sakura and Sasuke noted.
Unknown to either genin, the same thought went through their heads at the same time. Which would have amused Sakura and annoyed Sasuke.
A clue?
Toltiir generally let things go on their own. It was more his style to set the dominos up and see what pattern they fell in.
So he was as surprised as anyone else when Yzma put two and two together and came up with the square root of rhutabaga.
"I honestly don't see it, Yzma," said Kronk from his hiding place.
"Ah, poor pitiful Kronk," said Yzma, looking through the binoculars. "Of course you can't. I had to drink one of my Potions Of Brilliance for all the pieces to come together."
"Yeah, but those things can misfire, you know," pointed out Kronk. "This Neji really does seem to be a guy."
"Just a clever spell, no doubt cast by Uzumaki to confuse the issue further and grant his fiancee some peace," said Yzma. "Watch as my genius reveals the truth!"
"Considering the potion you had my squirrels put in there," said Kronk. "I'd expect anyone taking in that soba would-"
KA-GIRL!
"-do like that," said Kronk.
"Wha- what WHAT?!"
"Somehow I expected more," commented Kronk.
"Right now only one thing has changed," said Yzma. "This potion was special from that shop we stopped at. The rest of the transformation will take place over the next day. It will restore her to her female form, but it uses a particular archetype - so Naruto's fiancee will be helpless when she tries to act like some sneaky ninja assassin and can't!"
"Oh?" asked Kronk. "I don't see anything different, other than he's running around in a... and looking in this direction."
"Time to go!" declared Yzma, moving with surprising speed.
"YOU TWO! YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!"
Kronk and Yzma didn't bother replying. They had to run. Fortunately the boy-turned-girl kept tripping and running into objects.
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(Posted Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:29)
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