Lotus Of The Leaf ~Book One~

Chapter 28! Battle Formation! Ino-Shika-Cho!

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"Ino..... Why?" Sakura asked, gripping onto the tattered scraps of my kimono as I stare dumbfounded at Squad 10.

"I'm tired of you showing off in front of Sasuke and trying to get all the credit!" She smiled back at us.

Dosu looked up, annoyed by the sudden appearance of Squad 10, but that just kept hidden by the bandages wrapped around his face. Dosu straightened up a it, and Choji immediately burst into shivers. "These Leaf Village worms will be sorry they wormed their way into something that doesn't concern them." Choji's shivers turned into tremors.

"You guys, what're we even doing here?!" Choji yelped. "These guys are bad news!"

"Don't look at me, It was Ino's idea!" Shikamaru complained. "Besides, I'll be damned if were sitting back while the girls are fighting with all they've got."

"Sorry I dragged you guys into this." Ino laughed a little. "But we are a three man squad, right? All for one and one for all!"

"This ain't teamwork! I call this suicide!" Choji tried to escape, but unfortunately Shikamaru had a tight hold on his scarf. "Let me out of here! Please let me go! I don't wanna be here!"

"Stop it! You're getting on my nerves!" Shikamaru complained once again.

Zaku smirked at Choji's current behavior and began chuckling, saying it was better to live sheep than a dead lion. He then said the taboo word. The one most of us flinched over. Choji's ear twitched as I grew pale at the face. "Did I just hear that right?" Choji said in a low angry voice. "What did that guy just say?"

Zaku raised his eyebrow in confusion. Shikamaru began to sweat, knowing full well Choji was about to break out and destroy someone.

"Do you mind saying that again?"

Zaku repeated it. Choji remained silent for a moment, but that soon ended as Choji's anger broke out. "I'M NOT FAT!! I'M JUST A LITTLE CHUBBY, OKAY!?" With that battle cry, he turned to his teammates. "That does it! Now this is personal! It's a fight to the death between Leaf and Sound!"

While Ino was more than happy that he'd changed his mind, Shikamaru just groaned in annoyance to the other ninja. "Thanks a lot. Now we've gotta live with him."

I let out a soft sigh as I slumped forward, still feeling drained. Sakura grasped my shoulder and pulled me towards her chest, letting me lean against her. "Sakura, your teammates are down. Look after them." Ino told her. Sakura nodded briefly and tried to help me stand, but it was futile, I couldn't move an inch without gasping in pain. I grasped at my stomach as the burning sensation became almost unbearable. She sat back down and kept me comfortable. "Alright! Team Ino, lets show 'em who's boss!"

"Got it!" Choji and Shikamaru said in unison.

"Formation: Ino-"

"Shika-"

"Cho!"

"Okay Choji! Take it away!" Ino yelled as he performed the expansion jutsu.

"My pleasure!" He expanded at the waist, resembling a large balloon as his arms, legs, and head slipped into the balloon. "Human Boulder!" He shouted, spinning rapidly and charging towards Zaku. Zaku held up his arms, using the air streams to keep Choji at bay. It became a stalemate. Choji jumped upwards, and sailed right at Zaku. Dosu was about to leap in and help, but Shikamaru had him trapped in his Shadow Possession Jutsu.

"Why are you just standing there!" Kin screeched.

Zaku managed to jump out of Choji's line of destruction. Shikamaru made Dosu start doing some ridiculous poses, causing a fight of pained chuckles to erupt from my throat. "It's some sort of paralysis jutsu."