Naruto and Hinata: Stories After "The Last"! (Bi-weekly Updates)

The Desire Mission: Part Three

"So...you've figured it out, huh?" A woman's voice came from behind the trees, with quite a dubious laugh following it. "Your attachments to others are feeble..."

Low and behold, Chenja emerges, whipping a set of blades in Naruto's direction. Shikamaru quickly released his shadow paralysis, allowing Naruto to drop to his knees and evade the attack. With a snarl, Naruto picks his head up to meet her gaze.

"So...it's been you stealing everyone's stuff, huh?" his voice is gruff, and very displeased.

"My, for a "B ranked task", it sure did take you all long enough to figure it out..." she reused the exact words that Shikamaru had used, and in quite a condescending tone.

"Why are you doing this?" Naruto questioned angrily. "You lure people in with the ones that they love- and then take all of their stuff and leave them? What kind of monster are you?"

"I'm no monster..." her head dropped. "Everything that I've told you all was true. I did lose my little son, Jin, in a fire; and all of my belongings with him. I had nothing, and no one would helping me. I lived here, in these woods, for many months. And finally after that time, I was liberated; I was free from earthly attachments, and of my bonds that held me back and made me weak."

Her words...they were the same words that Sai had spoken...

"I've read somewhere that women make men weak..."

"That kid's right...you're getting soft..."

The words echoed in Naruto's mind like a siren.

"Today, I'm not weak anymore...by showing people their heart's desires and shattering them, and then taking their possessions, I show them that they will survive and thrive – Just like I have. I show them that they have relied on others far too much."

"Ugh, that's not true!" Naruto stands to his feet and charges her, only for a cloud of smoke to surround her. As it cleared, Many images appeared: there was Asuma and Shikaku, Shikamaru's father; There was Shin, Sai's brother; and finally, there stood Naruto's parents, Minato and Kushina, as well as Jiraiya and- Hinata. Her eyes twinkled, at his sight.



"Sh-she took my paint..." Sai winces, feeling around his body for his gear.

 Even Shikamaru had his eyes firmly set back on his sensei, and his father...

"Come on, Naruto..." Chenja beckoned. "These are the people you want to be with, especially this one right about now..." She roughly grabbed Hinata's arms, twisting them behind her back as she yelped in pain. Naruto's eyes widened... "She is always at the fore front of your mind, isn't she?" She added. "Come to them, if you love them so."

With heavy breaths, Naruto stepped forward toward them.

"D-don't do it, Naruto..." Shikamaru closed his eyes tightly to try and evade the temptation. They were so real, and alluring. Seemingly ignoring his cries, Naruto stepped closer and closer, easily, until he was in front of Chenja, holding a tighter grip on Hinata's arms. She chuckled, to feel that'd won...

But with a sudden thrust, Naruto punches through the stomach of the false image, as it disappeared, and doubled Chenja over with a grunt. Just then, all of the hallucinations disappeared with her.

"You bastard..." she spits, clutching her stomach.

"You're wrong!" Naruto declared, preparing himself in a combative stance. "Bonds don't make you weak...they make you stronger!"

Chenja jumps backward, preparing herself to fight. Shikamaru attempts to trap her with his shadow, but she dodges it.

"You're a fool!" she proclaimed, a little bit of blood spurting from her mouth.